Lady Castle by Dawson, Woods & Campbell
By Kai Charles
There is so much creative talent in the world. I was fortunate to discover Delilah S. Dawson, from the Star Wars short story, The Perfect Weapon.
I’ve followed her work every since, so when she announced Lady Castle, I ordered a copy right away.
Lady Castle on its surface is a gender-bent exploration of the Arthurian stories, with a dash of exploration into female fairytale tropes.
The story opens with an exploration of daily life in Mancastle. Princess Aeve is locked in a tower while her father and the rest of the men are out on a mission. Aeve has once again refused a would-be suitor, so the hunt is on for a better match. Aeve whiles away the days by baking, working out, and answering letters from other female residents of Mancastle, all trapped into limited ways of life due to their womanhood.
All that changes when a lone knight returns to the castle with a tale of woe. All of the men save one are killed on the way back to the castle. Not only were they killed, but they were placed under a curse that also affected the castle. The last male survivor, Sir Riddick, offers to take the throne, but the Lady of the Lake has different plans: She offers a magnificent sword to the blacksmith’s wife, Merinor (pictured above).
Merinor rises to the role of King(that’s right, not Queen, but King as anointed by the “disembodied arm”), and quickly forms a Round Table, offering all a chance to train for knighthood.
I loooove this book! I’m a nerd for Arthurian legends in all forms and I’m excited about this story.
This is the first time I have seen Ashley A. Woods’ art and I’m an instant fan of it. There is a slight feel of animation in the renderings of the characters and locations. The art doesn’t “pop” like most four color books but has slightly muted shades that work well for the story.
A wonderful first issue!
Kai Charles is a Medical Professional, Jedi Hopeful, and Independent Book Reviewer at Fiction State of Mind. You can also find her on Twitter @yogikai, tweeting about all things relating to Books & Geek Culture Blog.
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