‘“Some wounds never heal,” said Arthur. “Tristan’s regret will never fade.”’

With Tristan’s Regret, Jacob Sannox concludes his The Return of King Arthur trilogy. I received an advance copy but this has in no way influenced my review. It’s impossible to review Tristan’s Regret without also commenting on the series as a whole. As a result, this review does contain significant spoilers for the previous two books – The Ravenmaster’s Revenge and Agravain’s Escape. If you haven’t already read those books I would encourage you to do so, rather than continuing with this review. Otherwise, please read on.

If you’ve got this far into the series you’ll already be familiar with what it offers. In Sannox’s unique version of the Arthurian legend, King Arthur and his knights of the round table have been made immortal through the magic of Merlin. Cast into an unageing sleep, these 5^th Century warriors become the eternal defenders of England, revived when the country is in need. Thus, we have the exploits of the knights throughout key moments in history, combined with a modern-day story, which takes place between 2019-2021.

Tristan’s Regret is structured around a more focussed dual timeline than the previous stories, switching between events at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall in the 5^th Century and a deadly struggle between Arthur’s surviving knights and the followers of Malagant in 2021. The tone of these separate strands is distinct, so in the past it reads like a conventional fantasy novel, whilst the modern events are what you’d expect in a contemporary thriller. What I found surprising was how well these two distinct voices combined to make a cohesive whole. Dual timeline is tricky to pull off but what Sannox does here is dual genre – and it works!

Ravenmaster was a short book and in many ways it was more of a proof of concept that this form of novel could work. With the premise established, the follow-up, Agravain’s Escape, ended on a huge cliffhanger when Arthur’s love interest, Caitlyn, was kidnapped by Malagant’s followers. Tristan’s Regret picks up immediately on this action and, with Agravain’s death, the focus of the story moves to Tristan, Arthur’s most loyal knight. Modern events centre on Arthur and Tristan desperately trying to track down and save Caitlyn. This is woven together with events in the 5^th Century, where Morgana casts a curse upon Tristan, the effects of which ripple down through the centuries, at a terrible cost.

Agravain’s Escape was really a tale about the doomed love between Agravain and the enchantress, Nimuë. I was expecting the same in this novel, since its origins are found in the legend of Tristan and Isolde and the forbidden love affair between them. However, in Tristan’s Regret, Sannox uses a more expanded cast of both existing and new characters, telling the tale from a wider set of perspectives. This gives this novel more depth and complexity than its predecessors. Standout characters for me were Tristan, Morgana, Isolde, Kayleigh and Caitlyn – all of them distinct and different, with their own priorities, opinions and motivations. This side of things was very well done.

I particularly enjoyed Caitlyn struggling to deal with the magical world she realises she’s unwittingly entered, and I thought her responses were very realistic. Arthur was a more difficult character to like – he’s been a remote figure throughout the whole series. I think this reflects his own personal dilemma as he wrestles with his relevance and role in the modern world, especially now he and his companions have begun to age, following Merlin’s death.

I don’t want to give away too much but the magical and fantasy elements were applied in interesting ways in the modern world. Charlie Merton deserves a mention as a brilliant character who takes the story in an unexpected direction. Sannox writes stories that have the capacity to surprise, where the stakes are always high. Tristan’s Regret really delivers on that score, with plenty of twists and turns in both storylines, which will keep you guessing right until the end. There were moments I never saw coming, and Sannox isn’t afraid to hurt his characters – this is a book where no one is safe.

So, what did I think of the whole thing? As a novel, Tristan’s Regret absolutely delivers in so many different ways. I enjoyed the engaging, traditional fantasy, exciting fast-paced modern thrills, believable characters with real depth and the excellent plotting. The conclusion didn’t have quite the same raw emotional impact there was at the end of Agravain’s Escape. Tristan’s Regret was more thoughtful and considered, though still affecting in its own way, with the harder task of wrapping up a whole series and providing a resolution for the entire cast. I thought Sannox did a masterful job on that front. The mark of a true storyteller is they leave you thinking about the novel and its ending long after you’ve closed the final pages. That was certainly the case here.
The Return of King Arthur really is an outstanding series. It’s short and easy to read but at the same time it has something to say, with plenty for the reader to think about as Sannox keeps them guessing. Sannox’s excellent writing will certainly appeal to fans of Arthurian myth and those who enjoy modern thrillers. I think he did the right thing finishing this on a high with Tristan’s Regret, leaving me satisfied but still wanting more. This is a superb tale, expertly weaving together legend, history, friendship and love. I’m the richer for reading The Return of King Arthur and I can’t recommend these books highly enough.