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Book Summary and Reviews of The Lost Book of Lancelot by John Glynn

The Lost Book of Lancelot by John Glynn

The Lost Book of Lancelot

A Novel

by John Glynn

  • Critics' Consensus (7):
  • Published:
  • May 2026, 384 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

A queer retelling of the legend of Sir Lancelot, following the famous knight as he grows up orphaned, falls in love, and attempts to fulfill his destiny at the Round Table—from the bestselling author of Out East.

Hidden away on the Isle of Women, a nameless orphan grows up among a powerful sisterhood, but always at a distance. He hears whispers of a prophecy that may shed light on his destiny—and his true identity: Lancelot. Determined to master the skills of knighthood, he begins training in tandem with the handsome Galehaut. As the two become inseparable, they guide one another toward their truest selves. But no matter how tightly they cling to one another, each has a role to play in the wizard Merlin's grand prophecies.

When Lancelot is forced to follow Merlin to Camelot, he fights to protect his heart while seeking the fabled grail alongside King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. But when Roman legionaries encroach on their kingdom, their quest takes on new urgency, as does Lancelot's explosive secret—the truth of what he left behind on the Isle of Women.

Steeped in rich medieval lore, The Lost Book of Lancelot is at once an immersive, a poignant love story and an epic, unforgettable tale of a vulnerable boy who is forced to rise to the occasion amid a battle between the old world and the new.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"[An] exquisitely layered novel... The Lost Book of Lancelot is astounding in its perspective on a legendary time through the lens of various forms of love, including first love and the deepest friendships. Glynn imagines a more multifaceted past underneath the familiar story." ―Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Entertaining… Glynn makes Arthurian England vivid and immersive, complete with the expected dragons and quests alongside more surprising queer characters and relationships that blend wonderfully with the romance integral to the chivalric tale...will as readily appeal to longtime Camelot fans as those with only passing familiarity with this world." ―Publishers Weekly

"John Glynn has written an astonishing reimagining of Arthurian legend in The Lost Book of Lancelot. The world Glynn creates here is so richly detailed and evocative that I felt completely transported – and stayed awake far too late turning these pages. It was such a joy to step out of the real world and into this one for a while." ―Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author

"Lyrical, tender, and steeped in legend, John Glynn's The Lost Book of Lancelot reimagines a familiar tale with breathtaking intimacy and emotional depth. A queer epic that draws on medieval lore while daring to explore what destiny demands of the heart." ―Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

This information about The Lost Book of Lancelot was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

John Glynn

John Glynn is the Editorial Director of Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. His nonfiction debut Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer was an Indie Next pick, an Oprah, The Magazine "Best LGBTQ Book of 2019," and a Cosmopolitan Best Book of 2019, among other accolades. His writing has appeared in People, Oprah Daily, The Millions and The Daily Beast. He lives in New York City with his partner and dog, Whitman.

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