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I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, before a change of career led me to writing children's fiction. Originally from the UK, I now live in France with my husband and our beautiful Tonkinese cat.
Shadows from the Past is a series of time-travel adventures, featuring 3 children and a rather special Tonkinese cat - the incomparable Maximus Lancelot to give him his full name. I'm currently working on the eighteenth book, The Shadow of the Slave Ship. The full-length books are also accompanied by some shorter stories, Max's Adventures, all of which see the talking feline hero, Max, undertaking solo missions in the past.
As I take my young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, I'm hoping that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too.
Reviewed by Mary T. Kincaid for Readers' Favorite
The Shadow of Camelot by Wendy Leighton-Porter continues the time traveling adventures of Joe, Jemima, Charlie, and Max the cat. This time they travel back to Camelot because they were called by Merlin the Magician. Merlin was trying to understand a prophecy about an event that would save King Arthur from the Saxon invaders. Max, the cat, plays a role in this adventure because he retrieves Excalibur for King Arthur after the children discover that it is magic. The sword was owned by Arthur’s enemy, the Saxon king, Aelle. The two cats in the story, Midnight and Max, sneak into the Aelle’s tent and drag the sword away so they can hide it in the bushes. Because they have gold magic owl charms, the children can understand Arthur and the Saxons, as well as Max the cat. This tale combines many of the Arthurian legends that have been handed down. It is a charming retelling by blending the stories together.
I enjoyed the story. I found the use of history, myth and legend to be entertaining. This is not the Disney version, but it is a ripping good tale. The descriptions advance the story which is well plotted. The dialogue is realistic and believable, even coming from a man from Gaul, Lancelot, who turns out to be a relative of Joe and Jemima. I love the part that Max plays. He gives the Britons instructions on winning the battle by painting a face of a cat on their shields. Arthur won the Battle of Badon without any fighting because King Aelle was so afraid of the cats on the shields. It was very entertaining. A five-star read.
