Debra A. Kemp's book two of the House of Pendragon series, The Recruit , continues the story of King Arthur's daughter, Lin.  After finally escaping life as an abused slave of Modred, Lin struggles to adjust to her new, tedious life as princess in Camelot. However, her mother, Queen Gwenhwyfar, is impartial at best of the return of her long-lost daughter. And at worst, she is cruel and cold, doling out lashes in punishment for Lin's bold or unladylike tendencies. Desperate for a more fulfilling life than sewing and constant prayer, Lin trains to become a soldier in Camelot's army. And though faced with resistance from soldiers and nobles alike, Lin struggles to fight injustice in Camelot—even to the point of conquering her fearful past to prove herself worthy of an honorable future.

The novel was a bit confusing to start (it begins with an older Lin relaying her memories of the events, so the biggest chunk of the novel is essentially a flashback). However, the tale quickly enthralled me once it got into the childhood Lin's point of view. Lin's voice is compelling and heartbreaking as a young teenager struggling to find a sense of belonging among a cold mother, loving (but unavailable) father, and the soldiers and nobles around her. The history woven throughout the tale is strong and solid, and I truly enjoyed this interesting twist on the Arthurian Legends. Ms. Kemp now has a new, dedicated reader—I eagerly look forward to purchasing book 1 for myself to see what I've missed thus far. I'll impatiently await future installments in this series.

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