The Wicked Day * Mary Stewart * Arthurian Saga #4

Fate and prophecy collide as Mordred, the bastard son of King Arthur, struggles to escape his dark destiny only to find himself on a tragic, unavoidable collision course with Camelot.

The Story: Raised in secrecy on the stormy, remote shores of the Orkney Islands, young Mordred learns a devastating secret: he is the product of an accidental, incestuous encounter between King Arthur and his half-sister, Morgause. Prophesied by Merlin to be the instrument of Arthur's eventual downfall, Mordred drops his defensive shields and travels to Camelot, desperately hoping to earn his father's love and defy the dark predictions. Though Arthur acknowledges him as his legitimate heir, a volatile web of court intrigues, family rivalries, and misunderstandings slowly forces Mordred into the exact role of the villain he spent his entire life trying to escape - culminating in the bloody, clock-ticking tragedy on the battlefield of Camlann.

Perfect For: Fans of immersive, historically grounded Arthurian retellings, complex psychological tragedies, epic fantasy sagas, and authors like T.H. White, Marion Zimmer Bradley, or Bernard Cornwell.

Published 1983 by William Morrow Co. Stated First US Edition.

Arthurian Legend & Mythology / Historical Fantasy / British Legends & Folklore / Sovereign Family Chronicles / Series Continuations