The Shards of Excalibur Books in Order

The Shards of Excalibur is a modern young adult fantasy series built around Arthurian legend, but its starting point is Regina, Saskatchewan. Ariane Forsythe is a teenager carrying a lot of hurt. Her mother disappeared, she has spent time in foster care, and a new school brings fresh trouble. Then a strange encounter beneath Wascana Lake reveals that the old stories about King Arthur were not simply stories.

Ariane is the heir to the Lady of the Lake.

That inheritance gives her access to frightening new powers and puts her at the center of a race for the broken pieces of Excalibur. The sword has been shattered into five pieces, and Ariane must find them before Merlin does. Merlin is still alive in the present day, working as Rex Major, a powerful and wealthy technology leader with plans that reach beyond Earth.

Ariane's main partner is Wally Knight, an awkward, funny, and loyal classmate who becomes far more important than either of them expects. Their friendship is one of the series' anchors. Ariane has magic and a growing sense of responsibility, while Wally often supplies the patience, skepticism, and clever problem-solving that keeps the quest from running away with them.

The books move from Saskatchewan to far-flung locations as Ariane and Wally follow each shard's trail. Song of the Sword launches the hunt. Twist of the Blade explores the unsettling effect that power can have on Ariane and the people around her. Lake in the Clouds pushes the pair toward New Zealand, while Cave Beneath the Sea raises the stakes around Ariane's missing mother and a Caribbean search. Door into Faerie brings the quest toward its final confrontation.

This is a fast-moving series with magic, travel, school problems, family secrets, and moments of humor. The Arthurian pieces are familiar enough to be fun, but the story does not require expert knowledge of Camelot. What matters is Ariane's struggle to become someone who can handle both power and loss without losing herself.

The series also lets its villains stay complicated. Rex Major is dangerous, but the books leave room for questions about motive, loyalty, and the lines between manipulation and choice. Ariane and Wally make mistakes, argue, regroup, and keep going.

Begin with Song of the Sword and read in order. The five-book quest builds on the characters' changing relationships as much as it does on the hunt for Excalibur's shards.