''The Stolen Lake'' is a children's novel by Joan Aiken, first published in 1981. Taking place in an

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

, the story follows the adventures of Dido Twite in a fictionalized version of South America. The novel is, according to the internal chronology of the novels, the fourth in the

Wolves Chronicles Joan Delano Aiken (4 September 1924 – 4 January 2004) was an English writer specialising in supernatural fiction and children's alternative history novels. In 1999 she was awarded an MBE for her services to children's literature. For ''The ...

, a series of books set during the fictional 19th century reign of King James III. In this world, part of South America is occupied by Ancient British (Celtic) colonists following an invasion hundreds of years before.

Plot

After her adventures in ''

Nightbirds on Nantucket ''Nightbirds on Nantucket'' is a children's novel by Joan Aiken, first published in 1966. Taking place in an alternate history, the story presents the further adventures of Dido Twite, an eleven-year-old Victorian tomboy, aboard a whaling shi ...

'', Dido Twite is travelling back to England on the naval vessel HMS Thrush. En route, she befriends the ship's open-minded steward, Holystone. The ship changes course, landing on the coast of New Cumbria. Bound by ancient treaties between Britain and New Cumbria, they are given orders to assist Ginevra, the Queen. Travelling to Bath, the capital city, the crew learn that Ginevra wants them to help her recover a lake, which she claims has been stolen by New Cumbria's neighbour, Lyonesse. It seems that she is the same immortal Ginevra, or Guinevere, of myth and has waited centuries for the return of her king, Arthur. Unfortunately, she has attained immortality by cannibalistic vampirism, murdering and consuming local maidens. It then transpires that Holystone is an incarnation of Arthur, who for a thousand years had lain in suspended animation on an island in the missing lake. But this Arthur is not at all pleased at the monstrosity his ancient spouse has become.

Characters

* Dido Twite, the protagonist of the novel * Captain Hughes, the captain of the H. M. S. ''Thrush'', which brought Dido Twite to Roman America from Nantucket * Queen Ginevra, the "White Queen" of New Cumbria * Holystone, the steward of the ''Thrush''; later discovered to be Ginevra's Rex Quondam * Elen, a princess of Lyonesse, rescued by Dido Twite

References

External links

1981 British novels 1981 children's books British children's books British alternative history novels English novels Novels by Joan Aiken Novels set in fictional countries Children's historical novels Novels set in South America Jonathan Cape books Children's books set in South America {{1980s-child-hist-novel-stub