SamoaPhoenix Guest Review/Reread: The Legend of the King

Title: Legend of the King Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books Pages: 295 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Sir Terence has come a long way since he first left his guardian twenty years ago and joined the insolent Gawain as his squire.  Dark Forces are at work in England, and Terence and Gawain had set off once more in service of King Arthur, but this time the two friends are sent on separate missions.  At last, a true Knight of the Round Table, Terence has no time to rest on his laurels, but must continue his work to protect King Arthur and the peace that the king and his knights have created for England.  Unfortunately, the king's enemies are at work as well.  Morgause and Mordred had spies even at Camelot itself, and together mother and son attempt to divide the Fellowship of the Round Table, bring Camelot to ruin, and place Mordred on the throne. In this final installment of the Squire's Tales series, Terence and his fellow Knights of the Round Table must ready their swords, enchantments, and wit to come together in a last stand to save Camelot.  The characters Gerald Morris has brought to life throughout his series--Terence and Gawain, Lynet and Gaheris, Luneta and Rhience, Dinadan and Palomides--each have an important role to play if they are to defeat their enemies.  Only by maintaining their faith, selflessness, and honor, can Morgause and Mordred banish and defeat the dark magic from England forever.

Legend of the King was published the year after I graduated from college. I had been dreading it for a lot of reasons, since it had been established since the previous book’s release that this was the last of the Squire’s Tales and it was obvious a lot of beloved key characters would die. In the end of this series, it was also a sort of final good-bye to my teenagehood and an assertion that yes, indeed, I had entered the adult world for good. I had outgrown these books and was ready for what came next, just as the characters are all finally ready for what comes after their final adventure for Camelot. An ending and a beginning.

In this re-read I have been both eager to get this final book over with and fine with putting it off. Some of the delay between the reviews for this book and Squire’s Quest were the two sessions of Camp NaNoWriMo in which Story participated (that knocks out April and July for both reading and writing reviews) but neither one of us has been particularly inclined to prompt finishing the series. This re-read has stripped away a lot of the nostalgia I feel for this series and revealed significant flaws in books I once loved (though nothing can dampen my love for Savage Damsel) and I know there have been a lot of elements that Story has been deeply unhappy with that have made the series overall less enjoyable. But we agreed for the sake of other projects we must proceed with the final review.

Spoilers, etc… and warning for almost 4,000-word review.

Review: The Legend of the King

Title: Legend of the King Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books Pages: 295 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Sir Terence has come a long way since he first left his guardian twenty years ago and joined the insolent Gawain as his squire.  Dark Forces are at work in England, and Terence and Gawain had set off once more in service of King Arthur, but this time the two friends are sent on separate missions.  At last, a true Knight of the Round Table, Terence has no time to rest on his laurels, but must continue his work to protect King Arthur and the peace that the king and his knights have created for England.  Unfortunately, the king's enemies are at work as well.  Morgause and Mordred had spies even at Camelot itself, and together mother and son attempt to divide the Fellowship of the Round Table, bring Camelot to ruin, and place Mordred on the throne. In this final installment of the Squire's Tales series, Terence and his fellow Knights of the Round Table must ready their swords, enchantments, and wit to come together in a last stand to save Camelot.  The characters Gerald Morris has brought to life throughout his series--Terence and Gawain, Lynet and Gaheris, Luneta and Rhience, Dinadan and Palomides--each have an important role to play if they are to defeat their enemies.  Only by maintaining their faith, selflessness, and honor, can Morgause and Mordred banish and defeat the dark magic from England forever.

"Is the Arthurian mythos more than Arthur’s death?  I think Gerald Morris would answer that question with a ‘yes’.  But I also don’t think he’s sure.  And I think that uncertainty has wormed its way into the subtext.  I have one more book to go and only then will I know if the Squire’s Tales will forever be defined by Arthur’s death or remembered for something more." X

(Also, this book is not, in fact, about Mordred and Morgause working together to banish the forces of evil and I am done with book blurbs forever).

Warning for Spoilers

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review/Reread: The Lioness and Her Knight

Title: The Lioness and Her Knight Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 343 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Lunet is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur's Round Table).  She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend's castle near Camelot.  Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain--a young knight seeking adventure--arrives just in time to escort her. Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose wit and audacity set many a puffed-up personality in its place.  Before arriving at Lady Laudine's castle, the trio stops at Camelot, where they hear the story of the Storm Stone, a magical object deep in the forest that soon sweeps everyone into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic. Filled with broken promises, powerful enchantresses, unconventional sword fights, fierce and friendly lionesses and damsels in and out of distress, The Lioness and Her Knight proves itself as witty and adventuresome as the rest of Gerald Morris's tales from King Arthur's court.

This is, I think, the first of the Squire’s Tales books I read originally while actually knowing Story and her interest in Arthurian legend. Morris typically had a year or two in between the release of each book in the series, and sometime between Dung-Cart Knight and Lioness I made the jump from high school to college where Story and I met. So this may or may not have been the first Morris book she saw me reading, though Savage Damsel is another contender for that title since I’ve reread it so often.

Spoilers, etc….

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: For Camelot's Honor

Title: For Camelot's Honor Author: Sarah Zettel Publisher: Luna Books Pages: 384 Synopsis: (from the publisher) A quest of hidden shadows, old gods and immense power—and the battle for Britain continues! Elen believed nothing could withstand her retribution against her family’s killer. The daughter of a Welsh chieftan, Elen would wield her growing powers to destroy her enemy and win back her lands. But then she learned the power behind the invader—the fearsome sorceress Morgaine, who’d vowed to destroy Camelot… Rather than attack Elen directly, Morgaine created an elaborate plan to cause Elen to betray all she held dear, including her new ally, the High King. Still holding fast to hope, facing deadly foes seen and unseen, Elen traveled through the wild mountains to find a magical weapon to strike down the sorceress. Sir Geraint, her only companion, would risk life and love to complete their quest—but never honor. Yet will Elen choose honor and the future over revenge and a shattered past?

 Yes, it’s finally the last book in the Paths to Camelot quartet! This is technically the second book of the series, but I inadvertently read book three (Under Camelot’s Banner) and then I wanted to find out what happened to Laurel and Agravain (By Camelot’s Blood). As it turns out, it doesn’t really matter that I read this book last. The events described have little to no bearing on the final outcome of the battle between the Orkney brothers and Morgan le Fay, though I fault the abrupt ending of book four more than anything wrong with this book.

Spoilers, etc…

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review/Reread: The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf

Title: The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 213 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Her castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet realizes that the only way to get help is to get it herself.  So one night she slips away and strikes out for King Arthur's court, where she hopes to find a gallant knight to vanquish the Knight of the Red Lands and free her castle.  Instead, she finds an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains. As the three unlikely companions return to Lynet's castle, they face suprising adventures, including encounters with the uncanny Squire Terence, his master, Sir Gawain, and the majestic sorceress Morgan.  And somewhere along the way, Lynet discovers that people can be much more than they seem.  .

It should be said first off that this is one of my all-time favorite books ever. I’ve read it so much my hardcover edition is falling apart. My first wobbly try at screenplay writing was adapting this book. So you probably shouldn’t pay attention to anything I have to say about it. Just go read it for yourself. Preferably in the much better cover of the newer editions.

Spoilers, etc…

Reread: The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf

Title: The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 213 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Her castle under siege by an evil knight who keeps beheading all her would-be rescuers, Lady Lynet realizes that the only way to get help is to get it herself.  So one night she slips away and strikes out for King Arthur's court, where she hopes to find a gallant knight to vanquish the Knight of the Red Lands and free her castle.  Instead, she finds an odd dwarf named Roger and a scruffy kitchen hand named Beaumains. As the three unlikely companions return to Lynet's castle, they face suprising adventures, including encounters with the uncanny Squire Terence, his master, Sir Gawain, and the majestic sorceress Morgan.  And somewhere along the way, Lynet discovers that people can be much more than they seem.

Or, In Gerald Morris' words:

"In this story a skilled knight called Beaumains conceals his real name and takes a menial job as a kitchen servant-- curious behavior that would normally call for some explanation, but Malory never explains.  Then, when Beaumains rides off on his quest, he is sometimes accompanied by an unnamed dwarf who knows his true identity, but Malory never bothers to tell who this dwarf is or how he knows Beaumains or why he cares to ride with him.  After Beaumains arrives at Lynoness's castle, a knight with no name appears from nowhere and fights Beaumains for no apparent reason.  The nameless knight is defeated, but luckily for him, Lady Lynet appears on the scene and magically cures him, although Malory had not mentioned until this moment that Lynet was an enchantress.  Indeed, the modern reader's response to Malory's tale will often be, "Huh?""

--Gerald Morris, pg 211-212 of the Savage Damsel and the Dwarf 

Warning for Spoilers

Gabbiebii Guest Review: Idylls of the Queen

Hello!  I'd like to welcome the newest member of the Guest Review Team, the fabulous Gabbiebii!  Gabbiebii answered the call I put out a few weeks ago asking for guest reviews.  She is a great lover of the Arthurian mythos and a Galahad super-fan (often finding herself disappointed with the lack of care authors give him).  We have sparred often over the deep and profound question of whether or not Lancelot adds anything of merit to the legends ( :-P), but as far as I'm concerned, she's A-Class and I love our debates.

Gabbiebii begins her time here reviewing one of my favorite retellings, Phyllis Ann Karr's The Idylls of the Queen.  Please give her a warm welcome and enjoy her review!

~Storyteller Knight

Title: The Idylls of the Queen Author: Phyllis Ann Karr Publisher: Wildside Press Pages: 341 Synopsis: (from the goodreads) The arrangements for the dinner party were overseen by Queen Guenever herself. She selected the apples with her own hands. And before the evening ended, a young knight lay dead ... and Arthur's beloved, unfaithful queen stood branded as a murderess and condemned to death! Phyllis Ann Karr has taken Celtic legendry and given it a fresh new twist in this magical murder mystery of knights and sorcery, romantic entanglements and courtly intrigues. This is a tale that explores the passions and motivations of the men and women who stride through the pages of Mallory's romance: Sir Kay, the sharp-tongued seneschal; Nimue, the elusive Lady of the Lake; Morgon le Fay, Merlin's complex nemesis; the tormented sons of Lot and Morgawse; and Mordred, Arthur's own bitter, terrified son.

I started reading this book because an internet friend suggested it to me. She said it was one of her favourite books, and one of the best Arthurian retellings so far. I was curious, so I bought it. While it has been a pretty slow read (English is not my mother-tongue and so it took twice the amount of time I’d have put in if I had read it in my mother-tongue) it has definitely been a really pleasant one. I have to agree with my internet friend, it is one of the best retellings so far. 

The cover is not so appealing, though.  It has nothing to do with the plot at all. I’ve seen that there’s a better cover, featuring the poisoned apple but…unfortunately, I got the edition with the bad cover. I’m sad for this.

No Spoilers Here.  Read without Fear.

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: Knights of the Round Table: Gawain

SamoaPhoenix sent me this review way back in April but due to personal things happening at the time, I had to put care and maintenance of Camelot's Library on hold while I got my head on straight.  That took a lot longer than I thought it would, but with the Muppet King Arthur review, this guest reivew and hopefully another review this weekend of a truly awful book, I think I'm back!

~Storyteller Knight

Title: Knights of the Round Table: Gawain Author: Gwen Rowley Publisher: Jove Pages: 320 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Sir Gawain is a knight as good as his word. Fiercely loyal to Arthur, he will do anything to serve his king. So when a hideous crone promises to give Arthur the answer to a riddle that will save his life in exchange for Gawain’s pledge to marry her, the knight does not hesitate. But the loathly lady is not who she appears to be. In truth, she is the lovely Aislyn, former apprentice to a sorceress. She was once desperately in love with Gawain, who rejected her because of her magic—or so she believes. Now she has transformed herself so she may exact her revenge. Yet Gawain’s gallantry and courteous treatment soften Aislyn’s bitter heart, and she is horrified to discover she has actually been enchanted. Only a kiss given with love can break the spell and restore her to the beautiful maiden she truly is…

I interrupted myself in the Paths to Camelot series to read yet another Gawain book. This one seemed like a good Spring Break choice as it is a bit more lighthearted than Paths to Camelot and lighter physically as well. The cover is, well…it’s a romance cover, let’s be honest. At least it’s obvious the cover designer read the book—they got that Gawain is really tall and the hair colors of Aislyn and Gawain are just about right. I don’t plan to read the other two books in the series.

Warning for Spoilers

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: The Wicked Day

Part 2 of 3.  My review can be found here and the discussion of the book between myself and SamoaPhoenix can be found here.

~Storyteller Knight

Title: The Wicked Day Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: William Morrow and Co Pages: 447 Synopsis: (from the publisher) The Wicked Day is the gripping story of Mordred, bastard son of King Arthur by incest with his half-sister Morgause, witch-queen of Lothian and Orkney. Morgause sent the child to the Orkney islands to be reared there in secret, in the hope that one day he would become, as Merlin the Enchanter had prophecied, the doom of her hated half-brother. When Mordred is taken from his rude life as a fisherboy in the islands and suddenly thrust into the full panoply of the High King Arthur’s court, he learns of his true parentage and rises to a position of trust in his father’s kingdom. But, as the plots and counterplots of the last part of Arthur’s reign unfold, Mordred is drawn into a tangled web of tragedy that is the climactic drama of Arthurian legend. The Wicked Day breathtakingly displays Mary Stewart’s extraordinary gift for bringing the obscure past to life. Her characters are unforgettable: the young Mordred, whose close bond with his father arouses dire jealousies in the High Court at Camelot; his malevolent mother; her four unruly sons by King Lot; King Arthur himself, his Queen, Guinevere, his trusted friend Bedwyr; and the warring factions that seek to bring down the bastions of Arthur’s new confederation of Britain. As she did in her earlier Arthurian novels, Mary Stewart challenges the accepted legends in this stirring and danger-ridden tale. Was Mordred in truth a traitor—or the victim of implacable fate? Mary Stewart’s view brings tremendous emotions impact to the drama, as Merlin’s prophecy hangs broodingly over each moment and the action plays itself out inexorably to the final, wicked day…

I recently joined goodreads.com and on a whim looked up Mary Stewart's Arthurian books. The number of resoundingly positive reviews is astounding. People seem to think these books are the greatest thing since sliced bread; a lot of them called them their favorite books ever. I do not understand this attitudes. This book was the best of the four so far by far, but that doesn't make them great. They summarize far too much and the characters are barely sympathetic at best. They're certainly not very lively.  I feel sorry for anyone reading fantasy in the 70s and 80s if this was the best there was to offer.

Warning for Spoilers

Reread: The Wicked Day Review

Review number four in SamoaPhoenix and my five part review series of Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy which is actually five books.  SamoaPhoenix's reivew is found here and our discussion of the book can be found here.

~Storyteller Knight

Title: Wicked Day Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton Pages: 350 Synopsis: (from the publisher) The Wicked Day tells the story of Mordred, Arthur's bastard son by incest with his half-sister Morgause, witch-queen or Lothian and Orkney.  Morgause sent the child to the Orkney islands, to be reared there in secret, in the hope that one day he would become, as Merlin had prophesied, the doom of her hated half-brother How Mrdred fought to deny that destiny, hoe he rose at length to a position of trust in his father's kingdom, becoming Arthur's regent and eventually his heir, is the substance of this story.  That he did so is not denied even by the romancers who make Mordred the 'black treacherous villain' or the Arthurian legend. The Wicked Day does not make Mordred into a 'hero', but it does show him as a real human being, fallible rather than evil, a powerful and ambitious man whose actions are reasonable, not (as in legends) inconsistent and often foolish. The Wicked Day comes as a postscript to Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy, and in it, as before, a dark age of history is brought to vivid life, and a tangled mass of legend made plausible.  The story of the hidden prince, the witch's curse, the wild doings of the Orkney princes, the plots and counter-plots of the last part of Arthur's reign, is a colorful and exciting one, moving inexorably towards the climax of the last battle, where 'Arthur and Medraut fell'.  But even this unavoidable ending, as it is handled here, leaves the reader with a sense, not of tragedy, but of tranquil leave-taking. For thousands of readers who enjoyed Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy The Wicked Day is a magnificent storytelling bonus, a novel of passions and purposes told with the clarity of detail of an illuminated page from a medieval Book of the Hours.  A marvelous book from an enchantress of an author.

1. I, personally, do not know what the publisher is going on about with the ending not leaving the reader with a sense of tragedy.  I may or may not have been crying at the end of this book.  Just saying.  

2. Slightly different format for the review because this is a reread for me.  Since this is my first reread/review I thought I'd add something about my feelings on the book the last time I read it and what they are now.  It ended up getting pretty personal.  I'm not sure if that's because it's the first one of these or it's going to be a thing.  We'll see.  

3. I also own this cover:

Warning for Spoilers 

Child of the Northern Spring Review

Title: Child of the Northern Spring Author: Persia Woolley Publisher: Sourcebooks Pages: 537 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Among the first took look at the story of Camelot through Guinevere's eyes, Woolley sets the traditional tale in the time of its origin, after Britain has shattered into warring fiefdoms.  Hampered by neither fantasy nor medieval romance, this young Guinevere is a feisty Celtic tomboy who sees no reason why she must learn to speak Latin, wear dresses, and go south to marry that king.  But legends being what they are, the story of Arthur's rise to power soon intrigues her, and when they finally meet, Guinevere and Arthur form a partnership that has lasted for 1500 years. This is Arthurian epic at its best-- filled with romance, adventure, authentic Dark Ages detail, and wonderfully human people.

Every time I read that blurb, I find myself kinda turned-off by Persia Woolley’s rather high-and-mighty attitude towards fantasy and romance (this isn’t just the blurb, I’ve seen this sentiment in her interviews and in the author’s notes and reader questions). I mean, I get it that she’s writing historical fiction, but there’s no reason to get down fantasy or romance.

Then I remember that the hardcover of the Guinevere trilogy was published with a fantasy cover and the paperback with a romance cover and how the whole series was pretty much buried under Mists of Avalon and realize that Woolley has every right to be frustrated with fantasy and romance.

Warning for Spoilers

In Which Story Contemplates the Possibility of King Arthur Star Wars Style

So, I'm reading Maurice Broaddus' King Maker, which is a modern day, reincarnation retelling.  And there is this fantastic line that I cannot stop thinking about (pg 39).

Merle waved his fingers in front of him as if with a sudden display of jazz hands.  "These are not the droids you are looking for."

Warning for small spoilers and Story's insanity under the cut