SamoaPhoenix Guest Review/Reread: The Squire's Tale

So, a couple days ago I received an angry e-mail from SamoaPhoenix demanding to know why I hadn't told her I was reviewing the Squire's Tales... to which I promptly responded with a screencap of the e-mail I had sent her with a link to my review of the Squire's Tale ;)  How we got here isn't what's important.  What's important is that SamoaPhoenix wanted in on the action.  This isn't a joint review and we probably aren't going to be posting our discussions (that was a lot of work and there are almost double the books in this series).  But you will be getting back-to-back reread reviews from us which hopefully won't be too similar as we both enjoy these books and SamoaPhoenix and I can be scarily in step with each other sometimes (see the Crystal Cave Reviews).

~Storyteller Knight

Title: The Squire's Tale Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Dell Laurel-Leaf (Random House) Pages: 212 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Life for the young orphan Terence is peaceful, spent with the old hermit Trevisant in a quiet wood.  That is, until the day a strange green sprite leads Terence to Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, who is on his way to Camelot in the hope of being knighted.  Trevisant can see the future and knows that Terence must leave to serve as Gawain's squire.  From that moment on, Terence's days are filled with heartstopping adventure as he helps save damsels in distress, battle devious men, and protect Arthur from his many enemies.  Along the way, Terence is amazed at his skills and newfound magical abilities.  Were these a gift from his unknown parents? As Gawain continues his quest for knighthood, Terence knows he won't rest until he solves the riddle of his own past.

So a bit of background before my review begins. I was one of the ones who lobbied hard for Story to read this series back when we were in college and I am eager to join her on her read-through. I discovered these books at my local library back when I was fourteen. Only the first two books were published then, The Squire’s Tale and The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady. I was a casual YA fantasy reader, and Arthurian fantasy was as good as any other. It was also about this time that I discovered and read T.A. Barron’s Lost Years of Merlin series, Jane Yolen’s Sword of the Rightful King, and a few other Arthurian titles. I even gave The Once and Future King a try, and gave up in disgust after reading Book 1. If all Arthurian readers had back in the mid twentieth century were that and Mary Stewart’s Merlin series, well…let’s just say I’m glad I wasn’t alive then.

But I digress. Anyway, long story short I fell in love with this series. I eagerly waited for each new installment to be published all the way through high school, college, and beyond until the series wrapped up with Legend of the King in 2010. Gerald Morris has had a profound impact on my worldview in general. Along with J.K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce and Diane Duane, he was one of the most important authors to me during my formative high school years. He views life with such wisdom and humor. He made my journey through classic medieval works like The Canterbury Tales (from which the series takes its title) and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight enjoyable, because I felt like I knew secrets about the characters my bored classmates could never guess at. Just so you’re aware, I might be a bit biased in my reviews of some of my favorite Squire’s Tales, as they rank among my all-time favorite books. I don’t like all of them, and I will try to be as honest as possible and not just view them through my nostalgic rose-colored glasses.

On to the review!

Wait, one last thing: I have always wondered what was up with this cover. Having read the book, the scenario on the cover never comes close to occurring so I’m not sure what the heck the publishers were thinking on this one. I guess they wanted to indicate this is a humorous tale full of misadventure and folly…who knows. The reprint cover that is currently available through Amazon is way better in every aspect.

Warning for Spoilers 

Reread: The Squire's Tale

Title: The Squire's Tale Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Dell Laurel-Leaf (Random House) Pages: 212 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Life for the young orphan Terence is peaceful, spent with the old hermit Trevisant in a quiet wood.  That is, until the day a strange green sprite leads Terence to Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, who is on his way to Camelot in the hope of being knighted.  Trevisant can see the future and knows that Terence must leave to serve as Gawain's squire.  From that moment on, Terence's days are filled with heartstopping adventure as he helps save damsels in distress, battle devious men, and protect Arthur from his many enemies.  Along the way, Terence is amazed at his skills and newfound magical abilities.  Were these a gift from his unknown parents? As Gawain continues his quest for knighthood, Terence knows he won't rest until he solves the riddle of his own past.

It's the Squire's Tales!  Here we are at the beginning of a ten book series by Gerald Morris that chronicles King Arthur's reign through the adventures of his knights.  These are some of my absolute favorite Arthurian retellings, but they're also fast reads.  So reviews should be coming pretty fast for a while is all I'm saying.

Warning for Spoilers

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: By Camelot's Blood

Title: By Camelot's Blood Author: Sarah Zettel Publisher: Prologue Books Pages: 339 Synopsis: (from the publisher) An evocative and highly engaging romantic fantasy set in the evocative time of King Arthur. Laurel Carnbrea, Queen of Cambryn, arrives at Camelot to marry a man she has never met - Sir Agravain, the brother of the renowned Sir Gawain.  Laurel has heard that Agravain is a reserved and cold man, but marriage to King Arthur's nephew will give vital protection to her own lands.  However, before the marriage can be consummated, Laurel's new husband receives news that his father, King Lot, is dying, and he must return to his homeland of Gododdin in the north. King Lot has been mad for many years - tormented by the sorceress Morgaine, Arthur's half-sister and deadliest enemy.  Agravain and Laurel arrived to find the land of Gododdin in disarray and under threat of invasion from the Picts - led by Morgain. Laurel has powers of her own, inherited from her grandmother, the Sea, and is prepared to use them to save the land of the new husband she is learning to love.  By pitting herself against Morgaine she will face the gravest danger; and Agravain risks losing the woman who has finally managed to reach his heart.

Hooray for e-books! On a whim I was poking around Amazon and happened to come across the entire quartet for only $3 each. I own the first three in the series so I eagerly bought the last one so that I could continue my reviews. I will get around to For Camelot’s Honor eventually.

There seems to be some discrepancy about the names of the books in this series. One set of editions are simply titled ‘Camelot’s ---’, another set with slightly longer titles. Hence, this book is either titled By Camelot’s Blood or just Camelot’s Blood. Likewise this series is alternately known as “Paths to Camelot” or the “Two Ravens Saga”. Why this is, I can’t tell.

Warning for Spoilers

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: In Camelot's Shadow

Title: In Camelot's Shadow Author: Sarah Zettel Publisher: Luna Pages: 507 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Fleeing from the knowledge that her father had promised her to an evil sorcerer, Risa of the Morelands refused to be a sacrifice. Armed with her bow and her confidence, she swore to evade the wicked Euberacon’s claim. And when she stumbled upon Sir Gawain, returning to Camelot to warn of a plot against the kingdom, she thought she’d discovered the perfect place to hide. Surely the sorcerer Euberacon would not approach her at court? Now ensnared with court and political intrigue, Risa is out of her element. And Euberacon has forced a strong transformation spell upon her. There might be one chance left to save kingdom and soul—but it would take all the strength and power she had…

This book is the first in a series about the romances of the four Orkney brothers (Gawain, Agravain, Geraint and Gareth in this version). This book is Gawain’s, whose love life of the four is probably best known in legend. I currently own three of the four thanks to the local used book store and plan to review them all for you. If I can’t find book four (Agravain’s) then at some point I will borrow Story’s copy so as to complete the set.

Also, I do not understand the blurb above. The first paragraph is accurate enough, but there’s not a lot of “court and political intrigue”. And “save the kingdom”? That’s a side plot at best, and in the end the main series bad guy is only inconvenienced so I’m not sure either Gawain or Risa saved the kingdom. One more thing…the book is not all about Risa the way the blurb makes it sound. It is Gawain and Risa’s story and how they both overcome obstacles to come together.

Finally, um, what’s up with the title? It has nothing to do with what happens in the book other than it has the word “Camelot” in it. Odd.

Warning for Spoilers

Queen of the Summer Stars Review

Title: Queen of the Summer Stars  Author: Persia Woolley  Publisher: Poseidon Press Pages: 415 Synopsis: (From Sourcebooks) In a country still reeling from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the young King Arthur and his wife Guinevere struggle to keep the barbarians at bay even as they establish the Fellowship of the Round Table. The spirited and outspoken Guinevere skillfully combats an accusation of planning to poison Arthur in a country simmering with unrest and scandal. But Guinevere’s greatest battles are dangers Arthur cannot see—ones she’ll have to fight on her own. And all the while, she must reconcile her thirst for freedom with her duties as queen, and her growing love for Lancelot with her loyalty to her husband. Vibrantly human and touchingly real, Guinevere reigns as a woman poised to discover the true peril and promise of the human heart.

So what I'm doing, when I post a review, is post the book using the cover that I own.  Of course, several Arthurian retellings have gone through multiple prints.  The Guinevere Triology has three different cover sets as of right now. 

Here are the covers for Child of the Northern Spring:

And the two remaining covers for Queen of the Summer Stars:

See what I meant in the Child of the Northern Spring review about the romance and fantasy covers?  I hope this latest set is more to Woolley's liking.

Warning for Spoilers