Review: The Guinevere Deception

Title: The Guinevere Deception Author: Kiersten White   Publisher: Delacorte Press Pages: 340  Synopsis: (from the publisher) Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur.  With magic clawing at the kingdom's boarders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution: send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife...and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fall. The catch?  Guinevere's real name - and her true identity - is a secret.  She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. The keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old - including Arthur's own family - demand that things continue as they have been, and the new - those drawn by the dream of Camelot - fight for a better way to live.  And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land.  Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free. Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long, knotted black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods towards Arthur.  Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

All right.  Back in the saddle.  Let's see if I remember how to write one of these.  It's only been... (checks notes) five years.  Yeah, okay.  Hi everyone, I'm back.

This is probably the most conflicted I've been about a book in a long time.  There are parts of it I love.  I love them so much.  They are so original and engaging and smartly done.  And then there's, well, the ending.  But we will get to that!

Warning for Spoilers

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: One Knight Only

Title: One Knight Only Author: Peter David Publisher: Ace Pages: 373 Synopsis: (courtesy of goodreads) King Arthur--in his modern incarnation as Arthur Penn--has been elected President of the United States. But with political power comes powerful enemies. An assassination attempt against Arthur puts his beloved wife Gwen in a coma--and her only hope lies in the lost Holy Grail.

I read Story’s copy of the first book in Peter David’s Modern Arthur trilogy (Knight Life) back in college. I remember the basic outline and characters, and that it was entertaining and creative. However in the time since I hadn’t been able to get ahold of books 2 and 3 because they’re out of print and only book 1 is available in ebook form. Story has copies but we live far apart and usually when we see each other we’re busy doing other things. But during my most recent visit to her place (I was there to see her community theater production of Beauty and the Beast because if Arthurian stuff is her jam, Beauty and the Beast is solidly mine) we had some downtime. I had also found a copy of book 3, Fall of Knight, in a used bookstore. Thus, I had the time and inclination to burn through this in a few days. I’ll do Fall of Knight too once I’ve read it.

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

Review: Squire's Quest

Title: Squire's Quest Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Pages: 275 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Why is it, Terence wondered, that the things you know most surely are always the things you can't demonstrate to anyone else? And why is it, after all these years, that Terence is still just a squire, offering advice on how best to scrub rust spots from armor?  But Squire Terence has more to worry about that his place on the social scale.  For all the peace and prosperity that have made England famous across Europe, Terence is uneasy.  After nearly six months without contact with the World of the Faires--not even from his old friend the mischievous sprite Robin--Terence is sure something is rotten in King Arthur's court.  And while the squire is always on the watch for the latest plot of the enchantress Morgause, he now also has suspicions about Mordred, King Arthur's misbegotten son, who has appeared at court.  Is Mordred after Arthur's throne? In this ninth rollicking adventure in the Squire's Tales series, Terence's efforts to defend the Fellowship of the Round Table lead him on his farthest, and most fantastic, journey yet--a quest that ultimately brings Terence rewards he never imagined or expected.

So, a couple years ago, when Samoaphoenix gave me this book for Christmas, I did start reading it.  And it was awesome because ~*Sarah!*~.  But then Sarah's part of the book became really uncomfortable and Mordred showed up and his part was like nails on a chalkboard.  I got about a quarter of the way through and stopped.  That means technically I'm done with the rereads and this is my first impression of the book instead of second+.

Warning for Spoilers

Muppet King Arthur Chapter Four Review

Title: Muppet King Arthur, Chapter Four Written By: Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck Artist: James Silvani Colors: Eric Cobain Letterer: Deron Bennett Assistant Editor: Jason Long Editor: Aaron Sparrow Designer: Erika Terriquez Cover: David Petersen Publisher: Boom Kids! Pages: 22 Synopsis: (from the publisher trade) A Tale of Chivalry, adventure, chickens, and magic!  The tale of King Arthur has been told many times over the centuries, but never before has it included robots, knock-knock jokes, and boomerang fish!  The Muppets bring you this beloved classic in their signature style, adding twists and turns to the quest for the Holy Grail that would make a sane driver pull over and ask for directions!  Will the Frog King save his beloved England from the curmudgeonly Sam of Eagle?  Will the Lady of the Lake get back on the festival circuit?  Will they find a carpenter capable of making a round table?  Find out in MUPPET KING ARTHUR!

More Muppets (that cover is GORGEOUS)!

Warning For Spoilers and General Silliness

Reread: The Quest of the Fair Unknown

Title: The Quest of the Fair Unknown Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 264 Synopsis: (from the publisher) On her deathbed, Beaufils’s mother leaves him with a quest and a clue: find your father, a knight of King Arthur’s court. So Beaufils leaves the isolated forest of his youth and quickly discovers that he has much to learn about the world beyond his experience. Beaufils’s search for his father is more difficult than he’d imagined—when a traveler asks him “What is your father’s name?” Beaufils replies “Father, I suppose.” He doesn’t have much to go on when he arrives at King Arthur’s court. There, at a meeting of the Round Table, Beaufils is not the only one surprised when a mysterious dish appears and a voice commands the court to seek this vessel: the Holy Grail. He doesn’t hesitate to join King Arthur’s knights on their quest. Beaufils quickly learns, though, how one quest can lead to another. After accompanying Galahad for a time, Beaufils parts ways with this holiest knight of all to help a new friend, Lady Ellyn, fulfill her own quest, whether she knows what it is or not. Beaufils’s innocence never fails to make his companions grin, but his fresh outlook on the world’s peculiarities turns out to be more of a gift than a curse as they encounter unexpected friends and foes. Oh, and what about Beaufils’s quest?

Oh this book.  I have so many issues with this book.  I could easily write a review longer than the book laying out all the problems with it.  I won't do that here--I'll stick to reviewing it within the context of the legend as that's what this blog is for.

It's really disappointing, actually, because Morris has done so well up until this point.  It's almost though he really didn't want to write this book and put as little effort into it as possible.

Warning for Spoilers

Reread: The Lioness and Her Knight

Title: The Lioness and Her Knight Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pages: 343 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Riding through the great courtyard ringed with banners of the Round Table knights, Luneta felt very alone and uncharacteristically shy.   Luneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father.  She would much prefer the rich pageantry of court.  And Luneta prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself to stay at a family friend's castle near Camelot, she jumps at the chance.  Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain--a young knight seeking adventure--arrives just in time to escort her.  Along the way they pick up Rhience, a young man living as a fool for a year. Together they are about to step into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic.

Morris says that the Tale of Yvain is a rare story for Chretien de Troyes because it involves two people whose love leads to a marriage instead of an extramarital affair.  This seems strange to me because Erec and Enide's romance leads to a marriage-- one that eventually becomes unhappy, but still.  A marriage is a marriage.  Cliges has a romance that begins with an extramarital affair, but ends with a marriage.  Perceval too has a romance that ends in a marriage.

In fact, the only story of de Troyes' that ends in an extramarital affair and not a marriage is the Dung Cart Knight.  That is the odd one out.  This one is par for the course.

Also, this cover is weird because they characters look like they're ten.  I don't fancy it.  Nor am I really thrilled with Luneta standing behind Ywain and the Lioness, both of whom are secondary characters to her.  But that's a rant for another day.

Warning for Spoilers

Reread: The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight

Title: The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 310 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Ever since that tragic night when her mother and guardian were murdered, thirteen-year-old Sarah has been living on her own and searching for the knight who was responsible.  Her quest for revenge leads to an even greater adventure when she witnesses Queen Guinevere being kidnapped.  Soon Sarah finds herself accompanying Sir Gawain and Squire Terence on a remarkable journey to rescue the Queen.  In their travels they meet, among others, a mystery knight traveling incognito in a dung cart, a faery who becomes Sarah's first friend in a long time, a reclusive monk who plans to spend the rest of his life building a tomb for Sir Lancelot, and a princess who might have a little more gumption than she appears to. As the plot thickens, Sarah finds out more about the people she's met and befriended, as well as about herself.  She begins to learn the true consequences of vengeance and what it really means to be a princess. In this funny and unforgettable sixth novel, Gerald Morris creates yet another tangled web of magic spells, enchanted castles, mystery knights, revenge, and heart-pounding adventure.

SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warning for Spoilers (this got really long...)

Reread: The Ballad of Sir Dinadan

Title: The Ballad of Sir Dinadan Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Sandpiper (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) Pages: 245 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Dinadan rode out the front gate of his father's home, promising himself that he would never again enter those walls. Young Dinadan has no wish to do any of the knightly things expected of him.  But he was born to be a knight, and knights, of course, have adventures.  So after his father forces knighthood upon him, he wanders toward King Arthur's court in the company of a misguided young lad named Culloch.  There Dinadan meets Sir Kai and Sir Bedivere, and the three find themselves accompanying Culloch on the worst sort of quest.  Along the way, Dinadan learns that though minstrels sing of spectacular heroic deeds, honor is often found in simpler, quieter ways.

Okay, so regardless of what the blurb on the back of the book says, anyone who knows their Arthurian lore knows by the name of the main character that this is Gerald Morris' taken on the timeless love story of Tristan and Isolde (I don't even know what's going on with you, book blurb.  You're missing half the plot!).

Warning for Spoilers

Reread: Parsifal's Page

This has been our 50th Post!!!

Title: Parsifal's Page Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 232 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Piers (or Pierre, as he wants to be called) is desperate to become a page to escape the dirty, tedious labor of his father;s black-smith shop.  So when a knight shows up and says he's on "the quest," Piers begs to go along.  Surprisingly his father lets him, and soon he is off on a series of adventures he never dreamed possible.  However, Piers's knight quickly runs into some difficulties and is slain by an odd character named Parsifal, who is on his own quest to become a knight.  Piers has no other choice but to throw his lot in with Parsifal. Parsifal is unlike anyone Piers has ever met and doesn't behave "knightly" at all, but slowly Piers begins to realize that being a knight has nothing to do with shining armor and winning jousts.  As their journey continues, Piers and Parsifal are drawn into the Quest for the elusive Holy Grail.  They find that to achieve this quest they must learn more than knighthood: they most learn about themselves. No knight's story has been told more often than Parsifal's, but no one else has ever told his story quite like Gerald Morris does in his fourth Arthurian novel, another tour de force of humor, action, magic and, as always, true love.

Unlike Samoaphoenix, I actually enjoy the original covers for these books.  I think, while they may not necessarily reflect anything that happens in the book, they perfectly reflect the tongue-in-cheek tone of the story.  I find the new covers to be far too serious for these books and think they go against one of the big themes in the plot.  The new covers show the epic tale the audience wants to hear while the original covers show the ridiculousness of what actually goes on in the story.

Despite my feelings, my jaw actually dropped when I saw the new cover for Parsifal's Page:

Damn that's a beautiful cover.  And since this is actually a fairly downer book compared to the others, it captures the tone of this story in a way that the original cover really didn't.

Warning for Spoilers

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

Reread: The Squire, His Knight, & His Lady

Title: The Squire, His Knight, & His Lady Author: Gerald Morris Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pages: 232 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Squire Terence and Sir Gawain are off questing again, but this time their journey is overshadowed by their ultimate destination-- Gawain is to meet up with the Green Knight in a contest that could easily lead to Gawain's death. Along the way the two have a slew of hair-raising adventures and encounter the usual odd assortment of characters: the dreaded Huntsman of Anglesey; the eccentric Parsifal; and the evil Marquis of Alva, from whom they rescue the plucky Lady Eileen.  Sparks instantly fly between Terence and Eileen as she joins the squire and his knight on their travels As they weave their way between the world of men and the Other World, both Gawain and Terence discover much about themselves-- Terence learns more about his past and about what the future holds for him, and Gawain is forced to confront the true nature of courage and honor.

Also known as 'The Continuing Adventures of the Sir Wozzells' (look, you can never have too many, alright?).

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

Muppet King Arthur Chapter Three Review

Title: Muppet King Arthur, Chapter Three Written By: Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck Artist: James Silvani Colors: Eric Cobain Letterer: Deron Bennett Assistant Editor: Jason Long Editor: Aaron Sparrow Designer: Erika Terriquez Cover: David Petersen Publisher: Boom Kids! Pages: 22 Synopsis: (from the publisher trade) A Tale of Chivalry, adventure, chickens, and magic!  The tale of King Arthur has been told many times over the centuries, but never before has it included robots, knock-knock jokes, and boomerang fish!  The Muppets bring you this beloved classic in their signature style, adding twists and turns to the quest for the Holy Grail that would make a sane driver pull over and ask for directions!  Will the Frog King save his beloved England from the curmudgeonly Sam of Eagle?  Will the Lady of the Lake get back on the festival circuit?  Will they find a carpenter capable of making a round table?  Find out in MUPPET KING ARTHUR!

More Muppets!

Warning For Spoilers and General Silliness

Rude Tales and Glorious Review (TRIGGER WARNING!)

Title: Rude Tales and Glorious Author: Nicholas Seare aka Trevanian aka Rodney William Whitaker whose other aliases include Beñat Le Cagot and Edoard Moran. Illustrator: William Bramhall Publisher: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc. Pages: 207 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Picture a wintry night in a remote corner of Wales-- sleet and rain lashing the great stones of the castle of Dolbadarn.  Within, imagine a baron sitting comfortably before a roaring fire with his wife, his fulsome daughter and their guest, the new clerick.  But the Baron is restless.  the clerick is a dull fellow, good only for 'confessing' the women in the upper chambers.  What the Baron yearns for are stories.  When a scurvy beggar and an ancient hag gain entrance claiming that they are in truth Sir Lancelot and the Fair Elaine, the Baron is only too glad to listen.  Fortified by good food and drink, Sir Lancelot begins telling the tales of Sir Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they "really happened." We meet the Knights milling about trying to decide how to choose their King.  Merlin, a bearded, sly old man with a magic act, announces that the matter will be settled by a contest called the Sword and the Stone.  He contrives for his assistant, Arthur, to win not only the adorable Gwen, known for her generosity in granting her favors far and wide.  We meet Sir Gay and Sir Gervais, each blinded by the beauty of the other, and the Black and Red Knights-- will they ever find out what the grail is?  We meet the marvelous Percival and his "flaw", a physical distinction "like the clapper of a great bell", and we follow his travels that, despite his affliction, finally earn him his place at the Round Table.  What brave deeds were done by these honorable fellows! These wonderful tales and more, so different from the ones in our history books, were penned in the fourteenth century by a forebear of the author, Nicholas Seare, who clearly has a sense of the ribald and satiric.  Seare has at least seen fit to share them with us all.  Medievalists will be edified, the general reader, amused and delighted. Nicholas Seare*, author of 1339 or So is a Welsh literature scholar.  Reclusive in the extreme, little is know of his history or current activities.  He lives in Caernarvonshire, Wales. * Nicholas Seare is actually the second pen name of a well-known author.

I really, really hate it when the summary screws stuff up.  If you're going to go that detailed into what the book is about, maybe you, publishers, could actually put in some effort into making sure that information is correct.  Of course, doing that probably requires reading the book and I understand why any sane person would give up halfway.

So, I've gotta put the trigger warning for discussions of rape and sexual assault up here before the review even starts.  The book basically reads like a badly told rape joke.  So, there's going to be a lot of ripping into talk about Nicholas Seare Trevanian Rodney William Whitaker's handling of that subject matter.

You people are just lucky I'm doing this review alone.  I almost invited Waldorf and Statler to come back and help me out.  The only reason I was able to get through this book was by imaging them dryly yelling "Funny, Funny, Funny," every time Seare Trevanian Whitaker used sexual assault as a punchline.

Warning for Spoilers and Trigger Warning for Discussions of Rape and Sexual Assault

Muppet King Arthur Chapter Two Review

Title: Muppet King Arthur, Chapter Two Written By: Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck Artist: James Silvani Colors: Eric Cobain Letterer: Deron Bennett Assistant Editor: Jason Long Editor: Aaron Sparrow Designer: Erika Terriquez Cover: David Petersen Publisher: Boom Kids! Pages: 22 Synopsis: (from the publisher trade) A Tale of Chivalry, adventure, chickens, and magic!  The tale of King Arthur has been told many times over the centuries, but never before has it included robots, knock-knock jokes, and boomerang fish!  The Muppets bring you this beloved classic in their signature style, adding twists and turns to the quest for the Holy Grail that would make a sane driver pull over and ask for directions!  Will the Frog King save his beloved England from the curmudgeonly Sam of Eagle?  Will the Lady of the Lake get back on the festival circuit?  Will they find a carpenter capable of making a round table?  Find out in MUPPET KING ARTHUR!

Been a while, hasn't it?  You know the drill-- it's Muppets, so everything goes out the window.

Warning For Spoilers and General Silliness

The Prince and the Pilgrim Review

Review number five 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: The Prince and the Pilgrim Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: Fawcett Crest Pages: 308 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Eager, burning and young, Alexander sets off towards Camelot to seek justice from King Arthur for the murder of his father.  But he is diverted from his quest by beautiful, sensual Morgan Le Fay, who persuades the young prince to attempt a theft of the Holy Grail Alice has lived a life of lively adventure, accompanying her father, a royal duke, on his yearly pilgrimage.  Now she has come under the protection of a young prince brothers were murdered, a prince who is in possession of an enchanted silver cup believed to be the Holy Grail. And so the state is set for two young seekers to meet-- and find the greatest treasure of all...

What?  What!  That is a horrible synopsis.  That's so bad and wrong and incorrect I can't even laugh at it the way I laughed at The Hollow Hills synopsis.  Thank you for ruining my expectations Fawcett Crest.

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 

The Last Enchantment Review

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

~Storyteller Knight

Title: The Last Enchantment Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: EOS (An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers) Pages: 513 Synopsis: (from the publisher) Arthur Pendragon is King!  Unchallenged on the battlefield, he melds the country together in a time of promise.  But sinister powers plot to destroy Camelot, and when the witch-queen Morgause-- Arthur's own half sister-- ensnares him in an incestuous liaison, a fatal web of love, betrayal, and bloody vengeance is woven

This is going to be an exercise in how one moment can change your entire perception of a book.  I was reading a long and The Last Enchantment was going down in flames.  I was all set to give it One Star.  And then, in the course of a single page, my entire perception of the book changed and I find that I really enjoyed it.  

Warning for Spoilers

The Hollow Hills Review

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

~Storyteller Knight

Title: The Hollow Hills Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: Fawcett Crest Pages: 447 Synopsis: (from the 1973 hardcover published by William Morrow & Company, Inc.) Once again, as she did in her international best seller The Crystal Cave, Mary Stewart uses Arthurian legend to tell a spellbinding story. The Hollow Hills takes place in a fifth-century Britain fraught with superstition and fear, where no life is safe, no law is stable and where a kings risks accusations of murder and adultery to get himself an heir.  For his own safety, the boy Arthur, rejected as a bastard by his father, is long kept ignorant of his parentage. Dangerous rides through the deep forests of England and Wales, sudden battles amidst brooding mountains, and retreats into secret hollows in the hills provide the background for this take of Arthur's growth into manhood and his discovery of the strange sword that was to test his claim to power. Behind and around Arthur always is the mysterious, strong, yet vulnerable figure of Merlin, who sees and knows so much but who, like Arthur, must also suffer for the safe of a nation being born.  In this world of embattled kings and countries, hurried journeys, whispered anxieties and sudden death, we watch Merlin and Arthur follow their common destiny. Merlin is the narrator and his prophetic voice communicates not only the bristling atmosphere of the ancient setting but also the profound relevance of this age-old take of our own time.

So I read the copy of the book picture above but it didn't have a blurb so I had to pull it from this one:

Which I also own because something is wrong with me.

Warning for Spoilers