The Prince and the Pilgrim Discussion

This is part 3 of 3 in SamoaPhoenix and my joint review/discussion of Mary Stewart's The Prince and the Pilgrim.  My review can be found here and SaomoaPhoenix's review can be found here.

~Storyteller Knight


Last review!  And we're both so happy to be done with this series!

Warning for Spoilers of The Prince and the Pilgrim, The Paths of Camelot series, and Spamalot

SamoaPhoenix Guest Review: The Prince and the Pilgrim

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 Prince and the Pilgrim Author: Mary Stewart Publisher: William & Morrow Co. Pages: 292 Synopsis: (from the publisher) A story of adventure, love and sorcery! Mary Stewart returns to the world of King Arthur and Camelot—the magic era which she depicted in her enduring and highly acclaimed Merlin Trilogy: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment. The prince, our hero, is named Alexander. He is but a tiny infant when his father, Prince Baudouin, is brutally murdered by the King of Cornwall in a remote corner of England. Aided by a trusted servant, Alexander’s mother escapes the same fate by fleeing with her son to a safe and secret haven. When Alexander comes of age he sets out to Camelot to seek justice from King Arthur and avenge the death of the father he never knew. The pilgrim is named Alice. We first meet her when she is a pretty child accompanying her father, a royal duke, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While growing up into a beautiful young woman, Alice also experiences many adventures. Among them is the rescue of a young French nobleman who has in his possession an enchanted silver cup. Many believe the chalice to be the mysterious and much sought after Holy Grail. Prince Alexander is diverted in his quest for justice by the enchantments of Morgan le Fay, the seductive but evil sorceress. She persuades him to attempt a theft of the Holy Grail so that she can own it and thus gain power over King Arthur and his court. A wise man once said, “Everyone has their own grail.” Alexander’s search for the mysterious cup, Holy Grail or not, leads him to Alice. Together the prince and the pilgrim find what they’ve really been seeking: love, the greatest mystery of all.

I was interested to note that the blurb on this book makes no mention of The Wicked Day. I have no idea why the publishers would make this choice, as of the four previous books Wicked Day is the best, in my opinion. But people seem not to know what to call this series. Lots of people refer to it as The Merlin Trilogy even if they are aware of the existence of Wicked Day. No one seems to know Prince and the Pilgrim exists, even people who have read the other four and liked them. The reaction when I told people Story and I were reading all five Mary Stewart Arthurian books was usually: “Oh, I thought there were only three/four!” Thus, here is the review of the oft-overlooked fifth book.

Warning for Spoilers

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