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Arthurian Saga #5
The Prince and the Pilgrim
Alexander, nephew of murderous King March of Cornwall, seeks to avenge his father, so sets out on a journey to Camelot in quest of justice. But, as is not uncommon with such quests, events do not proceed according to plan, particularly when the young prince's path leads him to the Dark Tower of the sorceress, Morgan le Fay.
Alice, ever since she was a small child, has accompanied her widowed father on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and to the shrine of St Martin at Tours. On one journey through the turbulent Frankish kingdoms they find themselves involved in a coup d'etat and the rescue of a young fugitive who brings with him a precious cup which he insists is the Holy Grail,
As a wise man once said, "Everyone has their own grail". And the cup, Holy Grail or not, brings the prince and the pilgrim together to find out what they were really seeking, love, the greatest mystery of all.
Alice, ever since she was a small child, has accompanied her widowed father on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and to the shrine of St Martin at Tours. On one journey through the turbulent Frankish kingdoms they find themselves involved in a coup d'etat and the rescue of a young fugitive who brings with him a precious cup which he insists is the Holy Grail,
As a wise man once said, "Everyone has their own grail". And the cup, Holy Grail or not, brings the prince and the pilgrim together to find out what they were really seeking, love, the greatest mystery of all.
343 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
48 people are currently reading
3672 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stewart
92 books2,883 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
October 18, 2016
This was a light, enjoyable finish to Mary Stewart’s Merlin and King Arthur series – a series which I just discovered this past year and eagerly consumed. It does not hold up to the outstanding level of the other four books, three of which now adorn my favorites-of-all-time bookshelf, but that is okay.
Rather than it being a continuation of the series, The Prince and the Pilgrim is really a separate story. We don’t visit with my treasured Merlin; there are no encounters with the celebrated King Arthur. Instead, we meet Alexander, son of Prince Baudoin who was murdered by his brother, King March of Cornwall. The young Alexander has been secretly whisked away by his mother; when he comes of age, the truth of his father’s death is revealed to him and a quest for revenge is mounted. Alexander’s quest goes astray when the evil Queen Morgan captures him in her web. Alexander embarks upon a new quest – that of obtaining the Holy Grail for the manipulative queen. Another narrative introduces us to the lovely Alice, daughter to Duke Ansirus. Alice, left motherless at birth, accompanies her father on his pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Tours. In the Frankish kingdom, they find themselves in a land marked by political turmoil.
Eventually the paths of these two young persons cross. The ending is predictable yet sweet. This book does not possess the energy and enchantment that I have grown to love about Stewart’s books. Yet, it is satisfying in a simple, romantic sort of way. I highly recommend the initial books in the series. If you read them and love them as I did, then you may not be able to resist adding this. Otherwise, you may not really appreciate this one, despite the fact it can stand alone.
Rather than it being a continuation of the series, The Prince and the Pilgrim is really a separate story. We don’t visit with my treasured Merlin; there are no encounters with the celebrated King Arthur. Instead, we meet Alexander, son of Prince Baudoin who was murdered by his brother, King March of Cornwall. The young Alexander has been secretly whisked away by his mother; when he comes of age, the truth of his father’s death is revealed to him and a quest for revenge is mounted. Alexander’s quest goes astray when the evil Queen Morgan captures him in her web. Alexander embarks upon a new quest – that of obtaining the Holy Grail for the manipulative queen. Another narrative introduces us to the lovely Alice, daughter to Duke Ansirus. Alice, left motherless at birth, accompanies her father on his pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Tours. In the Frankish kingdom, they find themselves in a land marked by political turmoil.
Eventually the paths of these two young persons cross. The ending is predictable yet sweet. This book does not possess the energy and enchantment that I have grown to love about Stewart’s books. Yet, it is satisfying in a simple, romantic sort of way. I highly recommend the initial books in the series. If you read them and love them as I did, then you may not be able to resist adding this. Otherwise, you may not really appreciate this one, despite the fact it can stand alone.
January 17, 2024
2.5★
It is often sad reading the later books of authors I love. Georgette Heyer, Agatha Christie - or even like (Sue Grafton)
They have often lost their own self editing gifts & editors/proofreaders are either reluctant to interfere with a beloved author's work - or are told not to.
& so it is with this book - Ms Stewart's penultimate title.
After a gripping start where the beloved Prince Baudouin is the book, while beautifully written at the start, become less & less interesting to the reader. By Part Five, it seems to have become less interesting to the author, & there are lots of things that the editing team should have corrected - the repeated use of lovely to describe the wicked Morgan le Fey, for example.
I was just glad to finish this one.
While it is down as part of a series on Goodreads (& I am so tempted to remove that designation) really this is a standalone. If you enjoyed Stewart's Merlin books, there is no need to read this one.
It is often sad reading the later books of authors I love. Georgette Heyer, Agatha Christie - or even like (Sue Grafton)
They have often lost their own self editing gifts & editors/proofreaders are either reluctant to interfere with a beloved author's work - or are told not to.
& so it is with this book - Ms Stewart's penultimate title.
After a gripping start where the beloved Prince Baudouin is the book, while beautifully written at the start, become less & less interesting to the reader. By Part Five, it seems to have become less interesting to the author, & there are lots of things that the editing team should have corrected - the repeated use of lovely to describe the wicked Morgan le Fey, for example.
I was just glad to finish this one.
While it is down as part of a series on Goodreads (& I am so tempted to remove that designation) really this is a standalone. If you enjoyed Stewart's Merlin books, there is no need to read this one.
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January 18, 2024
This is the fifth and final book in the Arthurian Saga series. While this may not have measured up to the preceding four books of the series, I loved the book and the romance and lightness of this last book in the series. The Prince and the Pilgrim was a lovely book about our prince Alexander, a tiny infant when his father, Prince Baudouin, is brutally murdered by the King of Cornwall. But Alexander's mother escapes with her son to a safe and secret haven where he happily grows up. 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. And then there is the pilgrim, Alice. We are part of this beautiful child's journeys to Jerusalem with her father over the years. And in this book, we are focused on the Holy Grail and the search over time.
"A goblet, more golden than the gold hair, with gems glittering crimson and green and primrose yellow in the handles. A beautiful thing, certainly very precious, but seemingly more than that. As he unveiled the thing from the enwrapping silk, the boy crossed himself, then turned, eyes shining, to Alice and the duke."
September 26, 2016
If you are expecting to re-enter the world of Merlin and Arthur that Mary Stewart gave us in the Merlin Trilogy, you will be disappointed in The Prince and the Pilgrim. It is a sweet little tale. Sort of like reading a myth or a fairytale for me. I enjoyed it, but I saw it as an after-thought. Mary Stewart said she had wanted to include it as part of the Merlin stories but there was no logical place to put it, so it got a book of its own. She was 80 years old when she wrote it, and by that time she had certainly passed her prime of writing and I think she was writing because it was what she had always done.
The tale is told skillfully and is easy to read, but in the end, had it been the only thing she had written, no one would be reading her today. I am not belittling this book. It was charming and I enjoyed reading it, but the only thing one might carry away from it of importance is that young men should be wary of older women who offer them enticing drinks.
Reading The Prince and the Pilgrim is like sailing through calm, blue waters. It is soothing and pleasurable, but there is little excitement or thrill. Still, Mary Stewart always manages to make you care for her characters, and Alexander and Alice are no exception. I wanted them to meet, to love, and to live happily ever after. Like I said, it has the ring of a fairytale...but don't we all love Cinderella?
The tale is told skillfully and is easy to read, but in the end, had it been the only thing she had written, no one would be reading her today. I am not belittling this book. It was charming and I enjoyed reading it, but the only thing one might carry away from it of importance is that young men should be wary of older women who offer them enticing drinks.
Reading The Prince and the Pilgrim is like sailing through calm, blue waters. It is soothing and pleasurable, but there is little excitement or thrill. Still, Mary Stewart always manages to make you care for her characters, and Alexander and Alice are no exception. I wanted them to meet, to love, and to live happily ever after. Like I said, it has the ring of a fairytale...but don't we all love Cinderella?
May 25, 2017
Although this fits into the Arthurian world constructed by Stewart in The Crystal Cave and the books that followed it, The Prince and the Pilgrim is really a separate story which has perhaps more in common with her romances. She takes a short incident from Malory and expands on it, and dwells on Morgan and her wicked seductive ways (yawn) into the bargain. It’s not a bad story, and her gift for evoking atmosphere and landscape shines through, but I found it very light. The most intriguing aspect involved the references to the Merovingian kings and the way it wove Alice’s story in with a real historical context.
The ending is more or less inevitable, even if you don’t know the original story, and Stewart’s embellishments are mostly pretty tame. A fun light read, but not really a return to the world of The Crystal Cave in anything but name (and that devotion to Morgan being a sexualised, predatory witch).
Originally reviewed for The Bibliphibian.
The ending is more or less inevitable, even if you don’t know the original story, and Stewart’s embellishments are mostly pretty tame. A fun light read, but not really a return to the world of The Crystal Cave in anything but name (and that devotion to Morgan being a sexualised, predatory witch).
Originally reviewed for The Bibliphibian.
February 11, 2018
A book that belongs to the circle of the books of Mary Stewart that is centered on the story of King Arthur and refers to one of the stories of this legend. It is not particularly relevant to the King Arthur himself but his story is basically the setting in which this story is an unfold. So we have the story of an prince looking for vindication for past injustices and a beautiful pilgrim woman who meet and ... I think you can imagine the rest.
An interesting addition to the story that was told by the author in the previous four books of this circle, which brings us to other interesting scenes of the Middle Ages, such as the intrigues in the Kingdom of the Franks. Romanticism, bravery and medieval politics with a dose of the religiosity of the time. It is definitely well written and the writer is bringing us the characters and the season in a very animated was, but from then on it is nothing extraordinary. So my appreciation for this is somewhere in the middle.
Ένα βιβλίο που ανήκει στον κύκλο των βιβλίων της που έχουν επίκεντρο την ιστορία του βασιλιά αρθούρου και αναφέρεται σε μία από τις ιστορίες αυτού του θρύλου. Δεν σχετίζεται ιδιαίτερα με τον ίδιο το βασιλιά αρθούρο αλλά η ιστορία του είναι ουσιαστικά το σκηνικό στο οποίο διαδραματίζεται. Έχουμε λοιπόν την ιστορία ενός αδικημένου πρίγκιπα που αναζητεί τη δικαίωση και μιας όμορφης προσκυνήτριας οι οποίοι συναντιούνται και... νομίζω φαντάζεστε τη συνέχεια.
Μία ενδιαφέρουσα προσθήκη στην ιστορία όμως μας τη διηγήθηκε η συγγραφέας στα προηγούμενα τέσσερα βιβλία αυτού του κύκλου, που μας μεταφέρει και σε άλλα ενδιαφέρουσα σκηνικά της ιστορίας του Μεσαίωνα όπως οι δολοπλοκίες στο Βασίλειο των Φράγκων. Ρομαντισμός, γενναιότητα και μεσαιωνική πολιτική με μία δόση της θρησκευτικότητας της εποχής. Σίγουρα είναι καλογραμμένο και η συγγραφέας ζωντανεύει πολύ ωραία τους χαρακτήρες και την εποχή αλλά από εκεί και πέρα δεν είναι τίποτα το εξαιρετικό. Οπότε η εκτίμησή μου για αυτό βρίσκεται κάπου στη μέση.
An interesting addition to the story that was told by the author in the previous four books of this circle, which brings us to other interesting scenes of the Middle Ages, such as the intrigues in the Kingdom of the Franks. Romanticism, bravery and medieval politics with a dose of the religiosity of the time. It is definitely well written and the writer is bringing us the characters and the season in a very animated was, but from then on it is nothing extraordinary. So my appreciation for this is somewhere in the middle.
Ένα βιβλίο που ανήκει στον κύκλο των βιβλίων της που έχουν επίκεντρο την ιστορία του βασιλιά αρθούρου και αναφέρεται σε μία από τις ιστορίες αυτού του θρύλου. Δεν σχετίζεται ιδιαίτερα με τον ίδιο το βασιλιά αρθούρο αλλά η ιστορία του είναι ουσιαστικά το σκηνικό στο οποίο διαδραματίζεται. Έχουμε λοιπόν την ιστορία ενός αδικημένου πρίγκιπα που αναζητεί τη δικαίωση και μιας όμορφης προσκυνήτριας οι οποίοι συναντιούνται και... νομίζω φαντάζεστε τη συνέχεια.
Μία ενδιαφέρουσα προσθήκη στην ιστορία όμως μας τη διηγήθηκε η συγγραφέας στα προηγούμενα τέσσερα βιβλία αυτού του κύκλου, που μας μεταφέρει και σε άλλα ενδιαφέρουσα σκηνικά της ιστορίας του Μεσαίωνα όπως οι δολοπλοκίες στο Βασίλειο των Φράγκων. Ρομαντισμός, γενναιότητα και μεσαιωνική πολιτική με μία δόση της θρησκευτικότητας της εποχής. Σίγουρα είναι καλογραμμένο και η συγγραφέας ζωντανεύει πολύ ωραία τους χαρακτήρες και την εποχή αλλά από εκεί και πέρα δεν είναι τίποτα το εξαιρετικό. Οπότε η εκτίμησή μου για αυτό βρίσκεται κάπου στη μέση.
January 5, 2024
I think I would give this novel three stars had it not been written by Mary Stewart. Her standards are in general so high that I feel cheated when she falls short. This was her next-to-last novel, and it has fatigue written all over it.
It is a dual narrative set in Arthurian times, adapted from a story in Le Morte d’Arthur. In alternating chapters we follow the childhoods of Alexander the Fatherless (actually the son of Prince Baudouin of Cornwall, killed by his jealous older brother King March when Alexander was two) and Alice the pretty pilgrim, daughter of Duke Ansirus of the imaginary Castle Rose in northern England. Ansirus has devoted much of his life to undertaking pilgrimages to Jerusalem and elsewhere, and from the age of six onward, Alice has always accompanied him.
Of the two central characters, Alice is the more interesting, sophisticated beyond her years, independent-minded, and resourceful, though good-hearted and devoted to her father. They have a lovely relationship of complementary strengths. Alexander is more of a type—a raw young man, perilously naive, eager to break away from his isolated upbringing (in hiding with his mother) and have sanguinary adventures. Why do young heroes have to be all about slaying? He gets away from home only to fall into the clutches of Morgan le Fay, one of King Arthur’s witchy half-sisters. He blunders his way through a few adventures and doesn’t learn very much, and I found him quite tedious.
Of course, Alexander is very handsome and Alice very beautiful, so when Implausible motivations and coincidences combine to tie up the story.
Once again, Stewart introduces the Grail Quest into an Arthurian story without having the slightest instinct for its mythic and spiritual potential. Morgan wants it for political purposes and several people die in service to her greed; the devout want it so they can fool themselves into believing it is a sacred object and wind up worshipping dross. Stewart came tantalizingly close to getting the point when, in her notes, she quotes a friend who said to her, “Everybody has their own Grail.” But then she produced a work that is determined to reduce it to a mass delusion. She should have read Charles Williams’s poems on the subject.
Stewart is known for her gorgeously pithy descriptions of natural beauty but here she dispenses with most of that, just as she dispenses with character development and the evolution of relationships. Her writing is strong on the page but I kept feeling the ghost of all the missed potential.
It is a dual narrative set in Arthurian times, adapted from a story in Le Morte d’Arthur. In alternating chapters we follow the childhoods of Alexander the Fatherless (actually the son of Prince Baudouin of Cornwall, killed by his jealous older brother King March when Alexander was two) and Alice the pretty pilgrim, daughter of Duke Ansirus of the imaginary Castle Rose in northern England. Ansirus has devoted much of his life to undertaking pilgrimages to Jerusalem and elsewhere, and from the age of six onward, Alice has always accompanied him.
Of the two central characters, Alice is the more interesting, sophisticated beyond her years, independent-minded, and resourceful, though good-hearted and devoted to her father. They have a lovely relationship of complementary strengths. Alexander is more of a type—a raw young man, perilously naive, eager to break away from his isolated upbringing (in hiding with his mother) and have sanguinary adventures. Why do young heroes have to be all about slaying? He gets away from home only to fall into the clutches of Morgan le Fay, one of King Arthur’s witchy half-sisters. He blunders his way through a few adventures and doesn’t learn very much, and I found him quite tedious.
Of course, Alexander is very handsome and Alice very beautiful, so when Implausible motivations and coincidences combine to tie up the story.
Once again, Stewart introduces the Grail Quest into an Arthurian story without having the slightest instinct for its mythic and spiritual potential. Morgan wants it for political purposes and several people die in service to her greed; the devout want it so they can fool themselves into believing it is a sacred object and wind up worshipping dross. Stewart came tantalizingly close to getting the point when, in her notes, she quotes a friend who said to her, “Everybody has their own Grail.” But then she produced a work that is determined to reduce it to a mass delusion. She should have read Charles Williams’s poems on the subject.
Stewart is known for her gorgeously pithy descriptions of natural beauty but here she dispenses with most of that, just as she dispenses with character development and the evolution of relationships. Her writing is strong on the page but I kept feeling the ghost of all the missed potential.
August 13, 2025
Parts of this were really cute, but overall, I just didn't think it was a well put-together story. The characters had potential and the setting was interesting enough, but the plot just fell flat at the end; it was anti-climactic.
As far as warnings go, there is some violence in the book, but it isn't gratuitous or graphic. Certain "romantic" things are heavily implied to be going on, but it is always closed door. I wouldn't particularly recommend it unless you happen to be a huge fan of the time period or something.
As far as warnings go, there is some violence in the book, but it isn't gratuitous or graphic. Certain "romantic" things are heavily implied to be going on, but it is always closed door. I wouldn't particularly recommend it unless you happen to be a huge fan of the time period or something.
January 10, 2025
Alicia y Alejandro os quiero MUCHÍSIMO. La literatura de romance me la suele turbopelar, pero OH I DID LOVE THIS... son los mejores
March 21, 2022
Solid read. Could I have asked for the two lovers to meet sooner and have more time to enjoy their romance? Yes. But I Mary Stewart gives romance sparingly and you gotta take what you get. I will say that the last fourth of this book was probably the best. Which is another way of me saying the lead up took too long.
Does this sound negative? I know. So, let me tell you this: I've never stepped into the lore of Camelot until now. Wow. Stewart takes her reader into legend with Merlin, Morgan, and Alice the fair. She writes the characters that have stood so long in fiction with this familiarity that still didn't take away from the weight and wonder of the legend and tales. Like, holy smokes. I didn't think I'd help with Arthurian legend but if Stewart writes it, I'm jello.
Does this sound negative? I know. So, let me tell you this: I've never stepped into the lore of Camelot until now. Wow. Stewart takes her reader into legend with Merlin, Morgan, and Alice the fair. She writes the characters that have stood so long in fiction with this familiarity that still didn't take away from the weight and wonder of the legend and tales. Like, holy smokes. I didn't think I'd help with Arthurian legend but if Stewart writes it, I'm jello.
July 18, 2011
A sweet, if a bit rambling, love story. The five-star system doesn't really work for me; I can better sum up my opinion by saying that, in the scheme of Mary Stewart's works, this didn't come close to the scope of the Merlin trilogy (still my favorite), but better than The Wicked Day. I was unfamiliar with this thread of the Arthurian legend, so spent much of the book wondering where it all was going. But after reading the "original" in the afterward, I have to admire the way Stewart was able to take this obscure, and apparently pointless, story and weave it into a moving plot that fits nicely into the larger fabric of her previous books (working in the Grail quest was a clever touch, too.) Alexander the hapless fatherless prince, who "lost his way," who never made it to Camelot nor avenged his father, is an unlikely figure for a heroic adventure. In Stewart's hands, though, he is neither fully innocent nor lost, but instead epitomizes the romantic cycle of fall, redemption, and happily ever after.
January 14, 2016
I liked how the story went actually. Normally I do not and have to suffer through it all...Good read.
July 19, 2018
I was hoping for more of a story set in Camelot but this just had a few references and the characters never actually went there. Pleasant enough story to pass a few hours.
September 27, 2007
Mary Stewart is fairly well known for her retelling of the myths of King Arthur. I picked up this book up quite some time ago. It is the retelling of two less known characters in the king Arthur myth - Alisander the Orphan and Alice the pilgrim. In Thomas Mallory's book, these two characters occupy a few pages of one of the books in his novel. Thus, Stewart did not have too much to work with in her expansion and retelling of the story. It's quite easy to see this in the book.
Most of the book is told as two separate narratives. The first narrative tells the story of Alexander, the son of the brother of the king of Cornwall. His father is killed in the opening chapter and his mother decides that when he comes of age, he should have to avenge his father's death. On his quest to do this, he gets sidetracked by Morgan le Fay and is sent on a quest for the holy grail. On the way, he is told that his mother is a hamsert and his father smells of elderberries. Okay, maybe not but it would have made the book more interesting.
The second narrative is that of Alice, daughter of a devout Duke. Her narrative centers around the rather confusing warring between the different Frankish factions. She doesn't seem to really do much in this story, except aiding in the escape of one of the sons of King Clovis and Clotilda. He escapes with a cup he claims is the holy grail. Thus, in the very last chapter, our two lovebirds finally meet and the story is resolved in a fairly satisfactory manner. However, I think it took far too long to get to the meeting of the two young people. This is supposed to be a love story, but the lovers are starcrossed for 90% of the novel. It would have been better as a novella - or maybe, it should have just been left as a sidenote.
Most of the book is told as two separate narratives. The first narrative tells the story of Alexander, the son of the brother of the king of Cornwall. His father is killed in the opening chapter and his mother decides that when he comes of age, he should have to avenge his father's death. On his quest to do this, he gets sidetracked by Morgan le Fay and is sent on a quest for the holy grail. On the way, he is told that his mother is a hamsert and his father smells of elderberries. Okay, maybe not but it would have made the book more interesting.
The second narrative is that of Alice, daughter of a devout Duke. Her narrative centers around the rather confusing warring between the different Frankish factions. She doesn't seem to really do much in this story, except aiding in the escape of one of the sons of King Clovis and Clotilda. He escapes with a cup he claims is the holy grail. Thus, in the very last chapter, our two lovebirds finally meet and the story is resolved in a fairly satisfactory manner. However, I think it took far too long to get to the meeting of the two young people. This is supposed to be a love story, but the lovers are starcrossed for 90% of the novel. It would have been better as a novella - or maybe, it should have just been left as a sidenote.
February 20, 2013
I really enjoyed this novel. It's rather shorter and lighter than Stewart's other Arthurian novels, but that's no bad thing in itself. It also takes place elsewhere in Arthurian Britain (as well as on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Tours), so is somewhat tangential to the core legends.
The novel tells the tales of Alice the Pretty Pilgrim and Alexander the Fatherless. The two characters and their stories can be found in Malory, but Stewart has woven a full novel from such brief allusive origins.
It is a light lovely read, and a perfect choice for my first book while on holiday!
ETA: This might seem a fairly random comment to add to the review, but as a m-m romance author perhaps it's relevant to my interests... Not that any of the romances in this novel are m-m! But I wanted to say that I appreciated how sex was handled in this novel. While we always 'faded to black' and there were no actual sex scenes, neither was there any coyness about the matter. The characters wanted sex, had sex (both appropriate and inappropriate), and enjoyed it. Hurrah for such a matter-of-fact approach!
The novel tells the tales of Alice the Pretty Pilgrim and Alexander the Fatherless. The two characters and their stories can be found in Malory, but Stewart has woven a full novel from such brief allusive origins.
It is a light lovely read, and a perfect choice for my first book while on holiday!
ETA: This might seem a fairly random comment to add to the review, but as a m-m romance author perhaps it's relevant to my interests... Not that any of the romances in this novel are m-m! But I wanted to say that I appreciated how sex was handled in this novel. While we always 'faded to black' and there were no actual sex scenes, neither was there any coyness about the matter. The characters wanted sex, had sex (both appropriate and inappropriate), and enjoyed it. Hurrah for such a matter-of-fact approach!
February 27, 2018
I did not enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the first four; however, I've loved the first four for decades. I never even knew this one existed. This picks up a much more obscure tale from Morte d'Arthur. I enjoyed the story, but it came to an extremely abrupt ending.
September 29, 2016
Three and a half stars out of five. Review to follow.
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November 8, 2024Our favorite podcast, 99% Invisible, sometimes researches a topic that is interesting, but not meaty enough for a full length episode. They group these “leftover” topics into an episode of “mini stories.” That’s what this book is. Mary Stewart, when studying the Arthurian legends for her longer and more complex Merlin Trilogy, stumbled upon this story of Alisander le Orphelin and Alice la Beale Pilgrim. Stewart writes in the author’s note that that little side story never fit into the larger story, so here it is by itself.
Alexander’s father was the younger brother of King March of Cornwall. His father was killed by King March when Alexander was a little boy. His mother took him away and raised him far from court with the plan that when Alexander was grown he would avenge his father’s murder.
Alice ‘s father was a duke, who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem every few years, and took her with him, from the time she was a tiny child.
Stewart does a lovely job of fleshing out the 5th century time period, with silken gowns for the ladies, and bloody politics. But I found the whole to be surprisingly slow moving. We learn from the book jacket that this is to be a love story between Alexander and Alice, and that it is a story of the search for the Holy Grail, and that Morgan le Fay is in it. But halfway through the book the lovers have still not met yet, there has been no mention of the Grail, and Morgan has appeared but hasn’t really done anything yet.
Events do pick up in the second half. And for all that this is an age of murder and betrayal, the overall effect is one of sweetness. Alexander and Alice are both somewhat bland as characters, as they both have an innocence about them. Alexander, indeed, flirts with evil, but only because he is naive and gullible. But I didn’t really mind that. The world is hard enough right now. Let the two pure-of-heart flower children find each other.
Alexander’s father was the younger brother of King March of Cornwall. His father was killed by King March when Alexander was a little boy. His mother took him away and raised him far from court with the plan that when Alexander was grown he would avenge his father’s murder.
Alice ‘s father was a duke, who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem every few years, and took her with him, from the time she was a tiny child.
Stewart does a lovely job of fleshing out the 5th century time period, with silken gowns for the ladies, and bloody politics. But I found the whole to be surprisingly slow moving. We learn from the book jacket that this is to be a love story between Alexander and Alice, and that it is a story of the search for the Holy Grail, and that Morgan le Fay is in it. But halfway through the book the lovers have still not met yet, there has been no mention of the Grail, and Morgan has appeared but hasn’t really done anything yet.
Events do pick up in the second half. And for all that this is an age of murder and betrayal, the overall effect is one of sweetness. Alexander and Alice are both somewhat bland as characters, as they both have an innocence about them. Alexander, indeed, flirts with evil, but only because he is naive and gullible. But I didn’t really mind that. The world is hard enough right now. Let the two pure-of-heart flower children find each other.
July 29, 2025
This novel is technically the fifth and last book in the author’s Arthurian Saga, but it reads well as a stand-alone book. This book is set in the days of King Arthur, but he does not actually appear in this book; instead, we have two characters who really do not have much to do with the Saga. This book is fairly slight, but not a bad read.
The book starts with treachery; King March of Cornwall is not happy with his younger brother Baudouin, who is married and has produced a young son; not only do the people favor Baudouin, but March at present has no heir. The young son, Alexander the Fatherless, is raised at his mother’s castle in Wales; it was given out, after his father’s murder, that while his mother was fleeing with the baby that the baby accidentally drowned. Meanwhile, in Rheged, nearly to what is now Scotland, Duke Ansirus, a fighter and libertine in his youth, got religion after his adored young wife died in childbirth; the child, Alice the Motherless, grows up as her father’s heir and companion, and goes with him when he goes on pilgrimage every three years. Eventually the two, Alexander the Fatherless and Alice the Motherless, meet, but not before Alice has adventures with Merovingian politics in Gaul, and Alexander has adventures with Morgan le Fay, who has designs on both King Arthur and on the Holy Grail.
I cannot say that this was a great book; however, I do like the author, having read a good many of her books, so I was happy to read this one.
The book starts with treachery; King March of Cornwall is not happy with his younger brother Baudouin, who is married and has produced a young son; not only do the people favor Baudouin, but March at present has no heir. The young son, Alexander the Fatherless, is raised at his mother’s castle in Wales; it was given out, after his father’s murder, that while his mother was fleeing with the baby that the baby accidentally drowned. Meanwhile, in Rheged, nearly to what is now Scotland, Duke Ansirus, a fighter and libertine in his youth, got religion after his adored young wife died in childbirth; the child, Alice the Motherless, grows up as her father’s heir and companion, and goes with him when he goes on pilgrimage every three years. Eventually the two, Alexander the Fatherless and Alice the Motherless, meet, but not before Alice has adventures with Merovingian politics in Gaul, and Alexander has adventures with Morgan le Fay, who has designs on both King Arthur and on the Holy Grail.
I cannot say that this was a great book; however, I do like the author, having read a good many of her books, so I was happy to read this one.
March 31, 2020
{2.5 rounded down}
This is a detached from the main plot of the previous 4 books. It still mentions directly some of the main characters, but as a whole it is self contained. For those who adored the series and would appreciate the new addition, otherwise you simply skip it IMHO.
This is a detached from the main plot of the previous 4 books. It still mentions directly some of the main characters, but as a whole it is self contained. For those who adored the series and would appreciate the new addition, otherwise you simply skip it IMHO.
September 22, 2021
I got around halfway through this one, thinking it would be more light-hearted than the Merlin trilogy. But when Morgan Le Fay showed up and I realized what was happening, again it just felt like not the book for me. I decided to set this one aside as well.
December 31, 2024
It took me a while to get into this book and it is a divergence from the other Arthurian novels, however, it is charming and wins you over completely by the end.
April 11, 2025
My dad has been telling me for years to read Mary Stewart and I finally know why
July 28, 2025
I was excited to discover this fifth book in the series, after having read the Merlin trilogy + The Wicked Day countless times over the years. Wanted to love this too but it felt light-weight and completely lacked the intensity and depth of the earlier books.
May 22, 2019
This book was enchanting. This is exactly how a medieval romance should be written. Likable characters, interesting plot, thrilling adventure. Mary Stewart is a master of her craft. This may be the best modern retelling of the Arthurian Mythos ever! Her entire Arthurian series is simply a masterpiece!
If you like medieval fantasy, romance, knights, and Arthurian Mythos, this book is for you.
Or if you just want to read a well told tale of love and adventure.
If you like medieval fantasy, romance, knights, and Arthurian Mythos, this book is for you.
Or if you just want to read a well told tale of love and adventure.
August 13, 2018
Mary Stewart wrote a lot of novels, and many are excellent. Most fit the category of romantic suspense/thriller, but her most famous ones are the Merlin trilogy. I have previously enjoyed many of these, but this novel, The Prince and the Pilgrim, disappointed me. It was not historically interesting and it read like a stereotypical romance. It was predictable and had little depth.
January 5, 2019
Found it a bit hard going, and didn't actually get through the last few chapters. Realized I didn't actually have to!
November 10, 2022
3.5/5
I was avoiding reading the last book of Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga for some time, because the previous four novels are among my absolute favourite books I've ever read. I finally decided to pick it up with excitement and some sadness, too. It ended up being a bit of a bittersweet journey.
I'll start with the negatives: the narrative is very fast-paced and there is quite a lot of time skips, which in general I'm not a fan of and this time it wasn't much different. There were points where the story felt rushed or undeveloped, especially compared to the previous novels.
Speaking of those, it's impossible not to compare them with this book. Another disappointment for me was that none of the characters from the previous stories are in this one. I was excitedly waiting for the familiar figures to appear on stage, but they never did, at most they get mentioned every now and then. This is more of a bonus or a side story, unfortunately, I expected that Stewart would be expanding on the main story.
On the other hand, quite a lot of space is given to Morgan, whom we barely met before, which is great, though to be fair, she is basically the same character as Morgause except with a different name.
The novel also felt a lot more like a standard fairytale or a cliched story at least – one can argue that the same goes for the other books in the saga, but for me they had a lot more depth, Stewart took her time to try and flesh them out and didn't shrink away from letting some harsh realism in. This story on the other hand read like an old legend with your stereotypical good and bad guys and predictable plot twists.
This isn't by far on the same level as the other Arthurian novels, the book is lacking both in form and content, but that being said, I still enjoyed it a lot. Despite the (in my opinion) flawed pacing, Stewart is still proving herself to be a wonderful narrator and writer. It's also obvious that she once again did a lot of research which is something I always greatly appreciate in her works. If I judge it by itself, it's a very solid retelling, just a slightly disappointing last journey into the Arthurian world of Mary Stewart.
I was avoiding reading the last book of Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga for some time, because the previous four novels are among my absolute favourite books I've ever read. I finally decided to pick it up with excitement and some sadness, too. It ended up being a bit of a bittersweet journey.
I'll start with the negatives: the narrative is very fast-paced and there is quite a lot of time skips, which in general I'm not a fan of and this time it wasn't much different. There were points where the story felt rushed or undeveloped, especially compared to the previous novels.
Speaking of those, it's impossible not to compare them with this book. Another disappointment for me was that none of the characters from the previous stories are in this one. I was excitedly waiting for the familiar figures to appear on stage, but they never did, at most they get mentioned every now and then. This is more of a bonus or a side story, unfortunately, I expected that Stewart would be expanding on the main story.
On the other hand, quite a lot of space is given to Morgan, whom we barely met before, which is great, though to be fair, she is basically the same character as Morgause except with a different name.
The novel also felt a lot more like a standard fairytale or a cliched story at least – one can argue that the same goes for the other books in the saga, but for me they had a lot more depth, Stewart took her time to try and flesh them out and didn't shrink away from letting some harsh realism in. This story on the other hand read like an old legend with your stereotypical good and bad guys and predictable plot twists.
This isn't by far on the same level as the other Arthurian novels, the book is lacking both in form and content, but that being said, I still enjoyed it a lot. Despite the (in my opinion) flawed pacing, Stewart is still proving herself to be a wonderful narrator and writer. It's also obvious that she once again did a lot of research which is something I always greatly appreciate in her works. If I judge it by itself, it's a very solid retelling, just a slightly disappointing last journey into the Arthurian world of Mary Stewart.
December 9, 2012
This story may not burn with the white radiance of Stewart's Merlin trilogy, but it is, nevertheless, a joy to be allowed to re-inhabit ancient Britain, if only for a while.
A sweetly told story, though there is little here by way of a driving force of plot or action. It is, in some ways, the equivalent of one of her 'modern' mysteries, transplanted into Arthurian legend.
Stewart's writing, on the whole, also lacks the radiance I remember, though I begin to wonder if it was ever truly present. Is she, like MacDonald, a mythmaker rather than a writer? Did I mistake the glory of her story for the glory of a well turned phrase? It's been long (too long) since I've actually read any of her Merlin books, and I wonder if I have misremembered the quality of their word-crafting. The vision of her story may simply have burned so brightly, it engulfed the words as it poured through them.
There are some beautiful images, especially of the British landscape, but there is also something lurking that almost borders on the juvenile -- on writing that is young, and unformed.
As for the story itself, of the young, hot-headed knight, and his predictable (and immediate) love for the beautiful, gold-headed angel he one day encounters (after many missteps) -- well, what really is there to say? It is hardly the climax of the story, the life of which is contained in the scenes of Jerusalem and Tours -- shepherds mistaken for Christ, and young princes, with lions' manes, brutally murdered by their uncles. Do not read this story for its romance -- at least not in the modern sense -- or you will be disappointed. Read it, rather, for the beauty of the journey and the celebration of unexpected roads that lead one, eventually, home.
A sweetly told story, though there is little here by way of a driving force of plot or action. It is, in some ways, the equivalent of one of her 'modern' mysteries, transplanted into Arthurian legend.
Stewart's writing, on the whole, also lacks the radiance I remember, though I begin to wonder if it was ever truly present. Is she, like MacDonald, a mythmaker rather than a writer? Did I mistake the glory of her story for the glory of a well turned phrase? It's been long (too long) since I've actually read any of her Merlin books, and I wonder if I have misremembered the quality of their word-crafting. The vision of her story may simply have burned so brightly, it engulfed the words as it poured through them.
There are some beautiful images, especially of the British landscape, but there is also something lurking that almost borders on the juvenile -- on writing that is young, and unformed.
As for the story itself, of the young, hot-headed knight, and his predictable (and immediate) love for the beautiful, gold-headed angel he one day encounters (after many missteps) -- well, what really is there to say? It is hardly the climax of the story, the life of which is contained in the scenes of Jerusalem and Tours -- shepherds mistaken for Christ, and young princes, with lions' manes, brutally murdered by their uncles. Do not read this story for its romance -- at least not in the modern sense -- or you will be disappointed. Read it, rather, for the beauty of the journey and the celebration of unexpected roads that lead one, eventually, home.
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