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Sword of the Rightful King
The newly crowned King Arthur has yet to win the support of the people. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or--worst of all--gets married. So Merlin creates a trick: a sword magically placed into a slab of rock that only Arthur can withdraw. Then he lets it be known that whosoever removes the blade will rule all of England, and invites any man who would dare, to try to pull out the sword.
But then someone else pulls the sword out first. . . .
But then someone else pulls the sword out first. . . .
361 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
96 people are currently reading
3293 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
971 books3,229 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
January 11, 2016
Y, is for Yolen
2.5 Stars
Sword of the Rightful King left me rather underwhelmed. I have been pondering on how to review this book, and I am still at a loss.
I love shows and stories based, however loosely, on Arthurian legend. I have watched all four seasons of ‘Merlin’ twice, I have watched ‘King Arthur’ more times than I can count, one of my favourite movies as a child was ‘The Sword in the Stone’ and I literally squealed when Camelot was introduced into ‘Once Upon a Time’. However, this book with it’s simple YA style prose did nothing for me. It’s not bad, it’s not good, it’s just meh.
I guessed the big reveal very early and the ending was…. Unbelievable, (I mean more so than normal). I honestly don’t have anything to say about this.
January 16, 2011
I'm a college student in Arthurian Literature right now, and we had to read a modern version of the legends and write a book review for it. I chose this book because YA is the genre I'd like to write in some day, and I wanted to see what other YA writers were doing with the stories. I tried to keep my Arthurian knowledge in mind as I read the book.
Many of the noteworthy characters from the Round Table make an appearance throughout the story, though the story itself does not have a clear main character. Several of the characters only step in and out of scenes, which would not matter so much to someone who does not know them. I was a little troubled that Lancelot has a gray streak in his hair (meaning he is old, I assume) and that Galahad is already a full-grown man, but Lancelot has not properly met Guinevere. Perhaps this is just another twist on the story, but knowing the legends I had a hard time not stubbing my toes over it.
Though some of the backstory in this book has ties to the traditional Arthurian tales (Arthur's origins, Morgause's marriage), most of the story itself is an original take (albeit clogged with clichés). But even with this original spin, I found the book stale and predictable. No main character was focused on, with the point of view switched between characters several times even within a chapter. Morgause was a characteristically evil witch, with very little real depth. Though Arthur was quite human and sometimes funny, he was not as well developed as he could have been. The boy character was very annoying before I realized who he was (take one letter out of his name and you'll have it), and after I figured it out the character was annoying because all the characters in the book had to turn a blind eye not to see through his/her disguise. Arthur's love for her, and hers for him, was incredibly rushed in the last ten pages, and left me feeling unsatisfied.
There were several adult concepts eluded to and a few swear words tossed about. If I had been a few years younger, I would have stopped reading after the first few chapters. The sexual references/cussing either did not have bearing on the story, or were not developed into a useful plot point (for instance, Morgause's mention of Uther using her when she was a child). I feel that the use of the characters' multiple POVs crippled this story, because it gave us a vague overview of almost every character but never gave us an in-depth look at any of them. There were a couple of almost laughable clichés, which hindered my ability to enjoy the story.
Over all, the book was interesting enough for a quick read to fulfill a class requirement. But the changes it made to the story added no depth, and sometimes little sense. Though some of this is to be expected from a young adult novel, with such a history of legends to work from I would have expected more.
Many of the noteworthy characters from the Round Table make an appearance throughout the story, though the story itself does not have a clear main character. Several of the characters only step in and out of scenes, which would not matter so much to someone who does not know them. I was a little troubled that Lancelot has a gray streak in his hair (meaning he is old, I assume) and that Galahad is already a full-grown man, but Lancelot has not properly met Guinevere. Perhaps this is just another twist on the story, but knowing the legends I had a hard time not stubbing my toes over it.
Though some of the backstory in this book has ties to the traditional Arthurian tales (Arthur's origins, Morgause's marriage), most of the story itself is an original take (albeit clogged with clichés). But even with this original spin, I found the book stale and predictable. No main character was focused on, with the point of view switched between characters several times even within a chapter. Morgause was a characteristically evil witch, with very little real depth. Though Arthur was quite human and sometimes funny, he was not as well developed as he could have been. The boy character was very annoying before I realized who he was (take one letter out of his name and you'll have it), and after I figured it out the character was annoying because all the characters in the book had to turn a blind eye not to see through his/her disguise. Arthur's love for her, and hers for him, was incredibly rushed in the last ten pages, and left me feeling unsatisfied.
There were several adult concepts eluded to and a few swear words tossed about. If I had been a few years younger, I would have stopped reading after the first few chapters. The sexual references/cussing either did not have bearing on the story, or were not developed into a useful plot point (for instance, Morgause's mention of Uther using her when she was a child). I feel that the use of the characters' multiple POVs crippled this story, because it gave us a vague overview of almost every character but never gave us an in-depth look at any of them. There were a couple of almost laughable clichés, which hindered my ability to enjoy the story.
Over all, the book was interesting enough for a quick read to fulfill a class requirement. But the changes it made to the story added no depth, and sometimes little sense. Though some of this is to be expected from a young adult novel, with such a history of legends to work from I would have expected more.
August 18, 2012
Sword of the Rightful King is a quick, fun read. It's very much in the Malory/T.H. White tradition, rather than anything more innovative. It's not very subtle -- the little mysteries of the story are fairly easy to work out. It has a very clever Guinevere, though Morgause is sluttish and stupid as usual. (Oh for a story that portrays everyone with psychological realism. Morgause could see Arthur as an usurper and still be a rational human being, y'know.) The whole "weak as women's magic" trope is played out, as well.
Still, Gawaine and his brothers were all believable and interesting characters, and Kay too. Agravaine and Kay were given a significant amount of space and thought by Yolen, which I liked. I enjoyed the little glimpses of all the other characters too -- Bedwyr and Lancelot, particularly, even though they hardly featured. The little references to parts of the legend not explored in this particular story were pretty good too: references to the Siege Perilous and to Lancelot and Guinevere, for example.
Still, Gawaine and his brothers were all believable and interesting characters, and Kay too. Agravaine and Kay were given a significant amount of space and thought by Yolen, which I liked. I enjoyed the little glimpses of all the other characters too -- Bedwyr and Lancelot, particularly, even though they hardly featured. The little references to parts of the legend not explored in this particular story were pretty good too: references to the Siege Perilous and to Lancelot and Guinevere, for example.
November 5, 2011
LRN: I'm giving this three stars. It was pretty good.
Mum: Didn't you meet Jane Yolen?
LRN: Yes. I met Yolen. I've also got another book from her.
Mum: She's was really nice, right?
LRN: She autographed my book.
Mum: That's cool. So what's this book about?
LRN: Arthur is trying to get his people to love him after he's newly crowned; and Merlin tries to help him by placing a sword into a slab of stone that only Aurthur can withdraw.
You should put the thing with the period and the thing over here. [I delete and replace the comma splice in the last sentence with a semicolon. This? Here? Yes, he says. Holy crod, right?]
Mum: Why does that help him?
LRN: He invites all the men in the kingdom to try to withdraw the sword. Not for spoilers, I'm not going to tell the rest.
Mum: Have you read any Arthur stories before?
LRN: Yes, like the Merlin Trilogy, which is also by Jane Yolen.
Mum: Did that one have a sword-in-the-stone sequence?
LRN: No. All Arthur stories are told different though.
Mum: Who would you recommend this to?
LRN: I would recommend it to someone who doesn't like pictures, because there are no pictures, but likes pictures in their mind.
Mum: Didn't you meet Jane Yolen?
LRN: Yes. I met Yolen. I've also got another book from her.
Mum: She's was really nice, right?
LRN: She autographed my book.
Mum: That's cool. So what's this book about?
LRN: Arthur is trying to get his people to love him after he's newly crowned; and Merlin tries to help him by placing a sword into a slab of stone that only Aurthur can withdraw.
You should put the thing with the period and the thing over here. [I delete and replace the comma splice in the last sentence with a semicolon. This? Here? Yes, he says. Holy crod, right?]
Mum: Why does that help him?
LRN: He invites all the men in the kingdom to try to withdraw the sword. Not for spoilers, I'm not going to tell the rest.
Mum: Have you read any Arthur stories before?
LRN: Yes, like the Merlin Trilogy, which is also by Jane Yolen.
Mum: Did that one have a sword-in-the-stone sequence?
LRN: No. All Arthur stories are told different though.
Mum: Who would you recommend this to?
LRN: I would recommend it to someone who doesn't like pictures, because there are no pictures, but likes pictures in their mind.
September 14, 2007
I have always loved the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. When I was a kid I read everything I could get my hands on about this topic.
In this retelling, Queen Morgause is deliciously evil and is constantly plotting to overthrow young King Arthur and put one of her sons on the throne.
Arthur is already king when the story begins, but Britain is not united. The whole sword in the stone thing turns out to be a trick that Merlinnus uses to convince the people of Britain that Arthur is the "once and future king" and to stop the assassination attempts.
Arthur's knights are barely mentioned; the only one who gets any real face time is Gawaine, who also happens to be Morgause's eldest son. Merlinnus also takes in a young boy, Gawen, who has a secret and holds a grudge against Gawaine.
This book will appeal most to middle and high school readers who enjoy myths and legends.
Another book by this author that is one of my favorites books OF ALL TIME is called Briar Rose and retells "Sleeping Beauty" as a Holocaust story. Sounds bizarre, but it is wonderful. Briar Rose is a tale that teen and adult readers will love.
If you can't get enough of King Arthur, another of my favorite books OF ALL TIME is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The King Arthur legend is reimagined and told from the women's perspectives. This is a huge book (about 1000 pages). The book is complex and there are many different characters and stories, all intertwined. Beautiful, with a decidedly feminist slant. I first read this when I was in college. I would most strongly recommend it to readers in high school and beyond. Younger readers will probably be intimidated by the book unless they are already passionate about the topic.
In this retelling, Queen Morgause is deliciously evil and is constantly plotting to overthrow young King Arthur and put one of her sons on the throne.
Arthur is already king when the story begins, but Britain is not united. The whole sword in the stone thing turns out to be a trick that Merlinnus uses to convince the people of Britain that Arthur is the "once and future king" and to stop the assassination attempts.
Arthur's knights are barely mentioned; the only one who gets any real face time is Gawaine, who also happens to be Morgause's eldest son. Merlinnus also takes in a young boy, Gawen, who has a secret and holds a grudge against Gawaine.
This book will appeal most to middle and high school readers who enjoy myths and legends.
Another book by this author that is one of my favorites books OF ALL TIME is called Briar Rose and retells "Sleeping Beauty" as a Holocaust story. Sounds bizarre, but it is wonderful. Briar Rose is a tale that teen and adult readers will love.
If you can't get enough of King Arthur, another of my favorite books OF ALL TIME is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. The King Arthur legend is reimagined and told from the women's perspectives. This is a huge book (about 1000 pages). The book is complex and there are many different characters and stories, all intertwined. Beautiful, with a decidedly feminist slant. I first read this when I was in college. I would most strongly recommend it to readers in high school and beyond. Younger readers will probably be intimidated by the book unless they are already passionate about the topic.
June 24, 2010
The back cover of this book gave a major spoiler for the end of the book. Basically, it gave away the ending. So why read the book when you know the ending? You don't.
Even without the end being ruined by the idiot who wrote the back cover, it just wasn't written all that well and the story was uninteresting, characters flat and lifeless.
I would recommend this book be thrown into the garbage bin and spare yourself the wasted time.
Even without the end being ruined by the idiot who wrote the back cover, it just wasn't written all that well and the story was uninteresting, characters flat and lifeless.
I would recommend this book be thrown into the garbage bin and spare yourself the wasted time.
January 18, 2017
I thought this was only a mediocre retelling of the King Arthur legend. I found it difficult to connect with the characters. Maybe if I was a young boy I would have been more into the story.
January 6, 2009
This book provides a fun twist on the classic story of the sword in the stone. The story began building and building, then suddenly it was ending. I thought the ending was going to be too sudden - there wasn't as much adventure or Dan Brown style deep twists as I had expected. Then it ended, and I was pleasantly surprised. The book does contain adventure, but it is not a book to read if you are looking for nothing but adventure. It is more of a story-book story stretched (very effectively) into a novel. A good read.
June 29, 2013
As one might guess from the title, this is a retelling of the Arthurian myth. I overdosed on these quite a few years ago and have been avoiding them ever since. However, this is Jane Yolen, a writer who I LOVE. So I bought and read it, and enjoyed it hugely. Jane's writing is as easy and supple as ever, the characters are vivid and alive, and the story turned inside out and made new. I can really recommend it.
March 5, 2015
Although my enjoyment of this novel increased as the story went along, the best elements seemed to be taken from earlier interpretations.
August 5, 2016
An interesting take on the Arthur legend.
November 7, 2017
This is a fresh take on the King Arthur legend of the Sword in the Stone. Written at a level for youth, the story is rich enough that there is plenty for adults to appreciate, such as the relationship between Gawaine and his mother Morgause, or the many ways in which King Arthur shows a natural inclination toward excellent leadership.
Some of the prime characters in the legend are a little absent until Yolen brings them into the story appropriately, so all is forgiven having to wait to see certain individuals, like Lancelot. I just wish my personal favorite, Bedwyr, had more of a role than his initial mention as Arthur's most loyal of the Companions.
Some of the prime characters in the legend are a little absent until Yolen brings them into the story appropriately, so all is forgiven having to wait to see certain individuals, like Lancelot. I just wish my personal favorite, Bedwyr, had more of a role than his initial mention as Arthur's most loyal of the Companions.
February 5, 2019
DNF at 67%.
I never really connected with this story despite my eternal love for King Arthur. After watching the movie: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, I became obsessed with him. I was really hoping to love this story, but I hope to read more King Arthur novels in the future.
I never really connected with this story despite my eternal love for King Arthur. After watching the movie: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, I became obsessed with him. I was really hoping to love this story, but I hope to read more King Arthur novels in the future.
January 26, 2019
If you like King Arthur stories, then you will like this book.
December 7, 2019
I was looking for a middle grade book with adventure that wasn't cartoonish and had adult characters, and this hit smack on the nose. A ton of fun, with sly, wry humor, and actually no major characters under 21, yet still decidedly middle grade.
A good Arthurian tale is fun and this walks the line between retelling and reference perfectly.
A good Arthurian tale is fun and this walks the line between retelling and reference perfectly.
September 4, 2019
I enjoyed the writing and the fairytale feel of the book.
The North Queen is extremely interesting as a character, but there should have been more focus on her.
Never felt like I really got to know any of the characters well. While I enjoyed reading it during my breaks at lunch, the twist at the end of the book left much to be desired.
Gawen was my favorite character, but now he feels tainted somehow.
The North Queen is extremely interesting as a character, but there should have been more focus on her.
Never felt like I really got to know any of the characters well. While I enjoyed reading it during my breaks at lunch, the twist at the end of the book left much to be desired.
Gawen was my favorite character, but now he feels tainted somehow.
October 10, 2024
Narrated by Steven Crossley
Jane Yolen is a very popular writer of children’s books. That’s how I was familiar with her; from her How Do Dinosaurs children book series. How Do Dinosurs go to sleep, How Do dinosaurs Say I Love You. .. But she also apparently writes sci-fi and fantasy for both young people and adults as well. She is super prolific; like over 400 books!. And this book was written in 2004 to glowing reviews.
This is a young adult retelling of King Arthur and the round table legend. Now I am not super familiar with the myth of King Arthur. I’ve never read any books about it or retellings of it. I know basic characters and the most simplest of storylines. So going into this, it was all new to me so I would not have guessed this was a YA book until I saw on reviews that it was.
In this retelling, I felt like we really got to know the characters. They are so well- developed that I know Arthur has simple pleasures and the throne is too hard on his tush. Merlin is starting to age and sometimes is a bit forgetful. Gawain is truly embarrassed by his mother and his younger brothers annoy him just like any sibling relationship. Yolen gives us lots of details about what England was like at the time. Things that I had to look up to see if it was historically accurate. I love that! Things like using olive oil and drinking something called Malmsey (which is another term for Madeira wine) which yes they would have had because England had formerly been inhabited by the Romans.
So when I as telling my husband about this book (and he has read all kinds of Arthurian retellings) he asked me what is the angle of the book? What makes this different from any other retelling is that Arthur is a new king, he has only been on the thrown for 4 years. And there are still those in the kingdom, in some of the other tribes, that don’t think he is the rightful king. So Merlin devises the sword in the stone as a way to unite all Britons around Arthur. But what if someone besides Arthur was able to pull the sword from the stone? Yolen’s storyline for the Sword in the Stone and how it came to be is much different and surprising. In fact, I thought I had it figured out and was totally shocked when the twist is revealed in the last 20 pages.
The audiobook was super enjoyable. It’s an 8 hour audiobook with great narration by Steven Crossley. My only complaints are that there seems to be no sequel and the title. Even though Iam a fan of this book, I can never remember its name. Sorry Jane, it just needed a jazzier title, imo.
But I recommend this book for people like myself who are newbies to Arthurian legend. I also think middle grade and teens would really love this book, especially readers who enjoy adventure with the swordfighting and some violence.
Jane Yolen is a very popular writer of children’s books. That’s how I was familiar with her; from her How Do Dinosaurs children book series. How Do Dinosurs go to sleep, How Do dinosaurs Say I Love You. .. But she also apparently writes sci-fi and fantasy for both young people and adults as well. She is super prolific; like over 400 books!. And this book was written in 2004 to glowing reviews.
This is a young adult retelling of King Arthur and the round table legend. Now I am not super familiar with the myth of King Arthur. I’ve never read any books about it or retellings of it. I know basic characters and the most simplest of storylines. So going into this, it was all new to me so I would not have guessed this was a YA book until I saw on reviews that it was.
In this retelling, I felt like we really got to know the characters. They are so well- developed that I know Arthur has simple pleasures and the throne is too hard on his tush. Merlin is starting to age and sometimes is a bit forgetful. Gawain is truly embarrassed by his mother and his younger brothers annoy him just like any sibling relationship. Yolen gives us lots of details about what England was like at the time. Things that I had to look up to see if it was historically accurate. I love that! Things like using olive oil and drinking something called Malmsey (which is another term for Madeira wine) which yes they would have had because England had formerly been inhabited by the Romans.
So when I as telling my husband about this book (and he has read all kinds of Arthurian retellings) he asked me what is the angle of the book? What makes this different from any other retelling is that Arthur is a new king, he has only been on the thrown for 4 years. And there are still those in the kingdom, in some of the other tribes, that don’t think he is the rightful king. So Merlin devises the sword in the stone as a way to unite all Britons around Arthur. But what if someone besides Arthur was able to pull the sword from the stone? Yolen’s storyline for the Sword in the Stone and how it came to be is much different and surprising. In fact, I thought I had it figured out and was totally shocked when the twist is revealed in the last 20 pages.
The audiobook was super enjoyable. It’s an 8 hour audiobook with great narration by Steven Crossley. My only complaints are that there seems to be no sequel and the title. Even though Iam a fan of this book, I can never remember its name. Sorry Jane, it just needed a jazzier title, imo.
But I recommend this book for people like myself who are newbies to Arthurian legend. I also think middle grade and teens would really love this book, especially readers who enjoy adventure with the swordfighting and some violence.
January 8, 2016
Arthur, at 22, has only been on the throne of Cadbury (not Camelot, for some reason) for four years, but his kingship is anything but secure. Morgause, mother of trusted knight Gawaine, is an evil witch and is scheming to get rid of Arthur and put her son on the throne. Merlinnus, Arthur's trusted mage, devises a plan, with the help of a mysterious new assistant named Gawen, to ensure Arthur's position as the once and future king.
Since Arthur is portrayed as a young man in this version of the myth, I couldn't help but imagine Bradley James as Arthur and Colin Morgan's Old Merlin as Merlinnus (why the added "nus"?). I also pictured the Infirmarer/ Court physician as Richard Wilson's Gaius. Seriously, if you haven't watched Merlin, you're missing out!
I believe I would have given Jane Yolen's Sword of the Rightful King five full stars if it weren't for that rushed ending, if the rest of the knights aside from Gawaine had more than cameos, and if Morgause had a little more depth of character. Otherwise, though, this is a pretty good reworking of Arthurian legend.
This review is also on my blog.
Since Arthur is portrayed as a young man in this version of the myth, I couldn't help but imagine Bradley James as Arthur and Colin Morgan's Old Merlin as Merlinnus (why the added "nus"?). I also pictured the Infirmarer/ Court physician as Richard Wilson's Gaius. Seriously, if you haven't watched Merlin, you're missing out!
I believe I would have given Jane Yolen's Sword of the Rightful King five full stars if it weren't for that rushed ending, if the rest of the knights aside from Gawaine had more than cameos, and if Morgause had a little more depth of character. Otherwise, though, this is a pretty good reworking of Arthurian legend.
This review is also on my blog.
January 11, 2012
This is an amazing book I would recommend this book to almost all ages. This is another novel of King Arthur, so it takes place in the time of knights and kings and it takes place in Britain. The main characters are Gawen, Merlinnus, Gawaine, and King Arthur. Gawen is a young man of the age of 12 to 13 who has come to King Arthur's kingdom in hope of becoming a night but is rejected and is taken in by Merlinnus. Merlinnus is an old mage who was the one who brought Arthur to the throne. Gawaine is also a young man of the age of about 19, Gawaine is one of five sons of the witch of the north who has some write to the throne. Arthur is the King of all of Great Britain, but Arthur has a very rocky control of his kingdom because many people believe that he does not deserve the throne because no one knows he's the son of the previous King. Since the kingdom is just barely under Arthur control the old mage devise a plan to have a sword put into a stone stating that anyone who can pull the sword out of stone is the rightful king of Britain. So they have every single one of the knights to try and pull the sword and all fail. When it comes to Arthur he pulls it out with ease do to the mage, but when he pulls out the sword Arthur realizes that this is a different that is a different sword then what they put in the stone in the first place. So the big question who is the Rightful King or Queen of Great Britain. If you wish to find out you'll have to read the book.
April 26, 2014
This was a great reading. I deeply enjoyed Yolen's ability of spicing up the old legend with some very surprising twists.
This is an imaginative reinvention of the old legend of King Arthur, yet it is faithful (in some ways) to the earliest version of Geoffrey of Monmouth rather than Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. For instance, there is no blood relationship between Arthur and Morgeuse, therefore Gawain and Agravaine are not Arthur's cousins.
The story is centred around King Arthur who has been crowned as king of all Britain, but the people of Britain are reluctant to follow him. To solve this problem Merlinnus, Arthur's mage, magically places a sword in a stone. He hides it and waits for a shepherd to discover it. The stone carries a message saying whoever pulls the sword from the stone will be king of all Britain. Merlinnus' plan is to make sure no one can pull the sword from the stone, except Arthur.
Meanwhile, Merlinnus takes Gawen, (a runaway from far away who asks to become a knight), as the magician's assistant. Soon he becomes very close to the king and the mage. Meanwhile, Morgeuse has send an assassin to kill Arthur.
Although I figured by halfway through who Gawen was, I found it to be engaging till the end.
This is an imaginative reinvention of the old legend of King Arthur, yet it is faithful (in some ways) to the earliest version of Geoffrey of Monmouth rather than Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. For instance, there is no blood relationship between Arthur and Morgeuse, therefore Gawain and Agravaine are not Arthur's cousins.
The story is centred around King Arthur who has been crowned as king of all Britain, but the people of Britain are reluctant to follow him. To solve this problem Merlinnus, Arthur's mage, magically places a sword in a stone. He hides it and waits for a shepherd to discover it. The stone carries a message saying whoever pulls the sword from the stone will be king of all Britain. Merlinnus' plan is to make sure no one can pull the sword from the stone, except Arthur.
Meanwhile, Merlinnus takes Gawen, (a runaway from far away who asks to become a knight), as the magician's assistant. Soon he becomes very close to the king and the mage. Meanwhile, Morgeuse has send an assassin to kill Arthur.
Although I figured by halfway through who Gawen was, I found it to be engaging till the end.
September 8, 2016
I have felt more interested in the world of King Arthur lately, and this book seemed like a good way to indulge a little more in this. I am certainly no authority on the "real" Arthur tales, but could easily perceive that this story doesn't feel bound by the traditional versions. The story wasn't entirely remarkable, but it was an enjoyable enough foray into the world of Camelot to suit my desires. Though often rather obtuse to plot surprises before they are brought to light, I did predict the secret identity of Merlin's assistant before the big reveal, and found it more than a little awkward how Arthur reacts the moment he makes the discovery for himself, but it could have been a fun twist if it had surprised me in the end. My favorite part of the book was probably when we hear Arthur struggling to decline his Latin nouns correctly. Since I have recently started studying Latin myself, I related to him easily at that point. Not a very significant part of the story as a whole, but sometimes it's the little things.
Read
March 12, 2012Jeanine Allen
Traditional
Sword of the Rightful King: A Novel of King Arthur by Jane Yolen is a retelling of the traditional legend of King Arthur. Some of the character's names have been changed, but the meaning is very much there. Merlinnus (Merlin) must figure out a way to make the people believe that King Arthur is their rightful king. He devises a scheme that whoever pulls the sword out of their stone is the rightful king, however someone else end up pulling the sword out first. Each chapter had a different character's point of view, and not knowing some of the characters true intentions keeps the reader engaged.
Traditional
Sword of the Rightful King: A Novel of King Arthur by Jane Yolen is a retelling of the traditional legend of King Arthur. Some of the character's names have been changed, but the meaning is very much there. Merlinnus (Merlin) must figure out a way to make the people believe that King Arthur is their rightful king. He devises a scheme that whoever pulls the sword out of their stone is the rightful king, however someone else end up pulling the sword out first. Each chapter had a different character's point of view, and not knowing some of the characters true intentions keeps the reader engaged.
January 6, 2009
Very interesting. We istened to the audio on a road trip and the narrator did a fabulous job! The story is about King Arthur and whether or not he is the rightful king. There are some twists, but not many. I enjoyed the storyline. Some swearing.
October 23, 2017
Here's a book that plays with the notion that pulling Excalibur (in this book, known as Caliburn) out of the stone was a public relations gimmick that Merlin set up to help Arthur solidify his political base. But though he knows in advance he will pull it out and why, we see here an Arthur who is torn about whether he wants to be a king, or whether he deserves to be. We see him facing an early crisis in his reign, which, without a happy outcome, would have spoiled the bittersweetness of the tragedy destined to play out later. And we see a Merlin confronting the end of his time and the limits of his power as an evil power looms over Arthur's hopeful young court.
From the author of the "Young Merlin" trilogy, not to mention some 200 other books, comes this alternate telling of the first part of the story of King Arthur. It is, as Yolen comments in the extras at the end of this book, the one part in the legend of Arthur you could end with "happily ever after," before it all turns tragic. Like T.H. White's The Sword in the Stone (Book 1 of The Once and Future King), it pretty much ends with the pulling of the sword Caliburn from out the stone, proving Arthur's claim to be "rightwise king born of all Britain." Like Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga, this book puts the sword-in-the-stone test after Arthur has already become king, and depicts it as a strategem by Merlin (here called Merlinnus) to convince the other noblemen and lesser kings, who have been slow to accept him as high king. Like both of them, it shows Arthur and Merlin being opposed by Morgause, who wants the throne for her sons Gawaine, Agravaine, Gareth, and Gaheris, and who is also secretly the king's half-sister. Unlike both, it depicts Arthur at the time of the sword-pulling as already established at Camelot (here called Cadbury), with his knight companions already gathered at the round table - even including Lancelot, who arrives later in White and never in Stewart.
In this book, Arthur is a strong young king who has proven himself in battle, but who has not taken so well to the administrative side of being a king. He has doubts about himself, and knows less about his true lineage than in any version of the story I have read. He is good at reading people, however, and a flat-out genius where it comes to winning their loyalty. The scene in which he converts Agravaine to his man is simply astonishing; and there are others like it. There are numerous scenes, for instance, in which Arthur schools himself to soothe Sir Kay's insecurities. But his grip on the throne is still precarious, with the "North Witch" Morgause up in her tower, spewing vile magic in his direction - not to mention sending an assassin after him.
In a novelty of this telling of the "old story but a good one," Arthur increasingly relies on Merlin's boy servant Gawen to stay a step ahead of Morgause's plotting. On the other hand, no one who has read Stewart's The Last Enchantment will be very surprised by the trick Yolen plays on Merlin(nus), or by Gawen's secret, since they are like a trick and a secret we have seen before. You can't go over old ground like this without seeing familiar landmarks. What keeps it interesting is how each re-telling infuses the familiar story-shape with new ideas, such as (in this case) a postmodern idea like, "Perception is reality." If you're watching for anachronisms, you might snicker with Schadenfreude on encountering the term "bedlam," supposedly used centuries before the founding of Bethlehem Royal Hospital in 1330. On the other hand, if you're looking for beautiful, lyric writing, you can't beat sentences like, "Pain was an old campaigner on his body's battlefield; they had walked long miles together."
Jane Yolen is a writer whose love of Merlin and Arthur is evident in every paragraph of this book, and who writes with ample skill to make you love them again. For more examples of her passion and her skill, see also the Pit Dragon series (I learned just now this "trilogy" has a fourth book), the Tartan Magic trilogy, the Stuart Quartet (Queen's Own Fool, etc.), the Young Heroes quartet (co-written with Robert J. Harris), the Seelie Wars trilogy (co-written with her son Adam Stemple), and such stand-alone titles as The Boy Who Spoke Chimp, The Dragon's Boy, A Plague of Unicorns, And Twelve Chinese Acrobats, Armageddon Summer, The Scarecrow's Dance, and one about a schoolkid who builds a golem to protect himself from bullies, titled B.U.G. (Big Ugly Guy). Written from 1964 to the present day, they all sound so interesting, I doubt I'll grow tired of them anytime soon.
From the author of the "Young Merlin" trilogy, not to mention some 200 other books, comes this alternate telling of the first part of the story of King Arthur. It is, as Yolen comments in the extras at the end of this book, the one part in the legend of Arthur you could end with "happily ever after," before it all turns tragic. Like T.H. White's The Sword in the Stone (Book 1 of The Once and Future King), it pretty much ends with the pulling of the sword Caliburn from out the stone, proving Arthur's claim to be "rightwise king born of all Britain." Like Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga, this book puts the sword-in-the-stone test after Arthur has already become king, and depicts it as a strategem by Merlin (here called Merlinnus) to convince the other noblemen and lesser kings, who have been slow to accept him as high king. Like both of them, it shows Arthur and Merlin being opposed by Morgause, who wants the throne for her sons Gawaine, Agravaine, Gareth, and Gaheris, and who is also secretly the king's half-sister. Unlike both, it depicts Arthur at the time of the sword-pulling as already established at Camelot (here called Cadbury), with his knight companions already gathered at the round table - even including Lancelot, who arrives later in White and never in Stewart.
In this book, Arthur is a strong young king who has proven himself in battle, but who has not taken so well to the administrative side of being a king. He has doubts about himself, and knows less about his true lineage than in any version of the story I have read. He is good at reading people, however, and a flat-out genius where it comes to winning their loyalty. The scene in which he converts Agravaine to his man is simply astonishing; and there are others like it. There are numerous scenes, for instance, in which Arthur schools himself to soothe Sir Kay's insecurities. But his grip on the throne is still precarious, with the "North Witch" Morgause up in her tower, spewing vile magic in his direction - not to mention sending an assassin after him.
In a novelty of this telling of the "old story but a good one," Arthur increasingly relies on Merlin's boy servant Gawen to stay a step ahead of Morgause's plotting. On the other hand, no one who has read Stewart's The Last Enchantment will be very surprised by the trick Yolen plays on Merlin(nus), or by Gawen's secret, since they are like a trick and a secret we have seen before. You can't go over old ground like this without seeing familiar landmarks. What keeps it interesting is how each re-telling infuses the familiar story-shape with new ideas, such as (in this case) a postmodern idea like, "Perception is reality." If you're watching for anachronisms, you might snicker with Schadenfreude on encountering the term "bedlam," supposedly used centuries before the founding of Bethlehem Royal Hospital in 1330. On the other hand, if you're looking for beautiful, lyric writing, you can't beat sentences like, "Pain was an old campaigner on his body's battlefield; they had walked long miles together."
Jane Yolen is a writer whose love of Merlin and Arthur is evident in every paragraph of this book, and who writes with ample skill to make you love them again. For more examples of her passion and her skill, see also the Pit Dragon series (I learned just now this "trilogy" has a fourth book), the Tartan Magic trilogy, the Stuart Quartet (Queen's Own Fool, etc.), the Young Heroes quartet (co-written with Robert J. Harris), the Seelie Wars trilogy (co-written with her son Adam Stemple), and such stand-alone titles as The Boy Who Spoke Chimp, The Dragon's Boy, A Plague of Unicorns, And Twelve Chinese Acrobats, Armageddon Summer, The Scarecrow's Dance, and one about a schoolkid who builds a golem to protect himself from bullies, titled B.U.G. (Big Ugly Guy). Written from 1964 to the present day, they all sound so interesting, I doubt I'll grow tired of them anytime soon.
December 7, 2021
Because it is dark and cold and my brain is very tired and everything is on fire, I decided it was time for some comfort reading, so I scanned my shelves looking for some tropey Anglophile ten-year-old girl fiction, of which I never seem to run out. I went with a used copy of Jane Yolen’s Sword of the Rightful King that has been sitting on my TBR shelf for a while although I cannot remember where I got it. I have at least two other pieces of unread Arthuriana sitting on that exact shelf but this one was the shortest and seemed the easiest feel-good read.
Sword of the Rightful King is a retelling of the part of the Arthur legend where he pulls the sword Excalibur out of the stone, therefore making a big show to the rest of the country about how much he really is the legitimate High King of all Britain (no strange women lying in ponds in this telling). In this version the sword is named Caliburnus, and a couple other characters have names out of older alternate versions of the legend than the ones most people think of--Merlin is Merlinnus, Guenevere is Gwenhwyfar (the proper Welsh spelling), Camelot is Cadbury (like the creme egg).
The main plotline here is that Merlinnus has contrived the whole sword in the stone thing specifically in order to shut up the various clans and tribes and lords and chieftains that doubt Arthur’s claim to the whole island, by putting the sword in the stone himself and casting a spell on it that no man can remove it unless Merlin says the spell letting him. Our villain, Morgause, the North Witch, tries to interfere with this, because she is hellbent on assassinating Arthur and using her three of her four terrible sons--plus her one non-terrible son, if possible--to spy on him. The one non-terrible son, Gawaine, is despised for mysterious reasons by Merlinnus’ new apprentice, a young boy named Gawen who has a number of secrets, of which his real identity is the most easily and soon guessed if you are familiar with the type of children’s fiction this book is (hint: this book was written after the ‘80s).
There are some weaknesses to this book, like that Gawaine is our main viewpoint character for most of the first half of it and then is basically relegated to a secondary character for the second half. The breaks it makes with the original legend are modern and not too overdone with this particular story, but not exactly what I’d call pioneering within the children’s fantasy genre overall for a book published in 2003. But it is fun and familiar and satisfying the way going to Medieval Times and eating chicken with your hands off a pewter plate is fun and familiar and satisfying, and has similar vibes to works like T. H. White’s The Once and Future King or the BBC’s Merlin. Overall I am glad that I went with this one instead of jumping right into The Mists of Avalon, which might also be appearing soon in this winter’s hibernation reading.
Sword distribution as the basis for a system of government.
Sword of the Rightful King is a retelling of the part of the Arthur legend where he pulls the sword Excalibur out of the stone, therefore making a big show to the rest of the country about how much he really is the legitimate High King of all Britain (no strange women lying in ponds in this telling). In this version the sword is named Caliburnus, and a couple other characters have names out of older alternate versions of the legend than the ones most people think of--Merlin is Merlinnus, Guenevere is Gwenhwyfar (the proper Welsh spelling), Camelot is Cadbury (like the creme egg).
The main plotline here is that Merlinnus has contrived the whole sword in the stone thing specifically in order to shut up the various clans and tribes and lords and chieftains that doubt Arthur’s claim to the whole island, by putting the sword in the stone himself and casting a spell on it that no man can remove it unless Merlin says the spell letting him. Our villain, Morgause, the North Witch, tries to interfere with this, because she is hellbent on assassinating Arthur and using her three of her four terrible sons--plus her one non-terrible son, if possible--to spy on him. The one non-terrible son, Gawaine, is despised for mysterious reasons by Merlinnus’ new apprentice, a young boy named Gawen who has a number of secrets, of which his real identity is the most easily and soon guessed if you are familiar with the type of children’s fiction this book is (hint: this book was written after the ‘80s).
There are some weaknesses to this book, like that Gawaine is our main viewpoint character for most of the first half of it and then is basically relegated to a secondary character for the second half. The breaks it makes with the original legend are modern and not too overdone with this particular story, but not exactly what I’d call pioneering within the children’s fantasy genre overall for a book published in 2003. But it is fun and familiar and satisfying the way going to Medieval Times and eating chicken with your hands off a pewter plate is fun and familiar and satisfying, and has similar vibes to works like T. H. White’s The Once and Future King or the BBC’s Merlin. Overall I am glad that I went with this one instead of jumping right into The Mists of Avalon, which might also be appearing soon in this winter’s hibernation reading.
Sword distribution as the basis for a system of government.
March 27, 2020
I've always been intrigued by tales of King Arthur and Camelot and I had high hopes for this one, given the author. However, it is a very disjointed retelling, with extraneous characters that take away from the heart of the story.
Skewed just a little - Cadbury is Camelot (which was unfortunate, as I kept envisioning the castle as being made of chocolate!), Merlinnus is Merlin - the main plot is a very simple one. I saw the twist coming almost immediately () in broad strokes, if not all details, and it works as a plot device although it was clumsily executed in places. However, THIS is the story we should have followed.
And here's why:
Instead, we follow sorceress Morgause's four boys as they come to court, for no good reason besides showing how Arthur can inspire charismatic loyalty in even the most reluctant hearts.
The book includes an author interview stating that the story was imagined as a 12 verse prose poem (reproduced in its entirety), where each verse was meant to head a chapter. Yolen ended up using 7 verses, 4 original and 3 new to the story. Perhaps this accounts for the odd feel of the narrative? She says her editor told her to add the action scenes. Parts of the story are either too stark, unfinished feeling or too far expanded. Which is a shame!
Skewed just a little - Cadbury is Camelot (which was unfortunate, as I kept envisioning the castle as being made of chocolate!), Merlinnus is Merlin - the main plot is a very simple one. I saw the twist coming almost immediately () in broad strokes, if not all details, and it works as a plot device although it was clumsily executed in places. However, THIS is the story we should have followed.
And here's why:
Instead, we follow sorceress Morgause's four boys as they come to court, for no good reason besides showing how Arthur can inspire charismatic loyalty in even the most reluctant hearts.
The book includes an author interview stating that the story was imagined as a 12 verse prose poem (reproduced in its entirety), where each verse was meant to head a chapter. Yolen ended up using 7 verses, 4 original and 3 new to the story. Perhaps this accounts for the odd feel of the narrative? She says her editor told her to add the action scenes. Parts of the story are either too stark, unfinished feeling or too far expanded. Which is a shame!
December 18, 2011
What a wonderful change of pace! To read a book that's a medieval fantasy again! Once upon a time these were the only books I ever read, and though not all of them make the cut in my memories, it's always been one of my favorite--if not the favorite--of my genres! And this book was a WONDERFUL addition into that collection of stories I have so long loved! I admit, I have read little to nothing about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, but who doesn't know the story? While I can't say I found this story amazing in terms of what I would be looking for if I was to really want to hunt down something epic on the history/retelling of King Arthur's story, for a spin-off concept of what went on, it was really enjoyable! In fact, I think that was the best part of this story. Jane Yolen just knows how to write something that you can sit down, and really enjoy reading. She knows how to put in suspense and drama without over-doing it, and without ever making things too complicated--or, Heaven forbid, stupid like some people do when they try to add "drama" (Heavily emphasizing those quotations marks!) to a story.
So we've got ourselves a tale of The Sword in the Stone, which I completely love since I grew up watching the cartoon movie of that legend practically every month I was so addicted to it. And it ties into King Arthur in a way that doesn't relate anything to the movie. Which, hey, is all good considering that new perspectives of the same story usually add much more depth to the story itself. And I can't say I didn't enjoy this book, because it was so EASY and quick of a read that I found myself eating it up like one breathes air! It was started and done so swiftly! I know that in between my reading I had a huge pause but that was mostly thanks to school. The moment I got my time back (Ahem, yesterday and today) the book was done with practically the snap of your fingers. And that's what's so COOL about it! It's such a pleasurable thing to read because it had everything you could want in a story and a pace that was quick, playful, ended with a skip and shout and WAH-HOOO!
But I am seriously rambling. Truth be told, the carrying factor for this story wasn't what you would expect it to be. It wasn't the plot-line, which was simple to conceive, experience, follow along with, and conclude. Which! Is what made the story also such an easy read. It also wasn't even the mood to the story, for though it had its serious moments scattered throughout, the familiarity between the characters and the constant exchange and interweaving of humor is what really carried the day. Things were never too down for too long before something pleasing or funny, memorable or just plain endearing happened to uplift it again. And the parts where you thought there was going to be major drama and dramatics unfolding were surprisingly quick to be concluded, fixed, and moved on from. I guess I've just gotten used to all these characters that make the BIGGEST deals out of absolutely the SMALLEST things that I've forgotten that there are people who will stumble upon a crime scene and, when you tell them what happened, will actually BELIEVE you! O:< *Claps hand to her cheek in shock, mouth dropped open with the stunned realization* Since when does THAT happen anymore, right?! But in this book, that's exactly what happened! And I found myself a lot of times starting at shadows, or over-thinking things and being proved wrong countless times. And you know what? It's not the book's fault, not the characters' faults, and it's not the author's fault either. It's mine. I've become so used to books today that just spin things WAAAAY out of proportion all the time, so that now I can't help but suspect everyone, and everything, and make up schemes because of the smallest little suggestions introduced in the story as it goes along. Until, after a while, I just stopped thinking and settled down. I tried, like in the old days people used to do, to just read. And once I did that, and stopped shoving my own thoughts in this story where clearly they did not fit, I was able just to be carried along the ride like one's carried down a swift current in the river. I reacted instead of blatantly trying to interact where it would not work. And doing it that way, I was able to fully enjoy the story on a level that I had to learn again to experience.
Writers today just don't write like our older authors of a couple decades ago.
Once again, I have rambled. So what was the redeeming quality to this book that made it worth the five stars? Well, it was the characters. From Arthur to Merlinnus, to Gawaine and Gawen, to Lancelot and even the errand boys... you have a set of characters that are no more over-complicated than the storyline, but whose traits and personality shine through like the brightest of stars on the darkest of nights, so that you find your entire world illuminated by them. They are unchanging, multifaceted, easy-to-understand characters that can still surprise you with shows of depth that you're not expecting from people that you would think are so easy to read. But almost at every other line they say something or react in someway that makes you pause and blink for a moment, trying to catch up to them and figure out why they just did what they did when you expected them to do something so different! Completely different in some cases! And know what else? Sometimes you never know why, and other times, just like in real life, you don't find out why until later on when they mention the reason to you! Isn't that just epic?! You have people that actually ACT like people!! It's a WONDERFUL experience! To find that the characters aren't predictable! They can't always be figured out or followed to the letter! You have people interacting before you and you have no idea what it is that they're going to do next. How wonderful!!! How EXCITING! How grateful I am for that experience! A book with a MIND of its own! One I cannot trace! One that, even when all the cards are before you, you still aren't sure if you know everything, or if things will go exactly as planned! It's epic! It's wonderful!
Being able to read a story like this, even though it's not "DUN DUN DUNNNN! EPICCCCC!" still is absolutely worthwhile. Just reading Jane Yolen's work is enough of a depth of living that books once carried with them all the time, I feel. It's a relief to read a book that feels alive before you! And no matter how simple the concept may be, everything about this story and its characters makes for a GREAT read: because it's such an enjoyable one! And really, when it comes to books, what more are you looking for?! I suggest you DEFINITELY check out this book! Heck, I'd even say it's worth the buying! Do I think it's as amazing as it can be? *Smiles* Yeah, I think it is. For itself. I wouldn't change a single thing about this book, and I can't really record any complaints that I had or have. It was a good read, and a worthwhile one. Is it the best thing I've ever read? No, I can't say that. I definitely have favorites above this one. But it's still a book that's definitely worth the time. Check it out! I think you'll like the breath of life and fresh air that this one carries! It'll be good for you! Go go! Library time!! Order it! And I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much or more than I did! ^__^
So we've got ourselves a tale of The Sword in the Stone, which I completely love since I grew up watching the cartoon movie of that legend practically every month I was so addicted to it. And it ties into King Arthur in a way that doesn't relate anything to the movie. Which, hey, is all good considering that new perspectives of the same story usually add much more depth to the story itself. And I can't say I didn't enjoy this book, because it was so EASY and quick of a read that I found myself eating it up like one breathes air! It was started and done so swiftly! I know that in between my reading I had a huge pause but that was mostly thanks to school. The moment I got my time back (Ahem, yesterday and today) the book was done with practically the snap of your fingers. And that's what's so COOL about it! It's such a pleasurable thing to read because it had everything you could want in a story and a pace that was quick, playful, ended with a skip and shout and WAH-HOOO!
But I am seriously rambling. Truth be told, the carrying factor for this story wasn't what you would expect it to be. It wasn't the plot-line, which was simple to conceive, experience, follow along with, and conclude. Which! Is what made the story also such an easy read. It also wasn't even the mood to the story, for though it had its serious moments scattered throughout, the familiarity between the characters and the constant exchange and interweaving of humor is what really carried the day. Things were never too down for too long before something pleasing or funny, memorable or just plain endearing happened to uplift it again. And the parts where you thought there was going to be major drama and dramatics unfolding were surprisingly quick to be concluded, fixed, and moved on from. I guess I've just gotten used to all these characters that make the BIGGEST deals out of absolutely the SMALLEST things that I've forgotten that there are people who will stumble upon a crime scene and, when you tell them what happened, will actually BELIEVE you! O:< *Claps hand to her cheek in shock, mouth dropped open with the stunned realization* Since when does THAT happen anymore, right?! But in this book, that's exactly what happened! And I found myself a lot of times starting at shadows, or over-thinking things and being proved wrong countless times. And you know what? It's not the book's fault, not the characters' faults, and it's not the author's fault either. It's mine. I've become so used to books today that just spin things WAAAAY out of proportion all the time, so that now I can't help but suspect everyone, and everything, and make up schemes because of the smallest little suggestions introduced in the story as it goes along. Until, after a while, I just stopped thinking and settled down. I tried, like in the old days people used to do, to just read. And once I did that, and stopped shoving my own thoughts in this story where clearly they did not fit, I was able just to be carried along the ride like one's carried down a swift current in the river. I reacted instead of blatantly trying to interact where it would not work. And doing it that way, I was able to fully enjoy the story on a level that I had to learn again to experience.
Writers today just don't write like our older authors of a couple decades ago.
Once again, I have rambled. So what was the redeeming quality to this book that made it worth the five stars? Well, it was the characters. From Arthur to Merlinnus, to Gawaine and Gawen, to Lancelot and even the errand boys... you have a set of characters that are no more over-complicated than the storyline, but whose traits and personality shine through like the brightest of stars on the darkest of nights, so that you find your entire world illuminated by them. They are unchanging, multifaceted, easy-to-understand characters that can still surprise you with shows of depth that you're not expecting from people that you would think are so easy to read. But almost at every other line they say something or react in someway that makes you pause and blink for a moment, trying to catch up to them and figure out why they just did what they did when you expected them to do something so different! Completely different in some cases! And know what else? Sometimes you never know why, and other times, just like in real life, you don't find out why until later on when they mention the reason to you! Isn't that just epic?! You have people that actually ACT like people!! It's a WONDERFUL experience! To find that the characters aren't predictable! They can't always be figured out or followed to the letter! You have people interacting before you and you have no idea what it is that they're going to do next. How wonderful!!! How EXCITING! How grateful I am for that experience! A book with a MIND of its own! One I cannot trace! One that, even when all the cards are before you, you still aren't sure if you know everything, or if things will go exactly as planned! It's epic! It's wonderful!
Being able to read a story like this, even though it's not "DUN DUN DUNNNN! EPICCCCC!" still is absolutely worthwhile. Just reading Jane Yolen's work is enough of a depth of living that books once carried with them all the time, I feel. It's a relief to read a book that feels alive before you! And no matter how simple the concept may be, everything about this story and its characters makes for a GREAT read: because it's such an enjoyable one! And really, when it comes to books, what more are you looking for?! I suggest you DEFINITELY check out this book! Heck, I'd even say it's worth the buying! Do I think it's as amazing as it can be? *Smiles* Yeah, I think it is. For itself. I wouldn't change a single thing about this book, and I can't really record any complaints that I had or have. It was a good read, and a worthwhile one. Is it the best thing I've ever read? No, I can't say that. I definitely have favorites above this one. But it's still a book that's definitely worth the time. Check it out! I think you'll like the breath of life and fresh air that this one carries! It'll be good for you! Go go! Library time!! Order it! And I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much or more than I did! ^__^
April 16, 2019
Um, so this book has a terrible blurb. In other words, the main idea of this novel wasn't mentioned until more than halfway through the book. Yeah.
In fact, the iconic sword in the stone wasn't mentioned until around halfway through the book.
So to say I was disappointed is a bit of an understatement.
I mean, the whole idea of someone other than Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone is downright epic. But the execution . . . a bit less than epic. (Sorry, friends.)
So think of a "day in the life" vlog set in Camelot with a few assassination attempts thrown in. This book was a bit cool in that way. I've never read anything like it. And it was interesting to see the threads of the thousands of legends and retellings of King Arthur woven throughout this story.
I will say the worldbuilding and writing style was very well done. The world was unique and didn't really feel like the Camelot I know and love but was new and exciting nonetheless. The writing style was super interesting because it was low key set up like a legend. There were tons of books within this novel and there were poems opening each section that foreshadowed what would happen next.
But, as a whole, I wasn't a fan. The book dragged in some places. Or a lot of places. It was very slow paced and I felt disconnected from the characters and the original theme of the story.
And the ending. *dramatic sigh*
Anyway. These are my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on this book. Have a nice day!
In fact, the iconic sword in the stone wasn't mentioned until around halfway through the book.
So to say I was disappointed is a bit of an understatement.
I mean, the whole idea of someone other than Arthur pulling the sword out of the stone is downright epic. But the execution . . . a bit less than epic. (Sorry, friends.)
So think of a "day in the life" vlog set in Camelot with a few assassination attempts thrown in. This book was a bit cool in that way. I've never read anything like it. And it was interesting to see the threads of the thousands of legends and retellings of King Arthur woven throughout this story.
I will say the worldbuilding and writing style was very well done. The world was unique and didn't really feel like the Camelot I know and love but was new and exciting nonetheless. The writing style was super interesting because it was low key set up like a legend. There were tons of books within this novel and there were poems opening each section that foreshadowed what would happen next.
But, as a whole, I wasn't a fan. The book dragged in some places. Or a lot of places. It was very slow paced and I felt disconnected from the characters and the original theme of the story.
And the ending. *dramatic sigh*
Anyway. These are my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on this book. Have a nice day!
January 21, 2019
Was ich mochte:
Merlin, auch wenn er hier Merlinnus heißt. Man verbringt einen guten Teil der Zeit in seinem Kopf und mit seinen Sorgen und Nöten. Es war schön, zu sehen, womit er sich alles herumschlagen muss und wie er es löst. Er ist der Grund, warum ich das Buch gelesen habe.
Gawen, Merlins Gehilfe. Er passte gut in die Geschichte, auch wenn ein Teil seiner Geschichte zügig klar war. Er ist größtenteils Merlins "Übersetzer" für Arthur.
Die Darstellung Agravaines. Ich wollte ihn jedes Mal über die Burgmauer werfen.
Was ich nicht mochte:
Es gibt eine Menge Namedropping, aber manche Dinge heißen anders als ich es gewohnt bin. Das Schwert heißt Caliburn und nicht Excalibur. (Es wird nicht erklärt, wo es herkommt. Es ist sowohl möglich, dass es die Dame vom See gibt, wie dass sie eine Geschichte ist.) Camelot heißt Cadbury. Wieso eigentlich? Dazu wird gefühlt jeder halbwegs bekannte Tafelritter mindestens einmal namentlich erwähnt. Dabei bleibt es zB bei Galahad beim Namedropping. Der Grüne Ritter ist eine Erfindung von zwei Jungen. Es gibt dann auch noch einen Jungen namens Percy... Und einen ziemlich dämlichen Pagen namens Geoffrey.
Das Buch ist zu kurz für so viele verschiedene Handlungsstränge. Ich habe nicht verstanden, wieso wir so viel Zeit mit Gawaine verbrachten, der nicht wirklich wichtig war. Weder wurde er ernsthaft als Mörder verdächtigt noch war er sonst wichtig. Er lieferte einen Außenblick auf Morgause, aber dass die böse ist, hätte man sich auch so denken können.
Die Hinweise auf das tragische Ende der ganzen Geschichte (nicht in diesem Buch) störten. Das waren irgendwie lose herumliegende Handlungsfäden, die nicht aufgelöst wurden und nirgendwo richtig reinpassten.
Das Ende kam etwas plötzlich, nachdem der Anfang sich zog. Die Liebesgeschichte (?) hatte irgendwie null Basis. Wieso heiraten die sich jetzt?
Die Charaktere sind alle sehr blass und das Buch baut darauf auf, dass man die Geschichte kennt und die fehlenden Teile einfügt.
Die Chronologie war irgendwie seltsam. Arthur ist erst König und zieht dann das Schwert aus dem Stein. (Ok, das wird erklärt.) Lancelot ist lange Ritter und Freund von Arthur, als dieser Guinevere heiratet. Lancelot ist älter als Arthur? Galahad ist erwachsen, bevor Arthur Guinevere heiratet.
Merlin, auch wenn er hier Merlinnus heißt. Man verbringt einen guten Teil der Zeit in seinem Kopf und mit seinen Sorgen und Nöten. Es war schön, zu sehen, womit er sich alles herumschlagen muss und wie er es löst. Er ist der Grund, warum ich das Buch gelesen habe.
Gawen, Merlins Gehilfe. Er passte gut in die Geschichte, auch wenn ein Teil seiner Geschichte zügig klar war. Er ist größtenteils Merlins "Übersetzer" für Arthur.
Die Darstellung Agravaines. Ich wollte ihn jedes Mal über die Burgmauer werfen.
Was ich nicht mochte:
Es gibt eine Menge Namedropping, aber manche Dinge heißen anders als ich es gewohnt bin. Das Schwert heißt Caliburn und nicht Excalibur. (Es wird nicht erklärt, wo es herkommt. Es ist sowohl möglich, dass es die Dame vom See gibt, wie dass sie eine Geschichte ist.) Camelot heißt Cadbury. Wieso eigentlich? Dazu wird gefühlt jeder halbwegs bekannte Tafelritter mindestens einmal namentlich erwähnt. Dabei bleibt es zB bei Galahad beim Namedropping. Der Grüne Ritter ist eine Erfindung von zwei Jungen. Es gibt dann auch noch einen Jungen namens Percy... Und einen ziemlich dämlichen Pagen namens Geoffrey.
Das Buch ist zu kurz für so viele verschiedene Handlungsstränge. Ich habe nicht verstanden, wieso wir so viel Zeit mit Gawaine verbrachten, der nicht wirklich wichtig war. Weder wurde er ernsthaft als Mörder verdächtigt noch war er sonst wichtig. Er lieferte einen Außenblick auf Morgause, aber dass die böse ist, hätte man sich auch so denken können.
Die Hinweise auf das tragische Ende der ganzen Geschichte (nicht in diesem Buch) störten. Das waren irgendwie lose herumliegende Handlungsfäden, die nicht aufgelöst wurden und nirgendwo richtig reinpassten.
Das Ende kam etwas plötzlich, nachdem der Anfang sich zog. Die Liebesgeschichte (?) hatte irgendwie null Basis. Wieso heiraten die sich jetzt?
Die Charaktere sind alle sehr blass und das Buch baut darauf auf, dass man die Geschichte kennt und die fehlenden Teile einfügt.
Die Chronologie war irgendwie seltsam. Arthur ist erst König und zieht dann das Schwert aus dem Stein. (Ok, das wird erklärt.) Lancelot ist lange Ritter und Freund von Arthur, als dieser Guinevere heiratet. Lancelot ist älter als Arthur? Galahad ist erwachsen, bevor Arthur Guinevere heiratet.
October 30, 2022
This is a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone.
I can't say that I liked any of the characters. Morgause is an all out bitch, Arthur is a dumb jock, the knights are an indistinguishable boy's club, Gwenhwyvar is a cross-dresser and Merlinnus is bland. It starts off as a story about Morgause trying to steal the throne from Arthur but turns into a story of how Gwenhwyvar and Arthur meet. This isn't a book with a wide cast of characters to follow. It's more like the author couldn't chose who she wanted as the main character.
This story is different from other stories of Arthur which isn't a bad thing since there really is no original source and the traditional works are inconsistent among themselves. This story changes the timeline in such a way that it makes pulling the sword out of the stone a cheap parlor trick. On the other hand, it does change the story of Arthur and his sister to more of a PG-13 account than some versions and this is a young adult book. Some Arthur retellings give the overall message of might for right, how to live in a changing world, women can have power, what would a utopia be like, etc. The theme of this book seems to be, lying is okay if there is a good reason for it. But what was the reason? Why hadn't Merlinnus told Arthur his lineage if he is already King and can protect himself? It seems like a lot of secrets for nothing.
Most Arthur stories take place in one of three times: the guestimate historical possibility, the author's time, or a romanticized fantasy time. Yolen seems to want to mash 500 years or so of British history together with little details here and there. The historian in me cringed but it probably wouldn't be noticed by younger readers.
I can't say that I liked any of the characters. Morgause is an all out bitch, Arthur is a dumb jock, the knights are an indistinguishable boy's club, Gwenhwyvar is a cross-dresser and Merlinnus is bland. It starts off as a story about Morgause trying to steal the throne from Arthur but turns into a story of how Gwenhwyvar and Arthur meet. This isn't a book with a wide cast of characters to follow. It's more like the author couldn't chose who she wanted as the main character.
This story is different from other stories of Arthur which isn't a bad thing since there really is no original source and the traditional works are inconsistent among themselves. This story changes the timeline in such a way that it makes pulling the sword out of the stone a cheap parlor trick. On the other hand, it does change the story of Arthur and his sister to more of a PG-13 account than some versions and this is a young adult book. Some Arthur retellings give the overall message of might for right, how to live in a changing world, women can have power, what would a utopia be like, etc. The theme of this book seems to be, lying is okay if there is a good reason for it. But what was the reason? Why hadn't Merlinnus told Arthur his lineage if he is already King and can protect himself? It seems like a lot of secrets for nothing.
Most Arthur stories take place in one of three times: the guestimate historical possibility, the author's time, or a romanticized fantasy time. Yolen seems to want to mash 500 years or so of British history together with little details here and there. The historian in me cringed but it probably wouldn't be noticed by younger readers.
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