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Pyle's King Arthur #4
The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur
This audiobook tells the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It begins with Sir Geraint, whose exploits corrected the wrongs of an earldom. Then the narrative shows how the Holy Grail was achieved by Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Launcelot. Finally, this audiobook portrays the final days of King Arthur's life, and how after doing battle for his crown, he was slain.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1910
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About the author
Howard Pyle
728 books315 followersHoward Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people.
During 1894 he began teaching illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry (now Drexel University), and after 1900 he founded his own school of art and illustration named the Howard Pyle School of Illustration Art. The term Brandywine School was later applied to the illustration artists and Wyeth family artists of the Brandywine region by Pitz. Some of his more famous students were N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Elenore Abbott, Ethel Franklin Betts, Anna Whelan Betts, Harvey Dunn, Clyde O. DeLand, Philip R. Goodwin, Violet Oakley, Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle, Olive Rush, Allen Tupper True, and Jessie Willcox Smith.
His 1883 classic publication The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood remains in print, and his other books, frequently with medieval European settings, include a four-volume set on King Arthur. He is also well known for his illustrations of pirates, and is credited with creating the now stereotypical modern image of pirate dress. He published an original novel, Otto of the Silver Hand, in 1888. He also illustrated historical and adventure stories for periodicals such as Harper's Weekly and St. Nicholas Magazine. His novel Men of Iron was made into a movie in 1954, The Black Shield of Falworth.
Pyle travelled to Florence, Italy to study mural painting during 1910, and died there in 1911 from a kidney infection (Bright's Disease).
His sister Katharine Pyle was also a writer and illustrator. Their mother was the children's author and translator M.C. Pyle.
During 1894 he began teaching illustration at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry (now Drexel University), and after 1900 he founded his own school of art and illustration named the Howard Pyle School of Illustration Art. The term Brandywine School was later applied to the illustration artists and Wyeth family artists of the Brandywine region by Pitz. Some of his more famous students were N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover, Elenore Abbott, Ethel Franklin Betts, Anna Whelan Betts, Harvey Dunn, Clyde O. DeLand, Philip R. Goodwin, Violet Oakley, Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle, Olive Rush, Allen Tupper True, and Jessie Willcox Smith.
His 1883 classic publication The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood remains in print, and his other books, frequently with medieval European settings, include a four-volume set on King Arthur. He is also well known for his illustrations of pirates, and is credited with creating the now stereotypical modern image of pirate dress. He published an original novel, Otto of the Silver Hand, in 1888. He also illustrated historical and adventure stories for periodicals such as Harper's Weekly and St. Nicholas Magazine. His novel Men of Iron was made into a movie in 1954, The Black Shield of Falworth.
Pyle travelled to Florence, Italy to study mural painting during 1910, and died there in 1911 from a kidney infection (Bright's Disease).
His sister Katharine Pyle was also a writer and illustrator. Their mother was the children's author and translator M.C. Pyle.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 17, 2021
I just wanted to add a few thoughts on Pyle's Arthurian books. This endeavor took him seven years to write and this set of books should be accesible as a complete series. Please Barnes & Noble, put out a leather-bound classic on this one with all four volumes, as you’ve already put out a charming edition of the first volume.
Now, it seems the first volume is the most ubiquitous and rightly so, as Pyle takes on his retelling with much detail and a bit of sterilizing for the juvenile audience of his time. It is well told, and I sense that he withdrew from Malory a bit to draw upon the French Vulgate series.
The second and third volumes in his series get a bit repetitive, but one is rewarded with surprisingly complex and most endearing Lancelot, one that doesn't fully succumb, but the underlying weakness for the queen is present all the same. The romance with Elaine feels far more tragic in what could have been, and I pleasantly surprised to say that this was by far the most enjoyable version of the Elaine story I've ever read. Precisely because of the some liberties Pyle takes with this story, I was on the edge, wondering if he would carry it to that familiar image of the Lady of Shallot floating down the river.
This last volume suffers a bit in that some stories feel like they should have come earlier in the history, namely that of Geraint and Enid.
Lastly, Gawaine is presented as the noble but hotheaded knight that he is, but Pyle's substituting for Ewaine in writing Lancelot that last heartfelt letter of forgiveness makes the whole tragedy of Gawaine and Lancelot fall flat. Side note: this has been covered far more effectively in Picard's shorter retelling.
Also missing in this volume is one of the best Arthurian tales of all: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (as this poem was a somewhat late discovery that even managed to escape Tennyson).
All in all, I'm glad to have read through these familiar tales through Pyle. I love his particular fixation on dark features, both in the illustrations and descriptions, as almost anyone that is beautiful is described as such. It gives the legend less of an Anglo and more that darker Celtic feel that other iterations of these legends seem to lack. Would love to see a film version of these books that actually uses actors of Celtic stock.
Oh, and lest I forget, I love Pyle's illustrations.
Now, it seems the first volume is the most ubiquitous and rightly so, as Pyle takes on his retelling with much detail and a bit of sterilizing for the juvenile audience of his time. It is well told, and I sense that he withdrew from Malory a bit to draw upon the French Vulgate series.
The second and third volumes in his series get a bit repetitive, but one is rewarded with surprisingly complex and most endearing Lancelot, one that doesn't fully succumb, but the underlying weakness for the queen is present all the same. The romance with Elaine feels far more tragic in what could have been, and I pleasantly surprised to say that this was by far the most enjoyable version of the Elaine story I've ever read. Precisely because of the some liberties Pyle takes with this story, I was on the edge, wondering if he would carry it to that familiar image of the Lady of Shallot floating down the river.
This last volume suffers a bit in that some stories feel like they should have come earlier in the history, namely that of Geraint and Enid.
Lastly, Gawaine is presented as the noble but hotheaded knight that he is, but Pyle's substituting for Ewaine in writing Lancelot that last heartfelt letter of forgiveness makes the whole tragedy of Gawaine and Lancelot fall flat. Side note: this has been covered far more effectively in Picard's shorter retelling.
Also missing in this volume is one of the best Arthurian tales of all: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (as this poem was a somewhat late discovery that even managed to escape Tennyson).
All in all, I'm glad to have read through these familiar tales through Pyle. I love his particular fixation on dark features, both in the illustrations and descriptions, as almost anyone that is beautiful is described as such. It gives the legend less of an Anglo and more that darker Celtic feel that other iterations of these legends seem to lack. Would love to see a film version of these books that actually uses actors of Celtic stock.
Oh, and lest I forget, I love Pyle's illustrations.
July 6, 2023
After four books of Arthurian legend in this style I definitely began to tire from its dispassionate nature, which is a shame since this volume includes the two most famous retellings of the Quest for the Grail and the Death of Arthur. Narratively it's all good stuff, really, but having read these via Malory in the past (admittedly 20 years ago) and been quite moved by these stories, Pyle's version left me cold and a little disinterested at times. It's not his fault, this is a retelling for children and the language has to be simple - so I consider this my homework done and still think it a good entrypoint for Arthurian legend for those who struggle with Middle English (me! I lack the patience right now)
March 12, 2024
The fourth book in Pyle's quadrilogy, this one covered:
- Geraint and Enid
- Galahad and how he achieved the grail
- The fall of Arthur and Camelot
So ends Pyle's version of the Arthurian saga. It was heartbreaking to see the end of that age, but also a poignant reminder of reality: things fall apart. Overall, I enjoyed the work for what it was. Pyle did scale down the Guinevere/Launcelot angle, claiming they weren't lovers but still inappropriately focused on each other. And the theology therein can be terrible (very works-based and mistakenly thinks humans can be pure on their own), but it was a solid story otherwise.
- Geraint and Enid
- Galahad and how he achieved the grail
- The fall of Arthur and Camelot
So ends Pyle's version of the Arthurian saga. It was heartbreaking to see the end of that age, but also a poignant reminder of reality: things fall apart. Overall, I enjoyed the work for what it was. Pyle did scale down the Guinevere/Launcelot angle, claiming they weren't lovers but still inappropriately focused on each other. And the theology therein can be terrible (very works-based and mistakenly thinks humans can be pure on their own), but it was a solid story otherwise.
June 6, 2025
Howard Pyle's final history on King Arthur. Triumphs and tragedies abound.
May 5, 2010
One of the best retellings of the Matter of Britan. This may be a "childrens" book, but it is better written then a lot of "adult" book I've read.
Only complaint is that Galahad is a bloody bore. But then Galahad is always a bloody bore, so this can't be helped.
All 4 book togeterh should be read by anybody who wants to read about the arthurian stories.
Only complaint is that Galahad is a bloody bore. But then Galahad is always a bloody bore, so this can't be helped.
All 4 book togeterh should be read by anybody who wants to read about the arthurian stories.
May 29, 2020
Arthur and his Round Tables monopoly on violence created a system that was bound to fail despite the basis on chivalric and Christian values. When all you have is a form of violence (jousting, sword-to-sword combat, or armies attacking/sieging) to settle all disputes (all questions of guilt/innocence/honor, or just whether I will allow you to cross this bridge), you are bound to create blood feuds the inevitably set up your ultimate collapse. This is the fourth and final book of Howard Pyle's stories of Arthur and Camelot, telling the age-old tale of Sir Galahad and the Grail, and also the events up to and including the battle for England between Mordred and Arthur. This is the fourth and final book on his series of Arthur. (There are many versions of the Arthur tale out there, i.e. "La Morte D'Arthur by Malory) I read the 1910 edition with older prose--curiously, at the very en, the author thought that the day and age he lived in currently (1910) was a time of such great peace ("For less and less is there war within the world, and more and more is there peace and concord and goodwill amongst men" pg 246) that prophesied the time that Arthur could return ("wake from his sleep"). Well, the 20th century probably had a few surprises for Mr Pyle.
July 5, 2020
Here Pyle concludes his four-volume account of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.
Somewhat disconnected from the rest, Pyle first recounts the story of Sir Geraint and Enid, in ways the inverse of Sir Gareth, but presumably of greater antiquity due to its Welsh roots.
And then we reach the apex (as regards utopian circumstances) as Galahad arrives and sates the Siege Perilous (Pyle boringly calls it the Seat P-). Then the Grail shows up and it all falls apart. Truthfully, Pyle’s account of the Quest did not feel at all inspired, merely going through the motions.
Finally, we arrive at the finale. Here again, Pyle refusing the adultery of Launcelot and Guinevere twists the tragedy. In Malory the tragedy of the fall of Arthur is that everyone is wrong and everyone is right. When you refuse the adultery, it is very different. Those fooled feel as fools to the reader. The lies are still tragic: it is a tragedy of justice. It merely has a different odor.
Some of Pyle’s best work comes at the return of Arthur to Britain’s shores and his sadness and despair over his kingdom’s collapse.
Somewhat disconnected from the rest, Pyle first recounts the story of Sir Geraint and Enid, in ways the inverse of Sir Gareth, but presumably of greater antiquity due to its Welsh roots.
And then we reach the apex (as regards utopian circumstances) as Galahad arrives and sates the Siege Perilous (Pyle boringly calls it the Seat P-). Then the Grail shows up and it all falls apart. Truthfully, Pyle’s account of the Quest did not feel at all inspired, merely going through the motions.
Finally, we arrive at the finale. Here again, Pyle refusing the adultery of Launcelot and Guinevere twists the tragedy. In Malory the tragedy of the fall of Arthur is that everyone is wrong and everyone is right. When you refuse the adultery, it is very different. Those fooled feel as fools to the reader. The lies are still tragic: it is a tragedy of justice. It merely has a different odor.
Some of Pyle’s best work comes at the return of Arthur to Britain’s shores and his sadness and despair over his kingdom’s collapse.
October 21, 2011
The Story of The Grail and the passing of Arthur is the fourth book of the King Arthur series. I've only read a short bit of it and I think it is an amazing book I've read. I read the first or second book called KING ARTHUR and his Knights and it was outstanding. I think you should about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The characters are really brave in this book, and the Knights are also at King Arthur side at the Round Table.
January 23, 2016
The first half of the book regarding the quest for the holy grail isn't very exciting. It's kind of anti-climactic really. The second half of the book is filled with many betrayals and battles and is a more engaging read.
September 12, 2016
I really liked Pyle's books, and especially this version because I typeset and published it :)
October 1, 2015
This was a fun book to read. I definitely wish I had read more of the Arthurian Tales previously. I hope to get the previous 3 books in Pyle's series. The illustrations are nice as well.
June 30, 2023
“You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.”
This was the first book where I felt that. 💔
This was the first book where I felt that. 💔
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews