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King Arthur Trilogy #1-3
King Arthur Stories
Omnibus edition containing The Sword and the Circle, The Light Beyond the Forest & The Road to Camlann.
The legends of King Arthur and his knights have been enjoyed for centuries. In this spellbinding trilogy, Rosemary Sutcliff recreates all the mystique and mystery of the golden age of Camelot.
The legends of King Arthur and his knights have been enjoyed for centuries. In this spellbinding trilogy, Rosemary Sutcliff recreates all the mystique and mystery of the golden age of Camelot.
652 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
77 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Sutcliff
107 books679 followersRosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
July 21, 2024
Sutcliff is particularly successful in isolating and developing the interwoven strands of the Arthurian legend and this is a lovely retelling. Less gory than Malory, free of the idiosyncrasies of White and with a formal but free-flowing style that retains a strong narrative thread throughout.
Not to be missed.
Not to be missed.
August 30, 2015
As the author states in the preface, this book mostly adapts Malory's Morte D'Arthur into modern English prose, with a few chapters based on other sources or Sutcliff's own invention. I first read this as a child after The Sword in the Stone but before any other Arthuriana; I think that's a very good way to encounter these stories. Unfortunately, the copy I had as a kid fell apart. I finally got to reread it after at least twelve years!
The first book, Sword and the Circle, is by far the longest and is mostly an episodic recounting of the adventures of various knights. My friends all know Lancelot is my favourite Round Table knight but in this volume the Gawain adventures are consistently excellent. The second volume, Light Beyond the Forest, deals with the Grail Quest. In my opinion this is the weakest part of the trilogy but I kind of dislike the Grail Quest story in general so that's probably more on me than on Sutcliff. And then The Road To Camlann, in which everything is terrible forever and every chapter makes me cry and everybody I care about dies. It's by far and away my favourite.
This is a good general introduction to Arthurian myth because it is fairly straightforward in the telling. I feel like having a book like this under your belt before reading something like Mists of Avalon or even Once and Future King is probably a good idea; knowing where other modern authors make departures from their source material helps understand their point.
The first book, Sword and the Circle, is by far the longest and is mostly an episodic recounting of the adventures of various knights. My friends all know Lancelot is my favourite Round Table knight but in this volume the Gawain adventures are consistently excellent. The second volume, Light Beyond the Forest, deals with the Grail Quest. In my opinion this is the weakest part of the trilogy but I kind of dislike the Grail Quest story in general so that's probably more on me than on Sutcliff. And then The Road To Camlann, in which everything is terrible forever and every chapter makes me cry and everybody I care about dies. It's by far and away my favourite.
This is a good general introduction to Arthurian myth because it is fairly straightforward in the telling. I feel like having a book like this under your belt before reading something like Mists of Avalon or even Once and Future King is probably a good idea; knowing where other modern authors make departures from their source material helps understand their point.
January 20, 2019
Algas toreda seiklusloona, tõi meelde "Kuulsa Robin Hoodi lustakad seiklused" (mida ma arvan Arthuri lugudest struktuuri saanud olevat ja omakorda siis seda raamatut jälle mõjutanud) ja ma mõtlesin kolme tärni peale. Pöördus tüütuks kristlikuks looks Sir Galahadist (keda ma jälestasin ja ilmselt oli ka autor sama meelt, sest ta laskis Sir Gawainil tülgastusega öelda: ""Mulle meeldiks enam, kui mehed, kellega koos ma ratsutan või kellega ma võitlen, oleksid lihast ja verest."), kus kõik muudkui paastusid ja palvetasid.
Ja olin edasi lugedes täiesti ette valmistamata nii dramaatiliseks, usutavaks ja hingekriipivaks lõpuosaks, kui siis tuli. Neli tärni ja ma mõtlesin tõsiselt ka viie peale.
Ja olin edasi lugedes täiesti ette valmistamata nii dramaatiliseks, usutavaks ja hingekriipivaks lõpuosaks, kui siis tuli. Neli tärni ja ma mõtlesin tõsiselt ka viie peale.
July 21, 2017
I got a thing for King Arthur stuff and I'm not ashamed to admit it. This is a pretty accessible retelling of Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
The ultimate thing about Arthurian stuff is that they get less interesting the further into the cycle you go.
The ultimate thing about Arthurian stuff is that they get less interesting the further into the cycle you go.
May 25, 2019
The author (very briefly) mentions her sources and points out which ones are her inventions. I don’t believe traditional sources made Lancelot out to be ugly, I think that’s a TH White invention, which Sutcliff did not mention.
This is written for children, it’s very easy to read, it also filters out some of the romantic (sexual) contents.
I want to call this CliffsNotes good for quick introduction to what the legends are about, but Sutcliff also inserted her own invention, so you can’t (or shouldn’t ) rely on this as a quick intro for the lazy (or for those who can’t read Middle English) either.
The reason I wanted to call this CliffsNotes is because it gives you all the major plot points but without developing the character interactions. You’re given a list of this happened, which caused that to happen, which resulted in that, which forced character X to do Y. Theoretically it should be really moving, really epic, really emotional, but it feels more like you’re given the outline, rather than having a story well told.
That said, I’ve read some of the original sources, and some more modern translations of the original sources (sans Middle English), and I also found them not all together satisfying or emotional. So it’s not like Sutcliff ruined a good thing by turning a well written story into an outline.
This is written for children, it’s very easy to read, it also filters out some of the romantic (sexual) contents.
I want to call this CliffsNotes good for quick introduction to what the legends are about, but Sutcliff also inserted her own invention, so you can’t (or shouldn’t ) rely on this as a quick intro for the lazy (or for those who can’t read Middle English) either.
The reason I wanted to call this CliffsNotes is because it gives you all the major plot points but without developing the character interactions. You’re given a list of this happened, which caused that to happen, which resulted in that, which forced character X to do Y. Theoretically it should be really moving, really epic, really emotional, but it feels more like you’re given the outline, rather than having a story well told.
That said, I’ve read some of the original sources, and some more modern translations of the original sources (sans Middle English), and I also found them not all together satisfying or emotional. So it’s not like Sutcliff ruined a good thing by turning a well written story into an outline.
July 18, 2019
Sutcliff makes this look easy. Just tell the most famous parts of the medieval Arthurian legends, and weave them into a coherent whole—simple, right? But her saga reads so smoothly and feels so right, that her success masks some of her achievement. The sources she draws from often contradicted each other, and some even frequently contradict themselves (hello Thomas Malory!). There is a huge variety of material to draw from, with hundreds of characters and plot lines and a plethora of themes. And yet these three books (best read in a single volume) manage to pick the most significant and emotionally affecting threads and follow them through to their powerful, unforgettable ends.
Sure, there are a very few things I would’ve done differently. One of my favorite characters from Malory’s “Le Morte Darthur” is entirely left out; but then, Sir Palamydes the noble but jealous Saracen gets left out of most adaptations anyway, despite being a fascinating example of an outsider in both culture and religion who nonetheless rises to the top ranks of the Round Table.
In the end, this is a magnificent achievement that only gets more entertaining and enthralling as it goes. If you love the tales of King Arthur, and want a faithful but artful adaptation rather than a revisionist retelling, then this is the story to read.
Sure, there are a very few things I would’ve done differently. One of my favorite characters from Malory’s “Le Morte Darthur” is entirely left out; but then, Sir Palamydes the noble but jealous Saracen gets left out of most adaptations anyway, despite being a fascinating example of an outsider in both culture and religion who nonetheless rises to the top ranks of the Round Table.
In the end, this is a magnificent achievement that only gets more entertaining and enthralling as it goes. If you love the tales of King Arthur, and want a faithful but artful adaptation rather than a revisionist retelling, then this is the story to read.
March 11, 2023
If there’s one thing to learn from this whole book, it is this. One person’s sin can have terrible consequences for many people. Also, just stay loyal to your spouse. Most of the problems encountered in this story could have been avoided if everyone just did that.
October 6, 2019
If I was 11 I would have loved this book. To begin with it is refreshing to have less detail but once I got to work them out it was all a little basic.
But these tales are ageless so you can't help but love them
But these tales are ageless so you can't help but love them
September 12, 2022
k so out of the 700 pages only like 200 are actually about King Arthur...
January 18, 2024
I would hazard a guess that most people coming to a book of this nature are looking for a read that gives them a sense of the Arthurian legends that they ‘know’ but have never really delved into. It’s arguable that almost everybody’s personal imagery of the legends are also those of the medieval writers, Thomas Malory in particular. Knights in Shining armour, damsels in distress, fairy folk and magic. That is exactly what you get here. Almost all of the major characters and happenings are included; Gawain, Guinevere, Merlin, Morgan, Lancelot and Ladies from the Lake. There’s a sword in the stone, a round table and a quest for the Grail. Magic and Christianity sit incongruously but happily side by side.
Sutcliffe, like the children’s author Roger Lancelyn Green before her, follows Malory for the most part, and like Green, adds parts of the legend that Malory does not retell, such as Merlin’s beginnings and most notably Gawain’s adventure with the Green Knight. Unlike Green though I don’t get a sense, however the book is marketed, that this is particularly aimed at the younger reader. There are occasions where the younger reader may be in mind but the prose is good enough for any adult to enjoy and she does not shy away from more adult details.
The book is a collection of tales and like all tales they are fairly succinct and to the point. This is not a novel but to Sutcliffe’s huge credit she does add colour to the stories and flesh them out, giving them a tangibility and atmosphere. Also to her credit she doesn’t try to make these sometimes strange stories (especially the Grail Quest) more sensible to the modern reader. She forces you to give in to the mystical strangeness of it all.
There are many versions of the Arthurian legends out there today and authors in recent years have tried to reclaim Arthur’s Celtic beginnings or offer a version of the ‘real’ Arthur. These are novels that provide a more personal vision. Novels that, as good as they may be, are not always recognisably Arthurian in the traditional sense. Also, many people who are curious to read the legends of Arthur and his knights do not want to go back to the medieval sources and wade through Middle-English prose, practically learning a new language as they go. Hence, why this book couldn’t be more highly recommended: it gives us the exploits but in a language we can understand or at least don’t have to learn to appreciate. If you want to get lost amongst the mists and forests of Britain’s greatest legend I honestly don’t think there’s a better choice out there.
p.s. Another recommendation would be Lindsay Clarke’s ‘The Stone From Heaven’. A modern trimming and retelling of the great German Arthurian legend ‘Parzival’.
Sutcliffe, like the children’s author Roger Lancelyn Green before her, follows Malory for the most part, and like Green, adds parts of the legend that Malory does not retell, such as Merlin’s beginnings and most notably Gawain’s adventure with the Green Knight. Unlike Green though I don’t get a sense, however the book is marketed, that this is particularly aimed at the younger reader. There are occasions where the younger reader may be in mind but the prose is good enough for any adult to enjoy and she does not shy away from more adult details.
The book is a collection of tales and like all tales they are fairly succinct and to the point. This is not a novel but to Sutcliffe’s huge credit she does add colour to the stories and flesh them out, giving them a tangibility and atmosphere. Also to her credit she doesn’t try to make these sometimes strange stories (especially the Grail Quest) more sensible to the modern reader. She forces you to give in to the mystical strangeness of it all.
There are many versions of the Arthurian legends out there today and authors in recent years have tried to reclaim Arthur’s Celtic beginnings or offer a version of the ‘real’ Arthur. These are novels that provide a more personal vision. Novels that, as good as they may be, are not always recognisably Arthurian in the traditional sense. Also, many people who are curious to read the legends of Arthur and his knights do not want to go back to the medieval sources and wade through Middle-English prose, practically learning a new language as they go. Hence, why this book couldn’t be more highly recommended: it gives us the exploits but in a language we can understand or at least don’t have to learn to appreciate. If you want to get lost amongst the mists and forests of Britain’s greatest legend I honestly don’t think there’s a better choice out there.
p.s. Another recommendation would be Lindsay Clarke’s ‘The Stone From Heaven’. A modern trimming and retelling of the great German Arthurian legend ‘Parzival’.
June 22, 2020
Having read this swiftly on the heels of re-reading parts of Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur before teaching it (the book upon which much of this one is based) I found that it paled in comparison to its fifteenth-century source text. Sutcliff seems to add a much more moralising Christian tone to her version, and rather than giving us the beautiful ambiguity of Malory's complex set of circumstances and relationships, she is at pains to subtly elevate Arthur as more of a hero-king, whilst removing some of the nuance of the other characters implicated in the fall of the Round Table - especially Mordred - who is painted much more as a straightforward villain, wearing black and always carrying a peacock feather that he twirls in his fingers. Part of the beauty of Malory's Arthuriana is that he does such a brilliant job of showing that ALL humans are flawed creatures that make mistakes, and that no one is entirely good or entirely bad. I felt like Sutcliff had ironed out some of these textures - at the expense of the richness of the story. I think this book is meant for a young audience, which is perhaps why she does this. Guenevere also had parts of her agency removed here and there throughout the text, and other female characters also suffered from a lack of full rounding out. As a reader who enjoys feminist retellings, I did not enjoy this aspect. On the whole, though, I enjoyed the book, especially the subtle homages to Malory and the medieval romance genre in her writing style, for instance in her use of interlace 'And here we leave Sir Lancelot and return to Sir Bors', and in emulating Malory's tone at such moments. But the original is still undoubtedly the best.
January 9, 2021
I am obsessed with King Arthur and put off reading this as it said it was age 9 - 11. It was fantastic not childish at all I loved it. All of the stories of the knights all blend into a great book. It foretells that Arthur will return when Britain really has need of him. Maybe he would like to return now in the midst of the pandemic and save us all.
May 4, 2022
Sutcliff's other stories of early Britain are believable historical fiction, but this one is different. It is a retelling of Malory, with knights and castles and jousts and damosels and feasts and wizards and quests and all, with a little fashionable Celtic mythology sprinkled in. This is a dream world, full of dark forests where the questing knight is sure to meet a hermit to give him rest for a night, sprinkled with castles inhabited by strange knights who make odd demands of passers-by, and where a shore like as not has a crewless ship that moves on its own to take the wandering knight to his destined adventure. And over all the glitter of quests and tournaments hangs the foretold doom of Camelot, the sinful love of Lancelot and Guenever, the disintegration of Logres, Mordred and Camlann. It is a strange, beautiful, and heartbreaking world.
March 10, 2023
Wow, we finished it, one after-lunch reading session at a time for five months! We really love Rosemary Sutcliff’s retellings of these old tales.
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March 12, 2017I got p. 126 and had to stop. This is very good, for what it is. It's a children's retelling of the Arthurian legends. I definitely recommend it for kids. But I just wasn't enjoying it. There's no psychological depth, or character development. It's a simple re-telling of the legends, not an actual novel.
I want to read a good book for adults, and I want dragons. Any recommendations?
I want to read a good book for adults, and I want dragons. Any recommendations?
February 18, 2017
some of the books contents are revealed within this review.
this book is bizarre. i mean the events that take place, like authur sleeping with his half sister, etc etc. really did not put this book as my favourite. or when the king ula, i think, in the beginning of the book pretended to be the other king he was fighting at war so he could sleep with that mans wife.
and merlin assisted with it. gross.
And yep. Will not be reading this book again any time soon.
this book is bizarre. i mean the events that take place, like authur sleeping with his half sister, etc etc. really did not put this book as my favourite. or when the king ula, i think, in the beginning of the book pretended to be the other king he was fighting at war so he could sleep with that mans wife.
and merlin assisted with it. gross.
And yep. Will not be reading this book again any time soon.
September 25, 2021
Everyone is familiar, even vaguely, with the Arthurian Cycle. I'd read a few related stories, seen the Sword in the Stone, even translated a little of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae in my Latin classes, but I'd never read a full accounting of the fated tragedy until now. This trilogy has convinced me that everyone should. Rosemary Sutcliff masterfully combines beautiful prose with accessible writing to bring these stories to life for modern readers. I can't recommend it highly enough.
In the first book, during the golden ages of Camelot, there is a tragic "fate-pattern," as labelled by Sutcliff, that looms over these young, shining figures. Despite that, The Sword and the Circle is a very fun read, with each chapter devoted to a new knightly quest. (Random knights coming across each other in the woods and yelling "Joust!" will never not be hilarious to me.) It is not all fun and games, however, and a lot of the pain set up in these stories sets fateful ends in motion.
The second book details the quest for the Holy Grail and all the Christian themes that come along with it. I appreciated this more than I would have as a young atheist irritated by anything religious. The depth of suffering many characters faced in their quest for the Grail, atonement, and their deeply held beliefs was very moving. I thought often, "Has ever there been a more tragic figure than Lancelot of the Lake?"
Are spoilers a thing after centuries? Well, if so, I won't say how the third book ends and what befalls King Arthur's court, but I will say that I cried loudly enough that my cat came to check on me.
If you are a fan of this book, I would also recommend reading Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry. The authors have a similar poetic beauty in their writing, and his twist on the Arthurian Cycle will be a balm after this one.
In the first book, during the golden ages of Camelot, there is a tragic "fate-pattern," as labelled by Sutcliff, that looms over these young, shining figures. Despite that, The Sword and the Circle is a very fun read, with each chapter devoted to a new knightly quest. (Random knights coming across each other in the woods and yelling "Joust!" will never not be hilarious to me.) It is not all fun and games, however, and a lot of the pain set up in these stories sets fateful ends in motion.
The second book details the quest for the Holy Grail and all the Christian themes that come along with it. I appreciated this more than I would have as a young atheist irritated by anything religious. The depth of suffering many characters faced in their quest for the Grail, atonement, and their deeply held beliefs was very moving. I thought often, "Has ever there been a more tragic figure than Lancelot of the Lake?"
Are spoilers a thing after centuries? Well, if so, I won't say how the third book ends and what befalls King Arthur's court, but I will say that I cried loudly enough that my cat came to check on me.
If you are a fan of this book, I would also recommend reading Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry. The authors have a similar poetic beauty in their writing, and his twist on the Arthurian Cycle will be a balm after this one.
January 24, 2024
When the darkness crowds beyond the door, and the logs on the hearth burn clear red and fall in upon themselves, making caverns and ships and swords and dragons and strange faces in the heart of the fire, that is the time for story telling.I wanted to enjoy this more because I just wanted to romanticize the Arthurian legend and stories of valor. I wanted to get lost in quests with magic, dragons, Knights fighting for the sake of a damosel's honor. But the reality of these stories are not cute; very few exceptions. This interpretation/translation of the Arthurian legend makes it very accessible to readers in it's prose.
Come closer then, and listen. P541
There's a plot in the second and third part; the first part is more of a collection of stories that set up Arthur as the King and his knights. All three make a cohesive narrative for the drama I tune in for which is the "love triangle" between King Arthur, Guenever and Sir Lancelot.
The storytelling is a hit or miss in terms of who is the intended target demographic?
Rosemary Sutcliff was a keen believer that books should not patronise children or over-simplify the story. She one commented that she wrote 'for children of all ages from eight to eighty-eight.'Yes it's easy to read but the diction used to describe some not very pleasant themes which today we would classify as trigger warnings make these parts of the story blend in and it seems to only be addressed as not okay when terrible things happen to the men in the story but when it happens to women, it happened, and then this happened and then that happened. I guess you could say it's considered historically accurate? Just another day in the Dark Ages. Therefore there's no sense in giving these women any agency we must push the male lead's story forward, the woman will get over it . Which is fine for a story like this, but the way it's told, using very neutral language to just bullet point the sequence of events make for a lackluster implication of larger scale themes.
It's odd that there's implications of the birds and the bees but then we get full descriptions of a knight completely slaughtering some bandits, heads rolling off, blood and puss squirting out of decaying wounds. The tonal shift is great.
In sections, it's very surface level, as a whole trilogy you kinda get invested in the trio.
THE SWORD AND THE CIRCLE
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The birth of King Arthur, the sword and the stone, Merlin takes a long nap, and stories of "valor" from Knights of the Round Table.
A lot of unhealthy/toxic relationships. Enjoyed "Tristan and Iseult" and "Gawain and the Loathely Lady".
THE LIGHT BEYOND THE FOREST
The Quest for the Holy Grail
The only Knights that matter on this quest are Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival, but we're actually here for Sir Lancelot's spiritual journey.
THE ROAD TO CAMLANN
'It is right that you should take a wife,' said Merlin. 'For now you are past twenty and the greatest king in all Christendom. Is there any maiden who comes close to your heart?'The pay off.
And Arthur thought. And his thoughts touched in passing upon the fair faces of many maidens, and upon the dark ripe beauty of Queen Margawse, and flinched away from that memory to that which lay beyond. And so his thoughts came to rest upon a girl with smooth dark grey-green eyes, making a garland of honeysuckle on columbine and Four-Seasons roses in a high-walled castle garden. And he said, 'Guenever, the daughter of Leodegraunce of Camelaird.' Merlin was silent a moment, and then he said, 'You are sure of this?' ...
Melin, knowing what he knew of the future, could have said, 'Grief upon me! Look elsewhere! For if you marry the Princess Guenever, sorrow and darkness and was and death will come of it by and by, to you and her and your dearest friend and to all the kingdom.' P62-63
April 9, 2018
2.5 stars
I've read a lot of King Arthur stuff, and this felt like a retelling of all his tales, just conveniently placed in one book. So plot-wise, very little of The Light Beyond the Forest was new. I had not seen the arrangement of The Sword and the Circle before, but that was interesting. The Road to Camlann was well done - I liked Modred's description.
The good: It did a good job of bringing out the major knights and their personalities (Gawain, Agravane, Lancelot, Kay, and Bors). The writing was rather delicate, for example:
I thought the way people recognised both the existence of magic and the power of Christianity was quite quaint (though we can talk about how belief in magic lasted all the way to the medieval ages, despite denunciations from the Church).
I also loved Arthur; he plays a background role after the first half of the book, but I enjoyed reading him (and his fellow knights) growing old. His internal struggle was also great.
The meh: A lot of this book was describing a completely different culture and mindset - the respect for women, the rigid code of chivalry (in one bit, Sir Bors is forced to choose between rescuing Lional, his brother, and an unknown damsel in distress; ). Then there's room for blood feud, and Arthur loses men to that. (Though the scene where Percival .)
None of this is a fault of the writing or the author; the difference in values meant that I just didn't connect with the story.
I do want to close with the observation that I loved the author's theme of light and darkness; this ran throughout the story, and was most succinctly put by Lancelot at the close of the first book:
I've read a lot of King Arthur stuff, and this felt like a retelling of all his tales, just conveniently placed in one book. So plot-wise, very little of The Light Beyond the Forest was new. I had not seen the arrangement of The Sword and the Circle before, but that was interesting. The Road to Camlann was well done - I liked Modred's description.
The good: It did a good job of bringing out the major knights and their personalities (Gawain, Agravane, Lancelot, Kay, and Bors). The writing was rather delicate, for example:
Then it seemed to Percival that the shining world of men, the world beyond the forest, was less simple than he had thought it would be. But even in the moment that he realised that, he remembered the strange crooked face of Sir Lancelot smiling down at him, speaking of the honour of knighthood, and knew that he wanted above all things in the world to be one of that company.
I thought the way people recognised both the existence of magic and the power of Christianity was quite quaint (though we can talk about how belief in magic lasted all the way to the medieval ages, despite denunciations from the Church).
I also loved Arthur; he plays a background role after the first half of the book, but I enjoyed reading him (and his fellow knights) growing old. His internal struggle was also great.
The meh: A lot of this book was describing a completely different culture and mindset - the respect for women, the rigid code of chivalry (in one bit, Sir Bors is forced to choose between rescuing Lional, his brother, and an unknown damsel in distress; ). Then there's room for blood feud, and Arthur loses men to that. (Though the scene where Percival .)
None of this is a fault of the writing or the author; the difference in values meant that I just didn't connect with the story.
I do want to close with the observation that I loved the author's theme of light and darkness; this ran throughout the story, and was most succinctly put by Lancelot at the close of the first book:
"We shall come together again," said Lancelot, trying to console him.
"Some of us," said the King. "But it will not be the same; never the same again." He narrowed his eyes into the blazing sky over the Western hills. "We shall have done all that is in us to do. For Britain, for the kingdom of Logres. For all that we have fought and built for and tried to make secure... We shall have served our purpose; made a shining time between the Dark and the Dark. Merlin said that it would be as though all things drew on to the golden glory of the sunset. But then it will all be over."
Lancelot said, "We shall have made such a blaze, that men will remember us on the other side of the Dark."
April 14, 2024
Raamatusoovitus Krista Kaera poolt, kes on eestikeelse tõlke toimetaja, meie eelmise aasta kirjandusreisilt Lääne-Inglismaale, Cornwalli, paika, millega seotud ka paljud kuningas Arthuri lood. Triloogia esimene osa “Mõõk ja sõõr” jutustab Arthuri sünnist, Excaliburi mõõgast, mis talle kingiti, Ümarlaua moodustamisest ja selle rüütlite esimestest õilsatest seiklustest enne Percivali saabumist. Teine osa “Valgus laane taga” räägib Püha Graali otsingutest, mis pillutab Arthuri rüütlid üle ilma laiali, tuues paljudele surma ning suurele Lancelotile kibeda pettumuse. Viimane osa “Tee Camlanni” on kõige süngem, kuna parimad ja üllaimad Arthuri rüütlitest on Graali otsides kaduma läinud ja Cameloti hiilgepäevad lähenevad traagilisele lõpule - ning Arthuri poeg ja hukatus Mordred viib ta viimasesse meeleheitlikku lahingusse pealetungiva pimeduse vastu.
Kuningas Arthuri kaunid ja imepärased lood põhinevad keldi müütidel ja rahvajuttudel, kuid sajandite jooksul on neid lugusid üha uuesti ja uuesti ümber jutustatud ning iga jutustaja on omalt poolt midagi lisanud. Püha Graali legend, erinevalt teistest Arthuri lugudest, on kristlik lugu, ühel tasemel on see jutustus kuningas Arthuri rüütlitest, kes otsivad püha õhtusöömaaja peekrit, sügavamal tasemel aga lugu inimese jumala otsingutest.
Kas kuningas Arthur oli tegelikult olemas? Autor arvab nii: “Paljud inimesed usuvad - nii ka mina -, et kuningas Arthuri legendide taga, mida me tänapäeval tunneme, on päriselt elanud inimene. Polnud säravas turvises kuningat, polnud Ümarlauda, polnud muinasjutulist paleed Camelotis, kuid oli rooma-briti väejuht, ja kui barbarite sünge tulv hakkas tema kodumaad üle ujutama, tegi ta kõik, mida hea juht saab teha, et neid tagasi hoida ja päästa mingidki tsivilisatsiooni riismed.”
See tal õnnestuski ning Britannia nautis Arthuri valitsuse all lühikest kuldset ajajärku kahe pimeduse vahel. “‘Siis oleme teinud kõik, mida meile on antud teha. Britannia heaks ja Logresi kuningriigi heaks. See kõik, mille eest me oleme võidelnud ja mida ehitanud ja püüdnud kaitsta … Me oleme täitnud oma eesmärgi - loonud särava aja kahe suure pimeduse vahel. Merlin ütles, et see on nõnda, otsekui liiguks kõik vaikselt loojangu kuldse hiilguse poole. Kuid siis on kõik möödas.’ Lancelot vastas: ,Selleks ajaks oleme lõõsanud nii eredalt, et meid mäletatakse ka pärast suurt pimedust.’”
Kuningas Arthuri kaunid ja imepärased lood põhinevad keldi müütidel ja rahvajuttudel, kuid sajandite jooksul on neid lugusid üha uuesti ja uuesti ümber jutustatud ning iga jutustaja on omalt poolt midagi lisanud. Püha Graali legend, erinevalt teistest Arthuri lugudest, on kristlik lugu, ühel tasemel on see jutustus kuningas Arthuri rüütlitest, kes otsivad püha õhtusöömaaja peekrit, sügavamal tasemel aga lugu inimese jumala otsingutest.
Kas kuningas Arthur oli tegelikult olemas? Autor arvab nii: “Paljud inimesed usuvad - nii ka mina -, et kuningas Arthuri legendide taga, mida me tänapäeval tunneme, on päriselt elanud inimene. Polnud säravas turvises kuningat, polnud Ümarlauda, polnud muinasjutulist paleed Camelotis, kuid oli rooma-briti väejuht, ja kui barbarite sünge tulv hakkas tema kodumaad üle ujutama, tegi ta kõik, mida hea juht saab teha, et neid tagasi hoida ja päästa mingidki tsivilisatsiooni riismed.”
See tal õnnestuski ning Britannia nautis Arthuri valitsuse all lühikest kuldset ajajärku kahe pimeduse vahel. “‘Siis oleme teinud kõik, mida meile on antud teha. Britannia heaks ja Logresi kuningriigi heaks. See kõik, mille eest me oleme võidelnud ja mida ehitanud ja püüdnud kaitsta … Me oleme täitnud oma eesmärgi - loonud särava aja kahe suure pimeduse vahel. Merlin ütles, et see on nõnda, otsekui liiguks kõik vaikselt loojangu kuldse hiilguse poole. Kuid siis on kõik möödas.’ Lancelot vastas: ,Selleks ajaks oleme lõõsanud nii eredalt, et meid mäletatakse ka pärast suurt pimedust.’”
March 18, 2023
4 ⭐️
The King Arthur Trilogy is a very good book for the fans of arthurian legend.
Plot
This book is basically a retelling of Mallory's work. The first part talks about the birth of Arthur, the beginning of his reign. The second is more focused on the search for the Holy Grail and the third and final part of the novel is about the final years of Arthur's reign and how it came to an end.
Basically, if you want to know more about the Middle Ages version of this tale and don't what to read the medieval texts, then I think this book can be a good choice.
Characters
The characters were good. We have the normal cast of characters and they were well portrayed. I liked how the author fleshed them, we can see that she really knows a great deal about the legend.
Writing
The writing is good, I know some people may not like it. I think the only think that bothered me was the dialogue. This book didn't have many dialogue between the characters and for the most part it was most telling us instead of showing.
World-Building
The world-building is good. I like how she described Arthur's time and reign and their customs.
Final Thoughts
Overall, for the people who love or want to know more about King Arthur and his Knights, then I think this book can be a good read.
The King Arthur Trilogy is a very good book for the fans of arthurian legend.
Plot
This book is basically a retelling of Mallory's work. The first part talks about the birth of Arthur, the beginning of his reign. The second is more focused on the search for the Holy Grail and the third and final part of the novel is about the final years of Arthur's reign and how it came to an end.
Basically, if you want to know more about the Middle Ages version of this tale and don't what to read the medieval texts, then I think this book can be a good choice.
Characters
The characters were good. We have the normal cast of characters and they were well portrayed. I liked how the author fleshed them, we can see that she really knows a great deal about the legend.
Writing
The writing is good, I know some people may not like it. I think the only think that bothered me was the dialogue. This book didn't have many dialogue between the characters and for the most part it was most telling us instead of showing.
World-Building
The world-building is good. I like how she described Arthur's time and reign and their customs.
Final Thoughts
Overall, for the people who love or want to know more about King Arthur and his Knights, then I think this book can be a good read.
August 7, 2024
I will say first, that I did pick this up thinking it was going to be fictionalized/novel versions of the King Arthur myths and was very disappointed it was not. It is basically just the straight myths.
I did opt to keep reading, however, as I was curious weeks the original Arthur myths/stories were. In short, like most ancient myth/legend stuff (looking at you, Greek mythology), a lot of it is super weird, extremely dramatic, and abrupt with people weeping, dying, having wild miscommunications, jousting etc on virtually every other page. 😂
It was cool to see some of the basis for other Arthur stories I've enjoyed in the past (tv, movie, book, etc) or will enjoy in the future - it was worth reading for that aspect more than anything. Buuuut it was a slog to read for a few reasons and I didn't really enjoy much of it; kept reading for curiosity. Glad it's done. 😅
I did opt to keep reading, however, as I was curious weeks the original Arthur myths/stories were. In short, like most ancient myth/legend stuff (looking at you, Greek mythology), a lot of it is super weird, extremely dramatic, and abrupt with people weeping, dying, having wild miscommunications, jousting etc on virtually every other page. 😂
It was cool to see some of the basis for other Arthur stories I've enjoyed in the past (tv, movie, book, etc) or will enjoy in the future - it was worth reading for that aspect more than anything. Buuuut it was a slog to read for a few reasons and I didn't really enjoy much of it; kept reading for curiosity. Glad it's done. 😅
May 18, 2022
An epic of Arthurian lore. An easy, albeit very long, entertaining read.
Book one outlines Arthur’s early beginnings, the arrival of Guinevere and the round table and the coming of the knights that sit around said table. The adventures of well known knights around the table are explored in this opening book.
Book 2 follows the select few knights who set out in search of the holy grail. I began running out of steam slightly with this book towards its end.
Book 3 details the downfall of Arthur’s kingdom of Logres and the fierce fighting battles that ensue.
A great engaging story that delves into Arthurian lore and sparks the imagination. I had a lot of fun reading this trilogy.
Book one outlines Arthur’s early beginnings, the arrival of Guinevere and the round table and the coming of the knights that sit around said table. The adventures of well known knights around the table are explored in this opening book.
Book 2 follows the select few knights who set out in search of the holy grail. I began running out of steam slightly with this book towards its end.
Book 3 details the downfall of Arthur’s kingdom of Logres and the fierce fighting battles that ensue.
A great engaging story that delves into Arthurian lore and sparks the imagination. I had a lot of fun reading this trilogy.
February 20, 2024
What a beautiful, masterful, gentle retelling. You don’t just read a book, but live a long, intricate life alongside the knights of the Round Table, watching the squabble, go on strange quests, rescue damosels, follow the grail and… grow old. I can’t decide who was my favourite: Sir Gawain or Sir Lancelot. Ah, who am I kidding, of course it was Sir Lancelot! I’m just like the rest of them. But the way this larger-than-life tome depicts coming of age, ageing, growing old is truly marvelous, touching, awe-inspiring. I took a long meandering walk through a medieval manuscript, and my heart is now enchanted.
September 30, 2017
The stories contained in the trilogy are "The Sword and the Circle," "The Light Beyond the Forest" and "The Road to Camlann." The trilogy follows Malory's version of the Arthur legend quite closely, though mostly leaving out the Tristram section and, perhaps mercifully, Arthur's conquests on the continent. Sutcliff does a very nice job modernizing the language without inflicting excessively modern attitudes on the legend. In her retellings and historical novels she always had respect for the beliefs and values of the past.
June 19, 2025
I finally met a Rosemary Sutcliff book I didn’t love. Too hard to mix Sutcliff’s usual realism about post-Roman Britain with the magical doings of Mallory - here and there Sutcliff’s interest in ancient Britain will peek out, only to be overwhelmed again by anachronistic jousting and medieval armor. Still readable as all her work is, but definitely not a keeper or a reread.
December 30, 2021
rosemary sutcliff will always be one of my favourite authors. beautiful and accessible retelling of the legends of king arthur and the knights of the round table, would highly recommend for people of any age
December 2, 2018
The style of this grew on me. Also, I cried at the end.
July 16, 2020
Best book I’ve ever read about Arthur.
July 28, 2020
Täitsa tore lugemine 🙂
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