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The Squire's Tales #7
The Lioness and Her Knight
Luneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur’s Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend’s castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain a young knight seeking adventurearrives just in time to escort her to King Arthur’s court.
Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose wit and audacity set many a puffed-up personality in its place. Before arriving at Lady Laudine’s castle, the trio stops at Camelot, where they hear the story of the Storm Stone, a magical object deep in the forest that soon sweeps everyone into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic.
Filled with broken promises, powerful enchantresses, unconventional sword fights, fierce and friendly lionesses, mysterious knights, and damsels in and out of distress, The Lioness and Her Knight proves itself as witty and adventuresome as the rest of Gerald Morris’s tales from King Arthur’s court.
Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose wit and audacity set many a puffed-up personality in its place. Before arriving at Lady Laudine’s castle, the trio stops at Camelot, where they hear the story of the Storm Stone, a magical object deep in the forest that soon sweeps everyone into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic.
Filled with broken promises, powerful enchantresses, unconventional sword fights, fierce and friendly lionesses, mysterious knights, and damsels in and out of distress, The Lioness and Her Knight proves itself as witty and adventuresome as the rest of Gerald Morris’s tales from King Arthur’s court.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2005
34 people are currently reading
1201 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Morris
25 books495 followersGerald Morris is an award-winning author, best known for his retellings of Arthurian legends for preteen and teen readers.
His first series, The Squire's Tales, focuses primarily on a squire named Terence, alongside his knight, Sir Gawain. The ten-book series began with The Squire's Tale, first published in 1998.
His second series, The Knights' Tales, is for younger readers and began with The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great, published in 2008, followed by The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short in the same year.
Morris was born in Riverside, California in 1963, the son of Russell A. Morris. He was educated at the Oklahoma Baptist University and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married Rebecca Hughes, has 3 children, and now lives in Wausau, Wisconsin. He also lived for a short time in Oklahoma. Apart from writing, Morris teaches theology and serves as a pastor for church.
His first series, The Squire's Tales, focuses primarily on a squire named Terence, alongside his knight, Sir Gawain. The ten-book series began with The Squire's Tale, first published in 1998.
His second series, The Knights' Tales, is for younger readers and began with The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great, published in 2008, followed by The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short in the same year.
Morris was born in Riverside, California in 1963, the son of Russell A. Morris. He was educated at the Oklahoma Baptist University and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He married Rebecca Hughes, has 3 children, and now lives in Wausau, Wisconsin. He also lived for a short time in Oklahoma. Apart from writing, Morris teaches theology and serves as a pastor for church.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
March 19, 2013
After reading Nikki’s reviews of this author’s stories, I decided to give him a try.
Like his other works, this charming little novel is based on one of the Chretien de Troyes’s Arthurian poems. The young protagonist Luneta is a sixteen-year-old girl from a not very rich but noble family. Chafing under her mundane existence, she feels that her loving parents don’t understand her. Of course, not! Since the times of King Arthur, there haven’t been many sixteen-year-olds thinking their parents understood them.
When Luneta’s mom and dad decide to send her for a visit to her mother’s old friend, Luneta is ecstatic. She is going on adventure! Her two companions during her travels are her cousin Ywain, a young knight dreaming of slaying dragons and gaining glory, and Rhience, a witty, charismatic jester who laughs at everyone, including himself. The three friends plunge into one escapade after another, helping each other and learning together.
A bossy, manipulative kind of girl (all in a good cause), Luneta is immensely practical. She has a generous heart and an untapped well of compassion. Her journey leads her from the modest manor of her family to castles and huts of the surrounding countryside. She encounters friends and foes, heroes and villains, but throughout the story, her willingness to help everyone who needs (or doesn’t need) her help remains unchanged, even to the detriment of her own safety and that of her friends.
Ywain, although at the periphery of the tale, learns the most profound lesson: hero’s glory doesn’t make a man happy. But as it often happens in fairy tales, the jester is the cleverest of them all. He is also the most charming character, and almost all the giggles and chuckles the novel inspires (quite a lot) can be attributed to him.
His is the assurance that anything expressed in Latin must be true.
When one of the characters in the novel uses the expression “very necessary”, Rhience can’t resist the temptation to ridicule:
Later in the tale, he briefly considers a career change:
At times a bit didactic, the novel was not very absorbing, at least not in the first half, which read more like an introduction than a real story. I had no trouble closing the book, but I always returned to it later. I wanted to know what happened next.
The second part of the novel was much more intense, almost like another story. The action picked up speed, the real danger and the lioness of the title finally appeared, and the plot switched direction as easily as a car.
I suppose I could’ve appreciated this book better if I were inside the author’s target audience, 13 or 14, rather than my much more advanced age, but it was a nice, light diversion regardless, and I enjoyed it. I think this novel is a good introduction to the medieval literature, especially for pre-teens.
I also learned a new word, recreant , a couple olden insults, blitherwit and gapeseed , and a juicy exclamation – Oh, lawks! I must admit, I’m partial to such verbal gems and I collect them.
Footnote: the cover art of the hardcover edition is terrible. Don’t pay attention to it; the story is much better.
Like his other works, this charming little novel is based on one of the Chretien de Troyes’s Arthurian poems. The young protagonist Luneta is a sixteen-year-old girl from a not very rich but noble family. Chafing under her mundane existence, she feels that her loving parents don’t understand her. Of course, not! Since the times of King Arthur, there haven’t been many sixteen-year-olds thinking their parents understood them.
When Luneta’s mom and dad decide to send her for a visit to her mother’s old friend, Luneta is ecstatic. She is going on adventure! Her two companions during her travels are her cousin Ywain, a young knight dreaming of slaying dragons and gaining glory, and Rhience, a witty, charismatic jester who laughs at everyone, including himself. The three friends plunge into one escapade after another, helping each other and learning together.
A bossy, manipulative kind of girl (all in a good cause), Luneta is immensely practical. She has a generous heart and an untapped well of compassion. Her journey leads her from the modest manor of her family to castles and huts of the surrounding countryside. She encounters friends and foes, heroes and villains, but throughout the story, her willingness to help everyone who needs (or doesn’t need) her help remains unchanged, even to the detriment of her own safety and that of her friends.
Ywain, although at the periphery of the tale, learns the most profound lesson: hero’s glory doesn’t make a man happy. But as it often happens in fairy tales, the jester is the cleverest of them all. He is also the most charming character, and almost all the giggles and chuckles the novel inspires (quite a lot) can be attributed to him.
His is the assurance that anything expressed in Latin must be true.
When one of the characters in the novel uses the expression “very necessary”, Rhience can’t resist the temptation to ridicule:
“What a curious expression!” Rhience said thoughtfully. “I wonder what the opposite of ‘very necessary’ is? Mildly necessary? Somewhat essential?”
Later in the tale, he briefly considers a career change:
“If that’s what comes of doing good, I’ve a mind to start doing evil instead.”
“You?” Ywain asked scornfully.
“That’s right,” Rhience replied, brightening. “In my next career, I’ll be a recreant knight.”
“You’d be terrible at it,” Ywain said bluntly.
Rhience looked affronted. “I don’t see why you have to be insulting. If I tried very, very hard, I could—”
“He’s right, you know,” Luneta said. “You laugh too much.”
“And worst of all, you laugh at yourself,” Ywain added. “I assure you that no self-respecting recreant knight would ever do that.”
At times a bit didactic, the novel was not very absorbing, at least not in the first half, which read more like an introduction than a real story. I had no trouble closing the book, but I always returned to it later. I wanted to know what happened next.
The second part of the novel was much more intense, almost like another story. The action picked up speed, the real danger and the lioness of the title finally appeared, and the plot switched direction as easily as a car.
I suppose I could’ve appreciated this book better if I were inside the author’s target audience, 13 or 14, rather than my much more advanced age, but it was a nice, light diversion regardless, and I enjoyed it. I think this novel is a good introduction to the medieval literature, especially for pre-teens.
I also learned a new word, recreant , a couple olden insults, blitherwit and gapeseed , and a juicy exclamation – Oh, lawks! I must admit, I’m partial to such verbal gems and I collect them.
Footnote: the cover art of the hardcover edition is terrible. Don’t pay attention to it; the story is much better.
March 20, 2017
Reader thoughts: This is one of my favorites of the Squire's Tales series. It has just as much humor and adventure as the others, but it also has more wit (from a substitute fool) and more character (from the lady compared to a lioness). There's also more magic and more dueling (with rubber swords) and more betrayal and backstabbing (between two sisters).
This book surprises me every time I read it. I laugh in delight and imagine that I am as interesting to listen to as Rhys is. When the reader first meets him, he is juggling one ball in one hand, "going back to the basics" he says. "What is progress for a juggler, 4 balls? 8? I'm taking juggling to it's barest form" and "the essence of juggling." And he proceeds to insult the cowardly knight who is anything but amused.
Thankfully, our heroine IS amused, and they join forces against evil (and general pigheadedness).
Writer thoughts: The end of the book was almost risky. The one sister's decision made the climax almost pointless. However, it works perfectly. As one of the characters points out, having your inheritance stolen could embitter you for life. Giving it away could make you happy for life, even though it seems to be the same result on the outside.
This book surprises me every time I read it. I laugh in delight and imagine that I am as interesting to listen to as Rhys is. When the reader first meets him, he is juggling one ball in one hand, "going back to the basics" he says. "What is progress for a juggler, 4 balls? 8? I'm taking juggling to it's barest form" and "the essence of juggling." And he proceeds to insult the cowardly knight who is anything but amused.
Thankfully, our heroine IS amused, and they join forces against evil (and general pigheadedness).
Writer thoughts: The end of the book was almost risky. The one sister's decision made the climax almost pointless. However, it works perfectly. As one of the characters points out, having your inheritance stolen could embitter you for life. Giving it away could make you happy for life, even though it seems to be the same result on the outside.
March 3, 2013
As is usual with Gerald Morris, this is light and fun and easy to read. It's reasonably close to the original story that he's telling, though highlighting the role of Laudine's maid, Luneta, and taking it much less seriously than Chrétien does, at least seemingly. The last few pages made me grin and clap. I loved the addition of Rhience/Sir Calogrenant's real identity. (And, as usual, Kai, although in the background, is just perfect.)
Gerald Morris' little problem with either his research or his chronic oversimplification -- after all, these books are aimed at younger readers, I suppose -- remains in force, when he talks about the story of Ywain and Laudine being exception. Chrétien, of course, mostly wrote about married lovers, and wrote The Knight of the Cart at the request of Marie de Champagne, to her direction. He never even finished it. He was much more interested in Erec and Enide, Ywain and Laudine, Perceval and Blanchefleur...
Oh, well. Fun for what it is, anyway.
Gerald Morris' little problem with either his research or his chronic oversimplification -- after all, these books are aimed at younger readers, I suppose -- remains in force, when he talks about the story of Ywain and Laudine being exception. Chrétien, of course, mostly wrote about married lovers, and wrote The Knight of the Cart at the request of Marie de Champagne, to her direction. He never even finished it. He was much more interested in Erec and Enide, Ywain and Laudine, Perceval and Blanchefleur...
Oh, well. Fun for what it is, anyway.
March 17, 2024
This author is one of my favorites. Supposedly his books are for middle school grades, but I enjoy them as an adult.
Quotes:
You can grieve as long as you want, if that's what will make you happy.
"Laudine doesn't want him to go, but she won't admit it. She seems to think it's unladylike to have opinions."
Rhience frowned, as if concentrating very hard, and said, "And you ... wait, don't tell me ... you do have opinions, don't you?"
Witch burnings are always proclaimed publicly. They serve as a warning to people—plus, of course, they're great fun for the family.
How many times have I told you, God provides like the merry dickens!
Nothing more dangerous than a damsel in distress—except perhaps a damsel who isn't in distress.
Quotes:
You can grieve as long as you want, if that's what will make you happy.
"Laudine doesn't want him to go, but she won't admit it. She seems to think it's unladylike to have opinions."
Rhience frowned, as if concentrating very hard, and said, "And you ... wait, don't tell me ... you do have opinions, don't you?"
Witch burnings are always proclaimed publicly. They serve as a warning to people—plus, of course, they're great fun for the family.
How many times have I told you, God provides like the merry dickens!
Nothing more dangerous than a damsel in distress—except perhaps a damsel who isn't in distress.
March 22, 2012
By far my favorite of the entire series, Gerald Morris is a complete genius when it comes to Arthurian Legends. Once again he creates fantastical characters to interact with those of the legendary knights. My particular favorite is that of Rhience. The former knight turned fool who can say whatever he likes because no one takes him seriously anyways. No matter how many times I read through this book (and it has been QUITE a few) I still find myself laughing and utterly delighted at these characters and story. A MUST READ
August 22, 2024
Once long ago I discovered and read this series, until I got to this book. Perhaps I did not like the cover, perhaps I was worried about being disappointed in Lynet's daughter (as Lynet's story is my favorite book in the series), or, perhaps I was just concerned that everything I know about the end of the Arthurian legends is sad so I thought I would stop before I got to the sad part, but in any case I had not previously read this book, and that was a big mistake. This was delightful! Luneta had a lot of growing to do, which made her a bit obnoxious at first, but as soon as we met Rhience I was hooked. It surprised me a bit when I recognized a bit of Shakespeare in the telling, perhaps that is a bit Shakespeare had previously borrowed from the inspiration author Chretien de Troyes.
February 14, 2014
It’s nice to finally have an idea how much time has passed since The Squire’s Tale and it’s also shocking to hear that it’s been twenty years since the first book. Remember Lady Lynet from the second book? Yes, Luneta is Lady Lynet’s child and she’s not even really a child, but in her teen years. How times flies!
The Lioness and Her Knight sounds like a typical girl empowerment book with Luneta kicking plenty of butt and being generally ahead of her time. That’s not exactly true and I’m glad it’s not. Luneta is ahead of her time because of her tendency not to mince words, but she never physically kicks any butt because her talent is getting people to do what she wants. She is a terrible manipulator when she thinks it’s for a good purpose, but throughout the book learns that maybe it’s better to leave people to their own devices. She’s a great main character and despite how my description of her sounds, Luneta is sympathetic.
As for Rhience, where do I start? He’s very witty, but also very subtle about it. Oh no, you actually have to think about his jokes! He has such an interesting backstory that you can’t help but at least feel sympathetic for him, but he’s also a great ‘fool’. Thank goodness he gets so much page time because he was my favourite character in the whole book! Rhience is certainly not just comedy relief, but also a good character in his own right.
Gerald Morris, unlike many authors, seems to have never encountered a writing slump in his series and he hasn’t struck out yet. I’ve loved every book in the series for its own unique qualities, something that is incredibly rare. The Lioness and Her Knight presents a very cynical view of people like The Ballad of Sir Dinadan does, but it’s also full of love and hope. You can’t really ask for more in an Arthurian legend, can you?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Lioness and Her Knight sounds like a typical girl empowerment book with Luneta kicking plenty of butt and being generally ahead of her time. That’s not exactly true and I’m glad it’s not. Luneta is ahead of her time because of her tendency not to mince words, but she never physically kicks any butt because her talent is getting people to do what she wants. She is a terrible manipulator when she thinks it’s for a good purpose, but throughout the book learns that maybe it’s better to leave people to their own devices. She’s a great main character and despite how my description of her sounds, Luneta is sympathetic.
As for Rhience, where do I start? He’s very witty, but also very subtle about it. Oh no, you actually have to think about his jokes! He has such an interesting backstory that you can’t help but at least feel sympathetic for him, but he’s also a great ‘fool’. Thank goodness he gets so much page time because he was my favourite character in the whole book! Rhience is certainly not just comedy relief, but also a good character in his own right.
Gerald Morris, unlike many authors, seems to have never encountered a writing slump in his series and he hasn’t struck out yet. I’ve loved every book in the series for its own unique qualities, something that is incredibly rare. The Lioness and Her Knight presents a very cynical view of people like The Ballad of Sir Dinadan does, but it’s also full of love and hope. You can’t really ask for more in an Arthurian legend, can you?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
February 1, 2018
Boring. This is "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf" but worse. This is the KidzBop version, the weird Christian movie channel bootleg of a Disney movie version.
Luneta is a carbon copy of her mother, Lynet from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf". Rhience the Fool is a carbon copy of Roger the Dwarf/Sir Gaheris from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf". Ywain is a carbon copy of Beaumains/Sir Gareth from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf", up until he misses an important date, turns into a furry, and is miraculously healed into a totally different person. Laudine is a carbon copy of Lyonesse from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf", up until her boyfriend misses an important date and she mopes around the castle until he comes back, and she has miraculously matured in the interim.
They don't even pick up the lioness until 2/3 of the way through, and she just shows up with the boys; Luneta just *meets* the cat. The lioness is also preternaturally cognizant of human speech/intentions, and seems to be telepathically communicating with Rhience and Ywain.
It ends with an extreeeeeeeeeemely predictable round of banter in which Luneta suddenly realizes she's in love with Rhience. Honestly, give this book a miss, and just read "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf" again.
Also, kinda wish Gerald Morris would nail down his rules for who can be an enchantress, cuz so far, it's been way too many people. Every person so far has been really connected to the Other World (except ma boi Lancelot), and it's kind of annoying, because it means the interesting stuff never happens to "muggles".
Luneta is a carbon copy of her mother, Lynet from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf". Rhience the Fool is a carbon copy of Roger the Dwarf/Sir Gaheris from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf". Ywain is a carbon copy of Beaumains/Sir Gareth from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf", up until he misses an important date, turns into a furry, and is miraculously healed into a totally different person. Laudine is a carbon copy of Lyonesse from "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf", up until her boyfriend misses an important date and she mopes around the castle until he comes back, and she has miraculously matured in the interim.
They don't even pick up the lioness until 2/3 of the way through, and she just shows up with the boys; Luneta just *meets* the cat. The lioness is also preternaturally cognizant of human speech/intentions, and seems to be telepathically communicating with Rhience and Ywain.
It ends with an extreeeeeeeeeemely predictable round of banter in which Luneta suddenly realizes she's in love with Rhience. Honestly, give this book a miss, and just read "The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf" again.
Also, kinda wish Gerald Morris would nail down his rules for who can be an enchantress, cuz so far, it's been way too many people. Every person so far has been really connected to the Other World (except ma boi Lancelot), and it's kind of annoying, because it means the interesting stuff never happens to "muggles".
July 29, 2009
Parts of this were pretty hilarious. A pretty enjoyable, quick read. I didn't even know it was part of a series until after I read it. Never did I feel like I had missed something, unlike other series I've read.
October 24, 2016
A very fun read, and hard to put down.
May 26, 2023
Wily and headstrong Luneta is bored to death with life on her parents' quiet Orkney estate. (Can you guess which previous characters she is related to?) When the opportunity arrives for her to journey to visit friends near Camelot, she jumps at the chance to be off on an adventure for the first time. Luneta is a master manipulator, and she prides herself on using her skills to get everyone around her what they didn't even realize they needed. But when she decides to try her hand at matchmaking between her cousin Ywain and her friend Laudine, nothing but disaster and heartbreak ensue. In true Arthurian (and Morris) fashion, it will take magic, dueling, near-death encounters, and a little help from King Arthur himself, to bring the star-crossed lovers-- and Luneta-- their happily ever after.
In my opinion this is the weakest of the Squire's Tales so far (but still a fun enough story). There didn't seem to be a central plot line and the main characters' goals were a little fuzzy. The subplot about the enslaved seamstresses in particular seemed forced (possibly a social commentary on factories?) and unfinished. Also, the witch-burning didn't seem to fit into the magic-filled world of the earlier books. Characters were developed to different degrees. Rhience was my favorite. Laudine's transformation over the story was pretty well-done. Luneta, for a character who started out so unlikeable, really did win me over by the end. However, for all that she said she had repented of her scheming, she never quite seemed to outgrow it. I was most disappointed with Ywain. He seemed too similar to Tristram, but we were supposed to like him. I wish I had gotten to know him better, and maybe it would have been easier to root for him.
On the positive side, this story does contain the trademark strengths of the other books in the series-- a fast pace, witty banter between characters, and a dynamite feel-good ending. I particularly enjoyed the character of the jolly hermit. It's the closest Morris (a pastor) has come to theology, and was presented in a way that was profound, unforced, and fit with the vibe of the series.
In my opinion this is the weakest of the Squire's Tales so far (but still a fun enough story). There didn't seem to be a central plot line and the main characters' goals were a little fuzzy. The subplot about the enslaved seamstresses in particular seemed forced (possibly a social commentary on factories?) and unfinished. Also, the witch-burning didn't seem to fit into the magic-filled world of the earlier books. Characters were developed to different degrees. Rhience was my favorite. Laudine's transformation over the story was pretty well-done. Luneta, for a character who started out so unlikeable, really did win me over by the end. However, for all that she said she had repented of her scheming, she never quite seemed to outgrow it. I was most disappointed with Ywain. He seemed too similar to Tristram, but we were supposed to like him. I wish I had gotten to know him better, and maybe it would have been easier to root for him.
On the positive side, this story does contain the trademark strengths of the other books in the series-- a fast pace, witty banter between characters, and a dynamite feel-good ending. I particularly enjoyed the character of the jolly hermit. It's the closest Morris (a pastor) has come to theology, and was presented in a way that was profound, unforced, and fit with the vibe of the series.
March 16, 2024
I INHALED this one!!!
Morris is undoubtedly at his best when a) writing female protagonists and b) retelling stories he particularly loves, and in this book he's doing both. The result is a joy from start to end. The themes are perhaps not quite as deep and deftly handled as in the previous instalment, but instead we've got banter for days, not one but TWO very appealing couples to follow, silly TWELFTH NIGHT references, and a take on Chretien's odd little "sweatshop labour" sequence that had me catching my breath in delight.
I particularly appreciated this because, even though Morris may not be aware of it, textile workshops were a real thing that happened in the Middle Ages and the women employed in them, known as ancillae, were very blatantly exploited as chattel slaves in a society that otherwise had begun to mitigate slavery in many ways. Reading Chretien de Troyes, I've always been very conscious of the fact that the sudden appearance of enslaved noblewomen forced to spin and weave is a reference to these workshops, though the ancillae in his "Yvain" are worthy of help mainly because of their noble status. I was delighted by the sensitive way that Morris handled this episode.
Another favourite entry in the SQUIRE'S TALES series!
Morris is undoubtedly at his best when a) writing female protagonists and b) retelling stories he particularly loves, and in this book he's doing both. The result is a joy from start to end. The themes are perhaps not quite as deep and deftly handled as in the previous instalment, but instead we've got banter for days, not one but TWO very appealing couples to follow, silly TWELFTH NIGHT references, and a take on Chretien's odd little "sweatshop labour" sequence that had me catching my breath in delight.
I particularly appreciated this because, even though Morris may not be aware of it, textile workshops were a real thing that happened in the Middle Ages and the women employed in them, known as ancillae, were very blatantly exploited as chattel slaves in a society that otherwise had begun to mitigate slavery in many ways. Reading Chretien de Troyes, I've always been very conscious of the fact that the sudden appearance of enslaved noblewomen forced to spin and weave is a reference to these workshops, though the ancillae in his "Yvain" are worthy of help mainly because of their noble status. I was delighted by the sensitive way that Morris handled this episode.
Another favourite entry in the SQUIRE'S TALES series!
December 28, 2021
Luneta is tired of her dull country life and even duller parents — she longs for adventure and prides herself on always getting what she wants. Luckily, she finds an opportunity to travel to visit a family friend near Camelot, escorted by her cousin, a young knight named Ywain. While traveling they are joined by Rhience, an unusual fool who perhaps isn’t so foolish. Along the journey, which is often rife with detours, Luneta learns that manipulation can be costly and an exciting life is severely overrated.
The Lioness and Her Knight is fantastic Arthurian retelling that is full of adventure, romance, and enchantment. Morris is definitely retreading familiar ground in this book, but his plotting, dialogue, and character development are so top notch that it isn’t overtly bothersome. The new characters are well written and it is delightful to revisit so many characters from previous books. Overall, The Lioness and Her Knight is an enjoyable entry into the Squire’s Tales series that successfully reimagines Chrétien de Troyes classic poem and develops it into an epic tale of betrayal, truth, and redemption.
The Lioness and Her Knight is fantastic Arthurian retelling that is full of adventure, romance, and enchantment. Morris is definitely retreading familiar ground in this book, but his plotting, dialogue, and character development are so top notch that it isn’t overtly bothersome. The new characters are well written and it is delightful to revisit so many characters from previous books. Overall, The Lioness and Her Knight is an enjoyable entry into the Squire’s Tales series that successfully reimagines Chrétien de Troyes classic poem and develops it into an epic tale of betrayal, truth, and redemption.
April 24, 2022
I didn’t much care for this book the first couple times I read the series (in the 10-14 age range). I enjoyed Luneta and Rhience (particularly Rhience) and of course Gary, Gawain, and Terence when they showed up… but Laudine and Ywain drove me crazy.
This time, I enjoyed it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older or if it’s just the timing that I read it, but I enjoyed the book as much as the others in the series. Everyone felt human, and I was willing to stick with the characters to wait for their growth. Plus, Rhience is a riot.
Luneta is an independent young lady. She goes to stay with a young friend of her mother as a way to get away, and maybe find who she is herself. Lady Laudine and her castle have plenty of issues, and in her pursuit to help sort them out (messing things up more in some cases) Luneta does indeed start to grow up.
Should be appropriate in the 8-10 age range. But given the romance angle it may be more enjoyable starting at a young adult crowd.
This time, I enjoyed it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older or if it’s just the timing that I read it, but I enjoyed the book as much as the others in the series. Everyone felt human, and I was willing to stick with the characters to wait for their growth. Plus, Rhience is a riot.
Luneta is an independent young lady. She goes to stay with a young friend of her mother as a way to get away, and maybe find who she is herself. Lady Laudine and her castle have plenty of issues, and in her pursuit to help sort them out (messing things up more in some cases) Luneta does indeed start to grow up.
Should be appropriate in the 8-10 age range. But given the romance angle it may be more enjoyable starting at a young adult crowd.
April 10, 2018
This book was really good in my opinion! I'm not going to go too deep into it, but let's just say that my favorite part of the story was definitely the characters. They all felt super real, especially Luneta. I was expecting her to be like a strong female lead, but instead, we got a girl whose strength was manipulating and using her power of words. And I was happy that Gerald Morris had made this character like this since back during this time females didn't exactly fight like that compared to modern fantasy stories. All of the other characters were great in my opinion and I don't really see much of a flaw in this book besides the fact that Gerald Morris' writing could get way too descriptive and start to run-on. I would definitely recommend it!
October 14, 2020
This book has a very interesting writing style, almost as if it was actually written in medieval times. The book seems to go up and down in terms of plot, as if it has multiple climaxes instead of having one large story arc, which is not something I see often. I find that very unique, which is one reason why I like it.However, I'm not sure this book is truly captivating because of this - it's not quite reliable. One could like this, though, since it is unpredictable, but in my personal opinion, it isn't my favorite style of writing. Overall, this book is pretty good, and very unique!
August 20, 2024
Rhience was all which Dinadan I had expected to be. He was the one refreshing character in the entire book. Luneta and Ywain felt too similar to other characters from previous books.
I had a harder time finishing this book. It was longer than the previous ones, yes, but it was more than that. I didn't care much for most of the characters and there was no clear big quest. The characters just stumbled around into different side quests as the story progressed. It felt like several stories mashed into one, which made for a wonky pacing.
Not the best but also not the worst in the series.
I had a harder time finishing this book. It was longer than the previous ones, yes, but it was more than that. I didn't care much for most of the characters and there was no clear big quest. The characters just stumbled around into different side quests as the story progressed. It felt like several stories mashed into one, which made for a wonky pacing.
Not the best but also not the worst in the series.
March 1, 2018
I feel bad for this author because the book is really nicely done, but had I would not have picked up this book myself (a friend lent it to me) because the cover art is so bad. The main character is likable, fierce and flawed. The side characters are fun as well. It felt like it could be easily made into a TV show. It had elements of Kind Arthur's characters, but it wasn't solely focused on them.
October 20, 2022
This retelling of the romance between Ywain and Laudine, from the Arthurian legends, is told from the viewpoint of Luneta, daughter of Gaheris and Lynet, and thus a cousin of Ywain's. As Luneta and Ywain set off for Camelot they encounter Rhience, a "fool" who decides to accompany them on their journey. Many adventures occur, and Luneta matures, making this something of a coming of age story. Recommended.
November 16, 2025
I may be biased because this was the first book i read that has stuck with me for about 14 years now.
i found it in a 5 dollar book bin arounf 2011 maybe eariler. I devoured it and had never read anything like it but i was 10. However to this day i think about it frequently. I loved Lunet shes so cool and funny and her friendship with her traveling companions is so sweet. I highly recomend even if you havent read the first few books. i didnt even know it was apart of a series till 2019.
i found it in a 5 dollar book bin arounf 2011 maybe eariler. I devoured it and had never read anything like it but i was 10. However to this day i think about it frequently. I loved Lunet shes so cool and funny and her friendship with her traveling companions is so sweet. I highly recomend even if you havent read the first few books. i didnt even know it was apart of a series till 2019.
August 15, 2019
Chrétien de Troyes’s Yvain: The Knight of the Lion needs little improvement, but Morris nevertheless chooses the best parts of the tale and weaves them into a fun and original story, full of his characteristic wit and good humor. Our friend Ywain learns important lessons along the way, as does our main character Luneta.
Overall, an excellent addition to the series.
Overall, an excellent addition to the series.
June 15, 2021
One thing I enjoyed about this story especially is how Morris shows the growth of his characters. Luneta and Ywain start off with very specific ideas of how they want their lives to go but through a series of events they find themselves on a journey that changes them. Also Rhience is hilarious, he's got that dry humor that you can find throughout Gerald Morris' books.
February 11, 2022
So funny, exactly what I was hoping for. I tried to start this series at the beginning, but the first one was just another gruesome Arthurian-type story. Those always seem to be so gory. This one has a tiny bit of that, so I’d really say 4.5 stars, but mostly it was just very funny and the main characters were so likable.
September 9, 2024
This maybe wasn't my favorite book in the series so far, but was still a good read. It's getting to the point where I would appreciate a quick summary of the characters and what role they played in previous books because so many names are incredibly similar and I get them confused. Great modern retellings of King Arthur legends.
September 8, 2018
First of Morris' tales I ever read and and still to this day my favorite. Luneta is by far my favorite of his heroines and Rhience... Well, if you don't love him I'm afraid you don't have a sense of humor xD love love love this book!
July 25, 2019
the initial Yvain of Chretien is so good, that everything else pales in comparison. In this case, Morris can't help trivialising the original more than he ought to. Still very readable and some nice characters though
September 22, 2019
What an unexpected yet beautiful ending! Gerald Morris is such a great author, and storyteller. I love all the humor, the storyline, the secrets and the meaning. It is so touching begening to end, it isnt a book you will forget in a hurry.
November 10, 2019
I was originally going to give the book 3 stars because I wasn't invested in laudine story, but then the last few chapters were amazing. Those chapters were well written, captivating, and worth the read.
January 18, 2021
Gawain's son Ywain escorts Linette and Gary's daughter Luneta from farm to Camelot via Storm Stone, Laudine, death, love, Robin, Morgan witch training, Fool Rhience, burning, merry Hermit of the Hunt. Typo:~Diradvent .36 Garius IS Carius
January 23, 2023
Another funny and well-written book in the Squire's Tales series! I really enjoyed this story and characters, one of my favorites in the series now!
Can't believe it's TWENTY YEARS after the first book.....my babies are all grown up.....
Can't believe it's TWENTY YEARS after the first book.....my babies are all grown up.....
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