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The Three Damosels #1
The Green Knight
A magical glimpse into the legendary age of Arthurian chivalry. Meet a daring damosel from the Golden Age, a brave, fearless woman of whom stories were told and legends woven. Vivian is the fifteen year old grand-niece of the Lady Morgan le Fay, whose tale is inextricably linked with that of Sir Gawain le Jeune, the nephew of that great Gawain, one of King Arthur's most stalwart Knights... Knightly chivalry is beset by Dark Age barbarity in this richly woven tapestry of heroes and heroines, monsters and saints, temptresses and magicians.
173 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
3 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Vera Chapman
39 books38 followersVera Chapman, also known as Vera Ivy May Fogerty or, in The Tolkien Society, as Belladonna Took. She founded The Tolkien Society, and also wrote a number of psudeo-historical and Arthurian books.
She was born in Bournemouth, England on the 8 May 1898 and lived in South Africa until she went to Oxford where she was one of the first woman to matriculate as a full member of Oxford University. She founded the first Tolkien Society of which she was secretary. She persuaded J R R Tolkien to become the society's honorary president. She wrote her first novel in 1975 and continued writing until her death in 1996.
She was born in Bournemouth, England on the 8 May 1898 and lived in South Africa until she went to Oxford where she was one of the first woman to matriculate as a full member of Oxford University. She founded the first Tolkien Society of which she was secretary. She persuaded J R R Tolkien to become the society's honorary president. She wrote her first novel in 1975 and continued writing until her death in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 26, 2015
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a rather famous poem, and Vera Chapman’s retelling of it is a beautiful piece of work. Instead of focusing on Sir Gawain, Chapman uses alternately viewpoints of Gawain and Lady Green (Viviane in this work) to tell a love story. The Gawain here is not the Sir Gawain of fame, but his younger namesake and nephew. What the use of this young one allows Chapman to do is explore how the Court at Camelot looks like from the second generation, a better view than simply Moderd’s.
Viviane finds herself married to the Green Knight (who is linked to ancient Welsh gods) due to the work of her aunt Morgan le Fay. What then plays out is the story, with the trappings, but also with a two section coda that also brings a reference to Gawain and Lady Ragnell (my favorite Gawain story). The book follows Chapman’s novella The King’s Damsel, but that book does not have to be read for this book to make any sense.
The beauty of the book is in the last coda and is a beautiful illustration of what Morgan le Fay represents but also capturing the looking forward that marks much great medieval and Renaissance work.
February 23, 2022
This book is clearly inspired by the Pearl poet's Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight, but Chapman has created original characters for both Sir Gawaine (her novel Gawain is the nephew of the one in the old tales) and Bertilak's wife. And she changes things after the final meeting between Gawain and the Green Knight considerable, but in such a way as to give the story a nice resonance within the Arthurian mythos.
I've read this a couple of times before and have always enjoyed it, however I must confess the last chapter is anti-climactic and, perhaps worse, comes out of left field. It does not ruin the book for me but it certainly weakens it. I should knock it back to three stars but I won't, because I love the fact that she's used my favorite Arthurian poem as her inspiration and because this book is such a pleasure after wading through the first "book" of The Mists of Avalon and just because I am inordinately fond of it.
While this was the first of Chapman's Damosel trilogy to reach print, in terms of the characters' chronology it happens after The King's Damosel and before King Arthur's Daughter.
I've read this a couple of times before and have always enjoyed it, however I must confess the last chapter is anti-climactic and, perhaps worse, comes out of left field. It does not ruin the book for me but it certainly weakens it. I should knock it back to three stars but I won't, because I love the fact that she's used my favorite Arthurian poem as her inspiration and because this book is such a pleasure after wading through the first "book" of The Mists of Avalon and just because I am inordinately fond of it.
While this was the first of Chapman's Damosel trilogy to reach print, in terms of the characters' chronology it happens after The King's Damosel and before King Arthur's Daughter.
September 13, 2020
Most long-time readers will be familiar with the basics of the legend of the Green Knight. King Arthur is holding court in Camelot at Christmastide when a stranger dressed in/colored green appears. This Green Knight proposes a contest of blows. A champion of Camelot will strike at the stranger with his battle axe, then the Green Knight will return the favor. The monstrous knight strikes fear into the hearts of those assembled, and it looks like Arthur himself will have to participate, until Sir Gawain steps up. The Green Knight does not resist the blow, and Gawain beheads him. The stranger puts his head back on, and says that Gawain must now meet him at the Green Chapel near the castle of Haut-desert in a year and a day to receive the return blow.
The oldest known version of this chivalric romance is a Middle English poem from the 14th Century. It’s been translated multiple times, and Vera Chapman in her introduction states that she’s been influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien’s research on the poem, though at the time she wrote this novel his full translation had not been published. (It came out the same year, 1975.)
As is the tradition of Arthurian storytellers going back to the medieval gleeman, Ms. Chapman puts her own spin on the tale. Specifically, she gives Lady Bertilak, Vivian, great-niece of Morgan le Fay and granddaughter of Merlin, an equal role as narrator, explaining her motivations. She and Gawain each have two narrative sections, and the tale is finished by Melior, the last disciple of Merlin.
Gawain is also reimagined as Gawain the Younger, nephew of Gawain of Orkney who is here established as the one who appears in most of the Arthurian tales. Thus this adventure is the first of his tasks of the Round Table.
Morgan le Fay picks up her niece Vivian from the convent where the young orphan has been brought up and brings her to Castle Haut-desert to teach her the ways of magic. Morgan is not of the Christian faith, nor a follower of the Old Ways, but draws her power from a darker source. (The devil may be involved, but her loyalty isn’t to him, either, but to herself.)
Morgan learns that Queen Guinevere is with child, and fears that this means King Arthur will have a legitimate male heir. She also hates the queen personally for having her banished from Camelot. So she puts a multi-pronged plan into play. Morgan forces Lord Bertilak into the form of the Green Knight and sends him to Camelot. The initial idea is to cause Guinevere to miscarry and/or require Arthur to play the game of blows and thus die.
When Gawain intervenes, this requires a modification to the plan. Morgan pushes Vivian into a marriage with Lord Bertilak. It’s unconsummated, but symbolically binding. Gawain arrives at the castle a few days before the return blow is to be delivered, and Vivian recognizes him as the true love she has seen in visions. Morgan pressures Vivian into trying to seduce Gawain, on the premise that this will protect him from the Green Knight’s power.
Three-fifths of the way into the novel, the promised encounter happens, and then the story enters new territory. For it seems that Morgan le Fay has one last way to win. Merlin enters the picture, but can even the ancient magician prevent a dark future?
This is good stuff, doing well with the fantastic elements of the Arthurian cycle and acknowledging both Christian and pagan influences. It’s heavier on the romance side than the original poem, and while not written specifically for the young adult market, should appeal to junior high readers on up. There’s a…unique take on the fate of Camelot and Britain that is worth discussing once you’ve read it.
I will say that this wouldn’t make a very good movie, as Melior’s section doesn’t connect until the very end and in a movie would seem to be coming out of nowhere.
Content note: The original poem has a long misogynistic rant, and this book’s Gawain likewise adopts a “women are poison” attitude for about a fifth of the story, after initially having a “all women are queens” (also pretty sexist) viewpoint.
Overall, an interesting take on Arthuriana, and well worth a look. It sold briskly back in the day, and the author wrote two sequels about other minor female Arthurian characters, so you might want to pick up the collected trilogy under the title The Three Damosels.
The oldest known version of this chivalric romance is a Middle English poem from the 14th Century. It’s been translated multiple times, and Vera Chapman in her introduction states that she’s been influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien’s research on the poem, though at the time she wrote this novel his full translation had not been published. (It came out the same year, 1975.)
As is the tradition of Arthurian storytellers going back to the medieval gleeman, Ms. Chapman puts her own spin on the tale. Specifically, she gives Lady Bertilak, Vivian, great-niece of Morgan le Fay and granddaughter of Merlin, an equal role as narrator, explaining her motivations. She and Gawain each have two narrative sections, and the tale is finished by Melior, the last disciple of Merlin.
Gawain is also reimagined as Gawain the Younger, nephew of Gawain of Orkney who is here established as the one who appears in most of the Arthurian tales. Thus this adventure is the first of his tasks of the Round Table.
Morgan le Fay picks up her niece Vivian from the convent where the young orphan has been brought up and brings her to Castle Haut-desert to teach her the ways of magic. Morgan is not of the Christian faith, nor a follower of the Old Ways, but draws her power from a darker source. (The devil may be involved, but her loyalty isn’t to him, either, but to herself.)
Morgan learns that Queen Guinevere is with child, and fears that this means King Arthur will have a legitimate male heir. She also hates the queen personally for having her banished from Camelot. So she puts a multi-pronged plan into play. Morgan forces Lord Bertilak into the form of the Green Knight and sends him to Camelot. The initial idea is to cause Guinevere to miscarry and/or require Arthur to play the game of blows and thus die.
When Gawain intervenes, this requires a modification to the plan. Morgan pushes Vivian into a marriage with Lord Bertilak. It’s unconsummated, but symbolically binding. Gawain arrives at the castle a few days before the return blow is to be delivered, and Vivian recognizes him as the true love she has seen in visions. Morgan pressures Vivian into trying to seduce Gawain, on the premise that this will protect him from the Green Knight’s power.
Three-fifths of the way into the novel, the promised encounter happens, and then the story enters new territory. For it seems that Morgan le Fay has one last way to win. Merlin enters the picture, but can even the ancient magician prevent a dark future?
This is good stuff, doing well with the fantastic elements of the Arthurian cycle and acknowledging both Christian and pagan influences. It’s heavier on the romance side than the original poem, and while not written specifically for the young adult market, should appeal to junior high readers on up. There’s a…unique take on the fate of Camelot and Britain that is worth discussing once you’ve read it.
I will say that this wouldn’t make a very good movie, as Melior’s section doesn’t connect until the very end and in a movie would seem to be coming out of nowhere.
Content note: The original poem has a long misogynistic rant, and this book’s Gawain likewise adopts a “women are poison” attitude for about a fifth of the story, after initially having a “all women are queens” (also pretty sexist) viewpoint.
Overall, an interesting take on Arthuriana, and well worth a look. It sold briskly back in the day, and the author wrote two sequels about other minor female Arthurian characters, so you might want to pick up the collected trilogy under the title The Three Damosels.
September 2, 2025
I can appreciate what Chapman was trying to do here, in retelling the well-trod tale of Gawain and the Green Knight by giving some of the non-Gawain characters some agency. Unfortunately, her writing style is about as readable as the poem’s original Middle English. She seems positively allergic to completing a thought – sentences meander, and extend, with dashes and commas and quotes, until your eyes glaze over in a paragraph that takes up an entire page. I’ve read books from that era, and whatever their other faults, they all knew when to end a sentence – this must be a particular quirk of Chapman’s.
And while constraints of the genre and all that, the ending was rather cheap.
I’d been really excited to find this book, expecting a hidden gem that’s out of print. Rather, it reinforced the idea that sometimes books fade into obscurity for very good reason.
And while constraints of the genre and all that, the ending was rather cheap.
I’d been really excited to find this book, expecting a hidden gem that’s out of print. Rather, it reinforced the idea that sometimes books fade into obscurity for very good reason.
September 9, 2021
“For she is Dream and Fantasy and Shaping, and without her the world would be poor indeed.”
10/10 would recommend this retelling of The Green Knight. It surprised me. I adored it.
10/10 would recommend this retelling of The Green Knight. It surprised me. I adored it.
July 16, 2015
When one finds a yellowed paperback fantasy novel buried deep within the shelves of one's local used book emporium, ideally one would like it to deliver a forgotten tale of enchantment and adventure. The Green Knight actually did so!
Author Vera Chapman was a confirmed J.R.R. Tolkien fan almost before being a Tolkien fan was cool. Apparently her eagerness for his long-delayed translation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" got the better of her and so she penned this novel, a re-imagining of the tale. In this version, the Green Knight and the lady who tempts the chaste Sir Gawain are both unwilling pawns of the wicked Morgan le Fay. In fact, the latter is the innocent young noblewoman Vivian, a descendant of witches, raised in a convent and now embroiled in her wicked great aunt's plans to ruin the line of Arthur.
The story is told in three parts. The first part is from the perspective of Vivian, as she leaves the convent for the first time in her life and is introduced to Morgan le Fay, Sir Bertilak (who will become the dreadful Green Knight), and all the ways of magic. The second part follows Sir Gawain as he receives his knighthood and then takes up the Green Knight's deadly challenge. This leads him into the clutches of Morgan le Fay, who forces Vivian to pit herself against Sir Gawain even though she loves him. It all ends in apparent tragedy. The third part is told from the perspective of Melior, Merlin's assistant. This ending section is definitely the weakest, as it takes all the agency out of our heroes' hands and puts it in the clutches of Merlin, who is portrayed as just about the most doddering and bumbling wizard ever. Good triumphs in the end, but the author's failure to keep the story where the reader's interests lie, with the two young lovers, is probably why this book is not better remembered.
Nonetheless, it was a fun read and a pleasant discovery. If you like your Arthurian legends full of magic and tinged with ancient ritual, you could do much worse!
Author Vera Chapman was a confirmed J.R.R. Tolkien fan almost before being a Tolkien fan was cool. Apparently her eagerness for his long-delayed translation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" got the better of her and so she penned this novel, a re-imagining of the tale. In this version, the Green Knight and the lady who tempts the chaste Sir Gawain are both unwilling pawns of the wicked Morgan le Fay. In fact, the latter is the innocent young noblewoman Vivian, a descendant of witches, raised in a convent and now embroiled in her wicked great aunt's plans to ruin the line of Arthur.
The story is told in three parts. The first part is from the perspective of Vivian, as she leaves the convent for the first time in her life and is introduced to Morgan le Fay, Sir Bertilak (who will become the dreadful Green Knight), and all the ways of magic. The second part follows Sir Gawain as he receives his knighthood and then takes up the Green Knight's deadly challenge. This leads him into the clutches of Morgan le Fay, who forces Vivian to pit herself against Sir Gawain even though she loves him. It all ends in apparent tragedy. The third part is told from the perspective of Melior, Merlin's assistant. This ending section is definitely the weakest, as it takes all the agency out of our heroes' hands and puts it in the clutches of Merlin, who is portrayed as just about the most doddering and bumbling wizard ever. Good triumphs in the end, but the author's failure to keep the story where the reader's interests lie, with the two young lovers, is probably why this book is not better remembered.
Nonetheless, it was a fun read and a pleasant discovery. If you like your Arthurian legends full of magic and tinged with ancient ritual, you could do much worse!
April 26, 2012
Es war schön, mal wieder ein Buch rund um Artus' Hof zu lesen. Vivian und Gawain waren auch sympathische Charaktere, an manchen Stellen aber schon ein bisschen schwer von Begriff (ebenso wie Merlin... Das erschien mir wirklich unlogisch!)
Im Großen und Ganzen fand ich es ganz nett, durch Artus' England zu reisen (die Sagengestalten hätten aber gerne etwas näher beschrieben werden dürfen!). Die Geschichte war an spannend und romantisch, an vielen Stellen aber auch vorhersehbar und künstlich in die Länge gezogen. Einige Wendungen waren für mich nur schlecht nachvollziehbar: Gerade Merlins Verhalten konnte ich überhaupt nicht verstehen. Die magische Atmosphäre allerdings, von der das ganze Buch durchsponnen ist, hat mir super gefallen. Ich bin auf den Nachfolger gespannt!
Im Großen und Ganzen fand ich es ganz nett, durch Artus' England zu reisen (die Sagengestalten hätten aber gerne etwas näher beschrieben werden dürfen!). Die Geschichte war an spannend und romantisch, an vielen Stellen aber auch vorhersehbar und künstlich in die Länge gezogen. Einige Wendungen waren für mich nur schlecht nachvollziehbar: Gerade Merlins Verhalten konnte ich überhaupt nicht verstehen. Die magische Atmosphäre allerdings, von der das ganze Buch durchsponnen ist, hat mir super gefallen. Ich bin auf den Nachfolger gespannt!
March 3, 2012
The book is divided into five chapters with three different narrators, and the first four chapter definitely make the book worth reading, but it had a fairly week ending. Worth reading, but nothing compared to The King's Damosel, another book by Vera.
November 15, 2009
Thin and a bit ... I dunno ... thin is the best word I got ... A mild diversion, but nothing more ...
March 27, 2018
Who knows how many times the Arthur stories have been retold. I guess that says something for the stories. This novel from the 1970's is mostly from the perspective of the grand-niece of Morgan Le Fay. It has some interesting surprises that I don't want to spoil. The greatest characters though are the Green Knight and Morgan Le Fay. The problem is they are not in the novel enough, especially Morgan Le Fay, and she is the best, most intriguing character. I realized at the end that I was mostly waiting for her return. Vera Chapman published two more novels about the Arthurian legends with women as the protagonists, and not the usual central women from the stories. They were all reprinted in one volume in the 1990's "The Three Damosels", which is where I read "The Green Knight", but have not read the others yet.
November 14, 2025
When I was eleven I liked this children's fantasy version of Sir Gawain and King Arthur. Simple and easy to read. Enjoyable. This South African author was born 1898, went to Oxford where she was one of the first woman to matriculate as a full member of Oxford University. Founded and was secretary of the first Tolkien Society, and persuaded J R R Tolkien to become the society's honorary president. She wrote/published her first novel aged 77.
June 7, 2024
Short retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, with an inclusion of various characters from The Knights of the Round Table. Much of the writing is very atmospheric, but the story itself didn't capture my attention.
July 2, 2025
I quite enjoy Vera Chapman’s storytelling. I do have a bit of a soft spot for Arthurian tales thanks to my mother. I can’t wait to read the next one as I managed to get my hands on a copy of the trilogy.
October 31, 2025
‘Oh, in hell’s name!—I knew they bred fools in convents, but such fools!
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♡ thoughts ♡
this is, surprisingly, my first arthurian tale! i’ve always been drawn to the lore but hadn’t taken the time to actually read any of the related literature, so this was my very first! it was quite short (140 pages for my kindle), adventurous and brisk. i did not care for the romance plotline at all — very insta-lovey, underdeveloped fairytale stuff — but i tend to find that forgivable when it comes to old tales and faerie stories. my favorite character was probably gawain le jeune or merlin (how could you not love merlin?) i do feel quite drawn to reading the rest of this series, and surely want to read other arthurian tales.
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♡ thoughts ♡
this is, surprisingly, my first arthurian tale! i’ve always been drawn to the lore but hadn’t taken the time to actually read any of the related literature, so this was my very first! it was quite short (140 pages for my kindle), adventurous and brisk. i did not care for the romance plotline at all — very insta-lovey, underdeveloped fairytale stuff — but i tend to find that forgivable when it comes to old tales and faerie stories. my favorite character was probably gawain le jeune or merlin (how could you not love merlin?) i do feel quite drawn to reading the rest of this series, and surely want to read other arthurian tales.
June 29, 2018
It had a slow start but then it grabbed me like crazy!
Read
May 12, 2021Not sure if witchcraft was in it... interesting take on the story, though. I like how Vivia's mother is under a spell, not a bad person.
November 12, 2024
*** 1/2
Vera Chapman wrote three short, linked fantasy novels based on Arthurian legends, originally published separately in 1975 and 1976. Two years later, the three novels were published in an ominibus edition entitled The Three Damosels.
The Green Knight appears first in the omnibus edition, but is the second of the novels when read in chronological order. Chapman's writings provide an enjoyable, if slight, addition to the modern retellings of the old legends, but not up to the levels of T.H. White, Mary Stewart, or Bernard Cornwell.
Vera Chapman wrote three short, linked fantasy novels based on Arthurian legends, originally published separately in 1975 and 1976. Two years later, the three novels were published in an ominibus edition entitled The Three Damosels.
The Green Knight appears first in the omnibus edition, but is the second of the novels when read in chronological order. Chapman's writings provide an enjoyable, if slight, addition to the modern retellings of the old legends, but not up to the levels of T.H. White, Mary Stewart, or Bernard Cornwell.
March 3, 2015
The first time since I was really young that I've sat down to read an Arthurian era romance. And it took me a while to really get back into it. But this was a good story to start with. You get a brief mention made of the main characters from the following two stories in The Three Damosels, and Vivian and Gawain the Younger are really interesting characters to introduce the reader to this version of some popular tales.
The story does, however, make references to other Arthurian legends that the reader is already expected to be familiar with, so one might want to brush up on their Arthurian mythos before diving into what is,at its heart, a series of Arthurian era fanfics.
The story does, however, make references to other Arthurian legends that the reader is already expected to be familiar with, so one might want to brush up on their Arthurian mythos before diving into what is,at its heart, a series of Arthurian era fanfics.
June 21, 2018
Worth reading cause of the 2nd chapter.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews