The Emperor Arthur

by Godfrey Turton

Genres: Arthurian, Fantasy

335 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Godfrey Edmund Turton

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up The Emperor Arthur after some comments in an essay about the portrayal of Guinevere. Unfortunately for my own essay, she barely appears. It's a very interesting text, though: it starts off very dry, and seemingly historical, but there's mysticism and magic in there too. It weaves together a lot of different threads: the story of Pelleas and Ettare, the abduction of Guinevere by Melwas, Gildas, Lancelot and Guinevere, what Lancelot does to Gareth, Mordred, Vivian, Excalibur, Avalon...

I was constantly surprised and amused by the way Turton wove the familiar stories together. Occasionally I was a bit irritated -- for example, by the fact that Nimue and Vivian were two different characters, when Vivian is simply a version of Nimue -- but mostly I rather liked it. It's odd how well it kept my attention, considering I've been scatter-brained even about books I know I like. Not complaining, despite the time given to it that would have been better spent on essay-relevant research.

[Arthurianmaiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a rare jewel. This is, I think, the only novel where Pelleas is the main character, which really surprised me because when I started reading this book I had no idea what it would be about and Pelleas is one of my favourite characters.
The novel is an historial one, mostly based on a religious conflict (Paganism vs Christians and Christian priests wanting more power), and where the main character is Pelleas, young Roman-enamoured knight of Arthur.
Personally I was so much more taken by the first part of the novel, than the last one, and it seemed to me like the last part was mostly a quick narrative to a predestined end (the one we all know with Mordred and Arthur at Camlann).
There will be spoilers from now on.
The first part of the novel was my favourite one. Everything is described and the author creates a beautiful world where young Pelleas has to live, humanizing even the ones who later will become villain (like Illtud and Merlin), showing us the big revelation of Arthur's secret (Mordred is his son) and the start of the beautiful friendship between him, his own sister Olwen, Gareth and Gawain, and later Vivian (the daughter of Nimue).
The moment where Arthur takes Excalibur from Nimue's chest, when the woman was killed by Balin on Merlin's order, and promises Vivian he will get revenge was very dramatic and a new way to use the "lady of the lake gave me Excalibur" idea, like the whole idea of the Grail and Mordred's conception. I liked it all, I liked the characters too and how Pelleas fell in love with Vivian - but. There's a but.
Sometimes it all felt disconnected from the main events. The adventures of the novel are about Pelleas, his story with Ettard, saving Olwen when Guinevere was kidnapped etc. and the events of Lancelot, Guinevere, Arthur and Mordred are always outside the main focus. Still, while for a great part of the novel it worked, because it seemed like the main characters were occupied otherwise, by the end it made me feel disconnected. We never see Guinevere and Lancelot firsthand, we never witness Arthur building Camelot and the future, we never see the results of Arthur's kingdom, his love for Guinevere, and we never see Mordred at all (a part from when he is a child) or feel Morgause's revenge, even if by the premise this was all set up and by the end this is the central part of the dramatic events. But the central part of the drama, a part from the very end, when Pelleas goes to Arthur at Camlann, is outside and I couldn't feel much at how Mordred took the power even if probably the author wanted me to feel the enormously dramatic event.
As far as I knew Arthur could have been a useless king and Mordred an amazing heir, because the novel doesn't tell me anything about that.

In general, I quite enjoyed it, even if I usually tend to avoid arthurian novels with religious conflict.

[John Behnken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It had a distinct historical bent, which was great. But just enough mysticism to remind you that you were still ensconced in one of the greatest legends of all time. Well balanced, well written and with memorable characters. I recommend this for anyone who wants to experience the Arthurian legend in it's proper context - the Dark Ages of Britain.