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The Squire's Tales #10
The Legend of the King
In this final installment of the Squire's Tale series, Terence and his fellow Knights of the Round Table must come together in a last stand to save Camelot. The characters Gerald Morris has brought to life throughout his series—“Terence and Gawain, Lynet and Gaheris, Luneta and Rhience, Dinadan and Palomides"—each have an important role to play in this climactic final conflict. Maintaining their faith, selflessness, and honor, Arthur's court bands together to try to defeat Morgause and Mordred and banish the dark magic from England forever.
295 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
18 people are currently reading
1080 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 125 reviews
June 8, 2011
Perfect.
Sad.
Deeper.
All those are words you could use to describe this book. Not that the story was perfect, but that it is a wonderful way to end the series. Sometimes it felt simply difficult to read, yet filled with hope.
At least there, at the end.
It was more mature than the other books in The Squire's Tale series. Deeper. Maybe even darker. Though I suppose it would have to be, this is the end, the destruction of Camelot. It was handled well, though. I am impressed.
It really isn't worth much giving a plot synopsis, because you can't do it without giving things away from the past book or two. But this is the end. The collapse of Camelot. King Arthur's demise. Anyone familiar with basic Arthurian legend knows the story of the sword in the stone, the discovery of Excalibur, Guinevere, and finally, the demise of the Round Table. It was the depressing nature of its ending that drove me away from Arthurian legends many years ago, when I received a little book from the summer reading program that contained its basic information. Over the years I have gladly devoured legends from Robin Hood to the Greek Myths to Sherlock Holmes, but always tended to avoid Arthur.
Quite persistently, with a few exceptions, in fact until I picked up Gerlad Morris's The Squire's Tale series, and simply fell in love with the Round Table. Every story brought knights and heroines I didn't know existed, all corroborated at the end as their author explained where they originally came from. The Morte d'Arthur. Gawain and the Green Knight. Stuff I'd heard of, who hasn't?, but not given any real attention.
Anyway, I approached the last book in this series warily. Very warily. Just because I'd been impressed with the last nine books in the series, all of them getting four stars and many bordering on five star stuff, didn't mean the series couldn't flop.
It doesn't.
Like I said, the ending is a little deeper and a flicker darker, but not to much. Pre-teens/young teenagers....I recommend this series whole heartedly. Magic, adventure, romance. You got it. It's also educational! After all, most of these stories come from famous pieces of literature. They are heroes to look up to, for the most part, who learn about honor, truth, beauty, human nature. I would really love to own this series some day.
It is a sad book...at least at first. The ending is filled with a bitter-sweet hope, just enough told so you know to hope. Just enough pain to feel bitter-sweet. I loved how this book incorporates all the characters from the past series. Terence, Gawain, Lynet, Gaheris, Luneta, Rhience, Dinadan, Palomides....even, for like three sentences, Piers. Arthur. Kai. Elaine. Lancelot. Several of them take turns telling the tale, which does a great job of evenly spreading it out. I also loved the ending. In a really weird way. It left off "just enough" for your imagination to take over.
I'm sorry the series had to come to an end, though I suppose all good things must! Ten books, that is a long time to be writing. But a tale worth telling. I still love Gawain and Gaheris and Dinadan (well, I love just about every one of the characters but those were my absolute favorites. And Terence. I liked Terence too.) It was great "hearing" from them all, once last time.
And the story doesn't end here. I don't think Morris will ever pick it up...but I like how the strands are left. For the future, for the imagination.
For someday.
A good book. A great series. I am very glad I read it xD Thanks to Morris for writing it and my sister for getting me started on it. I'm going to find some more Arthur...it is time he gets another try.
Sad.
Deeper.
All those are words you could use to describe this book. Not that the story was perfect, but that it is a wonderful way to end the series. Sometimes it felt simply difficult to read, yet filled with hope.
At least there, at the end.
It was more mature than the other books in The Squire's Tale series. Deeper. Maybe even darker. Though I suppose it would have to be, this is the end, the destruction of Camelot. It was handled well, though. I am impressed.
It really isn't worth much giving a plot synopsis, because you can't do it without giving things away from the past book or two. But this is the end. The collapse of Camelot. King Arthur's demise. Anyone familiar with basic Arthurian legend knows the story of the sword in the stone, the discovery of Excalibur, Guinevere, and finally, the demise of the Round Table. It was the depressing nature of its ending that drove me away from Arthurian legends many years ago, when I received a little book from the summer reading program that contained its basic information. Over the years I have gladly devoured legends from Robin Hood to the Greek Myths to Sherlock Holmes, but always tended to avoid Arthur.
Quite persistently, with a few exceptions, in fact until I picked up Gerlad Morris's The Squire's Tale series, and simply fell in love with the Round Table. Every story brought knights and heroines I didn't know existed, all corroborated at the end as their author explained where they originally came from. The Morte d'Arthur. Gawain and the Green Knight. Stuff I'd heard of, who hasn't?, but not given any real attention.
Anyway, I approached the last book in this series warily. Very warily. Just because I'd been impressed with the last nine books in the series, all of them getting four stars and many bordering on five star stuff, didn't mean the series couldn't flop.
It doesn't.
Like I said, the ending is a little deeper and a flicker darker, but not to much. Pre-teens/young teenagers....I recommend this series whole heartedly. Magic, adventure, romance. You got it. It's also educational! After all, most of these stories come from famous pieces of literature. They are heroes to look up to, for the most part, who learn about honor, truth, beauty, human nature. I would really love to own this series some day.
It is a sad book...at least at first. The ending is filled with a bitter-sweet hope, just enough told so you know to hope. Just enough pain to feel bitter-sweet. I loved how this book incorporates all the characters from the past series. Terence, Gawain, Lynet, Gaheris, Luneta, Rhience, Dinadan, Palomides....even, for like three sentences, Piers. Arthur. Kai. Elaine. Lancelot. Several of them take turns telling the tale, which does a great job of evenly spreading it out. I also loved the ending. In a really weird way. It left off "just enough" for your imagination to take over.
I'm sorry the series had to come to an end, though I suppose all good things must! Ten books, that is a long time to be writing. But a tale worth telling. I still love Gawain and Gaheris and Dinadan (well, I love just about every one of the characters but those were my absolute favorites. And Terence. I liked Terence too.) It was great "hearing" from them all, once last time.
And the story doesn't end here. I don't think Morris will ever pick it up...but I like how the strands are left. For the future, for the imagination.
For someday.
A good book. A great series. I am very glad I read it xD Thanks to Morris for writing it and my sister for getting me started on it. I'm going to find some more Arthur...it is time he gets another try.
May 1, 2012
Morris did a wonderful job wrapping up his 10 book saga based on Arthurian Romance. It's one of those books that leaves me hollow, not because it lacks resolution, but because it is so well resolved. Throughout my journey in his medieval world, I fell in love with all of his characters. Not only were they brave and honorable, but oftentimes such virtues were won through great hardship. Perhaps most notable, however, is his insistence that not every man, NOR every woman, is destined to be married, a fact not often found in literature for any age. In fact, Morris has created some of the strongest female character's I've yet to find; their independence and strength is something not often found in YA books today.
It is in this final book, when Arthur's glorious empire crumbles, that I truly realized how much I have come to love these people of myth and legend. As England's greatest knights (and ladies!)fight for the safety of an empire, and die pursuing a better England for all its inhabitants, I found myself teary-eyed (which rarely happens, no matter how touching the book). While I shall miss Gawain and Terrence dearly, this is one 20-something who shall carry the lessons she learned from them and their companions with her always.
It is in this final book, when Arthur's glorious empire crumbles, that I truly realized how much I have come to love these people of myth and legend. As England's greatest knights (and ladies!)fight for the safety of an empire, and die pursuing a better England for all its inhabitants, I found myself teary-eyed (which rarely happens, no matter how touching the book). While I shall miss Gawain and Terrence dearly, this is one 20-something who shall carry the lessons she learned from them and their companions with her always.
January 5, 2016
And the Squire's Tale series comes to a beautiful, tragic, inevitable-but-exquisitely-sad end. This is probably the least youth-oriented of the books (although the last one probably also wasn't), not because of any graphic content but because youth often don't appreciate the sad endings done well as much. At least I didn't when I was younger. Anyway, Morris does his typically excellent job and fits many of his longstanding characters around the ending we all know and love even as much as we dread it.
Parts I particularly enjoyed include Lynet's arrangement with Hecate, Sir Griflet finally facing his own foppishness, Terence's conversation with Mordred, and Guinevere's trial including a woman on the panel of judges. Morris' Author's Note at the end isn't its normal informative and witty self, other than to talk about how the series got created and some of his experience writing the stories and hearing from fans. I'm sure I'll be rereading this series in the next several years, if only to get my younger kids interested in it when they're old enough to read it.
Parts I particularly enjoyed include Lynet's arrangement with Hecate, Sir Griflet finally facing his own foppishness, Terence's conversation with Mordred, and Guinevere's trial including a woman on the panel of judges. Morris' Author's Note at the end isn't its normal informative and witty self, other than to talk about how the series got created and some of his experience writing the stories and hearing from fans. I'm sure I'll be rereading this series in the next several years, if only to get my younger kids interested in it when they're old enough to read it.
March 25, 2021
I don’t remember ever reading this before, though Goodreads says I did a decade ago. It’s... fine. Endings are always tough, and this one
I think, if you’re reading these, you can stop after book six. The series gets unwieldy after that.
I think, if you’re reading these, you can stop after book six. The series gets unwieldy after that.
August 7, 2019
I can't remember if I've read this one before. I don't think so. I would have remembered the Battle of Five Armies or Endgame feel to it. This book made me cry and I love it so much as an ending to this series and a farewell to our beloved characters. Have a couple beautiful lines:
"I have planted the glory of England in the earth of Barham Down."
Dinadan rolled his eyes. "We're the hope of England? A couple of knights, a family, two holy men, and a singer of tales?"
Guinglain smiled brightly, and in a voice that for all its mildness seemed to ride the wind into the trees said, "Indeed, I had not realized we had so much. Now I am content. It is enough."
"Enough?" gasped Dinadan.
"More than enough. Knight, holy man, family, poet--it is all that any land could want. If the knight will be honorable, the holy man true, the family loving. And if the poet will sing. After all, someone needs to tell the story of Arthur."
"The story of Arthur is over," Dinadan said.
"No, the events are over," Guinglain replied. "I'm talking about the story. There's a difference."
"I have planted the glory of England in the earth of Barham Down."
Dinadan rolled his eyes. "We're the hope of England? A couple of knights, a family, two holy men, and a singer of tales?"
Guinglain smiled brightly, and in a voice that for all its mildness seemed to ride the wind into the trees said, "Indeed, I had not realized we had so much. Now I am content. It is enough."
"Enough?" gasped Dinadan.
"More than enough. Knight, holy man, family, poet--it is all that any land could want. If the knight will be honorable, the holy man true, the family loving. And if the poet will sing. After all, someone needs to tell the story of Arthur."
"The story of Arthur is over," Dinadan said.
"No, the events are over," Guinglain replied. "I'm talking about the story. There's a difference."
Read
April 12, 2024The final book in Gerald Morris' series of Arthurian retellings faces the tall order of rounding off the series with a valedictory look at all previous protagonists, recapturing all the heart and humour of previous books, and...retelling the jolly cheerful tale of the death of King Arthur for young people.
It's a tall order indeed to finish off a series of fundamentally lighthearted books with a downer ending in which a good number of our old friends from previous books DIE. I think Morris painted himself into an unenviable corner here, and while I think he did a fairly decent job of it, all things considering - for instance, I was really nervous that this story would too clearly evoke the frankly traumatic experience of reading THE LAST BATTLE as a child, and it wasn't quite as bad as that - the strain is showing. The mood careens a little too wildly from grim to hilarious and back, characters behave inconsistently with how they've been established earlier in the series so as to go through the motions of the medieval tale, and there are unforced errors too, like how Guinevere's infidelity with Lancelot is treated as somehow more heinous than Arthur's own infidelity.
But I can forgive Gerald Morris all these things because as I read, I could feel smugly satisfied that my own Arthurian retelling did a much better and tidier job.
I haven't always loved Morris' decisions, and I can't help having criticisms (I had a very bad moment at the start of this book when Sir Dinadan tries speaking Arabic to a Turkish army...!) but the series as a whole was a lot of fun and I'm so glad I read it. My favourites are SAVAGE DAMSEL, DUNG-CART KNIGHT, and LIONESS, but the others were varying amounts of fun, too.
It's a tall order indeed to finish off a series of fundamentally lighthearted books with a downer ending in which a good number of our old friends from previous books DIE. I think Morris painted himself into an unenviable corner here, and while I think he did a fairly decent job of it, all things considering - for instance, I was really nervous that this story would too clearly evoke the frankly traumatic experience of reading THE LAST BATTLE as a child, and it wasn't quite as bad as that - the strain is showing. The mood careens a little too wildly from grim to hilarious and back, characters behave inconsistently with how they've been established earlier in the series so as to go through the motions of the medieval tale, and there are unforced errors too, like how Guinevere's infidelity with Lancelot is treated as somehow more heinous than Arthur's own infidelity.
But I can forgive Gerald Morris all these things because as I read, I could feel smugly satisfied that my own Arthurian retelling did a much better and tidier job.
I haven't always loved Morris' decisions, and I can't help having criticisms (I had a very bad moment at the start of this book when Sir Dinadan tries speaking Arabic to a Turkish army...!) but the series as a whole was a lot of fun and I'm so glad I read it. My favourites are SAVAGE DAMSEL, DUNG-CART KNIGHT, and LIONESS, but the others were varying amounts of fun, too.
May 4, 2014
Finishing this book was like parting with an old friend- which is perhaps why I put off the last few chapters for weeks- I wasn't ready to let go. I still remember sitting in the school yard reading my first Gerald Morris story, falling in love with Terence and Morris' writing in equal parts. As a 7th grader I was beyond grateful for finally being taken seriously by a young adult author- I was privy to "adult" humor, I wasn't condescended to. Here at last was fantasy without the trappings of childhood, I thought.
My next memory is much later, in a freshman dorm, garnering bewildered looks from my housemates as I sat in the common room with an earsplitting grin, reading a book which, judging by the cover, was clearly written for children, not students of a prestigious university studying Nabokov and analyzing Hitchcock's use of lighting in Rear Window.
I am twenty-seven now and nothing speaks for Morris' storytelling like my continued relationship with his characters over the course of the past fifteen (!) years. I will treasure their memory and can only hope one day my child discovers the same joy I once found in that school yard. Thank you Gerald, for being one happy constant throughout so many changes.
My next memory is much later, in a freshman dorm, garnering bewildered looks from my housemates as I sat in the common room with an earsplitting grin, reading a book which, judging by the cover, was clearly written for children, not students of a prestigious university studying Nabokov and analyzing Hitchcock's use of lighting in Rear Window.
I am twenty-seven now and nothing speaks for Morris' storytelling like my continued relationship with his characters over the course of the past fifteen (!) years. I will treasure their memory and can only hope one day my child discovers the same joy I once found in that school yard. Thank you Gerald, for being one happy constant throughout so many changes.
April 12, 2011
I decided I had to give this book 5 stars because of how well it ended the series. I have really enjoyed reading all of these books. It is a fresh new take on the same old Legends of Arthur. And best of all, Arthur is only a side character in most of the books. I've loved hearing the stories of all the knights I've never known before. I really looked forward to starting each new book.
These last 2 books were much darker than the others but they are leading up to the end. There is great evil in the land and it is up to the knights of the round table to defend all of England. We get to say one last goodbye to most of the characters we've met over the last 9 books and I found myself getting teary-eyed at their circumstances and how they reacted to them. I love a story that has people of great honor and integrity.
Most of all, the series left me with a sense of hope. (Which is more than I can say for some other series featuring great wars *cough* Hunger Games *cough*) Read the whole series, you'll love them!
These last 2 books were much darker than the others but they are leading up to the end. There is great evil in the land and it is up to the knights of the round table to defend all of England. We get to say one last goodbye to most of the characters we've met over the last 9 books and I found myself getting teary-eyed at their circumstances and how they reacted to them. I love a story that has people of great honor and integrity.
Most of all, the series left me with a sense of hope. (Which is more than I can say for some other series featuring great wars *cough* Hunger Games *cough*) Read the whole series, you'll love them!
August 31, 2010
Gerald Morris brings off an amazing conclusion to his lighthearted, warmly humorous "Squire's Tales" series. This tenth and final installment must have been quite a challenge to write, since readers familiar with the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table already know that it isn't going to end well.
Necessarily darker than the previous books, The Legend of the King gathers together the characters we've come to know, among them Squire (now Sir) Terence, through whose eyes we were introduced to the story in the earliest books, Dinadan, Palomides, Gawain, Gaheris, and Lynet.
The author brings to life the machinations and deceptions that lead up to the disastrous final confrontation between Arthur and his son, Mordred: Morgause's masterful plot to undermine the unity of the Round Table, bringing about a schism between Arthur and Lancelot; Mordred's sowing of discontent throughout the land by sending his minions out to slaughter peasants and attributing these mass murders to a mad King Arthur and his knights.
Despite the darkened tone of this concluding installment, there's still plenty of the wit and humor we enjoyed in the earlier books, and the undeniably sad outcome of the story is leavened by a conclusion in which we see glimmers of hope and the beginnings of the Arthurian legend we know and love today.
Necessarily darker than the previous books, The Legend of the King gathers together the characters we've come to know, among them Squire (now Sir) Terence, through whose eyes we were introduced to the story in the earliest books, Dinadan, Palomides, Gawain, Gaheris, and Lynet.
The author brings to life the machinations and deceptions that lead up to the disastrous final confrontation between Arthur and his son, Mordred: Morgause's masterful plot to undermine the unity of the Round Table, bringing about a schism between Arthur and Lancelot; Mordred's sowing of discontent throughout the land by sending his minions out to slaughter peasants and attributing these mass murders to a mad King Arthur and his knights.
Despite the darkened tone of this concluding installment, there's still plenty of the wit and humor we enjoyed in the earlier books, and the undeniably sad outcome of the story is leavened by a conclusion in which we see glimmers of hope and the beginnings of the Arthurian legend we know and love today.
March 7, 2013
The Legend of the King breaks, inevitably, with the lightness and humour of the other books in this series. It just can't be sustained when faced with the events that close the Arthurian cycle. There are still moments of warmth and humour, but this book mostly deals blow after blow to your heart.
And so, perversely, it's my favourite of the lot, I think. I liked what Gerald Morris did with it -- how he made it his, and how he was at the same time true to the original stories. In a way, his style didn't do too well at this kind of serious, heartbreaking narrative, but I never really found that that mattered while I was reading it. Perhaps it doesn't hold up to too much thought.
The other, earlier books are all suitable for reasonably young children, but I think this one takes a heavy leap forward.
And so, perversely, it's my favourite of the lot, I think. I liked what Gerald Morris did with it -- how he made it his, and how he was at the same time true to the original stories. In a way, his style didn't do too well at this kind of serious, heartbreaking narrative, but I never really found that that mattered while I was reading it. Perhaps it doesn't hold up to too much thought.
The other, earlier books are all suitable for reasonably young children, but I think this one takes a heavy leap forward.
October 14, 2010
Gerald Morris is pretty much amazing. I found myself alternately wishing he would end the story differently than I knew it would end - but at the same time realized he would never be unfaithful to his source material. That said, I found myself pleased by the end of the book. Loose ends were tied up, various characters were redeemed, a surprising amount of humor was worked in and kept it from getting too dark, and there was just enough mystery to keep one wondering at the eventual fate of the legendary King. Farewell Terence, farewell Arthur, its been a good ride.
June 26, 2011
I was so excited to read this book that I was jumping for joy when it came, but by the time I had finished reading it I was actually in tears. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying, Gerald Morris did an amazing job as always, but this is a warning to those of you who are expecting a lighthearted book like the rest of the series is, this is a sad book with more seriousness than any of the other ones. I give it 5 stars, but I don't think I will ever read it again.
January 7, 2017
I loved this series! The author weaves great tales of the many knights of Camelot. The last book (this book) made me cry, it was so good. I especially love the notes at the end of each book that talk about the original different legends and how they changed over time. Super easy read, meant for a younger audience.
December 9, 2019
Such a great way to end a series. It reminds me of the ending of Narnia series.
Each chapter is written well, focus on one character, and has many twists. It starts and ends with Dinadan and I like how he develops as a character, even though he shows up for only 2 chapters.
Each chapter is written well, focus on one character, and has many twists. It starts and ends with Dinadan and I like how he develops as a character, even though he shows up for only 2 chapters.
September 7, 2021
This devastated me in the best way possible. I was sad to see it end but it was done in a masterful way. All of his books and their character weaved together to create a satisfying narrative that was unique while paying homage to works the series is based on
January 17, 2019
What is there to say? Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I adore Morris's way with words, sense of humor, and morality. I'm a big fan of the Arthurian cycle, and Morris's version is a fantastic modern take on it. His writing is rhythmic, loving, and extremely witty. Dialogue is often laugh-out-loud funny and meaningful. His characters are as real as characters get, and it is well worth it to invest emotional energy in them. They do see their circumstances with a relatively modern value system, but this is worked seamlessly into the story and frankly makes them a great deal more relatable. I have /never/ liked a Lancelot before.
There is no way to end the Arthurian cycle happily or lightly. I wondered throughout this series how Morris would retain his positive worldview and sense of humor through the disaster that would have to end it. I thought he might even be wise to end the series prior to the fall of Camelot, so he didn't have to try to make this last book fit with the rest of the series.
I'm so glad he had the courage to create this book, which brings back all of our favorite characters from previous volumes, gives them important actions, and does what the story cycle demands without creating the complete tragedy that it ought to create. True, he played with the traditional tales a bit regarding who lives and who dies, but then he's played with the traditions throughout. This is certainly not a happy book: I have reread the series several times, both for myself and to keep up with my child, and my ears tear up through a large portion of this volume. But it is a fitting end for an extraordinary series.
All of the books in this series get 4 or 5 stars from me. The 4s are only because of my high expectations of this author. I recommend the series regularly to people looking for reading material, and they have without exception enjoyed it.
There is no way to end the Arthurian cycle happily or lightly. I wondered throughout this series how Morris would retain his positive worldview and sense of humor through the disaster that would have to end it. I thought he might even be wise to end the series prior to the fall of Camelot, so he didn't have to try to make this last book fit with the rest of the series.
I'm so glad he had the courage to create this book, which brings back all of our favorite characters from previous volumes, gives them important actions, and does what the story cycle demands without creating the complete tragedy that it ought to create. True, he played with the traditional tales a bit regarding who lives and who dies, but then he's played with the traditions throughout. This is certainly not a happy book: I have reread the series several times, both for myself and to keep up with my child, and my ears tear up through a large portion of this volume. But it is a fitting end for an extraordinary series.
All of the books in this series get 4 or 5 stars from me. The 4s are only because of my high expectations of this author. I recommend the series regularly to people looking for reading material, and they have without exception enjoyed it.
January 26, 2012
A variety of thinks:
1. Shelved as YA rather than children's because Morris does not pull his punches here, well done sir, this is a tragedy and tragedy supposed to be nasty and hard to read, and the tragedy of Arthur is particularly hard (for me, at least, I find the end of the story heart-rending no matter how much I know it's coming).
2. Somewhat to my embarrassment, I cannot figure out when this is supposed to be set; there are references to the Seljuk Turks, who are at the height of their power in the twelfth century, iirc, and the previous book had a long subplot dedicated to the Byzantine Empire (sadly without actual, you know, Byzantine politics, which were AWESOME), but the long-standing theme of chivalric poetry's influence points (imo) to a thirteenth-century setting. And let's not even get into the actualfax historical Arthuriana.
3. Oh god stop jumping around, I understand the impulse to break your readers' hearts by sending Gawain and Terence to different places, but holy hell, your organization sucks. At least mention Dinadin sometime before the last chapter, because I seriously forgot about him.
4. I don't understand why Mordred is such a good general or from whom he is raising the forces of the White Horsemen. Give me some damn worldbuilding.
5. Life was better when Terence was a squire and the world was full of shenanigans and Lancelot was comic relief and we actually got to go to the Other World sometimes.
1. Shelved as YA rather than children's because Morris does not pull his punches here, well done sir, this is a tragedy and tragedy supposed to be nasty and hard to read, and the tragedy of Arthur is particularly hard (for me, at least, I find the end of the story heart-rending no matter how much I know it's coming).
2. Somewhat to my embarrassment, I cannot figure out when this is supposed to be set; there are references to the Seljuk Turks, who are at the height of their power in the twelfth century, iirc, and the previous book had a long subplot dedicated to the Byzantine Empire (sadly without actual, you know, Byzantine politics, which were AWESOME), but the long-standing theme of chivalric poetry's influence points (imo) to a thirteenth-century setting. And let's not even get into the actualfax historical Arthuriana.
3. Oh god stop jumping around, I understand the impulse to break your readers' hearts by sending Gawain and Terence to different places, but holy hell, your organization sucks. At least mention Dinadin sometime before the last chapter, because I seriously forgot about him.
4. I don't understand why Mordred is such a good general or from whom he is raising the forces of the White Horsemen. Give me some damn worldbuilding.
5. Life was better when Terence was a squire and the world was full of shenanigans and Lancelot was comic relief and we actually got to go to the Other World sometimes.
June 5, 2021
No combination of words on this planet could adequately capture my adoration for this series.
I've never really written Goodreads reviews before - there just doesn't seem to be a reason for writing reviews besides expressing extreme dislike in a book. But in this instance, my love for this book triumphs my usual negativity.
I first discovered this series when I was eight years old. I can't count the amount of times I've re-read this series. With each reread it simply improves. Every. Single. Time. After 10 books, you'd think it'd be hard to conclude, to tie up all the characters' fates with one satisfying ending, but no; Morris does all this and more.
These books are so deeply intertwined with my childhood - no other series has made me feel such depth of emotions. I've belly-laughed at Morris' deadpan witticisms, and sobbed at heart-wrenching aphorisms. Fantasy is not a genre I particularly enjoy - but Morris has the special ability to weave the uncertainty of the supernatural with the familiarity of human condition. Throughout this series, portrayals of friendship, love, and forgiveness are relayed with such clarity and eloquence, one can't help but re-read.
Highly recommend reading this series. Fall in love with each character, not despite their misgivings, but because of how each character grapples with them. I promise, you'll finish this final book with a wistful grin on your face - and the memories of fellowship and humanity will stay with you forever.
I've never really written Goodreads reviews before - there just doesn't seem to be a reason for writing reviews besides expressing extreme dislike in a book. But in this instance, my love for this book triumphs my usual negativity.
I first discovered this series when I was eight years old. I can't count the amount of times I've re-read this series. With each reread it simply improves. Every. Single. Time. After 10 books, you'd think it'd be hard to conclude, to tie up all the characters' fates with one satisfying ending, but no; Morris does all this and more.
These books are so deeply intertwined with my childhood - no other series has made me feel such depth of emotions. I've belly-laughed at Morris' deadpan witticisms, and sobbed at heart-wrenching aphorisms. Fantasy is not a genre I particularly enjoy - but Morris has the special ability to weave the uncertainty of the supernatural with the familiarity of human condition. Throughout this series, portrayals of friendship, love, and forgiveness are relayed with such clarity and eloquence, one can't help but re-read.
Highly recommend reading this series. Fall in love with each character, not despite their misgivings, but because of how each character grapples with them. I promise, you'll finish this final book with a wistful grin on your face - and the memories of fellowship and humanity will stay with you forever.
July 30, 2019
Would not reread sad
September 10, 2018
One of the better, if not the best, endings to the traditional tale I've ever come across. Though I expected it, Morris' usual lightheartedness made me half hopeful that he wouldn't do it. I should've known better; Morris is nothing if not true to the legend itself and in his love of its characters.
So it was with that heavy weight of inevitability that I picked up this book, and honestly I cried through very nearly the entire last half, but it was worth every second. This is a masterful ending to a series I'll reread again and again, pulling everything together so perfectly and realistically that it left me... Well, you'll see. The point is that this is amazing and fully deserves the five stars I've given it, and indeed to the series as a whole. On your read, don't forgo it!
Do, however--as I'm sure Mr. Morris will--forgive me for never choosing to read it again.
Well done.
So it was with that heavy weight of inevitability that I picked up this book, and honestly I cried through very nearly the entire last half, but it was worth every second. This is a masterful ending to a series I'll reread again and again, pulling everything together so perfectly and realistically that it left me... Well, you'll see. The point is that this is amazing and fully deserves the five stars I've given it, and indeed to the series as a whole. On your read, don't forgo it!
Do, however--as I'm sure Mr. Morris will--forgive me for never choosing to read it again.
Well done.
August 6, 2020
My heart is absolutely broken to finish this book. It took me longer than usual to read this last installment because of how heart-wrenching it was to see so many beloved characters come to their end. Despite the unavoidable tragedy, it was beautiful, wonderful, and perfect all the same. One of my favorite series of all time with such amazing, realistic characters that I’m so broken hearted to see end. I will definitely reread this series a lot in future though I will save this final book only for the rare times I feel strong enough to do so. I just love Arthurian legends so much and this series does the most justice to it and makes it even more enjoyable. I loved every step of the journey, thank you.
October 3, 2020
Hard to finish this series. It was a series my sister and I read multiple times as young adults but we didn’t have the last three, likely because they were published a bit later (very end of high school for me). I reread them as an adult and they were every bit as lovely as I remembered. Hard to read the ending though. Thank you Gerald Morris for making such lovely relatable characters, for redeeming the story of Lancelot, and for telling the stories of King Arthur with such engaging good humor.
May 31, 2012
Morris brings his entertaining and interesting Arthurian retellings to a close with this poignant story, as Mordred challenges Arthur and Camelot is destroyed. Most are familiar with the gist and larger details of Arthur and Mordred and their final encounter, but Morris' contribution has always been to fill in the lines and bring color and humanity into these old tales. He is a talented and highly literary writer and it is sad to see the end of the series. Teen-adult.
August 14, 2021
After finishing this series, I realized why I liked it so much when I read the author's notes. The entire series was written well and to the plot - there wasn't a lot of extra text or sub plot for the sake of writing more and the stories were better for it.
April 1, 2019
Ah, I knew this was the end of the series, but still hard to say goodbye to these tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Wonderful stuff and I highly recommend this series!
February 23, 2024
(NB: I'm gonna try not to spoil anything book-specific, but not bother spoiler-tagging the parts that fit with Arthurian legend.)
Well, this series was very hit-or-miss, but it did mostly stick the landing. I almost want to give it 5 stars, because there are definitely parts, especially in the main storyline, that merit it. There are, however, enough little issues that I can't quite give it a perfect score.
I actually feel like I would have liked this book more if I'd accidentally picked it up without reading the others. The things about Morris' writing that annoy me are thankfully less prevalent, but they're still there, and hard as I try I can't unsee them at this point. For example:
- Morris is thankfully focusing on the characters that he arbitrarily likes and mostly ignoring the ones that he arbitrarily hates. But we still get some digs on the latter—Laudine shows up just to be annoying, Lyonesse apparently ran off with Mordred and then got murdered off-screen, and Gareth is still confusingly written, where his death is presented as a shocking end-of-chapter cliffhanger but his own brothers don't give a f*ck when they hear about it. On the other hand, we actually get character development for Agrivaine and Griflet, of all people.
- Relatedly, Morris still won't let Gawain do any wrong, even though, in the source material, his quest for vengeance is a major aspect of this story. Also, he wins the first fight with Lancelot, but spares his life...which is the exact opposite of how it's supposed to go. On the one hand, it makes Lancelot less of a Gary Stu than he is in "canon," but by giving his physical and moral victories to Gawain, plus absolving Gawain of any responsibility for Camelot's fall...well. It's not hard to figure out who Morris' favorite character is.
- The fairies are still treated as sacred and whimsical despite being one-dimensional characters, with a bonus helping of the "humans are stupid-bad and will thus not believe in you and also oppress you" trope that I hate in fantasy stories.
- Beaufils (just gonna keep calling him that) is fairly important in the second half, and there is more discussion of religious ideas. It's all better than it was in book #8, but a lot of it goes back to that general "sin is bad, I guess, but thinking you need to do better is worse" theme. Even when Beaufils is kind of making good points, he comes off as blithely indifferent to people's problems while Morris comes off like a smug preacher.
All that said, the main plot is very strong—Morris is willing to go to dark places and treat this story seriously. Hell, it's an improvement on LMD'A, which, as I complained in my review of that, told this story in the most disengaging way possible. Parts of this book were very gripping, and even though I'm a bit of a stickler for "canon," a lot of the changes to the mythos (this character did/not die, or died differently than expected) worked. Morgause also got a little more time to shine, and while she's in no way a nuanced character, it's better than just popping in to say "I exist! MWA-HA-HA!" like in the other books.
I should also note that while some scenes are very poignant, I don't feel like they were really set up that well, either in this or previous books. For example, near the end when Terence first sees . It's supposed to be a big moment, but...this person was only a secondary character like, five books ago, and his connection to Terence is pretty much "they've been in the same room together, I think?" Or like Morgan giving up paradise to stay with Arthur—I mean, we've been told throughout the series that she loves her brother, but aside from helping his knights, they've never really interacted. (Also, why is she in a magical coma? How does that help anything? Isn't she supposed to be healing him or something?)
So, overall: this series came highly recommended, but I can't say that I like it as much as other people seem to. It has some very good books and some that annoy the heck out of me, but at least it managed to capture the potential of Camelot's final story.
Well, this series was very hit-or-miss, but it did mostly stick the landing. I almost want to give it 5 stars, because there are definitely parts, especially in the main storyline, that merit it. There are, however, enough little issues that I can't quite give it a perfect score.
I actually feel like I would have liked this book more if I'd accidentally picked it up without reading the others. The things about Morris' writing that annoy me are thankfully less prevalent, but they're still there, and hard as I try I can't unsee them at this point. For example:
- Morris is thankfully focusing on the characters that he arbitrarily likes and mostly ignoring the ones that he arbitrarily hates. But we still get some digs on the latter—Laudine shows up just to be annoying, Lyonesse apparently ran off with Mordred and then got murdered off-screen, and Gareth is still confusingly written, where his death is presented as a shocking end-of-chapter cliffhanger but his own brothers don't give a f*ck when they hear about it. On the other hand, we actually get character development for Agrivaine and Griflet, of all people.
- Relatedly, Morris still won't let Gawain do any wrong, even though, in the source material, his quest for vengeance is a major aspect of this story. Also, he wins the first fight with Lancelot, but spares his life...which is the exact opposite of how it's supposed to go. On the one hand, it makes Lancelot less of a Gary Stu than he is in "canon," but by giving his physical and moral victories to Gawain, plus absolving Gawain of any responsibility for Camelot's fall...well. It's not hard to figure out who Morris' favorite character is.
- The fairies are still treated as sacred and whimsical despite being one-dimensional characters, with a bonus helping of the "humans are stupid-bad and will thus not believe in you and also oppress you" trope that I hate in fantasy stories.
- Beaufils (just gonna keep calling him that) is fairly important in the second half, and there is more discussion of religious ideas. It's all better than it was in book #8, but a lot of it goes back to that general "sin is bad, I guess, but thinking you need to do better is worse" theme. Even when Beaufils is kind of making good points, he comes off as blithely indifferent to people's problems while Morris comes off like a smug preacher.
All that said, the main plot is very strong—Morris is willing to go to dark places and treat this story seriously. Hell, it's an improvement on LMD'A, which, as I complained in my review of that, told this story in the most disengaging way possible. Parts of this book were very gripping, and even though I'm a bit of a stickler for "canon," a lot of the changes to the mythos (this character did/not die, or died differently than expected) worked. Morgause also got a little more time to shine, and while she's in no way a nuanced character, it's better than just popping in to say "I exist! MWA-HA-HA!" like in the other books.
I should also note that while some scenes are very poignant, I don't feel like they were really set up that well, either in this or previous books. For example, near the end when Terence first sees . It's supposed to be a big moment, but...this person was only a secondary character like, five books ago, and his connection to Terence is pretty much "they've been in the same room together, I think?" Or like Morgan giving up paradise to stay with Arthur—I mean, we've been told throughout the series that she loves her brother, but aside from helping his knights, they've never really interacted. (Also, why is she in a magical coma? How does that help anything? Isn't she supposed to be healing him or something?)
So, overall: this series came highly recommended, but I can't say that I like it as much as other people seem to. It has some very good books and some that annoy the heck out of me, but at least it managed to capture the potential of Camelot's final story.
July 4, 2024
I delayed finishing this series for almost 10 years because I didn’t want to have to read about the dissolution and destruction of some of my favorite versions of the Arthurian characters. But I shouldn’t have worried: there’s fatal failures of trust and betrayals, yes, and Morris doesn’t avoid the key crises of the story, like the division of the court over Mordred, or the trial of Guinevere and her eleventh-hour rescue by Lancelot and Arthur’s subsequent siege. But he manages to make these events the result of tragic misunderstandings rather than real betrayals, in a way that doesn’t diminish their impact. So for example Even more importantly, recognitions and reconciliations happen while there is still time for a concerted stand together.
Some things smelled a little too strongly of Narnia for my taste—Hecate’s dead world is an awful lot like Charn, and although there is no explicit Christian heaven awaiting our characters, the world Faery starts to take on a bit of that tenor. But insofar as The Enchantress ~ Jadis, I liked that it was Lynette who finally outmatched her by valuing love over immortality — Enchantress against Enchantress — rather than some symbolic “son” of a great and powerful god-the-father. That Morris is a protestant Christian pastor is very apparent throughout the series, but especially in the later books, but overall the books do a pretty good job of *not* proselytizing Christianity in particular.
Of course, Avalon is an integral part of the Arthur myth, and I can’t be too sad that That the surviving characters never know precisely what happened and are left to try to salvage what they can in a post-apocalyptic post-Arthurian world, also keeps the passing into Avalon from feeling like an “out”.
Some things smelled a little too strongly of Narnia for my taste—Hecate’s dead world is an awful lot like Charn, and although there is no explicit Christian heaven awaiting our characters, the world Faery starts to take on a bit of that tenor. But insofar as The Enchantress ~ Jadis, I liked that it was Lynette who finally outmatched her by valuing love over immortality — Enchantress against Enchantress — rather than some symbolic “son” of a great and powerful god-the-father. That Morris is a protestant Christian pastor is very apparent throughout the series, but especially in the later books, but overall the books do a pretty good job of *not* proselytizing Christianity in particular.
Of course, Avalon is an integral part of the Arthur myth, and I can’t be too sad that That the surviving characters never know precisely what happened and are left to try to salvage what they can in a post-apocalyptic post-Arthurian world, also keeps the passing into Avalon from feeling like an “out”.
January 19, 2023
PLOT SUMMARY
The Legend of the King is the tenth book of the Squire’s Tales series. England is going through a revolt. An army called the White Horsemen are traveling through England attacking villages they come across. The White Horsemen are led by Mordred, King Arthur’s son. Mordred wants to become King of England, and with the help of the evil sorcerous Morgause, he seems unstoppable. Terrence and the Knights of the Round Table must stop this, but Arthur has been distracted with Lancelot, who had an affair with his wife Queen Guinevere twenty years earlier. Will the Arthur and the Round Table save England, or will Mordred’s mighty army prove too much, and England, as well as King Arthur, fall?
WHAT I ENJOYED
I really enjoyed reading about the medieval battles, and I thought that they were realistic. It was not an average medieval battle in a book where one character takes out a whole army. It was an authentic battle, which included realistic battle tactics, especially a description of a siege. I thought that although the book itself was not realistic, the battles captured the environment and energy of what I think the Middle Ages would really have been like.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There were many things in the book that were quite confusing. The plot seemed to flick through characters quite often. This caused confusion, and also made me forget about certain characters, who then came back. I would occasionally be reading about a character who played an important role, but I could not remember who the character was and what the role was.
HISTORICALLY ACCURATE?
Unfortunately, The Legend of the King is not historically accurate. It involved characters like King Arthur, whose existence is not confirmed. It also very heavily relies on magic. I would not recommend this book as a historical book, but as a semi-realistic medieval fantasy.
The Legend of the King is the tenth book of the Squire’s Tales series. England is going through a revolt. An army called the White Horsemen are traveling through England attacking villages they come across. The White Horsemen are led by Mordred, King Arthur’s son. Mordred wants to become King of England, and with the help of the evil sorcerous Morgause, he seems unstoppable. Terrence and the Knights of the Round Table must stop this, but Arthur has been distracted with Lancelot, who had an affair with his wife Queen Guinevere twenty years earlier. Will the Arthur and the Round Table save England, or will Mordred’s mighty army prove too much, and England, as well as King Arthur, fall?
WHAT I ENJOYED
I really enjoyed reading about the medieval battles, and I thought that they were realistic. It was not an average medieval battle in a book where one character takes out a whole army. It was an authentic battle, which included realistic battle tactics, especially a description of a siege. I thought that although the book itself was not realistic, the battles captured the environment and energy of what I think the Middle Ages would really have been like.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
There were many things in the book that were quite confusing. The plot seemed to flick through characters quite often. This caused confusion, and also made me forget about certain characters, who then came back. I would occasionally be reading about a character who played an important role, but I could not remember who the character was and what the role was.
HISTORICALLY ACCURATE?
Unfortunately, The Legend of the King is not historically accurate. It involved characters like King Arthur, whose existence is not confirmed. It also very heavily relies on magic. I would not recommend this book as a historical book, but as a semi-realistic medieval fantasy.
November 28, 2021
No combination of words on this planet could adequately capture my adoration for this series.
I've never really written Goodreads reviews before - there just doesn't seem to be a reason for writing reviews besides expressing extreme dislike in a book. But in this instance, my love for this book triumphs my usual negativity.
I first discovered this series when I was eight years old. I can't count the amount of times I've re-read this series. With each reread it simply improves. Every. Single. Time. After 10 books, you'd think it'd be hard to conclude, to tie up all the characters' fates with one satisfying ending, but no; Morris does all this and more.
These books are so deeply intertwined with my childhood - no other series has made me feel such depth of emotions. I've belly-laughed at Morris' deadpan witticisms, and sobbed at heart-wrenching aphorisms. Fantasy is not a genre I particularly enjoy - but Morris has the special ability to weave the uncertainty of the supernatural with the familiarity of human condition. Throughout this series, portrayals of friendship, love, and forgiveness are relayed with such clarity and eloquence, one can't help but re-read.
Highly recommend reading this series. Fall in love with each character, not despite their misgivings, but because of how each character grapples with them. I promise, you'll finish this final book with a wistful grin on your face - and the memories of fellowship and humanity will stay with you forever.
I've never really written Goodreads reviews before - there just doesn't seem to be a reason for writing reviews besides expressing extreme dislike in a book. But in this instance, my love for this book triumphs my usual negativity.
I first discovered this series when I was eight years old. I can't count the amount of times I've re-read this series. With each reread it simply improves. Every. Single. Time. After 10 books, you'd think it'd be hard to conclude, to tie up all the characters' fates with one satisfying ending, but no; Morris does all this and more.
These books are so deeply intertwined with my childhood - no other series has made me feel such depth of emotions. I've belly-laughed at Morris' deadpan witticisms, and sobbed at heart-wrenching aphorisms. Fantasy is not a genre I particularly enjoy - but Morris has the special ability to weave the uncertainty of the supernatural with the familiarity of human condition. Throughout this series, portrayals of friendship, love, and forgiveness are relayed with such clarity and eloquence, one can't help but re-read.
Highly recommend reading this series. Fall in love with each character, not despite their misgivings, but because of how each character grapples with them. I promise, you'll finish this final book with a wistful grin on your face - and the memories of fellowship and humanity will stay with you forever.
April 26, 2022
After getting attached to the world and the characters through the rest of the series… if you want your heart to wrench itself out, this is the book to read.
This book follows the last stand of the knights of the Round Table and all the rest of the heroes of the series. The emotions of hope and despair are rather palpable throughout it all, and you root for a happy ending to the last page.
The set-up is different than the rest of the series in that each chapter pretty much follows a different person. It emphasizes the chaos of the times. (Though you shouldn’t take that to mean that the change in characters is confusing! It’s handled well and the third person writing makes it easy to follow the changes in narration.)
I couldn’t help but think that, based on this book in particular, the series would do very well to be adapted to a movie (or maybe the movie-esque tv series that have become popular recently). The story is strong, the characters are shaped well through interaction with the story and dialogue, and the story doesn’t depend too much on narrative (which is the downfall of a lot of movie adaptations of books, I think – you lose the narrative that ends up being why the book itself did so well).
Like the majority of the rest of the series, appropriate for kids starting around 8-10, but the emotions will probably be better appreciated by an older crowd.
This book follows the last stand of the knights of the Round Table and all the rest of the heroes of the series. The emotions of hope and despair are rather palpable throughout it all, and you root for a happy ending to the last page.
The set-up is different than the rest of the series in that each chapter pretty much follows a different person. It emphasizes the chaos of the times. (Though you shouldn’t take that to mean that the change in characters is confusing! It’s handled well and the third person writing makes it easy to follow the changes in narration.)
I couldn’t help but think that, based on this book in particular, the series would do very well to be adapted to a movie (or maybe the movie-esque tv series that have become popular recently). The story is strong, the characters are shaped well through interaction with the story and dialogue, and the story doesn’t depend too much on narrative (which is the downfall of a lot of movie adaptations of books, I think – you lose the narrative that ends up being why the book itself did so well).
Like the majority of the rest of the series, appropriate for kids starting around 8-10, but the emotions will probably be better appreciated by an older crowd.
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