The best of Arthurian literature.
476 books ·
1,442 voters ·
list created June 26th, 2008
by Rora.
Amitha
1246 books
243 friends
243 friends
Heather
1515 books
35 friends
35 friends
Wealhtheow
4761 books
690 friends
690 friends
Kelly
2130 books
327 friends
327 friends
Heather
966 books
164 friends
164 friends
Karen
1160 books
48 friends
48 friends
Jon
3035 books
129 friends
129 friends
Marie
2550 books
177 friends
177 friends
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Mark
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Jun 26, 2008 03:24PM
I'm suprised you've left out the Bernard Cornwell series
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I just added my middle grade book Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend to this list. It tells the story of Guinevere in her last year of childhood, when she meets Arthur for the first time. Although she doesn't want to, she has to grow up. I hope readers will take a look at it and vote for it.Cheryl Carpinello
Why are stories about Tristan and Isolde included on this list? (I really want to know, please.) I've always considered their story/myth to be entirely separate from the myth of Arthur.
May Earth RiseCrimson FireCry of SorrowNight Birds' ReignAbsolutely beautiful series on Guinevere, and King Arthur
Lest anyone be misled, a couple of books I added, Last Call and The Drawing of the Dark, both by Tim Powers, are Arthurian, but they take place a long time after the classic Matter of Britain.
Xenophon wrote: "Lest anyone be misled, a couple of books I added, Last Call and The Drawing of the Dark, both by Tim Powers, are Arthurian, but they take place a long time after the classic Matter of Britain."I've not heard of these, but I will check them out. Thanks for the notice.
Cheryl Carpinello
author of Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend
Does anyone else but me find it funny that Le Morte d' Arthur is so far down on the list... because (I am fairly certain) the story is the oldest about Arthur?
There is stuff older than Le Morte d' Arthur. Good ol' Wikipedia has some examples. Personally, I find Malory to be boring reading. It's too bad that Steinbeck never finished his retelling. What he did finish is pretty fine.As for how books are listed, it is number of voters times their average rank, basically.
Cheryl wrote: "I don't know how the books get ranked on this list. Maybe it is popularity."Yes, it's popularity.
Not sure if this would count, or not, but Shades of Gray (Sholan Alliance #8) by Lisanne Norman has some heavy Arthurian references. Essentially a character is a reincarnation of King Arthur, so you get flashbacks to his early memories, and you see parallels in his current life.Great series.
Haven't read most of these but Jack Whyte's series is incredible and well written...His knowledge of that era is amazing. The books get better and better as they progress. The first was not me fav but very good just the say.:)
This is a great list, but now I have too many things to read! But: Arthur [the aardvark] goes to camp? Heh.
I finished #32 "The Road to Avalon" today. This version of the King Arthur story is much different from the classic tale, but I found it immensely enjoyable. The main characters are all well-developed; their interactions are moving. Also, Wolf's descriptions of the dialog, settings, and battle scenes are excellent. It's one amazing, complete King Arthur story to remember.
The ranking is supposed to be popularity, but I have so many books that when I go through a list I just find myself clicking the ones I have in the order they show up, and then it's really difficult to reorder by my own preferences!
Kevin wrote: "I finished #32 "The Road to Avalon" today. This version of the King Arthur story is much different from the classic tale, but I found it immensely enjoyable. The main characters are all well-develo..."I hear you! Road to Avalon is perhaps one of my favorite Arthurian renditions ever! :)
I did enjoy Joan Wolf's "The Road to Avalon" a lot. It's a complete version of the King Arthur story. It has a very "Roman" feel to it, which I got into.... Now, over my winter break (I'm a college English teacher) I read Nancy McKenzie's "Queen of Camelot," which is actually two of her earlier books ("The Child Queen" and "The High Queen") combined into one. I loved it! I read this 600+ page Arthurian novel in about 8 days! This is also a complete version of the Arthur story but all from Guinevere's perspective. As a longer story, we get deeper into the wonderful characters of Guinevere, Arthur, Lancelot, etc. These characters are so well-developed and fascinating. And MCKenzie's Arthur holds his deep friendships and kingdom together, through the daunting challenges and crises, with a calm kind of beautiful strength and grace.
I read 55 of the books listed between 1980 and 2000. Why don't you include the Arthurian Encyclopedia and the Mammoth Merlin and Arthur as well as the two Pendragon chronicles issued during this time period?Some of trhe books I read multiple time, but it is only myth after all, but what's wrong with myth?
I am afraid Mist of Avalons leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. Very 80's new age...though well written enough to convince a whole crowd of people that ancient Britain really was full of matriarchal societies worshipping 'the Great Goddess' in peace and love and harmony.(How many books have I seen touting the same tripe later on--too many!) As a fantasy it's ok, but her history and anthropology is deeply suspect to anyone who has a knowledge of this period or the earlier periods referred to.Cornwell is far more realistic, and so is Parke Godwin (even with his over-anthropologised Little Dark People...but at least they weren't 'fluffy bunnies'!)
J.P. wrote: "I am afraid Mist of Avalons leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. Very 80's new age...though well written enough to convince a whole crowd of people that ancient Britain really was full of matriarc..."Hi J.P. I agree with you on some points especially 'the Great Goddess.' For the most part, I just enjoyed the story. I like reading all the different interpretations of the Arthur Legend. I find it fascinating. Have you read much of the current fiction out there based on King Arthur? Several are set in today's world. One I can think of is Stephen Lawhead's "Avalon: The Return of King Arthur." I marvel at the magnetic pull the Legend has for all ages and generations!
One of my favorite more modern stories is Deepak Chopra's "The Return of Merlin." I would recommend it if you haven't already read it.
Sunsprout wrote: "Does anyone else but me find it funny that Le Morte d' Arthur is so far down on the list... because (I am fairly certain) the story is the oldest about Arthur?"I dont find it funny at all. It may be one of the oldest, however that doesn't necessarily make it one of the favourites/best, which is probably why it's so far down the list.
Linda wrote: "Sunsprout wrote: "Does anyone else but me find it funny that Le Morte d' Arthur is so far down on the list... because (I am fairly certain) the story is the oldest about Arthur?"I dont find it fun..."
It's not the oldest.
Greetings~I am an Arthurian freak. There I said it...
I just finished putting together a lengthy Arthurian Reading List including sections fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, mystery, graphic, short story collections, YA with additional sections of series versus singles. Wanted to put it out there in hopes it might identify some fun, new Arthurian reading!
http://1mpages.com/ArthurianLiteratur...
Carolyn wrote: "Why are stories about Tristan and Isolde included on this list? (I really want to know, please.) I've always considered their story/myth to be entirely separate from the myth of Arthur."
-Because Sir Tristan was a Knight of the Round Table. Originally, the Tristan legend had nothing to do with King Arthur, but shortly after the Vulgate Cycle (or Lancelot-Grail cycle) in c. 1235, the Prose Tristan, the hero had joined the fellowship of the Round Table.
It predated and influenced the Arthurian romance of Lancelot and Guinevere.
One early mention of Arthur in a book was in The History of the Kings of Britain (original title : Historia Regum Britanniae) and in The Life of Merlin, Vita Merlini. Though you can get some even older sources like History of the Britons or The Poems of Taliesin.
Then Roman de Brut appeared. It is similar to The History of the Kings of Britain but with some modification to suit the author's agenda.
Which inspired Chrétien de Troyes who was the first to write stories specifically about the arthurian legends. Parzival and Lanzelet were written around the same period.
Robert de Boron then wrote three books (Joseph d’Arimathie, Merlin, Perceval) that you can find in Merlin and the Grail: The Trilogy of Arthurian Prose Romances. He is the guy who christianised the story.
From there you get a bunch of anonymous french authors who wrote the Lancelot-Grail, and many other 13th century european sources.
All this is what makes the core of the matter of Britain. It's really too bad they are so low on the list.
Then Roman de Brut appeared. It is similar to The History of the Kings of Britain but with some modification to suit the author's agenda.
Which inspired Chrétien de Troyes who was the first to write stories specifically about the arthurian legends. Parzival and Lanzelet were written around the same period.
Robert de Boron then wrote three books (Joseph d’Arimathie, Merlin, Perceval) that you can find in Merlin and the Grail: The Trilogy of Arthurian Prose Romances. He is the guy who christianised the story.
From there you get a bunch of anonymous french authors who wrote the Lancelot-Grail, and many other 13th century european sources.
All this is what makes the core of the matter of Britain. It's really too bad they are so low on the list.
Nice recommendations, Sivoj! Integral works in the Arthur / Matter of Britain canon. I know the Mabinogi are an anonymous collection of stories (most famous from Lady Charlotte Guest's Victorian-era English translation), but I think those Welsh legends predate a lot of the French chronicles. Probably not the oldest mentions, though, since it was originally recorded in the 13th century.
Also- If you like the classic romance story ala Chretien de Troyes, you should check out The Lais of Marie De France: With Two Further Lais in the Original Old French. I added Marie to the list :)
Oh, and I removed Arthur the Aardvark Goes to Camp. Again.
You left out the David Gemmell Ghost King, and Last Sword of Power, absolutely amazing Arthur Books.
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