Mythic Fiction discussion

Just wondering if anyone here enjoys reading books based on the King Arthur legend.

A couple of favorites are Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and The Merlin series by Mary Stewart.

On my "to be read" pile I have Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead. He's a new author to me, has anyone read his Pendragon series?

I've read the first three books of Pendragon and they've been favorites since my early teens. The later books in the series aren't worth it in my opinion, but if you really like Arthur, the third, you might want to continue. Other than that I'm not very familiar with Arthurian fiction, though I do like Tolkien's translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" is one of my favorite books. I read "Mists of Avalon" and the Stewart books as a teenager and loved those as well. It was the Susan Cooper books that gave me a taste for Arthurian romance. King Arthur's role in the Dark is Rising series was magical.

I'm reading Lawhead's "Hood" but haven't gotten to Taliesin. How is it?

I also liked The Once and Future King. The Dark is Rising series is one of my favorites as well. :)

I haven't started on Taliesin yet, I think I will after I've finished reading my current book.

Rora, I forgot to mention two other trilogies that have King Arthur themes. Gillian Bradshaw's trilogy that starts with Hawk of May focuses on the sons of King Lot. It's a good series, but I think it may be out of print. And there's the Fionavar Tapestry series by Guy Gavriel Kay that begins with The Summer Tree. It's a fantasy series that incorporates modern reincarnations of Arthurian characters.

My friends with similar taste in books tell me I should also give Bernard Cornwell's books a try, but I haven't gotten to them yet. I think his series starts with The Winter King.

Thanks Inky. I've read the Fionavar Tapestry but not the Gillian Bradshaw or Bernard Cornwell books. I'll have to look into those.

i love king authur
i especialy love merlins involvement in it

There are also many a few stories of mirlin as a boy. I've reread the young merlin trilogy by jane yolen sevral times. There's also the lost years of merlin but I for get who the author is. I loved the first two books of alice borchardt's tales of gueniver, but it's a pity she died before finishing the third book.

I liked Jane Yolen's trilogy too.

I didn't know that Alice Borchardt had passed away, sorry to hear that.

Oh! I love SONG OF THE SPARROW it's about elain of shallott- the lady of shallott- a poem which is good- but it v. different.

I agree that the Pendragon series is excellent, but then I'm a huge fan of Stephan R. Lawhead anyway. Also, I'd recommend Anne Eliot Crompton's "Gawain and Lady Green." As everyone can probably guess, the novel is a very interesting- and thought provoking-retelling of "Gawain and the Green Knight."

Mists of Avalon was suching a turning point in my book reading life; for years after most of my teens was spent looking for Arthurian fantasy, sadly I didn't keep a list of the stuff I read. Although, in the same vein of The Mists of Avalon I recommend Diana Paxson's The White Raven.

(I just joined the group - so this is my first post!)

I've always loved Arthurian legend - I wrote my honor's undergrad thesis on Arthur in Victorian British literature and culture.

The Mists of Avalon is one of my all time favorite books. I love the Lawhead books, Mary Stewart's series is also great.

In The Shadow of the Oak King was very interesting, sort of a different take on it. (Sorry not sure of the author offhand.) Rosalind Miles wrote a series from Guenevere's point of view - I don't remember the names of the books, but they were amazing. I only read the first two - I got so worked up about the tragedy of her love for both Arthur and Lancelot that I had to take a break.

There were a few other good ones but I haven't been able to remember the titles or authors lately.

For those who like that sort of of thing, there is a listopia list called Best Arthurian Fiction. It could offer a compressed version of this thread, if enough people vote on it.

It's not very mythic, but I really enjoyed the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte.

Also, there is a delicious picture book called Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady. It's a little different from the Wife of Bath's Tale.

Macy wrote: "In The Shadow of the Oak King was very interesting, sort of a different take on it. (Sorry not sure of the author offhand.)"

Ooh, I just re-read this trilogy:

In the Shadow of the Oak King
Witch of the North
A Prince in Camelot

The author is Courtway Jones. Took me forever to find them again.

Molly Cochran and Warren Murphy wrote a trilogy of books:

The Forever King
The Broken Sword
The Third Magic

I've only read the first two, but they were okay. Basically the idea that Arthur is reborn as an American boy. And Galahad is a broken-down former FBI agent. It also bounces back to Camelot, which I thought were the better scenes. It got a little gruesome at times (the villain is an evil knight named Saladin, who found the Grail and has used it to remain alive. In modern times, he's a mental patient), but I didn't think it too horrid, and I have a terrible aversion to violence.

There is also the excellent Arthurian Saga based on Merlin's life by Mary Stewart and the Camulod Chronicles(9 books) by Jack Whyte

I first read Mary Stewart's trilogy first and loved it. But the book that changed it all for me was The Mists of Avalon--one of my all time faces.
Now to read Jack Whyte & Bernard Cornwell.

T. H. White's The Sword in the Stone was my introduction to Arthurian fiction, and I love it, and its sequels.

Rosemary Sutcliff's Sword at Sunset, strongly realistic and historical but still mythic, is magnificent. One of her very best books, and that's saying something.

More recently, N. M. Browne's Warriors of Camlann is realistic too but with modern children, courtesy of time travel, and sorcery. Philip Reeve's Here Lies Arthur is very well written but a bit - saddening. Myrddin the bard (Merlin) essentially "spins" the events of a rather brutal warlord's life to create a beguiling legend.

I began reading Arthurian fiction with Mary Stewart's series, and I loved it. The T. H. White books are on my shelf and may need to be bumped up on my TBR list along with many others this thread is bringing to light for me.

I absolutely love the mists of avalon and all of marion zimmer's books that follow after that., loved how she put the stories in a female prospective. i have not read any of the books mentioned here. so if someone could make a list of them, it'd help me try to find them. lol

An Arthurian-themed fantasy that I really love, that not many people seem to have heard of, is The Blind Knight. A wizard of the blood of Merlin curses a lord for causing the cruel death of his wife. The curse falls on the lord's son, who grows up albino and blind. The wizard's daughter grows up spoiled and wild in the forest, and eventually falls for the cursed prince despite her resentment of his magical abilities (she's the one with the heritage, not him). He is an extremely nice guy even though his evil father raises him in what amounts to a stone closet, out of sight.

WOW!! That sounds really good. lol ill have to get my hands on it. thanks Ruby..

I also liked Mercedes Lackey's Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit . It's based on a snippet of Arthurian legend that there were three queens named Guineviere.

A few other possibilities: Bernard Cornwell's trilogy isn't bad although some parts are much better than others. The first book is The Winter King. Another title is The Hawk of May, with Gawain as the protagonist. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the author at the moment. Another choice is Richard Monaco's trilogy on the Grail Quest with Parsival as the protagonist. He writes exceptionally well, but his plots tend to meander all over the place and he's rather raw; more like Chaucer than T.H. White

Hawk of May is by Gillian Bradshaw.

Shomeret wrote: "Hawk of May is by Gillian Bradshaw."

Many thanks my feline friend. I hope you're currently reading a book that makes you purr. Craig.

SANDRA wrote: "WOW!! That sounds really good. lol ill have to get my hands on it. thanks Ruby.."

You're welcome, Sandra!

Another fun set is I Am Morgan le Fay and I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer, who has also written some other amazing mythic fantasies like Chains of Gold and Hex Witch of Seldom.

Chains of Gold is a reworking of the Creithylad myth - the Summer King/Winter King story.

Those above by Springer are all YA, I forgot to mention. Although Chains of Gold has some disturbing parts for a YA novel. Another Springer that I wouldn't call YA is Larque on the Wing.

but hey! I'm getting off the Arthurian track, so here's returning to it:

there's another YA Arthurian read I can think of right now that is really good: Welwyn Wilton Katz's The Third Magic

Does anyone know if an author has ever written about the Lady Shalot?

The most famous piece of writing about the Lady of Shalott was a narrative poem by Tennyson. There's a newer narrative poem about her calledSong of the Sparrowby Lisa Ann Sandell. I couldn't find any novels about the Lady of Shalott. Does anyone else know if there were any?

Can I recommend Philip Reeve's Here Lies Arthur? Not very 'magical' but tries to marry realism with the notion that people prefer mythic narratives and so re-tell/retail stories about heroes and others with folktale tropes and fairytale motifs.

Samantha wrote: "Does anyone know if an author has ever written about the Lady Shalot?"

Check out Song of the Sparrow
There is a modern adaptation of the Arthurian mythos including Elaine of Astolat by Meg Cabot startin with Avalon High
There is also a trilogy, modern kids trying to get back to Camelot, Shalott. I don't know if it includes the Lady, but worth a look.

And, if you are really interested in exploring further, you might want to look at The Lady of Shalott in the Victorian Novel/

Would love to think that Lady Shalott is the female counterpart of Sir Loin of Beef, but sadly it's the Lady of Shalott, originally the Lady of Ascalot.

Samantha wrote: "Does anyone know if an author has ever written about the Lady Shalot?"

Patricia McKillip wrote a wonderful version in her The Tower at Stony Wood. It's been a few years since I've read it though, so I don't remember how closely it follows the story.

For something completely non-fantasy, there's Sharyn McCrumb's Sick of Shadows. It's a cosy mystery with plenty of humor. It's not a retelling of the story but there's numerous parallels to Tennyson's poem. (Caveat: This wasn't my favorite book ever, but finding the parallels was fun.)

Roger Zelazny's Last Defender of Camelot is a series of short stories. The first one, from which the book takes it's title, is about a meeting between Lancelot, Merlin and Morgana in the present day.
The Last Defender of Camelot

I'm always interested in new spins on arthurian legend. I particularly enjoyed Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave series and Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon. I haven't read it yet but I recently picked up The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell.

A few years ago I was given a copy of (and subsequently read) Merlin and Company by Alva Cunqueiro (translated and published as an Everyman's Library paperback). This has Merlin and other Arthurian characters living in retirement in the north-western Spanish countryside.

I must read it again to catch all the literary and other nuances; it reminds us that some of the southern European takes on the Arthurian legends represent a different evolution to those tropes we are more used to.

I've read a ton of Arthurian fiction. For a more "historically accurate" approaches I recommend Bernard Cornwell's trilogy that begins with The Winter King and a series by Jack Whyte that begins with The Skystone.

Firelord by Parke Godwin is perhaps my favorite of the contemporary retellings. He follows this with a book called Beloved Exile that details Guinevere's life after the fall of Camelot. He wrote a couple of great Robin Hood books as well.

Just started The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell, it's book one of his Warlord Chronicles. Love the writing style already.

I've read two of the three books by mary stewart
i liked them a lot. i don't mind a free interpretation by the author, as long as it fits into the book. i especially liked how she saw merlin, a very interesting view indeed!

The first Arthurian fiction I ever read (as opposed to retellings of Malory, Tennyson and The Mabinogion) was Rosemary Sutcliff's Sword at Sunset. This was published in 1963, just over a couple of years before the archaeological digs at South Cadbury hillfort in Somerset, England, got going on a wave of enthusiasm over the historical existence of Arthur. (I actually dug for part of one season at Cadbury, and while I personally found nothing Arthurian, only Neolithic flints and medieval earthworks, it was a memorable experience feeling part of something that helped make archaeology the new rock'n'roll.)

Sutcliff's young adult novel (it's actually more adult than young adult) was set in a believable 6th century with no fantasy elements (even though it riffed on the mythic elements) and, as befitted a book about the Dark Ages, was really dark in tone. It followed on another Arthurian novel she had written, The Lantern Bearers, which also had a realistic mud-and-blood feel to it. I haven't read either again since the 70s, but someday I intend getting round to them.

I recently read Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie and enjoyed it. I think this is the first book I've read that is from Guinevere's point of view. Most of the versions I've read she is usually in the background or has a weak character.

Rora wrote: "I recently read Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie and enjoyed it. I think this is the first book I've read that is from Guinevere's point of view. Most of the versions I've read she ..."

I receently read that book. I think it was a well written first impression book from Guinevere. And agree w/u on it. was refreshing to view her as a strong independent thinking female.. :D

HAWK OF MAY was just wonderful -- it is the first in a trilogy.
Another great older work is THE IDYLLS OF THE QUEEN by Phyllis Ann Karr. Completely told from the point of view of Sir Kay, and she fits it in completely and perfectly into the cracks of the Malory work.

Rora wrote: "I recently read Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie and enjoyed it. I think this is the first book I've read that is from Guinevere's point of view. Most of the versions I've read she is usually in ..."

I read that book awhile ago and loved it. Another good one from Gwen's point of view is Child of the Northern Spring and Queen of the Summer Stars. I haven't read the last book in the series (Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn) but really liked the first two.

Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave was my first Arthurian title - recommended by a school librarian when I complained that I couldn't find anything interesting to read (didn't have Goodreads in those days!). I love that whole series.

I also love because it's about the women of King Arthur's court.

At one stage I read a lot of Arthurian fantasy, but those are the ones that stick in my mind.

A great set of books that is peripherally Arthurian is the Changes trilogy by Peter Dickinson. Gosh, those are a great read.

Hi, I have a question does anyone have a recommendation regarding King Arthur that features Guenevere's Queen's Knight? (These are knights who served her and when a knight of the Round Table fell, replaced them - Lancelot was at one point one of them) Also I am looking for books that deal with Arthur's sisters and brothers (not only Morgan) - I have read the 'Mists of Avalon' by MZB.

Brenda wrote: "A great set of books that is peripherally Arthurian is the Changes trilogy by Peter Dickinson. Gosh, those are a great read."

I agree, I love modern-day takes on Arthurian themes more than historical or pseudo-historical Arthurian novels. It's interesting to compare the version of Merlin in The Changes with C S Lewis' similar theme in That Hideous Strength.

Apparently though Dickinson gets irritated that his other novels are less well known.

Rena, have you read IDYLLS OF THE QUEEN by Phyllis Ann Karr? Magnificent, but not very well known.