James Mustich's 1000 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

A discussion for the fourth book of the series The Once and Future King, The Candle in the Wind.

A preordained tragedy, seemingly without dramatic tension over its conclusion, other than as to the “how” element.
Arthur, Guinever and Lancelot have reached old age and move towards their dooms with heavy inevitability, caught by the power of the law, that Arthur has created during his reign, and the “sin” of Mordred.
(view spoiler)[I was completely unconvinced by Arthur’s statement that he had had all babies when Mordred was born put in a boat and cast adrift. This appeared as a deus ex machina to justify Mordred’s hatred, and totally out of character for Arthur. (hide spoiler)]
But then the book changes.
(view spoiler)[And I was fortunate, as literary magic happened for me.
I was reading this mannered tragedy, and it was like White changes what I had read.
The story all becomes an epic tragedy of ideas, incredibly sad. Doomed, preordained, fated, but epically so.
Wow, he had me here at the last, blubbering, at the ideals wrecked by humanity. A very humane, wonderful retelling of the familiar Arthur legend.
Masterful and moving. (hide spoiler)]

The effect of lost time being felt is present in all the best Arthurian retellings. Will you read The Book of Merlyn also, Carlton?

I read The Goshawk a few years back after finishing H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald. It is also worth a read.

I read The Book of Merlyn as it was in my Kindle edition of The Once and Future King. I’m glad to have read this immediately after, but I think it does need to be read after, as it is more of a philosophical summation of the ideas in the earlier books. I included fuller comments in the general comments section on the book and in my full review of the book.
Thanks for the recommendation of The Goshawk. I see that you highly recommend H is for Hawk, another book on my TBR list!

My favorite of the four. It definitely develops into high adventure as it reaches the climax. I feel like the whole rest of the series was leading to this point.... But I guess that's normal, Ha!

I really enjoyed this as the wrap up of the whole tragedy/story.