The Mammoth Book of King Arthur (79 page)

(Note: Attanasio’s
Kingdom of the Grail
(US, 1992) is not a grail story but an historical romance set during the Crusades.)

Atterton, Julian
,
The Last Harper
(UK, 1983) (h)

YA novel about the youth of Taliesin, first called Gwion, who flees to Urien’s court during the Saxon raids and is taught by Myrddin, whom he succeeds as bard. There are
also some Arthurian references in
Knights of the Sacred Blade
(UK, 1989) set in twelfth-century Northumberland.

Babcock, William H.
(1849–1922),
Cian of the Chariots
(US, 1890)(h)

The earliest novel to recreate an authentic sixth-century setting for Arthur’s battle against the Saxons. Babcock has Caerleon at Leicester in the British Midlands and
endeavours to locate all of Arthur’s nine battles across Britain. This is on the internet at

Baldry, Cherith
(b. 1947),
Exiled from Camelot
(US, 2001) (m)

Cherith Baldry has long been Kay’s champion, seeking to restore his reputation in several stories, and this novel is based on the episode in which Kay is believed to have
killed Arthur’s son Loholt. Kay is sent into exile and joins forces with a renegade knight who is seeking to undermine Camelot, forcing Kay to try and save Camelot and prove his
innocence.

Barron, T.A.
The Lost Years of Merlin
(US, 1996) (f)

The first of YA series that looks at the teenage years of Merlin before the encounter with Vortigern. First known as Emrys, but with no memory, he is washed up on the Welsh
coast and raised by a healer woman, Branwen, whom he later saves from being burned at the stake. He loses his sight but gains a “second sight”. He begins a quest to find his origins and
this takes him to the mythical Otherworld of Fincayra, where he learns that his real name is Merlin. His adventures, many drawn from Celtic legend, continue in
The Seven Songs of Merlin
(US,
1997),
The Fires of Merlin
(US, 1998),
The Mirror of Merlin
(US, 1999) and
The Wings of Merlin
(US, 2000). The fourth book takes Merlin into his future where he sees himself as
an old man who encounters a young Arthur. The last two books also sowed the seed for the Great Tree of Avalon series which began with
Child of the Dark Prophecy
(US, 2004).

Berger, Thomas
(b. 1924),
Arthur Rex
(US, 1978) (m)

An admirable attempt to update Malory, in a mock medieval tongue, and with much humour, bawdiness and irony. Also incorporates the story of Gawain and the Green Knight. In
Berger’s eyes, Arthur “was not historical but everything he did was true.” Berger develops the relationship between the characters, especially Launcelot and Gawain, and explores
the complexities of Morgan and Guinevere.

Borchardt, Alice,
The Dragon Queen
(US, 2001) (f)

First in a proposed trilogy, “Tales of Guinevere”, by the sister of Anne Rice. It takes great liberties with the origins of Guinevere by presenting the unorthodox
view of her as a sorceress, raised by a shape-shifter and a druid, who befriends and takes control over the dying breed of dragons, becoming a Boudicca-like warrior queen with magical powers. The
second book is
The Raven Warrior
(US, 2003).

Borowsky, Marvin
(1907–1969),
The Queen’s Knight
(US, 1955) (m)

Screenwriter Borowsky’s rather downbeat view of a slow-witted Arthur set up as a puppet king by the Lords of the Council but
who tries his best
nonetheless. He succeeds to a degree thanks to the prowess of Lancelot and even wins Guinevere’s respect, but has not the skills to succeed.

Bowers, Gwendolyn
,
Brother to Galahad
(US, 1963) (m)

A YA novel about the Grail Quest and its aftermath as seen through the eyes of the Welsh Hugh of Alleyn, squire to Sir Galahad.

Bradley, Marion
(1930–1999),
Mists of Avalon
(US, 1982) (h)

A significant bestseller which put the Arthurian world back into the market, this book retells the traditional story of Arthur but from the female viewpoint, primarily that of
Morgaine, who here is both Arthur’s half-sister and the mother of Mordred. Bradley paints strong characters and a believable world, in which the elder religions clash with Christianity and an
easily manipulated Arthur finds kingship a constant series of dilemmas. A subsequent book,
The Forest House
(US, 1993), describing the fate of the Druids at the time of the Roman invasion,
became a prequel to
Mists
by establishing Avalon as the centre of the Mother Goddess religion, and a successor to Atlantis. It introduces the character of Gawen whose fate is told in the
sequel,
Lady of Avalon
(US, 1997), which bridges the gap between the other two books in three episodes tracing Gawen’s reincarnations as the Defender of Britain. Since Bradley’s
death Diana L. Paxson has developed the series with
Priestess of Avalon
(UK, 2000) about Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, and
Ancestors of Avalon
(US, 2004), which goes
back to Atlantis.

Bradshaw, Gillian
,
Hawk of May
(US, 1980),
Kingdom of Summer
(US, 1981),
In Winter’s Shadow
(US, 1982), all three reissued in one volume as
Down the Long Wind
(UK, 1988) (h)

This increasingly bleak sequence features Gwalchmai (Gawain) as the main character, his struggles (rather than adventures) told from three different viewpoints. He tells his own
story in the first book, from his youth and his flight to the Isles of the Blessed, to entering Arthur’s service. The second, told by Gwalchmai’s servant, concerns the clash between
Gwalchmai as the Champion of the Light and his mother Morgawse as the Queen of Darkness
and his quest for his lost love Elidan. The third, told by Gwynhwyfar, shows
Gwalchmai’s growing despair for Arthur’s court which turns to revenge when his son is killed. Bradshaw creates a believable historical Arthurian world seen from a new perspective.

Bulla, Clyde Robert
(b.1914),
The Sword in the Tree
(US, 1956) (m)

When his father is reported dead and his uncle takes over his castle, young Shan seeks help from King Arthur in the form of Sir Gareth. The book was reprinted (Morrow,
2000).

Canning, Victor
(1911–1986),
The Crimson Chalice
(UK, 1976),
The Circle of the Gods
(UK, 1977),
The Immortal Wound
(UK, 1978), all three
reissued in one volume as
The Crimson Chalice
(UK, 1978) (h)

A partly successful attempt at creating a different historical background for Arthur (here called Arturo), only loosely connected to tradition. The first book follows the
struggles of Arthur’s parents (Baradoc and Gratia) against the Saxons, the second (and best) book follows Arthur’s life up to Badon and enmity with Ambrosius, and the final volume,
including the Grail quest, describes Arthur’s inevitable decline. Arturo is shown as a rebel driven by destiny.

Carmichael, Douglas
(b.1923),
Pendragon
(US, 1977; new edition, 2000) (h)

A strongly visualised historical novel of the first years of Arthur’s reign working through each of the twelve battles, showing how Arthur (here Artorius) consolidates the
kingdom, culminating in Badon Hill. Most of Arthur’s warriors are present, even at this early stage, including Caius, Bedwyr and Lanceolatus. Guenevere is Vinavera, and the book explores the
start of their relationship. Carmichael wrote a sequel,
The Last of the Dragons,
which remains unpublished, though an episode was reworked as the story “Madoc the Door Ward” in
The Mammoth Book of Arthurian Legends,
edited by Mike Ashley (UK/US, 1998).

Chadwick, Elizabeth
,
First Knight
(US, 1995) (m)

The book of the film (
see
page 556).

Chant, Joy
(b.1945),
The High Kings
(US, 1983) (m)

As if recounted by bards in Arthur’s day, this is a series of stories based on the main characters in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s
History
, from the arrival of
Brutus to the time of Arthur. Only the final chapter, “Chief Dragon of the Island”, covers Arthur.

Chapman, Vera
(1898–1996),
The Green Knight
(UK, 1975),
The King’s Damosel
(UK, 1976),
King Arthur’s Daughter
(UK, 1976), all
three reissued in one volume as
The Three Damosels
(UK, 1978) (m)

Although drawing its raw material from Malory and
Gawain and the Green Knight
, this series introduces new characters. Behind all three novels is Morgan le Fay’s
desire to destroy Arthur and his court, but pitted against her are not Arthur or his knights but three women. In the first book it is Vivian, granddaughter of Merlin, in the second it is Lynett
(the Lady of the Fountain in the
Mabinogion
), and in the third it is Arthur’s own daughter Ursulet, after Arthur’s death. These were the first books to consider Arthur’s
decline from the female perspective. The last book became the basis of the animated feature film
Quest for Camelot
.

Chapman, Vera
(1898–1996),
The Enchantresses
(UK, 1998) (m)

This follows the lives of the three sisters (triplets) Morgan, Morgause and Viviane, trained in witchery by Merlin, whose actions, some by design, others by chance, are all
linked to the fate of their half-brother Arthur. The novel forms a greater framework for the earlier episodes in
The Three Damosels.

Christian, Catherine
(b.1901),
The Sword and the Flame
(UK, 1978; as
The Pendragon
, US, 1979) (m)

Essentially a retelling of the traditional story of Arthur from the viewpoint of Bedivere, with a degree of rationalisation to give the story verisimilitude. The role of the
women at court is underplayed – Morgan surprisingly so – but the characters are finely realized.

Clare, Tom,
King Arthur and the Riders of Rheged
(UK, 1992) (h)

The author contends that Urien and his son Owain of Rheged were the actual leaders that performed the deeds attributed to Arthur (Arctures - The Northern Bear). Strongly Celtic,
with many of the well-known characters and a magical atmosphere, the author’s story is both credible and absorbing (
information courtesy of Larry Mendelsburg
).

Clarke, Lindsay
(b.1939),
Parzival and the Stone from Heaven
(UK, 2001) (m)

Labelled “a grail romance retold for our time”, this novel, which grew out of a radio play broadcast in 1995, follows faithfully Wolfram’s original romance but
presents it in a form that highlights many parallels to our lives today, points which Clarke delineates in a fascinating afterword. He contrasts the innocence and purity of Parzival with the
earthiness of Gawain and the corruption of Arthur’s other knights, creating a world every bit as familiar today as it was in Wolfram’s time.

Closs, Hannah
(1905–1953),
Tristan
(UK, 1940; US, 1967) (h)

A retelling of the story of Tristan and Isolde, but using modernistic techniques that heighten the intensity of the relationships between the individuals.

Cornwell, Bernard
(b. 1944),
The Winter King
(UK, 1995),
Enemy of God
(UK, 1996),
Excalibur
(UK, 1997), known collectively as
The Warlord
Chronicles
(h)

An individualistic retelling of the Arthurian story which shows the depth of Cornwell’s research into both the whole Arthurian story – he uses many sources –
and the military circumstances of the day. Cornwell creates a hitherto unknown narrator for the third-person perspective on events, Derfel, a Saxon slave who has grown up in Merlin’s
household. On one level he effectively takes the place of Bedivere, but on another he is the future of the land. After his death, Uther is succeeded by his lame grandson Mordred, still a child.
Uther’s illegitimate son Arthur becomes Mordred’s guardian and Warlord of Dumnonia, determined to bring peace to Britain, especially in the conflict with Powys. The
trilogy describes the two basic struggles. Arthur faces conflict from without, from the Saxons, and conflict from within, the desire by Merlin to retain the old religion, to which
end Merlin is seeking the ancient treasures of Britain, in particular the Cauldron. Merlin is Arthur’s main enemy. In Cornwell’s version Morgan le Fay is the wife of Archbishop Sansum,
the figurehead for Christianity. All of the key episodes and set scenes are present, but they take on a different glow in the light of Cornwell’s creativity.