The Mammoth Book of King Arthur (83 page)

O’Meara, Walter
(1897–1989),
The Duke of War
(US, 1966) (h)

A detailed account, as told by a young Romano-British girl, of Arthur’s battle campaign at Badon against Aelle. Despite the
well-researched historical
setting the usual core of Arthur’s knights are present, including Lancelot. O’Meara places Badon at Liddington Castle.

Paterson, Katherine,
Parzival
(UK, 1998) (f)

Wolfram’s
Parzival
retold for a YA readership.

Paxson, Diana L.
(b.1943),
The Book of the Sword, The Book of the Spear, The Book of the Cauldron
(all US, 1999),
The Book of the Stone
(US, 2000)
collectively called “The Hallowed Isle” (h/f)

The first work to draw upon the Sarmatian theory of the origin of some of the Arthurian legends, particularly that of Excalibur. Paxson fuses this with Celtic myth to produce an
original sequence of stories which traces events from the end of Roman power (424) to Arthur’s downfall (515). Paxson succeeds in retaining much of the original storyline but blends it with
new ideas and characterisations to create a refreshingly original work. The second book has a unique portrayal of the Saxon Oesc. Paxson had earlier written a version of the Tristan story as seen
through the eyes of Branwen in
The White Raven
(1988), and has continued Marion Bradley’s Avalon series.

Peare, Catherine Owens
,
Melor, King Arthur’s Page
(US, 1963) (m)

A YA book that follows the misadventures of young Melor until he saves Arthur’s life from the boar Troynt. A rare treatment of the Twrch Trwyth legend.

Phelan, Laurel,
Guinevere
(US, 1996) (h)

Purports to be the true story of Guinevere as discovered by the author under regression hypnosis. Since this is set in Celtic times but includes her affair with Lancelot we can
classify it firmly under fiction. Another book of supposedly remembered Arthurian lives is
Camelot, the True Story
by Michael D. Miller (US, 1997).

Powys, John Cowper
(1872–1963),
Porius
(UK, 1951) (h)

At least seven years in the writing and influenced by the imagery of the Second World War, this dense, brooding novel traces the
events of just one week in
499
AD
, when the Romano-Briton Porius must pull himself away from his family and the suspicious bigotry of his village and, under the influence of the anarchic Myrddin, join
the army of Arthur. Ironically there is less of Arthur himself in this work than there is in the allegorical
A Glastonbury Romance
(UK, 1932), which has a contemporary setting.

Renzulli, Virgil,
Caliburn
(US, 2001) (f)

A short novel which focuses on the choice of an uncertain Arthur as king and events around the episode of the Sword in the Stone. It seeks to reveal the real story behind the
legend.

Rice, Robert,
The Last Pendragon
(US, 1992) (h)

Marketed as a YA novel, this should be of wider interest. Bedwyr hid Caliburn rather than throw it into the lake and eleven years later he returns to Britain to seek the sword.
He meets Medraut’s son Irion, who looks just like Arthur. Irion urges Bedwyr to help in the fight against the Saxons but Bedwyr refuses, single mindedly seeking Caliburn while Irion tries to
fight the cause.

Roberts, Dorothy James
(1903–1990),
Launcelot, My Brother
(US, 1954),
Kinsmen of the Grail
(US, 1963) (m)

Two novels drawn from Malory. The first is the first-person account by Bors of Lancelot’s life at Camelot, his Grail quest, his affair with Guinevere and the downfall of
the Round Table. The second follows the Grail Quests by Gawain and Perceval. Both books provide a polished insight into the Arthurian world. Roberts had earlier written a similarly fine novel of
the Tristram story,
The Enchanted Cup
(US, 1953), sympathetic whilst uncluttered.

Roberts, Theodore Goodridge
(1877–1953),
The Merriest Knight
(US, 2001) (m)

This contains all the Arthurian stories written by Roberts for
Blue Book
between 1947 and 1951 plus the previously unpublished “Quest’s End”. Most of
the stories fit into Roberts’s humorous reconstruction of the adventures of the ever-cautious Sir Dinadan based on Malory. Also included is a related sequence of stories featuring the young
knight Dennys ap Rhys and his
adventures with King Torrice. Witty and sophisticated, these provide a satirical glance at Camelot.

Robin, Harry,
I, Morgain
(US, 1995) (f)

Morgain looks back over her life and her attempts at revenge upon Arthur, the child of her mother’s rape. Robin explores no new territory but provides a chilling image of
Morgain, who seduces Arthur and bears him Mordred.

Rosen, Winifred,
Three Romances
(US, 1981) (m)

Rosen undertakes a modern interpretation of three different Arthurian romances, those of Gawain and Ragnell, Enid and Geraint, and Merlin and Niniane.

Sampson, Fay
(b.1935),
Wise Woman’s Telling
(UK, 1989),
White Nun’s Telling
(UK, 1989),
Black Smith’s Telling
(UK, 1990),
Taliesin’s Telling
(UK, 1991),
Herself
(UK, 1992), all five combined in one volume as
Daughter of Tintagel
(1992; revised, US, 2004) (h)

This is the longest sustained work focusing on Morgan le Fay. Each volume provides a different viewpoint as her life progresses. We see her childhood through her nurse when she
tries to kill the infant Arthur; we see her adolescence via the nuns at the remote convent where Morgan is banished; we see her early marriage to Urien via the smith who forges the special sword
and scabbard; Taliesen reveals her later life as Modred grows to manhood; and finally Morgan looks back and tells her own story, and receives Arthur after Camlann. Based primarily on Malory but
drawing on a wide variety of other early texts.

Seare, Nicholas,
Rude Tales and Glorious
(US, 1983) (m)

A minor item though, like Nye, it highlights the potential for immorality at Arthur’s court. Two vagabonds (one of whom is revealed to be Lancelot) gain shelter by telling
bawdy stories about Arthur and his knights.

Sharpe, Ruth Collier,
Tristram of Lyonesse
(US, 1949) (m)

A now dated and rather anachronistic retelling of the Tristram story.

Shwartz, Susan
(b.1949),
The Grail of Hearts
(US, 1992) (f)

Drawing her inspiration from the various Grail romances but also inspired by the interpretation of Wagner, Shwartz explores the stories of Kundry, cursed because she laughed at
the Crucifixion, and the sorcerer Klingsor who is endeavouring to gain the Grail. First Merlin and then the Grail knights are introduced after half way and then cautiously. This is a refreshingly
different treatment that allows you to consider the Grail story from the inside out.

Springer, Nancy
(b.1948),
I am Mordred
(US, 1998) (f)

A YA novel that concentrates on Mordred as a teenager. Told by him, this is the story of his anguish at knowing his fate, desperately torn between loving and hating his father.
Mordred is painted as a sensitive, intelligent but severely troubled boy wrestling with destiny.

Stewart, Mary
(b.1916),
The Crystal Cave
(UK, 1970),
The Hollow Hills
(UK, 1973),
The Last Enchantment
(UK, 1979),
The Wicked Day
(UK,
1983), the first three available in a single volume as
Merlin Trilogy
(US, 1980) (h)

The archetypal modern treatment that regenerated the interest in the potential for Arthurian fiction as a medium to explore beyond the traditional images. It remains one of the
best interpretations. Merlin recounts his life. The first volume, drawn primarily from Geoffrey’s
History
, tells of his childhood as the bastard son of Niniane, where he discovers he
has second sight and uses this talent to help fulfil destiny. It ends with the birth of Arthur.
The Hollow Hills
(the first modern Arthurian novel to top both the US and UK bestseller lists)
deals with Arthur’s childhood, Merlin’s quest for the Sword of Power, and ends with the Sword in the Stone.
The Last Enchantment
covers Arthur’s battle campaign,
Guinevere’s abduction by Melwas (and rescue by Bedwyr, who becomes Guinevere’s lover, rather than Lancelot, as in Sutcliff) and Merlin’s final days as he tutors his successor
Nimuë.
The Wicked Day
is the story of Mordred, portrayed here as another victim of destiny rather than as a villain. Although written as taking place in the Dark Ages (and Stewart
provides useful notes to the appendix of each volume), the stories read with the mood of Malory.

Stewart wrote one other Arthurian novel,
The Prince and the Pilgrim
(UK, 1995), her milder form of a Grail Quest, but here focused on a Frankish fugitive (who may
have the Holy Grail) and a prince seeking revenge for his murdered father who has been ensnared by Morgan le Fay.

Stone, Eugenia
(1879–1971),
Page Boy for King Arthur
(US, 1949),
Squire for King Arthur
(US, 1955) (f)

Two YA novels about the peasant boy Tor who in the first rescues Lancelot and becomes Galahad’s page and, in the second rescues Pellinore’s son and becomes
Pellinore’s squire.

Sutcliff, Rosemary
(1920–1992),
The Lantern Bearers
(UK, 1959),
Sword at Sunset
(US, 1963) (h)