Arthurian Romance Books

Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics)

Sir Thomas Malory

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 69 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Signet translation much better than others 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I bought this Signet translation by Keith Baines after a frustrating attempt to read the Modern Library translation by William Caxton. Caxton's dry, stilted rendition left me hungry for a cleaner, more modern version.

Here's a prime example from page 1:

Caxton: "It befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when he was king of all England, and so reigned, that there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that held war against him long time. And the duke was called the Duke of Tintagil. And so by means King Uther sent for this duke, charging him to bring his wife with him, for she was called a fair lady, and a passing wise, and her name was called Igraine."

Baines: "King Uther Pendragon, ruler of all Britain, had been at war for many years with the Duke of Tintagil in Cornwall when he was told of the beauty of Lady Igraine, the duke's wife."

If Caxton was my high school English teacher demanding that I diagram his sentences, I might forthwith set myself through with mine dagger most deadly.

Anyway, if you just want to enjoy the Arthurian tales in their cleanest English version, buy Signet's paperback. It's also half the price of other translations.

Happy reading!

Editorial Review:

From the incredible wizardry of Merlin to the undeniable passion of Sir Launcelot, these tales of Arthur and his knights offer epic adventures with the supernatural-as well as timeless battles with our own humanity.

King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table (Puffin Classics)

Roger Lancelyn Green

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Editorial Review:

King Arthur is one of the greatest legends of all time. From the magical moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger Lancelyn Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life. One of the greatest legends of all time, with an inspiring introduction by David Almond, award-winning author of "Clay", "Skellig", "Kit's Wilderness", and "The Fire-Eaters".

The Once and Future King

T. H. White

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 326 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I really didn't like this one 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 8 people found this review helpful.

It all starts out with King Arthur's child hood. He wasn't really a king when he was seven through sixteen. It was just him playing around with his friends like normal people, they did not get into trouble a lot but there were being pretty good kids. The book has a lot of details about medieval life. More details than I care to know.
The real story starts out with the sword in the stone. No one could pull it out but Arthur. Then he met the Queen of Air and darkness also known as Morgan le Fay. Arthur goes through a lot like the Ill made Knight and The Candle in The Wind. I think it got a bit more interesting by then, but I really didn't care about the characters. I really do not like the book because I am not that interested in medieval things. I think the author needs to rephrase most of the book. This book wasn't to my tastes at all.

Editorial Review:

The world's greatest fantasy classic is the magical epic of King Arthur and his shining Camelot, of Merlyn and Guinevere, of beasts who talk and men who fly, of wizardry and war. It is the book of all things lost and wonderful and sad. It is the fantasy masterpiece by which all others are judged.

Arthurian Romances (Penguin Classics)

Chrétien de Troyes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Early Arthur 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

Chretien de Troyes is an early French romantic writing, who wrote the first known story about the Holy Grail. De Troyes lived in the Champagne region of France during the latter twelfth century. Peripherally attached to courts including that of the famous Eleanor of Acquitaine, de Troyes stories of the Arthurian legends provides a foundation for almost all future Arthurian stories.

Chretien's major works include four poems included in this collection: Erec and Enide, Cliges, The Knight of the Cart (Lancelot), and The Knight of the Lion (Yvain). For Grail seekers, the story of most interest will be the unfinished Perceval: The Story of the Grail. Although the tale exists in finished form (in fact, several variations of finished forms), de Troyes in fact only wrote the first 9000 lines of the approximately 32,000 line text. (De Troyes also was embellished or supplemented by later additions to the tale of Lancelot, perhaps because de Troyes did not want to include an adulterous affair).

The story of Erec and Enide is a love story between one of Arthur's knights, Erec, who while out with Guinevere encounters a mean-spirited knight Yder; Erec's pursuit of Yder leads to his meeting Enide, and the two have a stormy relationship (by medieval romantic standards) but ultimately are able to reconcile their love and relationship with public duty.

The story of Cliges is one of tricky and forbidden relationships. Cliges, a native of Greece, falls in love with Fenice, his uncle's wife (Cliges' uncle happens to be the emperor). Their love is discovered, but with the aid of King Arthur, their relationship continues in Cliges' home country of Greece.

Lancelot's story is one of the oldest ideas from the Arthurian legends - the rescue of Guinevere when she is taken captive. This could be done in a chaste and honourable way, but the tale of Arthur has both virtuous and dark elements. Even though this story comes from much older antecedents, de Troyes telling (with the possible additions by a later writer) became the standard Lancelot-Guinevere tale, being the principal one incorporated into Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur.

The story of Yvain is one of romantic questing - Yvain is gone so long on his knightly quests that his wife refuses him to return home. However, with the aid of mystical powers (the lion is an otherworldly creature that symbolises knightly virtue - C.S. Lewis will develop similar symbolic material much later) he returns to his wife after going mad with despair at being barred from her.

Perceval's story is that of the classic search for the Grail, which is also considered now a standard part of Arthurian legend - however, it is not clear that de Troyes was working from earlier stories here.

William Kibler provides notes, an introductory essay, and an essay tracing the history of revisions and continuations to the Grail story. This is fascinating reading, and a must for anyone interested in the Arthurian legends.

Editorial Review:

Taking the legends surrounding King Arthur and weaving in new psychological elements of personal desire and courtly manner, Chretien de Troyes fashioned a new form of medieval Romance. The Knight of the Cart is the first telling of the adulterous relationship between Lancelot and Arthur's Queen Guinevere, and in The Knight with the Lion Yvain neglects his bride in his quest for greater glory. Erec and Enide explores a knight's conflict between love and honour, Cliges exalts the possibility of pure love outside marriage, while the haunting The Story of the Grail chronicles the legendary quest. Rich in symbolism, these evocative tales combine closely observed detail with fantastic adventure to create a compelling world that profoundly influenced Malory, and are the basis of the Arthurian legends we know today.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (Classic Literature With Classical Music. Junior Classics)

Benedict Flynn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Intellectual classic for the whole family 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The whole family is hooked on this. The classical music that accompanies it is compelling. You think you are there.

Very entertaining 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It's hard to take such a well known tale and still make it fun to listen to, but Sean Bean's voice and cadences kept me listening to the end.

Very cool to listen to! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Sean Bean does an awesome job on this production. His range of voices and dialects are amazing. Very eerie in the parts that are supposed to be.

Great item 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had never heard the real King Arthur tale. I enjoyed it tremendously! Sean Bean's narration of this tale is exquisite. His voice is perfect for books on tape. Such depth. You felt you were really there. I would recommend this to anyone!

Editorial Review:

These stories tell how, many years ago, Arthur, the once future King of England, set out to save his country from the troubles that plagued it, aided by the brave knights of his Round Table and the most famous sword in the world, Excalibur; how Merlin the Wizard fought against the wicked Morgana le Fay's enchantments; and how arthur loved and lost the beautiful Guinevere, his Queen. Presented with music by Elgar, Sibelius and others

Classic Starts: The Story of King Arthur & His Knights (Classic Starts Series)

Howard Pyle

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Editorial Review:

From the sword in the stone and the founding of Camelot to the famed Round Table and the Lake of Enchantment, the legend of King Arthur will never lose its magic. Though simpler, this version includes all the wonderful stories—such as King Arthur’s winning of Guenievere and Merlin’s tragic downfall at the hands of the evil Vivien.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (Enriched Classics Series)

Mark Twain

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 132 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP

A nineteenth-century American travels back in time to sixth-century England in this darkly comic social satire.

THIS ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information
• A chronology of the author's life and work
• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context
• An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader's own interpretations
• Detailed explanatory notes
• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work
• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction
• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.

SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table (Puffin Classics)

Roger Lancelyn Green

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

King Arthur and His Knights of The Round Table 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is full of adventures of the many Knights of the Round Table. The stories are in full detail of their quests to serve King Arthur and the people of Logres. It describes their victories as well as their defeats.
A moral the story teaches is that if we blind ourselves with what is wrong and sinful, we will not get to be our full potential. We learn this by watching how Sir Launcelot lives his life. He was the greatest Knight in the world and was admired by every damsel in the land. Sir Launcelot was supposed to be the Knight to recover the Holy Grail and he never does this, because he allows himself to be involved in a sinful relationship with Queen Guinevere, King Arthur's Queen.
My favorite Knight was Sir Galahad, who was Sir Launcelot's son. Sir Galahad alone was the only one worthy to drink from the Holy Grail.
The book has a great story and I recommend it to anyone who loves medieval tales.

Editorial Review:

A legend is born when young Arthur meets Merlin and draws the mighty sword from its stone. This spellbinding retelling brings to life King Arthur and the adventures of his Knights, from the quest for the Holy Grail to the final tragedy of the Last Battle.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A spellbinding poetic translation of this six hundred year-old Arthurian story of beheading, romance, and the supernatural.

"Promises to drive the green force of the old poem through the Armitage fuse and set it a-buddin' and a-bloomin' for the new millennium."—Seamus Heaney, Nobel Laureate, best-selling translator of Beowulf

Composed in the late fourteenth century by an anonymous author in the English provinces, this remarkable epic has enchanted readers for generations. The work itself is an unparalleled masterpiece of alliteration and rhyme, beginning at Christmastime in Camelot, when the festivities of the Round Table are interrupted by the sudden appearance of a fearful stranger, green from head to foot. A young knight, Gawain, rises to the challenge. What follows is a test of nerve and heart as Gawain travels north to meet his destiny at the Green Chapel in a year's time. Following in the tradition of Seamus Heaney, Simon Armitage, one of England's leading poets, has produced a virtuoso new translation that resounds with both clarity and verve.

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

John Steinbeck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A modern retelling of the legendary Arthurian tales from one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers

Morte d’Arthur was one of the first books that John Steinbeck enjoyed reading as a child, and it became a favorite story to read to his own children. Here now is Steinbeck’s only work of fantasy literature—his modernization of Malory’s adventures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, who together took the oath of knightship, swearing never to use violence without good purpose, to be merciful, to protect women, and never to fight for an unjust cause or personal gain. Here are the iconic and legendary tales of King Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, Merlin, and Morgan le Fay. Christopher Paolini, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novels Eragon and Eldest, has written a new foreword offering a fresh and young perspective on this classic.

This is a book sure to capture the attention and imagination of a wide audience, including the legions of Steinbeck fans, those who love the legendary adventures of King Arthur and his Knights, as well as the countless fans of science fiction and fantasy literature, and everyone who loves Paolini’s bestselling novels.