From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Subject: Re: King Arthur. Many Many Versions...
Newsgroups: rec.arts.books
Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Organization: ICS Dept., UC Irvine
Date: 7 Apr 92 23:54:41 GMT

Two files here: one is my arthur-novels list.  The second is my
arthur-related list.  I can make this a FAQ if people want.

--Cindy

-------------------

This is a reading list involving NOVELIZATIONS of the Arthurian
legend.  I own most of these books and wrote most of the reviews, but
had some help in putting this together.  My criterion for these books
is that it be concerned with retelling the Arthur legend in some way.
Related stories are acceptable (such as Tristam and Iseult).
Out-of-time stories are acceptable as long as they still center on the
Arthur myth (Kennealy's _Hawk's Gray Feather_) or are talking about
his return (_Sir Machinery_ and others).  References are not enough
(Norton's _Merlin_ barely qualifies); Susan Cooper's young adult _The
Dark is Rising_ sequence contains references to the Arthur legends,
but doesn't qualify as a novelization of the legend (excellent stories
though they are).  I appreciate any additions to this list.

Thanks to:

Shannon Appel
James Drew
Craig Presson

--Cindy Tittle Moore

---------------------------------------------------------------------
King Arthur Reading List
tittle@ics.uci.edu

** BOOKS
** Arthurian Fiction

_The Romance of King Arthur_ (Mayflower, 1979.  Reprint of 1917
Edition.  ISBN 08317-7460-6.)

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, _Idylls of the King_ (Signet, 1961.) Tennyson
trivializes and destroys the "Matiere de Bretagne".  Not recommended
for any purpose save criticism.

Ashley, Mike, _The Pendragon Chronicles_ (Peter Bedrick Books, New York,
1991.  ISBN 0-87226-228-6.  paperback.)  Anthology including stories by
Andre Norton, John Steinback and Jane Yolen.

Bedier, Joseph, _Romance of Tristan & Iseult_ (Doubleday Anchor, 1945.)

Berger, Thomas _Arthur Rex_.  Thomas Berger is the author of _Little
Big Man_, _Neighbors_, and a number of other books.  This retelling of
the Arthur legend is somewhat reminiscent of the movie "Excalibur" in
feel.

Bradley, Marion Zimmer, _The Mists of Avalon_ (Del Rey.  Ballantine
Books, New York, 1982.  ISBN 0-345-35049-9.  hardcover and trade
paperback.)  A female oriented and positive rendition of the Arthurian
legend.  Considerably more sympathetic to the old religions (although
with poor depiction) than to Christianity.

Bradshaw, Gillian, _Hawk of May, _Kingdom of Summer, _In Winter's
Shadow_ (Menthuen Paperbacks, Great Britain also Signet Books, 1980
also hardcover by Simon and Schuster.)  The story of Gwalchmai, one of
Arthur's Knights.  He is god-touched with fighting madness and is one
of the brothers of Medraut (Mordred).

Christian, Catherine, _The Pendragon_ (Warner Books, 1978.)  A story
told by Bedivere (the original lover of Guinevere before Lancelot
was added to the legend by the French in the 14th century or so).

David, Peter, _Knight Life_ (Ace Fantasy, 1987.) A comedic(?) book
about Arthur's return in modern day.

de Troyes, Chretien, _Arthurian Romances_ (Everyman's Library #698.)

Geoffrey of Monmouth, _History of the Kings of Britain_ (Penguin, 1966.
ISBN 0-14-044170-0.)

Godwin, Parke, _Invitation to Camelot_ (Ace, 1988.)  An anthology
including stories by Tanith Lee, Morgan Llywelyn, Elizabeth
Scarborough and Jane Yolen.

Hanratty, Peter, _The Book of Mordred_ and _The Last Knight of Albion_
(Ace Fantasy and Bluejay Books.  ISBNs 0-441-07018-3 and
0-312-94271-8.  Paperback and trade paperback.)  A retelling of the
Arthurian legend in a bizarre mix of modern and ancient times.

Jones, Mary J., _Avalon_ (The Naiad Press, ISBN: 0-941483-96-7, 1991).
This is set in the closing days of King Arthur's reign and mostly
concerns the Lady of the Lake at that time (Argante, whom I don't
believe appears in any legend; her predecessor is Nimue), with some
recounting of her childhood.  Definitely a feminist reading, and not
as well done as _Mist of Avalon_, for example.  It is also curiously
incomplete.  More books may be planned.

Katz, Welwyn Wilton, _The Third Magic_ (Groundwood Books/Douglas &
McIntyre, ISBN (bound): 0-88899-068-5 (pbk): 0-88899-126-6, 1988).  A
"young adult" book, this one has one of the more imaginative
retellings of the Arthurian legend that I've seen.  Well written.  I
picked this up in Canada; it may be harder to find in the US.

Kennealy, Patricia, _The Hawk's Gray Feather_ (ROC (division of
Penguin Books), ISBN 0-451-45053-1, 1990). First in _The Tales of
Arthur_, a series in which the later books have not yet been
published.  Builds upon the world of _The Silver Branch_, _The Copper
Crown_ and _The Throne of Scone_ in which the Sidhe were aliens.  This
book is set much earlier.  A good fantasy/SF blend.

Lanier, editor, _King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table_,
(Grosset & Dunlap, 1950. ISBN 0-448-06016-7.)  A reasonable children's
version.

Lawhead, Stephen, _Taliesin_, _Merlin_, _Arthur_ (Avon Books, plus
British and Australian printings. 1988).  _Pendragon_ is supposed to
complete this series, but I haven't seen it in print yet.  Lawson is
an excellent writer and these stories make a very good read.

Malory, Sir Thomas, _Le Morte D'Arthur_ The classic rendition of
Arthurian legend according the French tradition.  About where Lancelot
was added, and where the search for the Grail was put in Christian
terms.

Matarosso, translator, _The Quest of the Holy Grail_ (Penguin, 1969.
ISBN 0-14-044220-0.)

McGowen, Tom, _Sir Machinery_ (Folet Publishing Company, Chicago, 1970.
ISBN 0-695-40167-X hardback, 0-695-80167-8 trade paperback.)  An amusing
children's tale set in modern days.  Based upon the notion that King
Arthur will come back to save Britain again.

Monaco, Richard, _Parsival or a Knight's Tale_, _The Grail War_, and
_The Final Quest_ (Berkley Books, New York, 1983.  ISBN 0-425-05143-9.
Paperback.)  Looks intriguing, cannot find TGW!

Norton, Andre, _Merlin's Mirror_ (Daw Books, 1975.)  Merlin is a half-
breed: human and space alien, and the war between light and darkness
is recast into a war between two space going races.  The premise is
bizarre, but Norton makes it work well.

Paxson, Diana L., _The White Raven_ (Avon Books, 1988).  Retelling
of the Tristan/Iseult legend, from the point of view of Iseult's
slave/maid.  A pretty, romantic sort of tale.

Seare, Nicholas, _Rude Tales and Glorious_ (Clarkson N. Potter, Inc.,
New York.  Hardback).  Classic rendition.  Title says it all.

Steinbeck, John, _The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights_
(Del Rey.  Paperback.)  Rendition of Le Morte D'Arthur into modern
day English.  Not complete.

Stewart, Mary, _The Crystal Cave_, _The Hollow Hills_, _The Last
Enchantment_, and _The Wicked Day_ (Fawcett Crest.)  A modern
retelling of the legend.  The first three are narrated by Merlin,
and the last by Mordred.

Sutcliff, Rosemary, _Sword at Sunset_ (Coward-McCann, Inc, New York,
1963.  Hardback.  A paperback version is available as well.)  A
telling of Arthur as he might actually have been, a local Celtic
warlord.

Tolstoy, Nikolai, _The Coming of the King: A Novel of Merlin_ (Bantam
Books, 1989.  Trade paperback.)  Very closely based on the Welsh
mabinogion -- poetry rendered into prose.  Makes no attempt at
"realism": the grotesquely fantastic has its day here.  Lyrical
writing, worth reading.  Long.

von Eschenbach, Wolfram, _Parsival_ (Penguin, 1980.  ISBN
0-14-044361-4.)  Allows great insight into the mind of Chivalry for
those with the patience.

von Strassburg, Gottfried, _Tristan_ (Penguin, 1960. ISBN
0-14-044098-4.)

White, TH, _The Once and Future King_ and _The Book of Merlin_
(Berkley Books, ISBNs: 0-425-06310-0 & 0-425-07282-7, respectively.
Original copywrites in 1939 and 1940). A retelling of the legend from
the earliest stories.  More comedic than some of the other versions.
Be warned, _The Book of Merlin_ rehashes many themes and stories from
TOFK.  It's good, but if you experience deja-vu while reading it,
well, that's why.

Wolf, Joan, _The Road to Avalon_ (Onyx Novels, a subdivision of
Penguin Books.)  A romantic retelling, casting familiar characters
into startlingly different relationships.

Woolley, Persia, _Child of the Northern Spring_ and _Queen of the
Summer Stars_ (Poseidon Press, New York, London, Toronto, etc.)  The
story of the life of Guinivere, from her point of view.  Haven't got
the first book!

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ARTHUR-RELATED
--------------

** Arthurian Non-fiction

Goodrich, Norma L., _King Arthur_  (Harper&Row, 1986.  ISBN 0-06-097182-7.)

Tolstoy, Nikolai, _The Quest for Merlin_  (Litttle, Brown, 1985.  ISBN
0-316-85066-7.)

** Celtic Fiction

_The Mabinogion_ (many translations.) The Mabinogion is the collection
of Welsh stories and legends, where elements of the Arthurian legend
can be found.  These probably form the basis for the legend as we have
it today, though scholars seem to revise their opinions every now and
then.

_Irish Fairy and Folk Tales_ (Dorset, 1986.  ISBN 0-88029-073-0.)

Gantz, Jeffrey, _Early Irish Myths and Sagas_  (Penguin, 1981.  ISBN
0-14-044-397-5.)

Humphreys, Emyr, _The Taliesin Tradition_, (Black Raven, 1983.  ISBN
0-85159-002-0.)  Boring.

Jackson, Kenneth, _A Celtic Miscellany_ (Penguin, 1951.  ISBN
0-14-044247-2.)

Jacobs, Joseph, _Celtic Fairy Tales_  (Dover, 1968.  ISBN 0-486-21826-0.)

Llywelyn, Morgan, _Red Branch_ (Ivy Books, Ballantine Books, 1989.
ISBN: 0-8041-0591-X.  Retells the story of the Irish warrior-hero:
Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster.

Rolleston, T.W., _Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race_  (Constable, 1911.
recent reprint, no date.  ISBN 0-09-467720-4)

Walton, Evangeline, _Prince of Annwn_, _The Children of Llyr_, _The
Song of Rhiannon_ and _The Island of the Mighty_ (Del Rey, 1970.)
Modern reworkings of _The Mabinogion_.  Nicely done.

Weston, Jesse L. _From Ritual to Romance_  (Anchor, 1957.)  A work on
the grail.

Yeats, Wm. Butler, _The Celtic Twilight_  (Signet, 1962.)

Yeats, Wm. Butler and Lady Gregory, _A Treasury of Irish Myth, Legend,
and Folklore_ (Avenel Books, 1986. ISBN: 0-517-48904-X.  Irish tales,
plus the legend of Cuchulain.

--
Cindy Tittle Moore

Internet: tittle@ics.uci.edu       | BITNET: cltittle@uci.bitnet
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