I like the responses of the other people who answered the question. King arthur, queen guinevere, merlin the wizard, mordred, morgan le fay, lancelot, tristan, galahad, gawain and the knights of the round table have legendary status in literature. Not because the kids were going from vapid series to a tale with origins dating back to the 1400s. Sep 27, 2017 the story of merlin king arthur vlogs of knowledge. This list of king arthur books includes retellings of the arthurian legends as told by sir thomas malory in his le morte darthur, as well as original titles which draw upon some of its elements. Besides straightening out and tightening the development le morte darthur 19 of plot, malory departs from his source for merlin in two main ways. Then again, taking your arthur from excalibur would be like taking his. When it came to king arthur, though, the books just kept on coming, and the. Merlin and the sword also known as arthur the king, tv film, 1982, aired 1985 the 1998 television mini series merlin showing a tale of arthur and his knights. What is the best book you can find on king arthur and merlin. John steinbeck, the acts of king arthur and his noble knights. The legend of king arthur is one of the greatest stories ever told.
Barrons the lost years of merlin series is fantastic. I am an old science fiction fan from the word go i spoke to marion zimmer bradley a few times before the mists of avalon came out, and ive read most of those things but when i was about your age the book that really got me started on king arthur is one of the few books of victorian poetry i ever loved alfred lord tennysons idylls of. The merlin trilogy is a classic of the arthurian genre. The matter of britain stories, focusing on king arthur, are one of the most popular literary. The two fought, and at last the knight wounded arthur severely. From his vantage point, arthur surveys the activity of the room. King arthurs most trusted advisor, prophet, magician, and friend, merlin was almost certainly the creation of geoffrey of monmouth, who writes extensively about merlin in his twelfth century work the history of the kings of britain. It was under merlins counsel that arthur became the king that he was. Mary stewart king arthur 5 books collection set magical. She liked pirate stories, too, but most of all she loved books that had at least a knight or a dragon or a fairy in them. In a later work, vita merlini, geoffrey further developed the story of merlin by adapting a northern legend about a wild man of the woods, gifted with powers of divination. See life of king arthur, house of constantine for all of the above events. Mary stewart king arthur 5 books collection set magical merlin the crystal cave merlin trilogy paperback january 1, 2012 4. In the end the king was victorious, but he had lost so much blood that he could go no farther.
Good king wenceslas looked out on the feast of stephen when the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even. I want to add some other authors who wrotewrite about king arthur and merlin in different ways. These two compilations are the general source material for the king arthur. Mary stewart presents her fantastical but realistic character, merlin, in an spellbinding portrayal. Then came griflet, that was but a squire, and he was but young, of the age of king arthur, so he besought the king, for all his service that he had done, to give him the order of knighthood. Amazon indiebound yolen takes readers back to the days of a young king arthur. Because it was not just a story of merlin and arthurs. Recounts the tales of king arthur and his knights, from the early prophecies of merlin and arthurs birth to the destruction of camelot. Legend of the swordthe good, the bad, and the ugly may 15, 2017 by childrenofarthur first, let me warn my readers of two things. Merlin the magician helps arthur pendragon unite the britons around the round table of camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.
After leaving his childhood home for camelot, merlin became the manservant of prince arthur. All this means that a great many arthurian books just dont evoke the particular frisson. The historians cant agree on who he was, what his name was or the events of his. Merlin book series list of currently available books. When arthur demands a dragon to set on the saxons, merlin prudently. Do you have a good book that tells the king arthur and merlin story that they might like. The best arthurian novels for fans of actual history. In a later work, vita merlini, geoffrey further developed the story of merlin by adapting a northern legend about a. Jul 24, 2017 the sorcerer merlin, protagonist of astonishing stories, emerges from a complex network of myths from multiple sources and times. The effectiveness of the characterization is partly a product of malorys. Merlins world is turned upside down when his mother queen hunith of ocrisa comes to camelot, asking king uther for help in finding her husband, king balinor. Also about young merlin but less focused around arthur. Merlin and the making of the king book by trina schart hyman. His advice and influence are then crucial in persuading the barons to maintain support to the young king in his wars against the rebel kings, as is his guidance to arthur in battle see a summary of book 1, in which merlin also saves arthurs life and how arthur by means of merlin got excalibur, his sword, from the lady of the lake.
He is a warlock, the last dragonlord in existence, the only son of hunith and balinor, gaiuss ward and apprentice, and the best friend and manservant of the late king arthur. Today, merlin is most wellknown for being the wizard who tutored and taught the young arthur, before he grew to become the king of camelot. The search for arthur seized my dreams when the boys king arthur sir thomas malorys history of king arthur and his knights of the round table edited for boys by sidney lanier fell into my hands. Merlin nods his approval and removes arthur s sodden cloak, which is promptly whisked away and out the door by a passing servant. What are the best books on the legend of merlin and king arthur. The legendary origins of merlin the magician ancient origins. This is a list of popular king arthur books from goodreads. The story of merlin king arthur vlogs of knowledge. Marion zimmer bradleys the mists of avalon was made into a miniseries by tnt in 2001. On a less traditional slant, peter david wrote a series about the future part of once and future king, where arthur and merlin come back in modern times.
Jack whytes the camuld chronicles is on my toread list and its supposed to be a great telling of the. Jul 04, 2009 i dont know what kinds of books you like to read. Jan 31, 2015 from merlins inception through the writings of geoffrey, the wizard appeared in many subsequent tales, stories, and poems. This first novel of the series introduces readers to a young merlin, who does not.
The whole story, with merlin, morgana and everyone. List of works based on arthurian legends wikipedia. Joseph fiennes, jamie campbell bower, tamsin egerton, peter mooney. Mad merlin, lancelot du lethe, a retelling of the arthurian. Good books about the adventures of king arthur and merlin. I am enjoying the merlin series of books and have got the first four in series one and the 11th book in series one can you tell me if i can get the other episodes of the first series in books thank you michelle. Nigel terry, helen mirren, nicholas clay, cherie lunghi. The mists of avalon by marion zimmer bradley, the once and future king by t.
Feb 09, 20 im looking for a book thats not just about king arthur. In geoffreys account merlinambrosius figured as adviser to uther pendragon king arthurs father and afterward to arthur himself. The crystal cave, the hollow hills, and the last enchantment. Excalibur 1981 directed, produced and cowritten by john boorman, this visual orgy of a film very freely retells the legend of king arthur and the knights of the round table. A burlesque tragedy, in two acts altered, from fielding by. In this page, we will take a closer look at the role that merlin played, as well as tried to piece together of what had happened to him in his final hours. The author has elaborated how merlin, the magician, saw a future king in arthur, along with the hatred and treachery that awaits the future king.
I included books for all ages, roughly listed in order for youngest readers on up. Hundreds of books and millions of words have been written about these people and their trials and tribulations, and thats just the fiction. In merlins booke, yolen revamps the camelot legend to conjure king arthurs enigmatic tutor and sage. From merlins inception through the writings of geoffrey, the wizard appeared in many subsequent tales, stories, and poems. Geoffrey combined tales and stories of a bard and wizard named myrddin, who was created by a ninth century. Merlin also called emrys is the hero and protagonist of the series. When arthur is beset by disturbing dreams, merlin tells him the story of a battle between two dragons and another boy, emrys, who had prophetic dreams. Whites the once and future king, absentminded wizard merlin takes orphan wart a. Page 29 soon after the crowning of king arthur, he was journeying through the land with merlin, the wise old magician, when they met a knight who challenged arthur to a combat. To speak of merlin, king arthurs most powerful advisor, is to speak of an archetype. Ector listens attentively as kay slumps in a chair sd2.
See more ideas about books, fiction and king arthur. These books have merlin, arthurs wizard mentor, as their focal point, and the result is a charming, engrossing tale providing a unique perspective on a familiar tale. Le morte darthur is mallorys 15th century work, and is generally the best known nonderivative arthurian text. King arthur is often written off as a medieval fantasy, the dream of those yearning for an age of strong, just rulers and a contented kingdom. It is based on the king arthur legend as adapted from the t. What are the best books, movies or tv series about king. Though usually a figure who supports arthur and his vision of camelot, merlin is, because of. Good king wenceslas, an old english christmas carol. The book will work as a medium for readers to learn about the life of king arthur, through an amazing fantasy based plot. One of the most fascinating figures in the welsh mythology and the arthurian legend is merlin, the great wizard, prophet and adviser to several kings, including king arthur. Im looking for a book thats not just about king arthur. Merlin was also responsible for arthurs secret fosterage. The mysteries of that far away mistshrouded land held me captivated and and motivated my studies for almost 40 years.
On the night merlin died, arthur saw the ghost of the good king from his bedroom window. Clash of kings this book covers merlins unnatural birth, the attempt by the high king, vortigern, to sacrifice him and the boys decision to become a healer. Jack whytes the camuld chronicles is on my toread list and its supposed to be a great telling of the transition of the roman empire to the time of king arthur. The sorcerer merlin, protagonist of astonishing stories, emerges from a complex network of myths from multiple sources and times.
Merlin s world is turned upside down when his mother queen hunith of ocrisa comes to camelot, asking king uther for help in finding her husband, king balinor. The only one i remember that i might qualify as very good mary stewarts books the crystal caves and the hollow hills from merlins point of view, quite a bit of originality in merlins background but the author is tooobviously female for merlin and the later books are disappointing probably because merlins background is finished. What are the best books on the legend of merlin and king. These books have merlin, arthur s wizard mentor, as their focal point, and the result is a charming, engrossing tale providing a unique perspective on a familiar tale. She could tell you the names of all king arthurs knights, and she knew everything about beowulf and grendel, the ancient gods and the notquitesoancient heroes. The earliest ones were pretty sketchy and dont make very good reading. Jul 23, 2007 the only one i remember that i might qualify as very good mary stewarts books the crystal caves and the hollow hills from merlin s point of view, quite a bit of originality in merlin s background but the author is tooobviously female for merlin and the later books are disappointing probably because merlin s background is finished. Jan 01, 2012 mary stewart king arthur 5 books collection set magical merlin the crystal cave merlin trilogy paperback january 1, 2012 4. The 1979 bbc mini series the legend of king arthur. The merlin trilogy is mary stewarts take on the arthurian legend in three books. Sep 07, 2004 the merlin trilogy is mary stewarts take on the arthurian legend in three books. Besides straightening out and tightening the development le morte d arthur 19 of plot, malory departs from his source for merlin in two main ways. Kay, if you want to be a knight, youll need more than skill.
As arthur and lady edith finish the tune, sir ector bursts into applause sd3. Top 10 books about king arthur best book recommendations. Some are in the same series but they are not all together. Merlin nods his approval and removes arthurs sodden cloak, which is promptly whisked away and out the door by a passing servant. Arthur under his wing and teaches him how to be a good king by. In battles of increasing bloodiness, merlin learns what it is to save life. In battles of increasing bloodiness, merlin learns what it is to save life rather than take it. And merlin took that story and told it in an even better way. The story of merlin, the magical wise man who mentored arthur. Not because i had any doubt in my mind that merlin and the making of the king would be a perfect choice for the woman. The pendragon cycle by stephen r lawhead completely reimagines the tales of merlin, and then arthur, presented in a more accurate historical setting. Geoffrey combined tales and stories of a bard and wizard named myrddin, who was created by a ninth century mystic named nennius. According to alan lupack, merlin plays many roles in arthurian literature, including bard, prophet, magician, advisor, and warrior.