For our next group read we're going to try something completely different.

Check out this thread:
http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=30476

And then let us know if you're interested in joining us. We won't be starting for a couple of weeks, because we want to give everyone a chance to find just the right Arthur book.

No, not this Arthur:


This one:

Oh, *dang* I really like that FIRST Arthur!
;-)

Cool! I'm in. Mary Stewart here I come, haven't read The Crystal Cave et al since high school, I'm interested to see how they'll hold up. I loved them dearly in high school!

#3 - So did I, katylit! I'm not sure if I'm going to reread them yet, though. I may try to read The Once and Future King and if that fails I'll read the first Stewart book. (Which I adored almost as much as LotR.)

Yeah, that's how I felt about them clam, I'm a little worried they might not hold up, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed ;-)

Stewart's Merlin just defined how Merlin should be for me.

Why not any Arthur?

What specifically is the theme? Arthur? King Arthur? Arthurian legends? celtic lore?

I might go for Port eternity

>What specifically is the theme? Arthur? King Arthur? Arthurian legends? celtic lore?

I believe the answer to this is, "Yes!"

Personally, I'm going to read The Grey King by Susan Cooper. Arthur doesn't even make an appearance though some of the lore does.

#6 - Oh, you found a way to make the theme read a Cherryh-read; nice :-)

I once decided that I just maybe should read The once and future king sometime before I die... so maybe that'll be what I'll read. Because even if I kind of liked Fionavar I can't stand *mumblemumblenotgoingtosaysonottospoilanythingforthosewhohaven'treadit yetmumblemumble* /dying in that meaningless and grotesque way is a shame/.

You know, I look at that mosaic of Arthur and I can't help but wonder if lots of medieval art was what we would call "jr. high art projects".

"I don't want to tessellate the *@*$!$-floor. Have Sarah do it! She's studying Arthur in school."

"She's not that good..."

"She's free"

"oh, ok"

On the Reading Globally - Fiction group, where the first "theme read" is getting underway, people have come up with some questions to think about while reading - I don't know whether that's doable for an Arthurian theme? I was just thinking that it might help to stimulate discussion!

I'm thinking I might use Sir Gawain and the Green Knight cos I'm halfway through that anyway ;-) Though it's possibly not exactly what people had in mind!

oh gods, channelling old english class questions...

"How is Arthur different from Lancelot?"
"What mythic ideal is achieved by the fateful love triangle?"
"Explain the significance of Camelot."

gah.

"... In Camelot, where we dance and sing and spam-a-lot!"

clamairy, so, you're in the mind-reading business now? :)

I just started with The Once And Future King last week. I'm on page 170 now and liking it a lot so far.

I'm in.

#10 - I have no clue what other people have in mind, but I would think that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight suits the theme perfectly.

Thanks for starting the thread, clam...I am up to my ears in laundry right now. :(

I am tentatively choosing The Iron Grail by Robert Holdstock as my theme book. It is book two in The Merlin Codex trilogy. Merlin is the main character of this trilogy, along with Jason (of Argonaut fame) and other historical and mythical figures.

And when all this is said and done, we can have a shared viewing of the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail in our chatroom.

Now that would be incentive. ;)

I can't wait until I'm done with college, so I might actually have some time to do fun stuff like this.

*sigh*

Back to work.

I am doing an author study in class on Marc Brown. Too funny I love the first Arthur too. We can talk about Pal, DW, The Brain, Francine and the whole crew!! LOL. I will try to post more often. I don't have the opportunity to be in front of a computer as many of you do. I am now working two jobs so time is tough to find. However, I am off this whole week YEA!!!

#18 - Well, we'll take this week with you, jewels! :o)

I'd second any of the Stewart books. I agree with katylit - she defines Merlin for me. And Hollow Hills is one of my perenial re-reads. I think it holds up admirably.

Don't forget to tag your group read books!

#21 - Great idea, flee!

Hmm, I wonder if we should all tag it something like 'Green Dragon Theme 1' so we can all see what everyone else has chosen with one click.

Or maybe 'Green Dragon Arthur Theme?'

Good thinkin'! I'll probably use GD Theme 1, but whatever y'all choose to tag with, I'll combine them if you post them here.

*sings*

When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do ......
The best that you can do is fall in love

WHAT!?!? It's Arthur's Theme!

*snork*

Very good, Morphy! :o)

I am going to look through my library and see if I have any Arthurian books lurking there. I may still let myself be seduced into this group but I am not sure....

I'm in. I've got a dozen books tagged "Arthur," including many of those mentioned here. Would love to try a new one but work is expanding for the foreseeable future. I sorta like the idea of rereading either Mary Stewart or MZB, since it's been quite a while for both. I'm interested to see how we'll relate these different books together!

#9
That's the exact reason we needed a Rennaissance ;-)

- as for Arthurian-themed reading, excellent! A fine choice! Quite a few things to choose from... I might go for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight... I wonder which version though? Hmmm....

Well I've already read Mists of Avalon & Once & Future King, so maybe I'll try a Mary Stewart. That way, I'll have some clue what the rest of you are on about.

Which one comes first, or does it matter?

Cool, I love Art!

#29 - The Crystal Cave comes first!

I'll be reading The Crystal Cave as well. I've been meaning to reread it for a while now, and I have the rest of the series waiting in Mt Tbr already.

I love the idea of watching Monty Python but I have to get my chat room problem fixed first. We do have java installed, but the computer says no we don't and it just goes in circles. Argh..... I'll track down the problem before we watch. It was so much fun watching Princess Bride together, I don't want to miss Monty Python!!

Do you know MerryMary, my Mom even got me a Royal Doulton Toby Jug of Merlin after I read The Crystal Cave books. They just engulfed me. I love finding other kindred spirits of my favourite books. It's one of the best parts of LT, it never ceases to delight! *grin*

When is the theme read/discussion going to be starting? I've had eight dozen people tell me to read The Mists of Avalon so this might be as good a time as any but I still have at least two weeks of library books left to get through....

Thanks, clam.

wow, I can't believe I've never read it, now that I look at the description. LT is the best place ever!

I'm in. I'm going to look through my TBR pile first, to see if anything fits. Did Terry Pratchett do an Arthurian book? Aside from Carrot in the Watch?

If there is nothing in there, I'll look for The Once and Future King or The Crystal Cave at my library, and if that's a wash I'll head to my used paperback store and ask for recommendations.

I love all things Arthur, so this will be fun. :)

While I love Holy Grail, I have listened to far too many teenagers quote it endlessly for it to be any fun any more.

What about Excalibur!? It's my favourite Arthur movie. Yes, it's long and has a crappy Guenevere, but Nicol Williamson's Merlin is awesome, and it features a young Helen Mirren as Morgaine (or Morgana). Dude, it rocks!

I might join in with The Mists of Avalon.

I'm nearing the end of the Fionavar Tapestry anyways, so this works perfectly for me.

I've got 20 books tagged "arthurian" at the moment, if anyone's looking for ideas. I will come out and say that I really, really disliked Once and Future King, though. Bleargh.

Also, there's a bunch of books if you search Common Knowledge for "King Arthur."

TA - I'm loving the Simon Armitage version of Sir Gawain. It's well worth a gander :-)

OK, I am in: I have The Winter King already and then I also found, for my Kindle, Black Horses for the King. It is a YA book and I have always loved McCaffrey. From the reviews it has Arthur as a yet-to-be King going to Europe to find horses. Yah, two favorites King Arthur and horses.

Maggie - I can't wait to hear what you think of Black Horses for the King. I love McCaffrey as well but have never read this one. I've only read her fantasy/SF. I keep seeing it at the library and wondering if I should give it a try.

Thanks for the recommendation Liz... I may go with the Armitage version

Hmmm -- Simon Hawke's Wizard of 4th street series had Mordred, Merlin and Morgan le Fay.... I might have to re-read anyway just to see if it fits the criteria.

I ODed on everything Arthur many many years, (actually I believe seeing Excalibur in the theaters is what started that) so I wasn't all that enthused at first, but I did check into The Winter King and liked take on that one and found a good used copy, so I'm going give that one a try.

By the way, I'm a HUGE fan of that movie and I humbly disagree with littlegeek's take on Cherie Lunghi's Guinevere. The actress who played Igrayne however was horrid and one of the creepiest examples of nepotism I've come across.

Indeed, Igrayne was bad news. Wasn't she Boorman's daughter or wife or something?

I love Nigel Terry, tho, as a perfectly doofusy Arthur.

The worst nepotism was the Coppola girl in the (was it the third?) Godfather movie.

I'll be rereading The Camulod Chronicles

The Skystone
The Singing Sword
The Eagles' Brood
The Saxon Shore
The Fort at River's Bend
Sorceror: The Metamorphosis
The Lance Thrower
The Eagle
and
Uther

Well, maybe not all of them, but I know them all quite well already. I'll probably just read The Eagle, because it's the one I'm least familiar with.

WillSteed - I was going to pick a book to re-read from the Camulod Chronicles also, but am now toying with the idea of re-reading the entire series. You would think that having read the series 2 times already would be enough, but no.

Though I feel I should give The Once and Future King another try. Maybe with help from other readers I will finally make it through the book. When do we start?

#47 - Not for a least a couple of weeks. Let's say we shoot for getting books chosen and in hand to begin around Monday, March 10th. Does that sound acceptable? I have two books to polish off before then.

I just realized, we're either going to have to have multiple threads, or stay completely spoiler free. Oh... wait... it's Arthur. We all know what happens to him!!! :oS Or do we?

If anyone's looking for ideas, The Squire's Tale and series by Gerald Morris is a lot of fun (and it's YA, so a quicker read than some).

I'm not sure what I'll go with. I tried to reread The Once and Future King a while back and found it tough going.

#49 - LOL, foggi. He's sitting backwards on his horse on that book cover! :o)

Like I said, a lot of fun. ;-)

#51 -I think I'll keep an eye out for that. Thanks.

The Journal of Arthurian Studies has book recommendations here.

I'll most likely be reading The Sword and the Stone, since it's on my 888 list. I have been meaning to give Jack Whyte a try, though, so maybe I'll read The Skystone as well.

Isn't The Sword in the Stone the first part of The Once and Future King?

Okay, I did some snooping. The Once and Future King is made up of these four books:
The Sword in the Stone (1938)
The Queen of Air and Darkness (1939)
The Ill-Made Knight (1940)
The Candle in the Wind* (1958)

*The touchstone for this one leads to Elton John's song, among other things. LOL

>56 clamairy:
The Book of Merlyn should squeeze in there somewhere, I think.

According to wikipedia:

"A final part called The Book of Merlyn was published separately (ISBN 0-292-70769-X) following White's death...*spoilers deleted here*... although some parts of it were incorporated into the final editions of the previous books."

I got schooled by a clam!

LOL. Well, I knew none of this. Now I have to go see if my copy (which is OLD) has the final book included!

A note of caution about Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles - There's a *lot* of background to this lot. Don't expect to start with a sword in a stone, or even Merlin. If you just want the Arthurian bit, without the historical setting, go to book three or four, but you'll be missing out on context.

I just ordered the whole Mary Stewart Merlyn trilogy from amazon. Woo hoo! This is gonna be good.

Trilogy? Aren't there 4 books?

I guess the 4th one came out much later? This is a hardback compendium edition of the original 3 books.

I'm going to start with Mary Stewart's 4th one The Wicked Day I honestly can't remember if I've read it or not (Mordred-ugh-boo-hiss) although I had the first two in the series almost memorized. The third one is also hazy in my mind so as time permits, I think I'll read the series backwards.

Many many moons ago, (decades n decades n decades), I did a high school honors project reading The Once and Future King, Le Morte D'Arthur, Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Idylls of the King and The Hollow Hills.

Of course, I was spurred on by having gone to see Camelot with my high school buddies. I used to know ALL the words to ALL the songs. If you hear humming during the discussion, it's just me.....

Great. First the instant headache from #24/Morphidae's Christopher Cross revue (not your singing, just the tune instantly burned into my head) then I get Robert Goulet trying to out-sing him... a cacphony of catchy (like the flu) tunes, battling in my skull!

#48 "We all know what happens to him!!! :oS Or do we?"

I guess I could do with an exert from what's considered the canon of Athurian legend, so I can compare how the various authors deviate from "the original" version.

#62 - I thought The Wicked Day was not up to snuff. I certainly wasn't written on the same level as the others, IMHO. You won't be missing much if you pass on it, littlegeek.

Coming from another culture I'm thinking I maybe should read some of the more non-fictional texts on Arthur and the surrounding myths... I never heard a word about him in school - classes in lit centred /naturally/ on Nordic authors and Nordic mythology, and on /not son naturally, one may think in retrospect/ French and German and some Russian authors.

Monty Python's The Holy Grail was about the first I ever heard about it, and Swedish encyclopaedias offer sparse info on the topics.
Of course I'd heard about the round table, even as a kid, but it was as mush made-up unsubstantial tale as, say, Little red riding hood.

So I for one have not spent years in school disseminating the meaning of the relationship between A/L/G.

#57 - Well, my copy does not have The Book of Merlyn included. In fact, my copy is so old it has a picture of Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero from the movie Camelot on the back. LOL
I must have bought it back in the 70s, but never cracked it. I wonder if I should look for a newer copy with the fifth book included.

I have a confession to make.

Apart from Monty Python and the Holy Grail... I've NEVER experienced Arthurian legends...

THE SHAME! THE SHAME!

>69 Busifer:
This is one of my favorite nonfiction Arthurian websites.

Thanks.

#70 - I know I have the most recent paperback and it doesn't include the Book of Merlyn, so I'm not sure if you want to go digging or stay with what you have.

I'm not sure if I'll participate or not. I have The Skystone but I left it in New Jersey so no immediate access. I'll go over to the used bookstore in a few days and see if anything grabs my attention. I've read a lot of Arthurian lit, though, so I'll probably be able to participate anyway.

I found The Seeing Stone in one of my daughter's bookcases last night. She hasn't read it. Have any of you YA readers read this one? It looks to be a mercifully shorter read than The Once and Future King. Plus, it has great maps! LOL

#12 - I wish I could read minds, Rullakartiina! Well, some of them anyway. My dog's for one. ;o)

#70 -- I've always seen The Book of Merlyn published as a separate book. Of course, my copies are pretty old (and purchased secondhand, at that) too, so perhaps there is a newer edition that I don't know about. But the editions available on Amazon all seem to be the same way.

#77 - Same with B&N. I may just try to get a copy from our local library. My copy (also bought used) has pages that are so yellowed they are practically orange. :o/ No acid-free paper in the cheap paperbacks back in those days!

Argh! Too bad we didn't do this theme read a few months ago. I've given away copies of both The Once and Future King and The Book of Merlyn out on BookMooch. I didn't really care for either of them.

(sorry for the sacrilege)

#79 - Well, I think it's a big plus that we seem to have many back-ups to chose from if our initial picks doesn't work out.

I'm not sure how I feel about reading a book in which my beloved Arthur is referred to as "Wart." ;o)

Oh, but it's meant so affectionately ;-)

Hee hee!
It just sounds so... gross.

*chuckle* yeah I know what you mean.

I swore I wasn't going to buy anymore books, with a couple of exceptions, this year, but dammit...I gave in for the GD. I went and bought The Winter King and The Return of Merlin, both of which seem VERY interesting. I also toyed with purchasing Queen of Camelot but decided against it. Though I admittedly didn't put a whole lot of research into it, I couldn't find any review that didn't eliminate the possibility of Queen being chick lit which is something I just don't have a hankering for right now.

#84 - Have some...

#55 - wow, I had no idea that was the case! I always thought The Once and Future King was something completely separate that he'd written years later as a return to the same theme.

#86 - Me either! I always thought The Sword in the Stone was a kids' book, while The Once and Future King was not, until I started doing some snooping the other day. LOLOL

Am I the only one who's instinctive reaction to "The Sword in the Stone" is the Disney film? I mean, between Wart as a (insert poor unfortunate small animal) and the wizard's duel with what's'ername... Maybe I'll watch that as my Arthur pick!

#88 *holds up her hand*

88 - +1

I haven't looked at TOAFK in forty years, I think. As I remember, the first section is quite charming, and the subsequent ones became more entangled and serious as he went along. Some of it was tough going. The later sections didn't have the same bibbity bobbety boo as TSITS.

Re: The Book of Merlyn

I got lucky: the library copy of The Once and Future King I'm reading includes The Book of Merlyn.

Here are the details, if anyone is interested: it's called The Once and Future King (the complete edition), the publisher is Voyager, the year 1996 and it's a paperback.

I just picked up the copy I put on hold at the Library, and it's only got the usual first four parts, no Book of Merlyn.

I read a few pages while waiting to pick up my son. I had no idea it was so... well... it's rather silly! LOL I found myself laughing.

Just a quick recommendation for The Three Damosels by Vera Chapman. It's out of print which is a shame but a lovely rendition of the Arthurian myth.

Okay, I just have to say I am loving this book. I never expected to.
:o)
I may start the SPOILER FREE thread soon.

I am also really enjoying The Winter King. He seems to have spent some time thinking about what it was really like living in those days. Brrrrrr, cold.

#96 - Oh, 4.02 stars for that on LT. I may keep an eye out for that.

#84 - Oh, let me know what you think of that Chopra Merlin book, kawika. There were parts of it I liked, and parts that bothered me.

The Book of Merlyn was pubished only after White's death. As such, it's the rare collection that includes it. (Think of how many Tolkien Box Sets you see with 5 volumes, LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion, and you'll see what I mean.)

Do you people think it's too soon to start the Arthur themed thread?

no.

You sure?

My Arthur book has not arrived from the Amazon reseller. :\\ And I ordered it fast-shipped.

Which one did you order, PeaBee?

I spared you all my thinking, weighing, researching, considering and contemplating. Not too soon. Let's go. We don't have to have finished our books to have something to say about Arthur do we?

True.

I have to figure out how to word it, though. You can't ever edit thread titles, sadly.

Hmmm.

Maybe I should just keep it simple.

Arthur's thread?

Your Arthurian book comments? (ewwwe, that is boring)

The Thread of Camelot?

I really don't have any good ideas.

Arthur's Theme? ;)

Should we start quoting Monty Python now?

"On second thoughts, let's not go to Camelot. 'Tis a silly place."

Arthurian Overtures?

Arthurian Myth-takes?

Whaat, is your quest?!

To re-read The Glastonbury legends by R.F. Treharne, or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight if I come as unstuck as the touchstones.

"It's a myth! Myth!"

"Yeth?"

I picked up a copy of TOAFK, finished about 10 pages, and have concluded it's not for me. The Mists of Avalon and The Crystal Cave I picked up from the library, and I mooched one from bookmooch about Guinevere. Can't remember its title.
Surely one of these will work for me. Will let you know which one I choose.

B&N has The Crystal Cave on sale.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Crystal-Cave/Mary-Stewart/e/9780641872952/?...

I think I have arrived at my choice. The Mists of Avalon seems to suit my reading style. I guess that's what I'll stay with.

Good choice, oh2read!