Don't Miss

• Paperback Favorites
  for Book Groups
• Subscribe to Indiespensable

More at Powell's

• Featured Signed Editions
• Rare and Collectible Books
• eBooks | Audio | DVDs | Blu-ray

As featured in the Washington Post

Powell's Q&A: Sam Stephenson

1. 
   $28.00 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

   The Jazz Loft Project: Photographs and Tapes of W. Eugene Smith from 821 Sixth Avenue, 1957-1965

   Sam Stephenson and W. Eugene Smith

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!

Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

M. Os., April 5, 2007 (view all comments by M. Os.)
The Sword in the Circle by Rosemary Sutcliff is a very good book. I would recommend this book to King Arthur fans, and people wanting to learn more about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The whole novel is a collection of stories about the Knights of the Round Table, set against a beautiful backdrop of the middle ages in Great Britain. The stories begin when Arthur pulls the sword out of the stone, and they continue all the way to the quest for the Holy Grail. However, along the way, Arthur and his knights must encounter evil witches, adulterous spouses, and some evil knights. We watch knights rise, and fall, and we get excited during perilous battles. In this book, the action never stops!

This book is a good book for many reasons. Even if you’re an avid fan of Knights of Round Table and you think you’ve read most of the stories before, in this book, there are stories that you have never heard of, and some are very rare! Of course, there are the classic stories, but those are shaped in a whole new way, a way that allows you to see the story very differently. Another reason this is a good book is because it is very descriptive. You can see knight’s wounds trickling blood, smell the flowers in the spacious courtyard. It almost feels like you are there. The other reason that this is a good book is because it’s interesting, even if you’ve heard the story before. The dialogue isn’t very flowery and the characters are likable, and when you know that the bad guy is truly evil, it is easy to despise them.

This book seems to balance itself out when it comes to being historically accurate. Granted, there is a lot of magic and dragons involved, a lot of witchery, hypnotism, and magical feats are involved throughout. It is obviously not a book you would read for a history report. But there also are a few historically accurate moments. The code of chivalry is used in the book often. The code of chivalry was a code all knights used to defend their honor. Another true fact about the middle ages was the feudal system. This was demonstrated in the book often; there was one story was about a scullery boy, who was in a position so that when he grew up, he asked King Arthur to be a knight. He was treated cruelly by everyone. But there is a surprise ending to the story!
The book The Sword in the Circle is a magnificent book. I read it as a social studies requirement, and I had no choice but to read it. About 5 pages into the book, I realized I couldn’t put it down! But, that is what happens when you read a required book like this one in 7th grade. Without a doubt, you learn to love the book.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment

Product Details

ISBN:

9780140371499

Subtitle:

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Author:

Sutcliff, Rosemary

Publisher:

Puffin Books

Location:

New York, N.Y., U.S.A. :

Subject:

General

Subject:

Fiction

Subject:

Children's fiction

Subject:

Juveniles

Subject:

Legends, Myths, & Fables - Arthurian

Subject:

Arthurian romances

Subject:

Knights and knighthood

Subject:

Knights and knighthood -- Fiction.

Subject:

Arthurian romances -- Adaptations.

Subject:

Arthur - Fiction

Copyright:

1981

Edition Number:

Dutton ed.

Series:

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Series Volume:

1903

Publication Date:

November 1994

Binding:

Paperback

Grade Level:

- Up

Language:

English

Pages:

272

Dimensions:

7.94x5.08x.51 in. .43 lbs.

Age Level:

12-UP