Synopses & Reviews
Based on medieval Arthurian legends, The Once and Future King is a twentieth-century version of young Arthur's quest for the sword Excalibur and his claim to the throne of England. Including many well-known and much-loved episodes with Merlyn, the sorcerer; Morgan La Fay, the witch; and knights jousting and hounds engaged in the hunt, White's novel adds to the lore surrounding the person of King Arthur.
Review
"[W]oven together with literary genius, archeological authority, and a freshness which is as bright as the dawn and the memories we associate with a golden age. It is hard to say at which level White's greatness is most special." Erwin D. Canham, Christian Science Monitor
Review
"White's book is an extraordinary achievement in that he has told the familiar story with almost complete fidelity to the main plot and characters of Malory, and yet has made the well-worn Matter of Britain more exciting, and the tragedy more apparent, than they have ever been before. His success is due to a happy blend of imagination, scholarly research, psychological insight and humor." Humanities Association Bulletin
Review
"This ambitious work, so long in the building, now stands complete. It will long remain a memorial to an author who is at once civilized, learned, witty and humane." Times Literary Supplement
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
T. H. White is the author of the classic Arthurian fantasy The Once and Future King, among other works.