Rating: 
Summary: I am Mordred
Review: "I am Mordred" Is a book retelling the afamed story of Camelot, the hero king Arthur, his beautiful queen Guinevere, and his trusted knight Lancelot, along with his witch sister Morgan Le Fay and Merlin. Mordred is shown in a new light as Nancy Springer shows him as a boy growing into a grim fate. Hated by the kingdom, his name whispered through corridors, all fearing him even as a baby. I really felt everything he was going though and recommend this book highly.
Rating: 
Summary: Born Guilty
Review: Are all children born innocent? Not according to the medieval worldview. A child born wrongfully -- out of wedlock, for instance -- could be assumed to be bad to the bone right from the git-go. (We retain vestiges of this belief when we call someone a "bastard" or "son of a bitch.") When young King Arthur, then, made the mistake of having sex with his sister, the resulting child was assumed to be morally evil. The king's son and also his nephew? Monstrous. Mordred was born guilty, condemned before the fact of being his father's killer.For me, a post-Freudian writer accustomed to dealing with psychological character motivation, it was fascinating to approach the traditional Arthurian material from the modern point of view that Mordred was born innocent, as good-hearted as any kid who ever ran along a seashore or loved to ride a horse. The story as experienced through Mordred's growing pains assumes a whole new perspective. King Arthur, the one who put forty babies in a boat and pushed them out to sea -- he's the good guy? And Mordred, who has never done anything except try to do his best -- he's bad? How does a lonely, sensitive boy turn into a father-killer? In writing Mordred's story, I found a whole new meaning to the words "self-fulfilling prophecy." And while Mordred's story takes place in Camelot, I was thinking as I wrote of modern teens, assumed guilty, deprived of constitutional rights the moment they enter a school door, discriminated against in ways that no other American has to tolerate -- imagine if the convenience store sign said that only two of your demographic group at a time could enter? I was thinking of young people in general when I dedicated the book "to oddlings everywhere."
Rating:
Summary: Mordred portrayed in a new light
Review: Before I read this book, I had never read any stories just about Mordred. I love Arthurian lore, and this is a great book portraying Merlin in a new light.
Rating: 
Summary: WHAT IS DESTINY?
Review: Can you beat fate? That's the central question at the heart of Nancy Springer's excellent novel I AM MORDRED, and it never makes for anything less than a thoughtful and engrossing read. Springer's Mordred is not born bad but everyone else--most of whom know his supposed destiny before Mordred himself--thinks he is thanks to Merlin the Magician's well-known prophecy that Mordred will one day rise up against his father, King Arthur, and murder him. But are Merlin's words infallible? Desperate to put the lie to the prophecy, young Sir Mordred sets off on a quest to make his own destiny and discover elusive happiness. Springer imbues her protagonist with a unique empathy, and it's impossible not to identify with Mordred as he struggles to forge his own identity and cast off the prophecy's dark shroud. Springer is no less deft with the other Arthurian personalities who interract with young Mordred, and her portrayals of Mordred's famous half-brother Gawain, Nyneve, the bold Sir Pelleas, Morgan le Fey, and King Arthur himself are all handled with expert dexterity. This is not a feel-good novel, however, and the conclusion is open to more than one interpretation. Nonetheless a highly recommended adaptation of a vital piece of Arthurian lore, and one which ought to be particularly well-received by its target teenage audience.
Rating:
Summary: Mordred, son or nephew of Arthur?
Review: From the very day Mordred was born, he was fated to kill King Arthur, father and uncle, for he was the son of the King and his half-sister Morgause. Merlin convinced the King to put his son and 39 other boy babys' out to sea and he did. As fate begain, Mordred was the only baby alive when a fisherman found him. Even later Mordred was discovered by Nyneve, who probably was the only one who cared about him and took him to his mother. Nyneve was afraid of him being in the had of Morgan la Fay, who would wish King Arthur ill. His mother didn't like him, nor did her husband, King Lothe. It is there that he finds the truth of his true heritage. All Mordred wants is the love for the father he has never known. When Mordred is old enough, he sets out to Camelot to seek his father's love, and for him to admit that he is his son, but it doesn't happen. He is shunned by most for the prophesy by Merlin and also because of this, he shall never know love, for he is feared. He struggles and struggles to fight his fate of killing the father who he really does love... will he succeed?
Rating:
Summary: I cried, but it was worth it
Review: His only fault is being born, being who he is, Mordred. Because of some horrible prophecy, he is destined to kill his father, also the great King Arthur. This book puts you into the life of the 'evil' Mordred, and shows how maybe he was a normal boy, except for being hated because of the prophecy, and how he dealt with it. It's very well written, and though sad, it is definitely worth your time to read it.
Rating:
Summary: A Magical Adventure
Review: How would you feel if you were destined to kill the greatest king that Camelot ever saw? What would you do if that same king were your very own father? These are the two things that Mordred, son of the wise and noble King Arthur, must live with all his life in this enchanting novel. All of Mordred's life, his name has been the most feared in Camelot. When he was born to King Arthur, Merlin, a wizard, prophesized that Mordred would kill his father. The people believed this and to prevent his death, King Arthur was forced to put his baby in a boat and send him off to sea. However, Mordred miraculously survived and when he was six years-old, then living with a fisherman and wife, he was taken to his mother, Queen Morgause, King Lothe, her husband and king of Lothian, and their sons Gaiwan and Garet. However, Lothian does not feel like home, mostly because he is never called son, so he decides to go to Camelot when he is 15. About a year before he is due to leave, his brother gets mad and tells Mordred about Merlin's prophecy. After he hears this, Mordred decides to try and fight his fate. In Camelot, it feels a little bit more like home, but not completely. He still is not called son. When Mordred is knighted, he goes on a quest and finds Merlin. The wizard, now in bird's form, shows Mordred how he will kill Arthur. Mordred returns to Camelot more determined than ever to fight his destiny. The book I Am Mordred was mostly good. One plus was all of the plot twists. However, some of them were a bit confusing. Another plus was adding a more magical touch in the story of Camelot. Normally, all you hear about is Merlin and dragons. I think the addition of magical trails, castles, and sorceresses helped Nancy Springer a lot. Although the plot is difficult, kids from grades five to nine would like it. I think it is the kind of material that young teens might enjoy. For these reasons, I give I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer a four out of five stars.
Rating:
Summary: I am Mordred
Review: I am Mordred is the story about the life of Mordred of Lothian. Mordred's life has always been filled with sorrow. It all started when he was a baby. The great King Arthur put Mordred, along with many other babies, into a carrier and set it adrift in the ocean. Miraculously, Mordred did not seem to perish like the other babies. When Mordred grew older, he was taken to meet his "birth parents", the King of Lothian and his wife Morgause. His life didn't seem to change. In fact, his mother always seemed to neglect him and he was always being teased by his two brothers. Mordred finally realizes the reason behind his mistreatment when his brother Garet reveals to him that he's King Arthur and Morgause's child born of incense destined to kill Arthur. When Mordred finally leaves his home at Lothian to receive his training as a knight in Camelot, he is warned by his brothers that he can never mention that King Arthur is his father. However, that's the only thing Mordred wants from his king, to be adored as a son and not a nephew. As King Arthur starts to grow on him, Mordred starts trying to avoid his fate by going on quests. Though, fighting his destiny gets tougher for him everyday when he is constantly being reminded of people's expectations of him by the Blind Harper's raven. After reading the sensational I am Morgan le Fay, I decided I just had to read I am Mordred. My favorite parts of I am Mordred are the scenes when he is accompanied with his faithful brachet hound, Gull. I liked these parts of the story because whenever Mordred was with Gull, she always took his mind off his problems. I was glad Gull was given to Mordred because Nyneve and she were the only people who ever showed their love for Mordred. I'm one of many who believe that the only thing anyone needs is love. All Mordred wanted was for King Arthur to love him as a son. I don't even want to think about how terrible Mordred's life would have been if Gull was never in his life, or if Nyneve never showed him what love was. However, I do often wonder how Mordred's life would have been if Arthur had listened to Nyneve and showed his love towards Mordred. I am Mordred was very depressing, but it always kept me wanting to read more. I enjoyed many parts of the book, but what I mainly disliked about it was the ending. It was well-written, but it was so depressing that I was glum for the remainder of the day. I was disheartened because it was only after the book when I realized how grief-stricken his life was. I'm more fond of I am Morgan le Fay only for the fact that it dealt with fairies. Other than that, I believe both characters are similar to one another since they both had a chance to change their destiny. Fate only takes you so far, but it's up to you to make the move which can determine what is to follow.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Perspective
Review: I have to do this book for a book report, and I can't believe how well the perspective of Mordred, not just Arthur's evil son, is explained. i fell in love with the kid, and I couldn't believe how tragic his life was. Read it. You don't know camelot until you've read this.
Rating:
Summary: Excelent
Review: I just loved this book, about King Auther's child he has with his sister.To understand this book more, read I Am Morgan Le Fey. That book is acually better then this one, and it takes place before this book.
|
