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The Once and Future King |
List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19 |
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Product Info |
Reviews |
Rating: Summary: This is an incredible Book Review: The Once and Future King is a masterfully written novel with many intricacies and subplots. It can be read by anyone and be thoroughly enjoyed, if the reader does not expect an action packed book. I, as a matter of fact, felt that there was a lack of a gripping quality or objective that many of these stories have, but now I have seen it in a different light. T. H. White holds true to the original Morte d' Arthur by Tomas Malory and the legend of the fifth century Arthur. It is also very influential, where all other tellings of the legend are judged by it. White has a very unique, cheerful, writing style. It is very colloquial and seems conversational. Using this style he adds comparisons to contemporary objects and ideas. For example, he makes references to today's forests and even to a lawnmower. The characters in The Once and Future King are extremely well developed. They seem like they are actual human beings reacting realistically with each other. They have incredibly real conflicts and problems. Arthur begins in the first book, The Sword in the Stone as an innocent, idealistic, however naive little boy. He seems to be forgiving and accepting. He develops into an idealistic king who wants to harness and use Might for the establishment of Right. Merlin, a prominent figure in the book, lives backwards, which makes him forgetful, but insightful. His insight makes him an incredible teacher to Arthur in his youth. Lancelot is a very peculiar character. He is ugly and looks at himself as a bad and sinful person. This concept is what motivates him to do good. The other people are characterized very well also, but not in such detail. There are four books in this classic story, The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind. The Sword in the Stone Is the most famous book in the series. It is about Arthur in his youth, first learning about the world about him. He grows up in a quasi paradise of Sir Ector's castle. He completes his first quest of finding a tutor, Merlin who turns young Arthur into many different animals, each one teaching him a moral lesson. For example, when Merlin turns Arthur into a goose, he learns that wars are just fought over imaginary lines, essentially nothing. This is an incredible message, reaching beyond the character and to the reader himself. At the end of this book, Arthur pulls the sword from the anvil and is crowned King of all England. This is a very enjoyable book, especially with all of the adventures that Arthur experiences. These events help shape Arthur as King and as a character in the book. The Queen of Air and Darkness is mainly about Queen Morgause Arthur's half-sister and her four sons, Agravaine, Gawaine, Gaheris, and Gareth. This book is the most graphic of all the books. It includes a cat being boiled alive. It also talks about Morgause's seduction of Arthur and the birth of their son Mordred. In the beginning Merlin teaches Kay and Arthur a valuable lesson about the history of the British islands and about Chivalry and Might for Right. It is on these ideals that Arthur bases his round table. The Ill Made Knight is about Lancelot. The book begins with Lancelot being knighted and falling in love with Guinevere. He adventures away from her partly by the wishes of King Arthur and during that time he rescues Elaine and she falls in love with him. Although he cannot return her love because of his love of Guinevere, he gives her a child, Galahad. The knights embark on a journey to find the grail, which ends up killing the better half of the knights because they had achieved perfection. Lancelot goes in depth about his lack of saintliness afterwards. This is a very intriguing book. It displays the tension between best friends and lovers. Again, the characterization is incredible here. Lancelot feels that he has a moral obligation to Elaine, yet he is utterly in love with Guinevere. The Candle in the Wind illustrates the fall of Arthur's Kingdom. Agravaine and Mordred plot against Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arthur. Agravaine hates unfaithful women and wants to take Lancelot and Guinevere down and Mordred hates and wants to kill his father. Lancelot and Guinevere escaped fom the two miscreants' plan to catch them with adultery. While Gawaine and Arthur attempt to seize Lancelot's Castle, Mordred claims that he is the King of England. He decides to marry Guinevere. Once Arthur gets word of this he rushes back to save her. The book ends with Arthur leaving the Round Table to Thomas Malory. This is an incredible conclusion to the legend. Arthur finally finds out in his final days that Might had to be eliminated entirely, or else any attempt to contain it would fail. He considered himself a failure, however it is quite the contrary. This is only the beginning. The Once and Future King is an absolutely awesome book. It is a story being told to you by T. H. White in epic fashion. The characters come alive right before the reader's eyes and interact with each other. They have problems. They resolve them. They attempt to right the almost irreversible wrong of Chivalry and Might for Right. It is an unforgettable story that will change you forever.
Rating: Summary: A Book For All Ages Review: The Once and Future King by T. H. White was assigned to me as summer reading for my sophomore English class, and I must admit I was not looking forward to it because of its length. However, after reading a few chapters, it was difficult to put the book down. What grabbed my attention was the unique way T. H. White described the characters. He brought them to life, often in unusual and comical ways. For instance, when the Wart first meets Merlyn, the magician is described as follows: "Close inspection showed that he was far from clean. It was not that he had dirty fingernails, or anything like that, but some large bird seemed to have been nesting in his hair." What a vision! The quote also shows how T.H. White is able to speak to a diversified audience. A child reading this description might just find it humorous, where, on the other hand, someone looking for deeper meaning might see that it foreshadows how the Wart is to be taught through animals. Although the Wart does not realize it at the time, Merlyn's innocent lessons with the animals that talk are really his way of teaching Wart about the evils and uselessness of war. Merlyn uses ants and geese as examples. Later when Arthur (Wart) becomes King, he is able to use these animal experiences to help him make decisions about war and whether or not 'Might is Right.' Arthur decides might is right, and conceives the idea of a 'Round Table' where all of his knights are equal, and they strive to achieve justice for all people. It is an intriguing concept (even from our democratic viewpoint), and this idea is what really sustained my interest throughout the remainder of the book. As the reader I began to admire Arthur's strong belief in justice and the way he put it above all else. Ultimately he is forced to sentence his wife to death and his best friend to banishment for having an affair, even though they were the two people he loved most. Arthur's goal was to do nothing that was not just. This is one of the lessons that T.H. White is trying to teach us. In his mind, he is Merlyn, and the readers are the Wart. He offers many other lessons in this book as well, but you're going to have to read it to find them out. I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age.
Rating: Summary: A captivating and wonderful book worth reading for everyone Review: The Once and Future King by T.H. White started off as a scary thing for me, simply because of the size of the novel. I expected it to be tedious reading, but it turned out to be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. This book is a must for fans of fantasy books, and I happen to be a big fan myself. In his novel, T.H. White puts his own spin on the classic story of the life and trials of King Arthur, Merlyn, and Lancelot. He tells the entire life story of Arthur, from when he was a young boy, through the times he spent with Merlyn, and the book finishes with his death. All throughout the book White describes the battles between knights brilliantly, and his descriptions of the glorius knights in armour kept me reading for hours at a time. White throws many unorthodox ideas into his novel, such as the idea that Lancelot was actually a very ugly man, and that the bandit that we all knew as Robin Hood was actually called Robin Wood. These little changes are what kept me reading the book, as the whole book is filled with humor of this sort. As well as being very entertaining, the book showed the struggle of good against evil through Arthur, who represented all of the good ideas of the world, and his struggles with the many evil ideas in the world. I gave the book 5 stars because of its entertaining value that will keep you reading for hours at a time, and because of the lessons and themes that we learn through all of the characters in the book. This book is worth reading for anyone 13+, and it contains a little something for everyone to enjoy.
Rating: Summary: A summer reading book that isn't boring?! Review: The Once and Future King by T.H. White is the story of King Arthur of England and the rise and fall of his reign. What I liked most about this book wasn't just White's wonderful story telling. What I enjoyed most was its humor and the overall witty atmosphere. The novel is divided into four books that chronologically tell the story of Arthur and his accomplishments. Book One "The Sword and the Stone" is the story of Wart becoming the King of England. Growing up without a father Wart thinks of himself as sort of an outcast. He becomes his best friend Kay's squire and he soon wishes he could be a knight. Later on, he pulls a sword from a stone making him King of England. Book Two "The Queen of Air and Darkness" begins Arthur's reign as King of England. He established the Round Table and a code of chivalry making every knight fight for what should be done instead of what can be done. When his reign seems to reach his peak, he accidentally makes love to his sister, Morgause, while under a spell and she has their child, Mordred who signifies the beginning of Arthur's fall. Book Three "The Ill-Made Knight" is the story of Sir Lancelot and his entrance into the Round Table and also into the lives of Arthur and his wife Guenever. He soon has an affair with Guenever that Arthur tries his hardest not to face. As the code of chivalry seems to fail, Arthur sends his knights in search of the Holy Grail. Lancelot begins to follow God during the journey. Book Four "A Candle in the Wind" is the final book and tells the story of the fall of Arthur. I would continue, but this book concludes the novel and summarizes all that had lead to this point and I would therefore "spoil" the ending. Overall, what I thought of as an assignment for school soon became an absolute joy to read and I recommend this book to anyone in need of an adventure.
Rating: Summary: A Wonderful Book of Wisdom and Art Review: "Might isn't Right" is a motto that fuels the wisdom of the story as it unfolds. It begins with the story of The Sword and the Stone and wraps up with the end of King Arthur's great Camelot. Although the book is an amazing example of the wisdom of T.H. White, it is also an example of his clever sense of humor, which he uses quite often throughout this great piece of literary art. The book is quite long and drags on in a few parts, but the pros far outweigh the cons. Overall, this book is a great read and makes sense of all the other Arthurian stories you may have ever heard.
Rating: Summary: A great novel for all to love. Review: People of all ages are fascinated by the legend of King Arthur. The novel is split into four sections: The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind. Put together, these sections tell of Arthur's life-long struggle and, in the end, tragedy. The Wart, Arthur's nickname as a child, is tutored by a magical wizard named Merlyn. Merlyn teaches him various lessons by turning him into different kinds of animals. White uses a subtle humor in this section which adds to the grand adventures of Arthur's as grows older. The second section in the novel is where we are first presented with the issue of Might being Right. Merlyn's influence on the subject is strong. This in turn makes Arthur act upon his thoughts for changing the kingdom's laws. In this section of the novel we also learn of the Orkney Faction and Morgause, Arthur's step-sister. They play a major role in the downfall of Arthur's utopian kingdom dream. The Ill-Made Knight, the third section in the novel, involves the addition of Lancelot to the knights of the Round Table. He has a love affair with Guenever, Arhtur's wife. Despite his knowledge of the affair, Arthur chooses not to act upon it for the punishment would be death for Guenever under the new laws of the kingdom. But when Mordred, Arthur's son, insists he persue this matter, he does. He reminds himself that Might is Right. Piece after piece, Arthur's creation of the perfect kingdom diminishes. And in the last section, The Candle in the Wind, is where everything comes crumbling down. Arhtur goes to battle against his own son and looks back upon his life and realizes that it was a failure. This legend, though truly amazing, is indeed a complete tragedy. Through White's work, it is plan to see that Merlyn and he are very similar in that they both believe so strongly in the purpose of a good education.
Rating: Summary: Imaginative tale of Arthurian Legend, a real page turner! Review: I strongly recommend The Once and Future King by Terence Hanbury White to anyone who is interested in Arthurian Legend or just someone that is looking for a good piece of literature and a good read. The Once and Future King really is a literary masterpiece. The hostile world that King Arthur lived in is very clearly and accurately presented in White's book. From jousting knights to kings and queens, this book has it all, and more. This book truly illustrates the life of King Arthur and his many quests and adventures. It's diverse dialect, and intriguing stories, make the pages fly by. You simply can not put this book down. It is a story of love, adventure, deception, and chivalry, all the qualities of a great book. This book can also be related to today. Its main them of Right over Might, can be easily inserted in today's everyday problems. This book's moral is one of the strongest and most widely used in the world. The fight for justice that is displayed in this book should be incorporated in everyday life. Anyone who is willing to sacrifice a little time will truly benefit from reading this book.
Rating: Summary: A must for all readers! Review: The once and future King is a classic, and should be read by everyone, even if you think you may not like it. This book has so much to offer, to any reader. It has romance, battle, adventure, and it is thought provoking. (E.g. Might and Right, the story of how all the animals of the earth were created, the Wart's animal experiences, and the relationships between the four brothers Agravaine, Garavaine etc... all make us think about social and political issues, and some make us question our ideals and the ideals of the society we live in today. This book is well written and entwines so much history, fantasy, mythology, adventure, and romance that it is hard not to enjoy reading it. The first book in which the Wart is a young boy and is learning from Merlyn is my favorite part, mostly because of the experiences the Wart has as animals. (He becomes an ant, a bird, an owl, a fish, and others.) In this first book the descriptions of Merlyn's cabin, and the Castle of the Forest Savauge are some of the best writing in the book because of the vividness of these descriptions. At first when I finished reading the book, I was disappointed at how it ended, but after thinking about it I realized that the way the book ended left room for the imagination to imagine what happens, with some factors already pre-determined. I must say once again, that this book is wonderful, and has much to offer any reader, so stop reading my review and read the book (if you haven't already.)
Rating: Summary: Great Blend of Story and Meaning! Review: While some reviewers have pointed out that they believe the book is pointless and slow moving, these people are unfortunately missing a major element of the book. "The Once and Future King" may seem slow to those who are only looking for a fantasy story, but after analyzing it one will see that every detail is significant to the growth of the characters. As a boy Arthur spends much of the first book in the form of an animal as Merlyn tutors him. Over the course of many chapters he explores the world of the ants, geese, badgers, birds, and fish. These childhood experiences are often misinterpreted because most readers are expecting excitement, and do not yet possess an appreciation for the text as a whole. While reading the book I must admit that I thought some parts could not possibly pertain to the story, but the neat thing was that after reading on I found out how essential those parts really were. It was these types of "hidden jewels" that made analyzing the text enjoyable. For instance, upon completing the book it becomes evident that the "uneventful animal lessons" were in fact essential to Arthur's development, and they held the key to one of his biggest problems. This example shows how those who say that they hated reading this book often simply did not look deep enough. For those who are not interested in reading "beyond the action," they will be happy to find that T.H. White's book relays all of the typical chivalrous aspects of the great Arthurian legend. In their quest to preserve justice, Arthur and his knights will pull the reader into the exciting chivalrous world of battles, love affairs, sieges, and quests. This aspect shows that the story can be enjoyed by multiple types of audiences at different levels of insight. Some readers are not into "hidden parallels" and "analyzing character development," and for those there is the excitement of the medieval world. Even without looking at the book critically it can be very enjoyable to read. A great aspect of this book is that those who are interested in looking for themes and other insights may do so, while others could enjoy the same "studious" book as simply an interesting adventure fantasy. "It was geography which was the cause--political geography. It was nothing else. Nations did not need to have the same kind of civilization . . . if they would give each other freedom of trade and free passage and access to the world" (638). This passage addresses one of the key themes throughout the book: why are wars fought? In the book Arthur devotes his entire reign to answering this question. His main goal is to bring justice into his kingdom, but he is unable to understand how wars could possibly be avoided. It isn't until the end of the book that he looks back on his life, and finds that the answer was under his nose the whole time in one of Merlyn's childhood lessons. This quote shows how in-depth one could go into analyses and themes for the book. I found that behind the ostensible storyline of knights and chivalry there are many themes and suggestions interlaced between the characters and the situations they find themselves dealing with. One could spend long periods of time exploring just one aspect of the book such as Arthur's changes in thought through the progression of the story. Such tangents lend the book to being a great choice for anyone interested in something deeper than the average fantasy story. Over all I would recommend this book to everyone, whether you are looking for a medieval adventure or a book that you can study, analyze, and discuss. Either way there is something in this great book for everyone!
Rating: Summary: Interesting book filled with love, comedy, and adventure Review: Most people remember the legend of Arthur, an English king from some century past, his sword Excalibur, his glorious Round Table, and, of course, Merlyn, his trusted teacher and advisor. In this novel, T.H. White retells the magnificent Arthurian legend with accuracy and ardor. He brings to life the mysterious affair between his wife, Guenever, and his most trusted knight and friend, Lancelot. He brilliantly captivates and explores Arthur's plan for civilizing Britain and bringing it into the Middle Ages. Among other things, he also throws in references to the twentieth century, especially the war era, because that was the time when the book was written, either in the form of allusion or anachronisms. Either way, White will pull you in and even amuse you at times, and the whole time he is building on the whole of the novel, the heart of his writing masterpiece. The book is actually four books combined into an anthology that was put together in 1958. They are titled "The Sword in the Stone", "The Queen of Air and Darkness", "The Ill-Made Knight", and "The Candle in the Wind", respectively. Each deals with a certain era of Arthur's life, and a different step in his education and civilization process. The characters in the novel are quite deep and hard to grasp, especially that of Lancelot. His mind works in such a way that it is hard to understand his reasoning, which makes Book Three a challenge to read and understand why it is there, why it is part of a novel about King Arthur. It is there because Lancelot was the King's friend, and it is because of his complexity and the way he thinks that the King meets his end the way he does. Overall, this book is such an exciting read that it is impossible to say one knows everything about Arthur and not have read it. There is so much information presented in so many ways that it is a must for literary and fantasy buffs alike. Not only does this book cover the legend of Arthur, the Round Table, Lancelot and Guenever, and the Holy Grail, but it comments on society and the human race in its entirety.
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