The Mammoth Book of King Arthur (84 page)

These were Sutcliff’s first Arthurian works, both seeking to fit the story into an historical context. Both have been reprinted as YA books though
Sword at Sunset
is more adult in treatment than her other interpretations. The first book deals with the departure of the Romans and the resultant struggle between Vortigern and Ambrosius. The young Artos appears
towards the end. The story is told by Aquila, a Romano-British decurion who remains behind and joins Ambrosius’s (and later Artos’s) forces. He reappears in
Sword at Sunset
,
though this is told in the first person by Arthur and is his memories from when he received the Sword of Maximus from Ambrosius till his final hours. Sutcliff remains faithful to the Celtic Arthur,
so that Gwalchmai, Cei, Cador and Bedwyr are his primary companions, and it is Bedwyr who becomes Guinevere’s lover. Arthur’s major opponent is Cerdic. These two novels remain the best
starting point for anyone wanting to read the story of the historical Arthur.

Sutcliff, Rosemary
(1920–1992),
The Sword and the Circle
(UK, 1981),
The Light Beyond the Forest
(UK, 1979),
The Road to Camlann
(UK, 1981)
(m)

These are a more traditional treatment for a YA readership, based primarily on Malory but incorporating Gawain and the Green Knight and Gawain and the Loathly Lady in the first
book, which ends with the arrival of Percival. The second volume, written first, covers the Grail Quest and is by far the best and
most straightforward rendition of the story
for any new reader. The third volume follows the
Mort Artu
, and includes Guinevere’s abduction by Meleagaunce.

Sutcliff has written two other YA books of this period.
Tristan and Iseult
(UK, 1971) is a simple retelling of the basic story.
The Shining Company
(UK, 1990) is a retelling of
Y Gododdin
, about the Battle of Catraeth, set at least two generations after Arthur.

Taylor, Anna,
Drustan the Wanderer
(UK, 1971) (h)

A historical re-creation of Drustan and Essylt which may be more realistic but loses much of the glamour of the original.

Taylor, Keith
(b.1946),
Bard
(US, 1981) (f)

The first in a series about Felimid, a wandering Irish bard whose harp has magical qualities. Felimid had fought for Artorius at Badon but thereafter the series follows his
travels and occasional encounters with other Arthurian characters.

Telep, Peter,
Squire
(US, 1995),
Squire’s Blood
(US, 1995) and
Squire’s Honor
(US, 1996) (m)

A YA trilogy about young Christopher of Shores, a saddle-maker’s son who aspires to knighthood. After a series of adventures he becomes Arthur’s squire, but finds he
has to refuse the knighthood he so wants because he had once fought briefly for the Saxons. The second volume is the best, where Telep follows the original idea of a character trying to unite the
Britons and the Saxons whilst still protecting his lordship’s kingdom. The final volume finds Christopher, dishonoured and accused of murder, trying to prove his innocence.

Timlett, Peter Valentine
(b.1933),
Merlin and the Sword of Avalon
(UK, 2003) (f)

Drawing from all the romances, especially Robert de Boron, the Vulgate and Malory, this is the complete story of Merlin seen through the eyes of an occultist.

Tolstoy, Nikolai
(b.1935),
The Coming of the King
(UK, 1988) (h)

The first in a still-to-be completed trilogy about Merlin, here the historical Myrddin who lived a century after Arthur of Badon.
Tolstoy, who has written a
study of Merlin,
The Quest for Merlin
(UK, 1985), is rigorous in his authentic detail about Myrddin, but allows himself the latitude of developing more mystical means of linking
Myrddin’s life to other heroes and gods of legend. Arthur, long dead, does not appear in the book though Tolstoy plans to incorporate him retrospectively in the second volume.

Tranter, Nigel
(1909–2000),
Druid Sacrifice
(UK, 1993) (h)

This is the story of Thanea and her son Mungo (St Kentigern) set in the second quarter of the sixth century. Tranter has followed one pedigree that makes Thanea the daughter of
Loth and thereby sister of Gawain and niece of Arthur. The Arthurian element surfaces in the third section, which considers Mordred’s rebellion (Mordred is shown as a pagan Pict rising up
against the Christian Arthur) whilst Lancelot, who was king of Northumbria but who had been ousted by Ida of the Angles, is caught between the two factions. This section follows through to
Arthur’s death at Camlann (here at Camboglanna) when Arthur is succeeded by the aged Urien of Rheged.

Treece, Henry
(1912–1966),
The Great Captains
(UK, 1956),
The Green Man
(UK, 1966) (h)

These may be seen as companion volumes telling different aspects of the same story. The first is the story of Arthur told in the context of a violent struggle for power and
survival in a battle-torn Britain, drawing its background from Gildas. At the start, an ageing Ambrosius has care of his ward Medrodus, whom he has raised in the Roman way and expects to succeed
him as Count of Britain. In the struggles that follow, the barbarian Artos is elected Battle Leader by the kings Vortipor, Cuneglassus and Caninus, leading to the inevitable rivalry with Medrodus,
now renamed Medrawt.
The Green Man
is, unusually, the story of Hamlet/Amleth and thus the only novel which focuses on the shadowy character of Amlawdd. Arthur’s world features as one
of the trio of cultures that Amleth encounters. Bedwyr, Cei and Medrawt are Arthur’s main companions. Treece also wrote the YA book
The Eagles Have Flown
(UK, 1954) which describes
Arthur’s battle campaign through
the eyes of two boys. Though less violent, it still depicts the harshness of the period.

Turner, Roy,
King of the Lordless Country
(UK, 1971) (h)

A less than convincing historical reconstruction in which Arthur rises to power within the Circle, a warrior band under the leadership of Gwenhwyfar. The story takes us to the
battle of Badon.

Turton, Godfrey E.,
The Emperor Arthur
(US, 1967) (h)

Retells the standard historical story within the context of a clash between the Roman church and paganism. Merlin is a pagan priest in league with the Saxons whilst the Church
is wary of Arthur’s power. The main characters however, perhaps because of the shortcomings of the narrator, Pelleas, seem amazingly naïve and rather impotent at controlling events.

Vance, Jack
(b.1916),
Lyonesse
series with respective volumes subtitled
Suldrun’s Garden
(US, 1983),
The Green Pearl
(1985),
Madouc
(US, 1989) (f)

These exotic and loquacious fantasies by Vance are more in the vogue of Lord Dunsany and really bear little relevance to the traditional Arthur. In effect Vance has created the
legend of Lyonesse upon which Camelot was modelled. The stories are set two or three generations before Arthur in what became the mythical Elder Isles, and contain many Arthurian allusions
including the prototype Round Table and less-than-holy Grail Quest.

Vansittart, Peter,
Lancelot
(UK, 1978) (h)

Lancelot tells his story from his childhood in late Roman Britain, his service under Ambrosius, his affair with Gwenhever and his association with the unpredictable Artorius.
Lancelot is portrayed as an uncertain, questioning man challenging if accepting the role of Artorius. Along with
Parsifal
(UK, 1988), in which Vansittart’s questing hero lives through
two millennia, both works serve as a platform from which to consider one’s identity and place within society.

Viney, Jayne,
The Bright-Helmed One
(UK, 1975) (h)

A multi-perspective view of Arthur, from one of his warriors, from his wife Winifrith and from Cei, the final part being the most successful in delineating Arthur’s
decline. Arthur comes across as remote, perhaps the inevitable fate of such a demanding destiny.

Wein, Elizabeth,
The Winter Prince
(US, 1993) (f)

A YA novel which explores the character and tempers of Medraut who, because he is illegitimate, is denied the succession, which goes to his half-brother Lieu. We find
Medraut’s jealousy drawing him to his enchantress mother Morgause, though he struggles with his conscience over which path he should choose. A fascinating exploration of dilemma and loyalty.
The two sequels,
A Coalition of Lions
(US, 2003) and
The Sunbird
(US, 2003), follow Medraut’s half-sister Goewin after Camlann, to Aksum (Ethiopia) where her cousin Constantine
is Viceroy. Also there is Medraut’s son Telemakos.

White, T.H.
(1905–1964),
The Sword in the Stone
(UK, 1938),
The Witch in the Wood
(UK, 1939),
The Ill-Made Knight
(UK, 1940), later issued
together with “The Candle in the Wind” as
The Once and Future King
(UK, 1958),
The Book of Merlyn
(US, 1977) (f)

Probably the best known Arthurian fiction, though it may be better known because of the animated film adaptation from
The Sword in the Stone
, a section of the book not
representative of the whole. In the first Merlyn raises Arthur and we learn much through his education on the nature of the world about him, which has a timeless quality. It is light-hearted, with
Merlyn a figure of fun, and does not prepare you for the second section, retitled “Queen of Air and Darkness” in the omnibus volume. Arthur fights his battles against his rebel kings
whilst Morgause works her wiles, seducing Arthur. In the third section the characters shift towards the grotesque and we meet Lancelot, who is ugly and uncertain and as much a victim as everyone
else. The final section replicates the
Mort Artu
but with the significant change that Arthur tries to replace feudality and knighthood with a form of government, a change that would happen
to Malory’s
world after his death – Malory even features in the book as Arthur’s page. White was almost certainly reflecting upon the changing World Order as
a result of the Second World War, a view that became even more evident in
The Book of Merlyn
, which the original publisher rejected, but which in tune with the times projected the
helplessness of mankind to control themselves, a concept which is in accord with much of the Arthurian legend though oddly incongruous with White’s original treatment. As a result,
White’s overall Arthuriad is inconsistent and anomalous, but by that very nature highlights the ambiguity of the Arthurian world.

Whyte, Jack
(b.1943),
The Skystone
(Canada, 1992),
The Singing Sword
(Canada, 1993),
The Eagle’s Brood
(Canada, 1994),
The Saxon Shore
(Canada, 1995),
The Fort at River’s Bend
(Canada, 1997),
The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis
(Canada, 1997),
Uther
(US, 2001),
The Lance Thrower
(US, 2004), known
collectively as “The Camulod Chronicles” (h)

This has now become the longest of all Arthurian narratives, although Whyte’s original plan finished with Book 6. The original concept followed a vision from the time when
a Roman officer and swordsmith, Publius Varro (who narrates the first two volumes), discovers the meteor, the Skystone out of which he forges the sword Excalibur, to the culmination of his hopes
over a century later when Arthur Riothamus becomes High King. Varro established a Colony, called Camulod, which provided a central control to help protect the British after the departure of the
Romans. With
The Eagle’s Brood
the narrator becomes Varro’s great nephew Merlyn, or Caius Merlyn Britannicus, cousin of Uther Pendragon, who continues Varro’s grand plan.
After Uther’s death Merlyn becomes the protector of his infant son Arthur. It was Whyte’s intention to stop with the crowning of Arthur, as he believed all that followed had been told.
He has added one book,
Uther
, which relates events that run parallel with
The Eagle’s Brood
, with two more volumes covering the role of Lancelot. Despite the detail of
Whyte’s grand scheme and the ingenuity of its development, some of the names he uses for new characters, such as Peter Ironhair and Derek of Ravenglass, jar with the Celtic and Roman names
and spoil the overall effect.