HarperCollins The Great Book of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table: A New Morte D’Arthur

John Matthews is one of the foremost scholars in Arthurian legends, and it shows. In a podcast he explained his thought process and expectations for this title, setting my expectations high. The final product exceeded all of it.Matthews draws his sources from early tales, from Celtic traditions often overlooked by Mallory to medieval texts. Here we find stories like Avenable, the girl who was brought up as a boy and became a knight, Sir Morien from the Dutch tradition. I personally was thrilled to see that Marroc wasn't left behind either, and I'm looking forward to keep on reading the adventures of Percival.The presentation of this book is magnificent, illustrated by John Howe whom Matthews met during the production of the Lord of the Rings movies if I recall correctly. The full-page illustrations are breathtaking.Beautiful book, a wonderful source of information. It is highly recommended for both casual and Arthurian enthusiasts.

Tuve miedo de pedirlo porque vi reseñas con malas experiencias respecto a las condiciones del libro, pero afortunadamente me fue muy bien. Es un libro hermoso.

I pre-ordered this book, and was finally released about a month after the original delivery date that had been promised. That being said, it was well worth the wait! As the author, John Matthews, points out in the preface, while Thomas Mallory's Le Morte D' Arthur rmore ore less represents the sine qua non of the Arthurian mythos, much of the book shows Arthur as more of a background figure then as an actual protagonist. To be sure, the first few books of Mallory's epic deals almost exclusively with Arthur and him establishing his kingship. But after that the focus shifts towards his knights. Anyone reading this knows of the ensuing dramas that follow, of the quest for the Grail, the final battle and the death of the king, so need to reiterate it here.In this book, the author relates to the readership new adventures of Arthur, never before published in English. I love the tale of the Kight of the Parrot! Moreover, numerous tales appear about knights which most have never been heard of, including me. The one of Avonable comes to mind. Indispensable as a foundation in the Arthurian mythos. I'm still reading the book, learning of Lancelot's origins in a much more detailed account than that told to us by Malory. As I read the story I feel as though I'm right there alongside the young knight as he makes his way in the world, albeit a bit awkwardly and not without comedic effect.Matthew states up front that he seeks to emulate Mallory's style of storytelling while, at the same time, keeping the language fresh and in a contemporary idiom, understandable by anyone who knows English.John Howes artwork is incredible, evoking the other worldly atmosphere that's so pervades the Arthurian legends. 10 beautiful color plates are found in the book, as well as numerous pencil sketchings that enhance the narrative, at least for this reader.The red lettering at the beginning and end of each story truly lends the book even more appeal. I'm sure these retellings would stand alone just in black ink on the merit of the subject matter, and the author's undeniable skill in storytelling; nevertheless, the red ink segues and chapter endings (in Latin, no less!) add a lot to the package!So, I'm very happy with this book! I'm so glad that John Matthews undertook to have these stories translated and then retold them in English! Thank you to the author and the publishers, I really love this book!

I have just received this book and it looks amazing, wonderful illustrations courtesy of john howe and the stories , i cant wait to delve into.I have the Mallory one too but to read this version, the John Matthews way , will make it so much more readable I reckon. MErlin has always been my hero and the King Arthur and others tales I cant wait to get into...AS Neil Gaiman says 'simply by walking, and finding oneself in Camelot' is what this book will let us do..👌

Good writing and thorough. Highly recommended.