Lev GrossmanThe Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur (Magicians Trilogy)

A truly remarkable piece of work. One this reader came to with low expectations as I never warmed to the Magicians. The characters were so hard to like, my daughter says that was the point and I missed it, likely very true.This book however, can be enjoyed on so many levels, a ripping yarn, tale of daring do, a discourse on the complexities of religious belief and seeming fickle behavior of gods old and new.It may also be viewed as a satirical evocation of current attitudes in Britain in particular and the west in general.It’s one of those rare books you force yourself to put down so as to make it last that much longerEnjoy it at any level, recommended, a classic.

“The great knight’s manner was never anything but affable and unassuming, but it was somehow very clear that he was accustomed to being the center of everybody’s attention, including God’s. He honored you with his presence and in return you felt, ever so slightly, through no fault of your own, that you were taking up his valuable time.” (p393)This book is lots of fun. I especially enjoyed the biting, dry, humorous descriptions of the first-string superstar knight-heroes (out of reach but a bit too earnest, too good to be true) as seen through the eyes of the junior varsity benchwarmers. There were a few too many overly dramatic magical interventions for my tastes (I prefer light-touch magical realism in small doses). But this is a minor quibble, and your mileage might vary.The story is faithful to the genre and the cherished Arthurian legends, but the plot is fresh; you won’t know where you’re going until you get there. You don’t need to be an Arthurian expert to enjoy and appreciate it; you already know enough, and the author does a good job with summaries and reminders along the way. Nor should you worry about your Olde English; the prose is modern, crisp, and often very funny. Yes, you’ll occasionally encounter a bit of untranslated Latin, but it’s mostly songs and prayers. You’ll get the idea, and none of the Latin is mission critical.If you insist on thoughtful commentary, you’ll find it. A dominant theme, of course, is the quest for meaning and purpose (surprise, surprise), but there are other deep and nuanced insights toward the end of the story. But don’t get bogged down in the search for wisdom – just enjoy the story.

The Bright Sword was a very pleasurable read. Lev Grossman hits another Home Run with this magical tale. It held my interest until the last page.

This lovely story about a group of men, one of whom is trans, is beautifully told. It's fanciful and full of great imagery. There are some wonderfully crafted passages in this book that make it a pleasure to read. However, the lack of well-developed female characters is glaring in 2024. For language use alone it's probably worth reading, and I'm not sorry I did.TL;DR It reads like a novel written by a man who either doesn't like women or doesn't know very many, but whose mastery of English is undeniable.

When young I was an avid reader of Le Morte D'Arthur and other works about King Arthur. Then I lost that avidity in adulthood after I found myself gasping at the ghastly circumstances of the birth of Arthur and the brutality of the times. But I was intrigued with the news of The Bright Sword and this impressive author and bought it - and loved every word of it, every side path into the lives of the superb characters, and the reader's own working through the same fog as the characters do to find their way. This is not a small book. It hints at almost a picaresque path, but only hints. The quest is an internal one, so marvelously developed...to the last page. While I leave the synopsis to others and the publisher, why I'm writing this is to convey my reaction as a reader and hope that others will open the book and continue the journey I took. This is my favorite book of the year so far, and I cannot part with the big blue book with the gorgeous cover, the memorable characters, and the journey into an imagined journey with the Knights of the Round Table.

Lev Gross is quite good at creating vivid worlds . It’s easy to fall into them and come up for air, surprised that you are back in reality. This work is no exception. Those at least somewhat familiar with Arthurian legends will be most comfortable. And, unsurprisingly, there are a lot of brutal fights. Characters are interesting, and the main character is one that the reader will care about.All that being said, it runs somewhat too long and the end felt a bit muddy.Nevertheless, well worth a read.

I went into this book knowing that I was not necessarily the target audience. I'm not a huge fantasy reader. I do like Arthurian legend, but I wouldn't say I'm an expert on the subject.But man did I enjoy this book. I read all 670 pages in two days, finishing at 3:30 in the morning before getting up at 7:00 to go work as an English teacher. I don't regret a thing about it. The pacing was good, some of the digressions and tales of the individual knights got a bit long, but that's a very minor quibble.This was original while still holding to elements of Arthurian legend, quick paced, and elaborate. Everything I wanted the book to be.

I don't read many fantasy books (mysteries are my genre of choice :-), but I occasionally enjoy books on the Arthurian legend. This is the first I've read that approaches the excellence of The Once And Future King. In fact, the narrative voice is uncannily similar to T.H. White's, at times. Charming and engrossing, despite its length, it transcends the fantasy genre and stands on its own as a strong literary work. I've recommended it to others who are, like me, not big fantasy readers and they have all loved it.

It's hard to review books without giving things away accidentally, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this amazing book. When it was over, I experienced that weird feeling of sadness and loss (I'm sure the Germans have a name for this) because I wished the story had gone on for another 500 pages. In a nutshell, a truly masterful addition to the Arthurian Legend, immensely enjoyable, with some new twists that feel both natural and respectful of the 'original' material (I'm a purist when it comes to messing around with established lore, and The Bright Sword did alright by me, for what that's worth). I highly recommend this book.

Every so often, someone takes the blend of history, magic, and myth that is that strange heart-grabbing story of Arthur Pendragon, gives the ingredients a good shake, adds yet another pinch of fancy, and creates yet another fascinating insight into the world that never was.Some take a pseudo-historical approach, trying, as did Rosemary Sutcliff, to shoehorn as much of the detail into a credible 5th/6th century setting as they can. Others take a mixed approach and include an admixture of magic. And others accept all the magical elements and construct an altered world in which these can exist.T.H. White's Once and Future King is arguably the most succesful of this last model. The Bright Sword follows hard on its heels, but not by emulation. Instead, it looks at The Matter of Britain as it might develop following the death of its hero. It examines the actions and aspirations of the few Round Table knights who survive the final conflict, and provides them and the other surviving characters with their own, surprising, backstories.I preferred the writing in this novel to that of Grossman's Magicians - the characters are more fully fleshed-out, and the reader's greater familiarity with the root material makes the surprises more powerful and poignant. Grossman's take on Lancelot is unexpected, but a logical development of his storied loose hold on sanity, quest for sanctity, and his deadly combat skills. Nimue is far from the flibbertigibbet power-chaser she is usually depicted as being. And there are new and startling insights into the motivations of the Cornwall sisters. I read this at a sitting. The original multilevelled myth has always been a gripping tale since Mallory put his narrative icing on tbe cake. This child of the myth grips pretty hard too.

Excellent, though I preferred the Magicians trilogy...

Had no idea what to expect but Lev Grossman (author of the excellent _The Magicians_ trilogy) has written a beautiful and thoughtful novel tying together the Arthurian mysteries.Tremendous

Fresh, humerus take on the tale of King Arthur