Arthurian Legend Books

A good ending for the series. I enjoyed it and will be happy to share the series with my grandchildren. The books are not only a good adventure series, the characters grow, evolve and develop good characteristics that I would like to see in more people in my community.

I read The Wings of Merlin, by T.A.Barron. This is a fantasy book, fourth and last book of the Lost Years of Merlin series.

This book talks of Merlin's life on the island of Fincayra before he goes to England to serve King Arthur. Fincayra is an island in between the human world and the otherworld. Merlin and his friends are warned by the Great Spirit, Dagda, that Fincayra and the otherworld will come perilously close on the longest night of the year. At that moment, a spirit army will try to overtake Fincayra. Merlin's task is to reunite the separated peoples of Fincayra so that they may form an army to defend their homeland.

This book was a very good ending to the Lost Years of Merlin series. People who like fantasy and are interested in the legend of King Arthur should read it.

I love this series. Although I am not a huge fan of fantasy books this book captivated me with an entertaining plot and wonderful characters. I have something else to say if you haven't read the other 4 books you won't know about a lot of things so before you read this you need to read the other books. Well hope this helps you!

Imagine a young, new wizard. A spirit tells him that his world would be destroyed if he doesn't gather the people of his world to one spot. Oh yeah, all the humans, animals, and creatures are separated by hate. This is the problem Merlin faced. When Merlin got a message from the spirits, he acted quickly. Gathering the people of Fincayra isn't an easy task, especially in two weeks, so Merlin gets some help from Rhia. As he gathers the people, he has many adventures including saving orphans, defeating Slayer, and connecting the Forgotten Island back to the main land of Fincayra. When everyone is gathered, they fight for their world. After succeeding, Dinatius comes to tell them that because of their deeds, the humans get to earn their wings back, but Merlin refuses his wings and goes back to Earth. The Wings of Merlin is a great book full of adventures.
The adventures in this book are realistic. There are many fantasy books where the events and the setting are completely not likely. The Wings of Merlin has a more realistic approach. For example, there are three worlds, Earth, Fincayra, and the Otherworld. They didn't just make up another universe completely. The author also made the characters like things we see today, humans, dwarfs, ect.
This is a great book because each of the characters has their own unique personality. Merlin is a brave person with a strong heart, but also some uncertainties. Hallia is a sweet, generous, fragile person. Rhia is fearless and has a spirit that fly's with the birds. Shoulder impingement is a very sensitive and friendly giant.
This book has characters that you can relate to. This is a good book for the sensitive, friendly, brave, fearless, fragile, ect. Since the characters have real personalities and they have uncertainties, it makes the readers more attached. You can't really connect to someone who is an extremely brave, extremely strong, extremely smart person, but you can connect with a person like Merlin because, like all of us, he has his flaws and uncertainties.
Over all, this is a great book that anyone can get attached to. Merlin makes ethical decisions on his journey. If someone doesn't like to read boring books and only the exciting ones, this is the book for them. This is a great book because what T. A. Barron did was tweak things we have today to make them magical. Barron didn't just create everything from scratch. This is good because it helps you understand it better. (...)

My first impression of Merlin in books one through three was that he was a strong,caring but sometimes moody wizard. Rhia his sister loved the earth and the trees and all life in general. The author makes me belive in Merlin when he tries to save Fincayra, the place where they live by defeating Rhit Gwar the bad guy. They amass all the creatures of Fincayra. The story in a way dives right into the action with many sub plots and the final plot (The head of the action). There is also a lot of description in the story explaining battles,people, and even new found powers. This book genre is fantasy because of wizard's magic, and other strange creatures. The plot is usually easy too follow because of the way the author writes it. the exposition may have been dragged a bit but I still got involved. I would definetly reccomend this book to others if you like King Arthur or medieval things, because a lot of things if you look closely tie into King Arthur myths and legends. This book left me feeling satisfied because it is a truly great book. I have read some other books by T.A.Barron like The Seven Songs of Merlin and others. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone i meet. This book is awesome!!!!

The Wicker Man , sometimes called the burning man, is in modern times
associated with Wicca, but comes from the Druidic traditions of the early Celts. Here a woman's weaving of a wicker woman is the main
plot theme called the Green witch. For me this seems kind of a made
up fantasy that doesn't have the intricate design of an Alan Garner novel.
I think it is unhealthy as well to associate the Dark with a gypsy.
There is enough prejudice associated with them already. Sagan said it was a "Demon filled world' that superstition gave us. Adding new ones
in a semi-fantasy fashion may not be a real good thing.
The novel as part of a series is very well written, but mostly
to motivate you to buy the next one...

The Dark is Rising is a wonderful classic fantasy series, and 'Greenwitch' (Book 3) brings together the characters from Books 1 and 2, as the powers of the Light continue on their quest to overcome the Dark.

The Drew children, Simon, Jane and Barney, central to the story in 'Over Sea Under Stone' (Book 1) come back into the plot, returning to Trewissick with their Great Uncle Merry for a week of their Easter Holidays. They are on a mission to recover the celtic golden chalice they found in Book 1 and presented to a museum for safe-keeping. The chalice has been stolen and Great Uncle Merry (Gumerry) believes they can help to find it. In 'Greenwitch' their characters are better developed than in the first book, bringing out distinctive individual characteristics for each of the children.

Also on his way down to Trewissick for his holidays is Will Stanton, the Sign-Seeker and youngest of the Old Ones, guardians of the Light in Book 2. Will's Uncle Bill is taking him on his holidays with an old friend of his, Merriman Lyon... Merriman, or Merry has brought all of the children together for the first time as they each have unique skills to help with the recovering of the chalice and the fight against the powers of the Dark. Jane, in particular, as she is invited to watch the local women of the village construct the magical Greenwith as an offering to the sea, makes a wish which becomes important to the Old Ones in their struggles against the Dark....

Not as good as Book 2, but 'Greenwitch' is essential in bringing together the two plot lines established in Books 1 and 2, and is a key part of The Dark is Rising series. A great series for all ages.

This is the third book in the "Dark Is Rising" series, and I think it's the best of the three. There weren't any slow sections (unlike the first book), and the use of magic made sense (unlike the second book). "Greenwitch" blends the Drew-children-solving-a-mystery plot from Book 1 with the Will-and-Uncle-Merry-use-magic elements from Book 2, and the combination keeps Book 3 moving along at a good pace. This series just isn't as complex as the Narnia books, or as well written as the Harry Potter books, but if you've already read "Over Sea, Under Stone" and "The Dark Is Rising," you'll enjoy "Greenwitch."

A very short section of the Dark is Rising sequence, and probably limited at that. The Drew children are reunited, and a bit older and more mature, having arrived from different places for a short break.

This book focuses on them, and in particular Jane, who becomes an important element in finding what the Old Ones, and their agents, the Drews, are after. Together, the warriors of Light must recover the Grail, or all is lost.

Will Stanton and Merriman Lyon are also here, and Will befriends the Drew kids, but again, they are there in a guardian role and for Will's training. They are also not the only Old Ones around at the time, waiting for the Greenwitch ceremony.

Greenwitch is the third in the superb Dark Is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper.
Shorter than the others in the series, it brings together the Drew Children, Simon, Jane and Barney, encountered in Over Sea Under Stone. And Will Stanton from The Dark Is Rising.
We're back in Cornwall for this particular adventure, and as always, Susan Cooper portrays her setting with her usual attention to detail.
Greenwitch is somewhat darker than Over Sea Under Stone, the only other book in the series to be set in Cornwall. But like the other books, it makes for compulsive reading.
My only little gripe is that I would have liked to see the friendship between Will and the Drews develop more. The Drews are hostile towards Will to begin with, yet Jane at least has warmed to him by the end with no real progression from one state of mind to the next. But its only a little moan. Greenwitch is a worthy addition to the series and not to be missed.
Alex Jennings takes the helm for the reading of this book, as he does for all except book four, and he does a splendid job.

Here Again, Like The Llewellyn Tarot Deck, I Think This Deck Is Absolutely Beautiful Too! The Artwork Is Extraordinary!

This is a beautiful SET. DO NOT buy it together with the book "A Keeper of Words; Accompanying Book to Legend: The Arthurian Tarot", because the BOOK IS INCLUDED in this boxed set. As such, it's a much better value than described!

I absolutely love this deck. It fits very easily into my hands- it's only slightly bigger than the average deck of playing cards. I really wasn't sure how I was going to feel about these when I ordered them, and even while I was looking through them I had mixed feelings. I have used my Enchantment Deck for years and it was almost as though I was neglecting a friend... But as soon as I started to shuffle this deck I was just like "Wow". I haven't been able to put them down! I still love me Enchantment Deck and use them regularly, but usually just for myself. These are great cards though and the little booklet it comes with is actually quite nice!

One of my earliest Tarot teachers always emphasized that it's not enough to just memorize the "definitions" of each card ~ it's important to explore what you SEE in each card each time. This deck is fabulous for that kind of intuitive reading style.

While the accompanying book is wonderful and thorough in the Tarot definitions and Arthurian legend background that are provided, the cards themselves open up into cinematic scenes that offer insight and guidance that shift with each throw. The deck shimmers with life and with wisdom. It became my favorite the first time I used it.

well my book is different than the one I see at this time but I really love this book and Tarot Deck. I am very in tune with the energy of it. I am very happy with my purchase.

(Some Minor Spoilers below.)

The Dark is Rising sequence is one of those ubiquitous book series that all children seem required to read, and although I had it on my "to-read" list, I never got to it as a kiddo. So, when I saw this nice boxed set I thought it was my chance to catch up with a series I had neglected.

Now I wish I had read it when I was younger; I think I would have found them more entertaining. As it is, I feel that the series is average. This isn't to say that singular books weren't exceptional -- but that the whole is not greater than its parts.

The first book, Over Sea, Under Stone, is my favorite of the five. I would easily give it 5 stars. It had me on my toes throughout the entire narrative! The children were sympathetic, realistic, and interesting characters; the plot, entertaining; the tension, quite real. For the first time in a long time, I wondered if the little heroes could pull through all right. Of course, the jaded adult in me said, "Of course they can! It's a children's book!" But this book is so well written, so entertaining -- like "The Goonies," or a child's Indiana Jones -- that I couldn't help but throw my jaded predisposition to the wind and just enjoy the ride.

The second book, The Dark is Rising, I was not so certain about. It reveals Will, the last of the Old Ones, and his mission to find all of the Signs necessary to stop the Dark in the final battle. In my opinion, this is where the series gets awkward. At first I was excited for Will, who finds out he is capable of great things and can set objects on fire with just a word (which I think everyone wants to do at some point). The Dark seemed doubly sinister -- the Dark Rider was a downright thrilling villain, and the Dark attacks people Will holds dear, controls the weather, and altogether seems capable of anything.

And yet, as the story progressed, it seemed Will became less and less a character I cared for, and more and more static and uninteresting. I didn't understand, and still don't understand, the limits of an Old One -- what they can and can't do in our world, what laws govern them in general. Furthermore, the Dark -- this supposedly terrifying, very powerful force -- seems incapable of really touching Will himself, a boy who has not completely grown into the power of an Old One. I found myself wondering if the Dark could really do anything at all, or if the author gave them all this "power" for show and no brains to go with it, for their powers and plots all came to naught with what seemed little effort. I couldn't help but compare them to the villains in the first book -- villains who were terrifying precisely because they could be anybody, anywhere, working in broad daylight just as well as behind the scenes. In a way, this made the fear more visceral and brought it home to the real world -- the Dark could be the hobo in the street or, just as easily, your neighbor. This is lost when Ms. Cooper transforms the Dark into a bogeyman.

A final problem: Ms. Cooper brings up old legends without any backstory, which I would have really appreciated (as I am not an Arthurian aficionado). A little blurb in the back of the book would have been perfect.

When I moved on to Greenwitch, and realized Will and the Drews would join forces, I looked forward to it. Will then proved himself to be an annoying pretentious little twit who I wanted to kick. Merriman told the Drews they were necessary, but as the book progressed I wasn't sure why -- it seemed that what the Drews did, anybody could have done. Although I enjoyed Jane's larger place in the narrative, and the ending was very satisfying, the Drew children ended up "tools," which is really unforgivable. This book also introduced a regretful element that Ms. Cooper abuses: making people forget the incredible things they have seen. Yes, this was done in The Dark is Rising, but I felt it was done for a good reason; it was to protect Will's family and the people in his community, and I had the feeling that Old Ones were to remain absolutely undetected at all times (which was reasonable). Here, it was not done for anyone's safety, and rather, seemed completely indiscriminate. "No, we can't have you Drews seeing Will and Merriman jump off a cliff and float away. I mean, sure you guys know about the fantastical Dark and all, but we can't trust you with any more, even though you helped us find the Grail and Simon saw some creepy supernatural thing happen to Barney and Jane is talking to a nasty spirit in her dreams."

The Grey King picks up, and is the second book in the series that I would give 5 stars to. Will becomes capable of making mistakes, actually manages to forget something, and is generally an interesting fellow. The new character, Bran, was equally as fascinating. The story picked up the same sharp tension that was so wonderful about the first book, and I enjoyed it the whole way through. I didn't completely understand the Arthurian elements, but that was all right; it was just as entrancing. The Grey King himself, and his horrible foxes, were delightful foes. This book would make for a fantastic movie.

Silver on the Tree was my least favorite in the series and brought to a head all of the problems plaguing the series. Ms. Cooper was just too vague and arbitrary. Why were some choices bad and some choices good? I'll never know. Why did they do this and not that? Heaven knows why. WHY did she take a character I love and turn them to the Dark? Why, why, why does she make the Drews and Bran forget everything at the end? When Bran tried to give Jane his green pebble I wanted to cry. It's like Ms. Cooper utterly undid any sort of character development that may have gone on in the entire narrative. All the elements that could have made this book satisfying -- Bran meeting his father and realizing his destiny -- might as well have never occurred. Sure, the Lost Land was all sorts of wonderful fun; sure, the Mari Llwyd was utterly terrifying. But it doesn't make up for what seemed to be a storyline thrown together at random and a world whose rules I never quite understood (if there were any at all).

Long ago, I realized that a book can only be as good as its villains. I sometimes wonder if Ms. Cooper really thought through what the Dark was responsible for... what it really meant to banish it, and what it meant to have it in the first place. Because it's when she dives into the supernatural, and what being an Old One really means, and how Old Ones relate to the world, that the plot, characters, and Arthurian legend start to seem muddled, forced, and rushed. Two huge questions remained for me at the end of this series: Why was it important to banish the Dark if evil still dwells in the heart of man? What was so dangerous about it in the first place?

My final word: get these books at the library, and read them while you're young. Maybe there's something you'll see that I can't anymore.

A friend of mine has a son who is 12 and since he knew that I loved the Harry Potter series, he decided to share with me this series. He said it was better than Harry but I have to disagree with him on this one. While this series is beautifully written, it is nothing like Harry.

That said, I can assure you that this is a beautiful series of books that I would recommend to youth ages 9 and older. I definitely would like my boys to read this one when they're older. It is beautifully written, lyrical and inspiring enough to keep me reading through the entire series in one week. It is about the classic battle between good and evil, using old Welsh myths and lore (which I know nothing of). I wish I had read this as a kid because I think I would have appreciated it much more than I do now. As an adult, I am jaded and don't appreciate the lovely story as much as I should. I kept looking for more of the story-line when it is simply done as an excellent story.

Out of this series, my favorite books are: The Dark is Rising (the second book) and Silver on the Tree (the final conclusion). Silver on the Tree really had most of the background information that my heart desires. It has a wonderful conclusion to the stories. There were some twists in the book I did not expect.

This is a wonderful series for youth and their parents to read and to discuss. I am looking forward to the day when I can discuss these with my own children.

7/17/08

I'm re-reading the series. The first time I read it, I was 10, but I'm finding that 14 years later, the story is still good. Enjoyable plot and characters.

I had forgotten how great these books by Susan Cooper are. I had a hard copy book set when they first came out. I love stories about the quest, and the battle of Light vs Darkness, and The Arthurian legend. They also fit into the Narnia Chronicle mode too. Susan writes with a descriptive style that makes you feel like you are right there experiencing Will Stanton's Adventures and the Drew family too. I recommend them for teens and anyone who loves fantasy fiction.
D. Sutton

"The Dark Is Rising" series is a beautifully written series based on British folklore. It is a children's series, but adults with an interest in British lore will enjoy it as well. The characters are well drawn, and the rising suspense makes this a page-turner for all. These are books you may well find yourself rereading as an adult!

I almost didn't get through this book, because the not-very-exciting quest for the crystal sword in the middle of the book was so incredibly tedious. It was nice to bring all of the major characters together for the finale, but "Silver on the Tree" lacks any real feeling of suspense or even urgency. And the contrived nature of the way that the Dark will finally be defeated: whoever cuts the mystical mistletoe at precisely the right instant wins? So the Light has been getting ready for this for a thousand years, and it all comes down to a random moment's action? Everything happens exactly as you'd expect it to, the Drew children have almost nothing to do except show up, and there's way too much gratuitous Welsh. It feels a lot like Cooper was phoning this one in.

If you've made it this far in the series, you might as well finish this last book so you can say you've read them all.

For the last time, the Dark will attempt to rise once again. But Will and his friends of the Light will be there to stop it. This book is the ending to an ancient rivalry between the Light and the Dark. For centuries the Old Ones, a group of magical beings, have been preventing the Dark from rising since the beginning of time. I suggest this to people who like books with mystery and magic and magic because this book is full of it. Susan Cooper's series are suspenseful and exciting; you'll always be back for more. When you read this book you'll find out how badly Will and the Light need to defeat the Dark and stop it from rising this one last time.

This is the magical conclusion to an equally magical series of books. Susan Cooper's seamless mix of timeless legend, wonderful imagination and beautiful use of language, make it difficult to find many to equal her.
Silver On The Tree is a coming together of the prophecies that we've been hearing tantalising titbits from all through the series, and a culminating of the quest of Will Stanton, last of the old ones and his immortal master Meriman, Bran Davis, the welsh boy with an extraordinary destiny, and the three Drew Children, ordinary kids with a knack for being in the thick of things.
This story takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride through time, space and other worlds, with a climax that has you quite literally on the edge of your seat.
There are some extremely moving scenes, and I for one was very sad at the end. What, I cry plaintively, will become of Will?
There now, I hope that wet your apatite.
Just to complete your satisfaction, I can confirm for fans of the audio books that Alex Jennings reads the last book in the series, as he did with nearly all the others, and his high quality narration makes for a delightful listening experience.

Reading the last sentence of this book 24 years ago changed my life. BOYCOTT the travesty that is the Dark Is Rising film. Keep the pure elements of Cooper alive. The amazing tale she spun, weaving in elements of Celtic/Welsh mythology into a modern narrative leaves me shaking today. This book made me who I am today. I will not stand by and watch it raped and pillaged. READ the BOOK and BOYCOTT the film.

Peace.

The conclusion to the fabulous Dark is Rising sequence brings it all together. The Drew children, Will, Merriman Lyon, Bran, and their human relatives and acquaintances, one of whom will prove crucial, and a traitor will be revealed.

Will and Bran must undergo the most perilous quest, to the find the sword of power.

Again, the clues are poetic :-

I am the womb of every holt,
I am the blaze on every hill,
I am the queen of every hive,
I am the shield for every head,
I am the tomb of every hope --
I am Eirias

At the end, a decision must be made by those who are not mortal, about those who are mortal.

I loved The Squire's Tale, and wondered if Morris could do it again. He does. These are great stories, and he tells them well. On to the next one!

After reading one book by author Gerald Morris, we were addicted! Now my husband (43), my son (12), and myself (37) are fighting over every book in the Squire's Tale series that we can get our hands on! We bought this book because we heard it was "good literature." We had no idea HOW good until we read it. It is clever, witty, sarcastic, adventurous, and inspirational! My husband laughed so hard he cried! It is a very entertaining retelling of the King Arthur stories and Canterbury Tales, complete with knights, castles, princesses, magic, fairies, herbs with healing powers, and quests! The characters as sassy and full of spunk, and there is a new adventure around every corner. We recommended these books to our local library, some of the librarians read one of the books, and they ended up ordering a bunch of the books from The Squire's Tales series for the library. (This book is the seventh in the series but, personally, it's my favorite. My husband and son each have other favorites from this series, though, so you'll want to read them all.) It is easy to recommend such a charming and entertaining book!

The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady is a good book. O.K, it's a great book. FINE!!! I'll admit it! It's one of the best books I've ever read!


Starting with a deadly challenge from an other-worldly knight, the book takes off on a series of cliff-hanging medieval adventures. In this book you'll enter a totally new world, brimming full of enchantments, magic, dimwits and more! The characters are interesting, witty and realistic. Although there's some romance in the end, this is a tale any one from 10-101 can read and enjoy. A sequel to The Squire's Tale, The Squire, His Knight and His Lady is a GREAT book to get lost in!

I borrowed The Squire, His Knight and His Lady from my public library. This is a wonderful book! I like it very much because it is based off of Arthurian Legends, but goes into greater detail about each of the characters and their own challenges and personalities. I read this before I read The Squire's Tale, which is book one, because I was unaware that it was a series, but was satisfied enough to read it in backwards order. It would have been all the more exciting, however, to read it in the right order. I am still reading The Squire's Tale, have the next book waiting, and hope to find the next few books at my library as well. It might not be the most fast-paced book, but still I enjoyed it very much.
The main character is Terence, who becomes squire to Sir Gawain, one of King Arthur's knights. It also involves several battles, and lovely Ladies. I really did like this book a lot.

I am a King Arthur, And his knights of course, FREAK!! With this book I couldn't put it down! I really enjoy the twist that Gerald Morris put on Gawain. Terence and Eileen are the perfect couple and are both fun to read about. I didn't really like the way he portrayed Lancelot, but I really favor him, cause he is my favorite. Of coarse other charecters that he portrayed extremly well, ALMOST made up for it.Over all he did a great job with this tale that spins off A Squire's Tale.
Can't wait to read the next book!

I have always received the best service when I have placed an order from you. Outstanding!!!!!

The greatness of Tennyson's epic poems lie in the careful mix of life and legend. We are drawn in by stories of great heroism and power, with clashing steel and gallant oaths. But we also are forced to explore and consider very normal things about life; being worn down by constant nagging, suspicious spouses, temper tantrums, and tired old men. As a result, the "epic" is also easy to relate to, without losing the grandeur of its time and deeds.

I cannot recommend this highly enough to people who want to know how chivalry may be recaptured in our world.

I purchased this book for my seventeen year-old daughter, an avid reader of this genre and classics in general. Her reaction was very positive and was delighted that it also contained other work by Tennyson.

The style of writting within this book differs greatly from what the casual reader is probably used to not only because of the poem format but the language as well. The Medieval style of speech is carried into this book and older words we dont hear any more are used as well. It takes a page or two to understand the flow. I did find this book interesting and very useful for my research into the Arthurian Legends but would not recommend it for casual reading.

This book is certainly a classic in all regards. I feel that every man alive in this day and age should read this to revive the idea of chilvary and bravery. Perhaps, it would alleviate some of the problems of our nation.

Ever wanted to escape into a book with a child and feel young again? This book combines fantasy and Christmas into one story that is something to treasure and share with someone young at heart.

I orderred this fpr my grandchild and they loved it. I personaaly haven't read it yet. But they say it is good.

A wonderful adventure and an enchanting tale for the Christmas season, although this story can certainly be enjoyed at any time of the year. Once again, Mary Pope Osborne has done her own magic with book # 29 in her Magic Tree House series.

How exciting for a child to travel to Camelot with Jack and Annie on their quest. The story is fun, scary, thrilling, and upbeat. It certainly held my grandson's interest from the beginning to the end.

The illustrations by Sal Murdocca are beautifully done. They add so much to the total enjoyment of the book.

Denise Hillman Moynahan
The Great Cavern of the Winds: Tales from Backbone Mountain

Book arrived in a timely manner. Was suprised it didn't have a dust cover as that was not stated in advertisement. However, book was in good shape.

The magic treehouse series has been and continues to be a wonderful series for my son. Educational and interesting, these books capture his attention and inspire his imagination. It is so rewarding to see your child be enthusiastic about reading stories and reading in general. I have and will continue to suggest these books to other parents.

This is a decent book. Has loads of action and adventure. Which keeps the reader going from page 1. What I didn't care for as the book went on is Alfred's narration. He's a selfproclaimed loser and everything is his fault. As the book neared the end I was wondering if he would ever stop putting himself down, stop telling you he's slow on the uptake, stop acting sulky with a feel-sorry-for-me attitude. When the situation demands it Alfred step's up to the plate, but the rest of the time he's sulking around. It started out great with his humor and I laughed out loud but it didn't hold that through the book. The reading is easy and pageturning. However, I won't be reading the sequel as I don't think I take anymore of his loser attitude.

I found the plotting to be pretty good in this book; it seemed like it was written using an action/adventure movie as its basis, and it worked all right.

What I disliked is the inconsistency of the narration. Alfred seems like he's such a naif, with few life experiences and a self-proclaimed life filled with boredom and ennui. But his voice as the narrator shows flashes of sophistication and schema that don't mesh with the ways that he is otherwise portrayed.

I suppose my reaction to this is similar to how I felt when I read The DaVinci Code. It was exciting and fun, but the characterization was sketchy at best.

I think this book is amazing. It's action packed, sorrow filled and the clues in this book make you not want to put it down. Buy this book! If you don't you'll regret it! And if you do good for you because this is deffinetly the best book I've ever read. Seriously.

Alfred Kropp is big enough to play football, but too clumsy to be any good, and too dense to remember the playbook. In fact, Alfred doesn't really excel at anything. Except for his height and big head, he's pretty much average. Ordinary. If only he were smaller, he could go through each day unnoticed.

He has no father and his mother died of cancer when he was only twelve. For two years he's been juggled between various foster homes until his Uncle Farrell appears and takes him in. And that's when his life becomes anything but ordinary.

A slick, devious stranger offers Uncle Farrell one million dollars to steal a special sword back from Mr. Samson, Farrell's boss. Alfred has many questions. How do they know it really belongs to the stranger? What happens to him if his uncle gets caught for stealing? Why is this man asking them to steal it? Uncle Farrell threatens Alfred. He has no choice. He either helps steal the sword, or he goes back to foster care.

As soon as Alfred wields the sword in his hands, he knows it is no ordinary sword. He finds out he's holding Excalibur, King Arthur's sword. The same sword that knights have been guarding for centuries. From the moment Alfred steals the sword he is pitched headlong into a world unlike any he has ever known. A world that clashes with knights, swords, fast cars, helicopters, daggers, guns, and much more.

Alfred, the ordinary foster kid, finds he has a not-so-ordinary connection to a world forgotten, and through that connection, he has been charged with saving the world by saving Excalibur. An extraordinary task for an ordinary kid.

My fourteen year-old son grabbed this book from my shelf before I had a chance to start it and daily badgered me to read it once he'd finished. I will be adding the second and third installments of this series to my library. This action-packed adventure is a must read. I dare you to try to put it down once you've begun. In THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP, Rick Yancey has done the impossible by merging a world of knights in shining armor with today's age of technology, an extraordinary combination! Amazing!

Reviewed by: Cana Rensberger

Alex M. review of The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey, March 18, 2008.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp is a wonderful and violent story at the same time. It has the most excitement that I have ever seen in a book. Alfred is a very tall and kind fifteen-year-old teenager with a life that is over the edge. The main plot of this book is how Alfred and his uncle named Farrell go to steal a sword for one-million dollars. What Alfred and his uncle don't know is that the sword is actually in good hands with that man named Mogart. All they worry about getting is the money and how they can't turn down that kind of offer.While stealing the sword, Kropp stumbles across a few Nights of the Round Table and him and his uncle end up stealing Excalibur for a very powerful and bad man named Mr. Myers. Myers ended up killing Ferrell and that's when things started getting interesting for Alfred. This sword makes Myers and his men almost impossible to defeat but with the last knight left from the Round Table, Alfred, and a few other friends, they might just be able to stop him if they unite as one. It ends with crazy car chases, dangerous helicopter rides, and even extreme sword fights. The one question is... does Kropp die? In the end, Alfred and Bennacio get the extraordinary sword back, but the one thing Alfred can get back is his poor, loving uncle. This story is present day setting and will keep you wanting to read as much as you can from when you open the book, until you read the last sentence.

I found this book absolutely stunning. I am a fantasy writer myself, and completely obsessed with Arthurian legend, but I never found it quite right that Mordred was just born evil. No one is truly born evil, and Ms. Wein portrays why Mordred (or Medraut) was so 'messed up.' I absolutely love this book- it is one of my favorites. Only people who only like the pretty story of Arthurian legend would rate this book anything other than a five star. OUTSTANDING!!!!!
also try "I Am Mordred" by Nancy Springer

This is my favorite Arthurian novel, hands down. It's a gem of a novel with a deceptively simple plot told in spare, fluid prose that infuses both characters and themes with dignity and grace, and great beauty.

Though most novels that deal with the Camelotian/Arthurian mythos struggle to maintain focus on both the larger picture of politics and religion and legend while not losing sight of the smaller interpersonal relationship picture, Wein avoids this by focusing her taut, simple, flowing novel on the relationships between the characters rather than on politics or religion.

This is not to say that politics and religion are ignored in this novel, but the main focus is on the characters, which are sharply and clearly drawn, as is the tangled web of the relationships that link them. Wein's Medraut is one of the most beautiful characters I have ever read in print; talented, competent, intense, and deeply bitter, not because he's hungry for power, (although there is an element of desire for greater responsibility in Medraut), but more because he's envious of his half-brother Lleu, Artos's son and heir to the realm.

In this story, it's not greed or ambition that drives Medraut to vie for power with his half-brother -- it's jealousy. Jealousy may seem like a petty reason to align oneself politically against one's father and brother, but jealousy, personal jealousy that has not a lot to do with one's career prospects or political ambition but more to do with being loved by one's parents, is an essential part of a sibling relationship. Jacob and Esau had it, as did Cain and Abel. Wein's novel beautifully illustrates the way in which small slights slowly simmer into true anger over the course of years.

Not only does jealousy figure into the relationship between Medraut and his half-brother, but also into the relationship between Morgause, Queen of the Orcades, and her brother Artos, High King. Interestingly, Wein plays down the possible rivalry between Morgause and Ginevra (otherwise known as Guinevere) over Artos's love, and absolutely pulverizes the whole Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot triangle by simply eliminating Lancelot. The resulting tale is a taut, fluid, beautiful examination of the heights and the depths to which revenge and envy can take us, and the deep and abiding love that often underlies even the most conflict-laden family relationships.

I also want to mention that the novel incorporates technology in a rather clever and subtle way. In Wein's Camlan, there are many ways to distinguish oneself -- one could of course go the traditional route and be an excellent swordsman, but one could also be an excellent hunter, rider, mapmaker, diplomat, farmer, or engineer. All of the above trades are portrayed as more or less equally valuable, which is unique in Camelotian novels; most novels tend to overemphasize the importance of swordsplay and other military talents, along with chivalry. You don't often see, as you do in The Winter Prince, such a high premium placed on non-military engineering, mapmaking, or translation, all of which are skills that a good ruler might well value highly.

I do like the way Welsh myth (drawn from sources such as the Mabinogi) plays into the novel. There's a tendency, I think, to tie Arthur to Christianity and the Crusades; that doesn't happen here. There's a little bit of Revelation that does get mentioned in one scene, but overall the book is tied more to the Lleu Llaw Gyffes mythos than to Christian tradition, which makes for (what I think) a more interesting novel.

Finally, it's worth noting that the characters in Wein's novel are quite cosmopolitan, within the bounds of their technology and medieval timeperiod. They know Africa exists; they know of the Romans, who bequeathed to them technological gems, like the aqueduct and the arch. They're not ignorant of Greek myth or of Christianity; it exists in tandem with the native religions of Britain (which is, thankfully, not portrayed as the earth-friendly Druidic peaceful pagan religion that's become so cliche now in retellings of Arthurian myth. Personally, I blame Bradley for that). Medraut himself is well-travelled and his grasp of the world encompasses not only Britain and the Orcades, but other nations and other cultures as well. It's refreshing to see such cosmopolitanism incorporated into such a uniquely British story, and it only adds to the book's savor.

The Winter Prince is a rare novel, beautiful and intricate, deep and powerful, with spare and intense prose. I'd highly recommend it.

I love this book and can't believe it's actually out of print. The author's spin on Medraut/Mordred-I wouldn't say it's original, because turning the bad guy into a sympathetic character has been done before, but it's probably the most successful attempt I've ever seen. Especially given the fact that the character base is so firmly established as bad. I actually found it very difficult to even like Lieu, since he was highly privileged and Medraut was so damaged by his parents(yes, by his father, too. How could he possibly leave his son with a woman like that?). He tries to go against the bent his life has put into him, only to be constantly rebuffed. Frivolous pop culture reference: Medraut reminds me very much of Lex Luthor from Smallville. Raised by a sadistic parent, treated with incessant suspicion, finally gives in and behaves the way everyone expects him to. Anyway, great, great book. Sequels aren't quite as engaging(and I'd love another book from Medraut's perspective), but they are definitely worth your time.

This book is incredibly good. Elizabeth Wein has written a book with an interesting plot, stunningly well-developed characters, and just enough emotion. The rivalry between Medraut and Lleu is portrayed accurately, and even the supporting characters have distinct personalities. The climax is exciting and satisfying. I'd recommend this book to everyone. I can't wait to get the sequel.

This is an amazing, gorgeous little gem of a book, with surprisingly complex characters and shades of moral ambiguity for a YA book (or a lot of adult novels, for that matter) -- which is not to say I don't think YA books can be complicated, but they rarely are in this way.

It's a quick read, and compelling. Medraut, the illegitimate son of Artos the king, returns from his travels in Africa and elsewhere to watch over his younger half-brother, Lleu. Medraut doesn't know if he loves or hates Lleu, and matters are complicated by his relationship with his mother/aunt Morgause. Morgause here is...more of a piece of work than usual, even, possibly the most disturbing literary representation of her that I've ever read -- it's a testament to Wein's writing skills that I even sympathized a little with her at one point.

Goewin, Lleu's twin sister, also warrants a mention -- her interaction with Medraut in particular is fascinating.

In fact, one of the things I liked the most was how even when he was managing to be loyal and good, Medraut's darker qualities weren't magically gone, merely held at bay. I also found Medraut's refusal to lie, ever, interesting.

One of the most unique, beautiful, and compelling takes on the Arthurian legends I've read in a long time. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It's unfortunate that it's going out of print again. I would suggest snapping up a copy for yourself and at least one copy to loan out.