Foreword by Neil Gaiman
The world's leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most
beloved and influential legends--the story of King Arthur and his
Knights--for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition,
illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by
internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe.
The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad,
Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the
search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the
inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These
legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the
stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of
oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory
in his classic Morte D'Arthur (The Death of Arthur).
The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern
age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time.
In addition to the stories in Morte D'Arthur, John Matthews includes
many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written
in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up
as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as
fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory's work; and a retelling of
the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his
upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest
position--Emperor of Rome.
In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving
from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented
in such powerful stories as "The Adventures of Eagle-boy" and "The
Coming of Merlin," which is based on the early medieval text Vita
Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter's
story.
The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25
pencil drawings.
