Tagged: lancelot
The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Rainbow Resource Center.)
Sarah knelt and cleaned her blade on the grass, then sheathed it. Her stomach was tight and she was slightly nauseated, but she felt no emotion.
Ever since her mother and guardian were killed, thirteen-year-old Sarah has been living on her own, searching for the murderer. Her quest for revenge leads to greater adventure when she witnesses Queen Guinevere being kidnapped. Soon Sarah is accompanying Sir Gawain and Squire Terence on a remarkable journey to rescue the queen. But as the plot thickens, Sarah begins to learn the true consequences of vengeance and what it really means to be a princess.
Well, this was Book 6 of The Squire’s Tales series and I can confidently say that so far I love the whole series. There is no ‘bad’ book in Gerald Morris’ retellings of the Arthurian legends; they’re all great.
Although from the summary I expected Sarah to be a typical girl empowerment character, that was far from the truth. Her actions make sense and her character arc is gradual, but very powerful. Just as a warning to younger readers, let me say that this book is more graphic than the others and may offend sensitive readers. After all, the reason Sarah is looking for revenge is based on real, very tragic historical events. And the road to revenge is not without its victims, so just keep that in mind.
Once again Gawain and Terence show up near the end of the book, but it is Sarah and her Dung-Cart Knight that play a much more important part in the story. Gerald Morris certainly has an interesting take on Lancelot, who shows up later on. Lancelot has changed immensely from the first few books when he was a caricature of a proper knight: foppish, immersed in courtly love, etc. He has actually acquired some depth in this book and I look forward to seeing him in the next few books, if only to see how these changes affect his new life at court.
With a fast plot, amazing characters both old and new and hints at the tragic ending of the Arthurian legends, you won’t want to put down The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight. Even though it’s aimed at younger readers I loved it, which is why I recommend it to readers of all ages.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady by Gerald Morris
(Cover picture courtesy of Booktopia.)
“Either leave this island, or prepare now to do battle.”
“Then I must do battle,” Gawain said.
Squire Terence and Sir Gawain are on another quest, but this time their journey is overshadowed by their ultimate destination—a contest between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that could easily lead to Gawain’s death.
As they weave their way between the world of men and the Other World, both Gawain and Terence discover much about themselves. Terence learns more about his past and what the future holds for him, and Gawain is forced to confront the true nature of courage and honor.
Next to the legend of Tristan and Isolde, the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has always been one of my favourite Arthurian legends. So you could say I’m a bit biased in this review because this is exactly the legend Gerald Morris retells in The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady. And what a fitting tribute to such a great legend!
It’s been five years since the first book, which places Terence from age 18-20 and Gawain in his mid twenties. And unlike a lot of young adult books that are focusing on adults, the adults don’t act like children/young adults. They act their age! The Squire’s Tale mainly focused on Gawain instead of Terence (even though it was in his POV), but Book 2 most definitely focuses on Terence. In the first book Gawain was clearly the hero, but in this book Terence really gets his chance to shine. Rescuing Gawain, traveling to the Other World and falling in love…Terence really experiences some great character growth.
Gerald Morris mentions in his Author’s Note that he has drawn heavily on Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, especially in King Arthur’s battle against the Roman Emperor. All of the Arthurian legends I’ve read take place long after the fall of the Roman Empire, but I also don’t see why they can’t take place during the fall, when Rome was losing its grip on its empire. Gerald Morris was brave when he did that and it worked out very well. It also gives the perfect introduction to that central character in every Arthurian legend: Lancelot.
If you’re a hardcore fan of Lancelot or Guinevere, I would advise you not to read this series. Gerald Morris does not exactly paint the two ‘lovers’ in the most flattering light. But at least he justifies it with his writing and King Arthur is given depth when he realizes that his wife does not love him and never will. One of the most touching passages in the entire novel is this one, when Arthur is speaking with Gawain about Guinevere:
“Am I a fool to love her, Gawain?”
“If so, it is a divine foolishness,” Gawain said. (Pg 33)
Ah, the pangs of unrequited love!
I give this book 5/5 stars.