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Title: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (Signet Classics)
ISBN: 0451530241
Author:
Howard Pyle
Publicate Date: 2006-09-05
Publish: 2006-09-05
List Price: $5.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $2.57
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $2.62
Amazon Merchant Price: $5.95
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Nice Copy
Great looking book, unnfortunately it is not the edition we need fo my son's class
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2: Not the best telling
I read three versions of the Arthurian legends recently, and this one was the weakest. The language is somewhere between Malory's archaic form and modern prose, but does not succeed well at being either. The tales were also, in my opinion, less well told than in the others.
For your consideration, I read La Morte D'Arthur in an abridged version and Roger Lancelyn Green's "King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table" from the Puffin Classics series. I enjoyed Green's telling the best, as it was credibly compiled from a number of works (including Malory) and had some excellent atmospheric illustrations. Though it is a Puffin Classics edition, I did not find the usual condescension or "dumbing down" that often occurs in youth literature.
Get Green's version. It was just as cheap right here on Amazon, and well worth every penny.
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3: Not the traditional tale, but very good...
This novel is about King Arthur and his knights - more specifically the tale of how Arthur became king and found excaliber and various stories about some of his knights, Merlin, and others. While not the traditional tale, a very good compilation of short stories about a variety of the characters. Would highly recommend.
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4: This doth be an exceedingly good book!
Howard Pyle delivers yet another splendid book which recaptures the enchantment and chivalry of the legend of Kind Arthur and his knights. Some have complained of the archaic english, but I love it. It only adds to the magic of Pyle's story. This book is filled with the adventures of noble knights, and it does an amazing job of keeping your interest. Somehow, even after many previous jousts and sword matches, Pyle makes each one more interesting than the last.
I also love the "moral of the story" section he does at the end of most major book divisions. He did not do that in the other Pyle book I have read (The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood), and I very much liked them. In such he made allegories of Excalibur and its sheath (to God's Truth and faith), and does likewise with many things, always wishing to teach to us some truth through his writings about Arthur and his knights. I also loved the oath of the knights of the Round Table:
"And this was the covenant of their Knighthood of the Round Table: That they would be gentle unto the weak; that they would be courageous unto the strong; that they would be terrible unto the wicked and the evil-doer that they would defend the helpless who should call upon them for aid; that all women should be held unto them sacred; that they would stand unto the defence of one another whensoever such defence should be required; that they would be merciful unto all men; that they would be gentle of deed, true in friendship, and faithful in love. This was their covenant, and unto it each knight sware upon the cross of his sword, and in witness thereof did kiss the hilt thereof."
This except, I think, well sums up this book, in which these oaths are held, and if they are not, retribution always follows swiftly. In the land of Camelot, good deeds before God are of highest value, and wicked deeds are always subject to disapproval and punishment.
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5: excellent
While this book is intended for kids, adults will probably appreciate it as well...I know I did. If you've tried to wade through Mallory's Le Mort d'Arthur recently, you might agree that it can be relatively slow going and tedious reading at times. Pyle's version of the tales are excellent, and can be read much more easily (and in my opinion with more entertainment) than Mallory's book. I'd recommend this to anyone, young or old, who likes adventure stories and wants to start or continue learning about the Arthurian legends.
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