The Sword in the Stone is the first novel in The Once and Future King, T. H. White's epic fantasy re-telling of the Arthurian legend. A c... read full description
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Jul 30, 2011
Scott
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This is a great book for anyone into medieval, Arthurian legend. I enjoy stories about chivalry and white knights in search of damsels in distress but just can't get thru the lengthy and boring Sir Thomas Mallory text, "La Muerte De Arthur". This book is a fine combination between Alice in Wonderland and Sir Thomas’s work. In other words it's the entire story with more fun and imagination. I'm glad this is only part of a series. I'm off to start book two.
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Dec 16, 2009
Kodama
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The Disney movie is only about the first twenty pages of this book...and not really because they changed all the characters. This book is sweet, intelligent, funny, and endearing.
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Sep 19, 2007
Lisa
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Setting: Great Britain
Time Period: Middle Ages
Series: Part 1 of The Once and Future King series
Plot Summary: Wart (Arthur) is a young orphan living with Sir Ector and working as a page in medieval Great Britain. While fetching one of Sir Ector’s birds, which his companion and foster brother Kay has lost, he encounters the wizard Merlin who becomes his and Kay’s tutor. Through a series of adventures made possible by Merlin, Wart learns about the world, nature and man’s dut More...
Time Period: Middle Ages
Series: Part 1 of The Once and Future King series
Plot Summary: Wart (Arthur) is a young orphan living with Sir Ector and working as a page in medieval Great Britain. While fetching one of Sir Ector’s birds, which his companion and foster brother Kay has lost, he encounters the wizard Merlin who becomes his and Kay’s tutor. Through a series of adventures made possible by Merlin, Wart learns about the world, nature and man’s dut More...
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Jun 30, 2011
Rebecca
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I remember reading this as a kid and liking it, and as I read it again, I still like it but don't love it. I'm sure as a kid I missed at least half of the allusions White makes; I'm sure I didn't realize that the book is full of anachronisms that I guess White intended to show connections between the behavior of medieval knights and modern society. I'm just not sure I really bought it this time. Gerald Morris' books are fantastic and full of humor, but his humor derives from sensible people stuc
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Jun 16, 2011
Beth
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I've been reading this book, off and on, for several days -- and during most of that time I've had a migraine headache! But the book has a rather surreal tone, anyway, so that's okay. There are beautiful bits of writing in it, but you could hardly describe it as a controlled or well-edited narrative. It's playful, tangential, wild and woolly. I would give it a 5 as something totally original (and probably seminal, too, as it has no doubt influenced all sorts of fantasy writers); but only a 4
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Nov 29, 2010
Darkiknowwell
rated it: 
My love of the television show Merlin, could not get me through this book. I finally finished it, and all I really have to say is that I shall not be starting "The Once and Future King" any time soon.
When I picked up this book up at a library book sale I had such high expectations for the story, which quickly evaporated within the first four chapters. The book was not exactly poorly written (and I've read worse), but the tone of voice conflicts with the overall narration, which More...
When I picked up this book up at a library book sale I had such high expectations for the story, which quickly evaporated within the first four chapters. The book was not exactly poorly written (and I've read worse), but the tone of voice conflicts with the overall narration, which More...
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Nov 24, 2010
Linda
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The first book in T.H. White's fantastical story of King Arthur. I love this book and read it several times when I was young. At that time, I didn't appreciate the life lessons presented in the book. White's writing is funny, sweet, and elegant. The reader of the audio version is Neville Jason and he is VERY good.
This first book is the story of Arthur as a boy up to the moment he pulls the Sword from the Stone and fulfills the words engraved on the stone: "Whoso pulleth out this More...
This first book is the story of Arthur as a boy up to the moment he pulls the Sword from the Stone and fulfills the words engraved on the stone: "Whoso pulleth out this More...
Sep 28, 2010
A. J.
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I found this on a list somewhere of 'books everyone should have read', so picked it up from the YA section of the library and dutifully did so. It was a bit of a curate's egg. The anachronisms were a bit strange and the plot was light-to-non-existent. I found the dialogue punctuation irritating after a while - there were a lot of new paragraphs with the same speaker as the previous one, where the quotation marks suggested it should be a new one. Often I wasn't sure which 'he' was being referred
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Sep 09, 2010
K.
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Read for Joel's "Heroes" group 2010-11.
I guess this isn't already in my bookshelf because I've only read "The Once and Future King" of which this is the first book. This is a read alone, and the one I would hand a kid, as the "O&FK" has some themes (you know, Lancelot & Guinevere) that aren't appropriate for most youngsters under, say, 14. This one ends right when Arthur first becomes king, being the tale of his childhood & education.
This i More...
I guess this isn't already in my bookshelf because I've only read "The Once and Future King" of which this is the first book. This is a read alone, and the one I would hand a kid, as the "O&FK" has some themes (you know, Lancelot & Guinevere) that aren't appropriate for most youngsters under, say, 14. This one ends right when Arthur first becomes king, being the tale of his childhood & education.
This i More...
Apr 12, 2010
JabBeRwoCkY
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The Wart is a young orphan boy who lives in the castle of Sir Ector, his foster father. The son of the latter, Kay, is his best friend and model, for one day he will be Sir Kay, the master of the estate.
One day, they decide to go hawking together on the edge of the Forest Sauvage, but they're inexperienced and Cully the hawk flies away. They have no choice but to enter the foreboding woods and go after it. And soon the Wart gets lost. In the forest, he meets with King Pellinore, who More...
One day, they decide to go hawking together on the edge of the Forest Sauvage, but they're inexperienced and Cully the hawk flies away. They have no choice but to enter the foreboding woods and go after it. And soon the Wart gets lost. In the forest, he meets with King Pellinore, who More...
Feb 04, 2012
Jay
rated it:
Delightfully charming and unexpected! I was expecting some high British fantasy, which I suppose you can't get much higher than King Arthur, but White does everything he can to undercut this sort of airiness and as a result comes up with something altogether grander and more magical.
First, is the approach to the middle ages - White takes one look at the whole historiography of 'ye old ancient times' and shrugs. Yes the knight was drinking something, but lets just call it 'port' cause More...
First, is the approach to the middle ages - White takes one look at the whole historiography of 'ye old ancient times' and shrugs. Yes the knight was drinking something, but lets just call it 'port' cause More...
May 31, 2009
Dennie
rated it:
Quite an amazing story of a young boy called Arthur who grows up to become the king of England written by T.H White.
The story kicks off when a boy called Wart (Arthur) who grew up with sir Ector and enjoyed life until he was confronted with the tutor quest. He was the one to find the magician called Merlin who lived in a small shack in the forest which surrounded sir Ector’s village. He asked Merlin to accompany him to the village and Merlin agreed.
When they finally arrived, sir Ecto More...
The story kicks off when a boy called Wart (Arthur) who grew up with sir Ector and enjoyed life until he was confronted with the tutor quest. He was the one to find the magician called Merlin who lived in a small shack in the forest which surrounded sir Ector’s village. He asked Merlin to accompany him to the village and Merlin agreed.
When they finally arrived, sir Ecto More...
May 27, 2011
Caroline
rated it:
I do not know whether or not I liked The Sword in the Stone. For that matter, I'm not quite sure I like the entire Arthurian canon. On the one hand there are duels, quests, lady fairs, and chivalric adventure. On the other hand there is the detestable Guinevere, despicable Lancelot, and eye-rollingly tragic ending. In any case, The Sword in the Stone happens before everything went gloomy, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The Sword in the Stone, part one of The Once and Future King, is a More...
The Sword in the Stone, part one of The Once and Future King, is a More...
Mar 17, 2010
Rachel
rated it:
The later books in this series are darker and more suitable for older readers, but this one, the story of Arthur's boyhood, is an all-ages delight. The philosophy and some of the jokes were beyond Nick's level, but fun for me. The underlying story, however, was absolutely perfect for a little boy who likes knights and fantasy. Young Arthur (the Wart) has a series of adventures over the course of a year, involving his foster brother and father, his new tutor Merlyn, the ordinary people of the cas
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Sep 14, 2010
Caiti
rated it:
This was the best thing I've read all year. I didn't want to put it down.
It was fun the way Tom Sawyer was fun - like going on an adventure. But even better, thanks to Merlyn and all the lovely Old English flair, what! If that wasn't cool enough, though, there were lovely little references to "modern" things that popped up here and there, thanks to Merlyn's backwardness in time.
So many, many things to love.
King Pellinor's confuzzled relationship with the Beast More...
It was fun the way Tom Sawyer was fun - like going on an adventure. But even better, thanks to Merlyn and all the lovely Old English flair, what! If that wasn't cool enough, though, there were lovely little references to "modern" things that popped up here and there, thanks to Merlyn's backwardness in time.
So many, many things to love.
King Pellinor's confuzzled relationship with the Beast More...
Aug 20, 2009
Samantha
rated it:
I loved The Sword in the Stone. I watched the Disney movie before I read the novel and I loved that too. However, the book is a lot different from the movie and even though I know the story I still enjoyed it immensely. The book is about a boy named Wart who lives with Sir Ector and his son, Kay, in a castle. Wart never knew his real parents, but Sir Ector treats him like a son and Kay is a brother to him. Wart's adventures begin when he is lost in the woods and stumbles upon the cottage of the
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Apr 09, 2011
Sarafiliz
rated it:
I loved this book as a child, and just started reading it to my 10 year old son, who is rapt.
I don't think this is a "children's book" however, so much as it is a book that children with good vocabularies who already love history and nature may love. Grownups who are well-read in classic literature will get a lot more of the humor and historical references,
I would say that if you enjoyed the Harry Potter books but wished the writing quality was better, you need More...
I don't think this is a "children's book" however, so much as it is a book that children with good vocabularies who already love history and nature may love. Grownups who are well-read in classic literature will get a lot more of the humor and historical references,
I would say that if you enjoyed the Harry Potter books but wished the writing quality was better, you need More...
Jan 25, 2011
I think the sword in the stone is a great book with many exciting adventures, also the characters in the book are not what you thought they would be, like people with elephant ears ect... the book is dated to the 17 or 18 hundreds. Merlyn, a magician is the one who is the most interesting, he has a house with medals and weopons dating to the twenty first century. Merlyn can go back in time create things and transform like any other magician. Wart, the main character is adopted by the king, sir E
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Aug 15, 2011
Tarkaneea
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Wart, who we all know as Kin Arthur, is just a raggedy little kid who is constantly overshadowed by his older, more handsome, stronger, and more liked brother, Kay. But when wart meets Merlyn, that's all changed. Merlyn teaches him things no one else could teach him. He turns him in to animals, insects, and inanimate objects for gods sake!
But Wart is constantly making the same mistake. He underestimates people, animals, and their abilities. Which gets him into a lot of trouble.
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But Wart is constantly making the same mistake. He underestimates people, animals, and their abilities. Which gets him into a lot of trouble.
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Apr 18, 2008
Denee
rated it:
Awesome story. It is the first part of the "Once and Future King." Everyone knows this story thanks to Walt Disney. The book is a fascinating mixture of modern and medival. It has King Arthur, Robin Wood (a.k.a. Robin Hood), Merlin, giants, witches, and more.
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Jul 29, 2011
If your up for the story of King Arthur in his formative years this is the book for you. This was clearly the basis for the Disney cartoon "The Sword in the Stone" that is a made for children version of the story. Arthur or Wart as he is known lives with Sir Hector and his son Kay. Wart is not the true son of Hector but nothing is spoken of just exactly whose child he might be. Wart studies with Merlin learning the wonders and the mysteries of nature and in the end the things that
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Mar 26, 2011
Gregory
rated it:
This is one of the strangest books I’ve ever read. Here’s a list of some of its qualities (in no particular order). This book is: bizarre; entertaining; erudite; surreal; inventive; free (of most accepted writing conventions); sloppy; funny; characterful; wilfully inconsistent; (randomly) indebted to Shakespeare; (randomly) informative; (randomly) opinionated; (randomly) time-travelling; (consistently) random. I’m giving it four stars on account of the fact that despite all of the above I read
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Mar 16, 2010
Bryan
rated it:
Top notch - luv it.
It has this weird mix of being both classic literature, imo, as well as pop at the same time. The characters were more than entertaining, I haven't liked so many characters in one book since Peter Pan. King Pelennor, Merlin, The Badger, Wart himself, and Madame Mim were probably my favorites.
The dialogue and accents were charming and lovable. I loved King Pelennor's duel, the Badger's dissertation, Merlin and The Giant's exchange in the giant's castle, More...
It has this weird mix of being both classic literature, imo, as well as pop at the same time. The characters were more than entertaining, I haven't liked so many characters in one book since Peter Pan. King Pelennor, Merlin, The Badger, Wart himself, and Madame Mim were probably my favorites.
The dialogue and accents were charming and lovable. I loved King Pelennor's duel, the Badger's dissertation, Merlin and The Giant's exchange in the giant's castle, More...
Jan 04, 2012
Tyler
rated it:
Many of the usual fantasy tropes are present with some pleasant twists. Merlyn's magic and his attempts to explain his access to hidden knowledge were highlights.
The best bits though were certainly young Arthur's lessons from his wizardly tutor. On many occasions he would be turned into some manner of beast or bug to experience life among another, wholly different set. This exposure to his world from a completely novel viewpoint was the foundation for his kingly edification. White's More...
The best bits though were certainly young Arthur's lessons from his wizardly tutor. On many occasions he would be turned into some manner of beast or bug to experience life among another, wholly different set. This exposure to his world from a completely novel viewpoint was the foundation for his kingly edification. White's More...
Sep 10, 2011
Cristina
rated it:
I knew I'd love this, since I grew up watching Disney's Sword and the Stone, but I had not expected this.
Beautifully written, memorable and stimulating adventures and unbelievably lovable characters (even Kay).
I fell in love with the Wart's heart of gold, Merlyn's wisdom and Pellinore, rather scatterbrained but full of spirit! I finished today, and I'm pretty upset. These people were my friends (I know you know what i mean) Even though i knew the ending, i was suprised; it is over 200 More...
Beautifully written, memorable and stimulating adventures and unbelievably lovable characters (even Kay).
I fell in love with the Wart's heart of gold, Merlyn's wisdom and Pellinore, rather scatterbrained but full of spirit! I finished today, and I'm pretty upset. These people were my friends (I know you know what i mean) Even though i knew the ending, i was suprised; it is over 200 More...
Dec 08, 2011
Paul
rated it:
This is the first of four books that were collected into "The Once and Future King" volume. The musical "Camelot" was based on the story. White updates Mallory but does not try to be authentic. He makes references to current items for context that is a little troubling at first. The author was a contemporary of the great J.R.R.Tolkien and also a medievalist who wrote at night and during WWII. Once I realized that it was more like "Harry Potter" than an authentic ret
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May 19, 2010
Jared
rated it: 
So I was on an (accidental) Arthurian kick and I was looking for a book to read and found this in our library. All I can say is ptfffff....
This was terrible. The characters were dull, the story was boring, and the writing was sleep inducing. EVen realizing this is targeted at a younger audience, I think it was bad. The author had the boys go through several apparently random interactions with people (one of them even being Robin Hood, who is actually Robin Wood..) and ties it all toget More...
This was terrible. The characters were dull, the story was boring, and the writing was sleep inducing. EVen realizing this is targeted at a younger audience, I think it was bad. The author had the boys go through several apparently random interactions with people (one of them even being Robin Hood, who is actually Robin Wood..) and ties it all toget More...
Jan 15, 2010
Pathik
rated it:
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White is a classical book. Seen as a "backstory" to the famous Arthurian Legends, the book deals with Arthur's pre-royal life. We are introduced to Arthur's household of Kay, the nurse Sir Ector, etc and their day to day antics. Relations between Merlin and Arthur are also seen in the first book of the series. The vivid detail of this book would make the Disney rendering hang its head in shame. Overall, the book is a beautifully written book and will be t
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Nov 03, 2011
Fanda
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Meski tidak diungkapkan dari awal, The Sword in The Stone bercerita tentang masa muda King Arthur. T.H. White boleh dibilang menulis ulang epic atau mitos tentang King Arthur sesuai penuturan Thomas Malory. White membuat kisah King Arthur lebih pas untuk young adult, atau orang dewasa yang belum pernah membaca tentang King Arthur.
Tokoh utama kisah ini adalah Wart, yang baru di bab terakhir dijelaskan sebagai King Arthur. Wart adalah anak angkat Sir Ector, bangsawan di jaman Raja Uther More...
Tokoh utama kisah ini adalah Wart, yang baru di bab terakhir dijelaskan sebagai King Arthur. Wart adalah anak angkat Sir Ector, bangsawan di jaman Raja Uther More...
Dec 30, 2010
Nikki
rated it:
I read this when I was younger, but I don't remember loving it so much then. I didn't remember how the narrative voice blended humour and beautiful descriptions, anachronisms and explanations of relatively historically accurate details. I forgot how intertextual it is -- Merlin putting his fingers together like Sherlock Holmes, and all the hints at Lancelot's doings and so on, and Robin Hood...
But it is all those things. There are parts of it that are beautiful, parts that are so wonde More...
But it is all those things. There are parts of it that are beautiful, parts that are so wonde More...
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