The Lioness and Her Knight (The Squire's Tales, #7)

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The Lioness and Her Knight (The Squire's Tales #7)

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 1,054 ratings · 54 reviews

Luneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur’s Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend’s castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain —a young knight seeking adventure—a...more

Hardcover, 343 pages

Published September 26th 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

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Mar 19, 2013 Olga Godim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Olga by: Nikki

Shelves: fantasy-scifi

After reading Nikki’s reviews of this author’s stories, I decided to give him a try.
Like his other works, this charming little novel is based on one of the Chretien de Troyes’s Arthurian poems. The young protagonist Luneta is a sixteen-year-old girl from a not very rich but noble family. Chafing under her mundane existence, she feels that her loving parents don’t understand her. Of course, not! Since the times of King Arthur, there haven’t been many sixteen-year-olds thinking their parents unde...more After reading Nikki’s reviews of this author’s stories, I decided to give him a try.
Like his other works, this charming little novel is based on one of the Chretien de Troyes’s Arthurian poems. The young protagonist Luneta is a sixteen-year-old girl from a not very rich but noble family. Chafing under her mundane existence, she feels that her loving parents don’t understand her. Of course, not! Since the times of King Arthur, there haven’t been many sixteen-year-olds thinking their parents understood them.
When Luneta’s mom and dad decide to send her for a visit to her mother’s old friend, Luneta is ecstatic. She is going on adventure! Her two companions during her travels are her cousin Ywain, a young knight dreaming of slaying dragons and gaining glory, and Rhience, a witty, charismatic jester who laughs at everyone, including himself. The three friends plunge into one escapade after another, helping each other and learning together.
A bossy, manipulative kind of girl (all in a good cause), Luneta is immensely practical. She has a generous heart and an untapped well of compassion. Her journey leads her from the modest manor of her family to castles and huts of the surrounding countryside. She encounters friends and foes, heroes and villains, but throughout the story, her willingness to help everyone who needs (or doesn’t need) her help remains unchanged, even to the detriment of her own safety and that of her friends.
Ywain, although at the periphery of the tale, learns the most profound lesson: hero’s glory doesn’t make a man happy. But as it often happens in fairy tales, the jester is the cleverest of them all. He is also the most charming character, and almost all the giggles and chuckles the novel inspires (quite a lot) can be attributed to him.
His is the assurance that anything expressed in Latin must be true.
When one of the characters in the novel uses the expression “very necessary”, Rhience can’t resist the temptation to ridicule:

“What a curious expression!” Rhience said thoughtfully. “I wonder what the opposite of ‘very necessary’ is? Mildly necessary? Somewhat essential?”

Later in the tale, he briefly considers a career change:

“If that’s what comes of doing good, I’ve a mind to start doing evil instead.”
“You?” Ywain asked scornfully.
“That’s right,” Rhience replied, brightening. “In my next career, I’ll be a recreant knight.”
“You’d be terrible at it,” Ywain said bluntly.
Rhience looked affronted. “I don’t see why you have to be insulting. If I tried very, very hard, I could—”
“He’s right, you know,” Luneta said. “You laugh too much.”
“And worst of all, you laugh at yourself,” Ywain added. “I assure you that no self-respecting recreant knight would ever do that.”

At times a bit didactic, the novel was not very absorbing, at least not in the first half, which read more like an introduction than a real story. I had no trouble closing the book, but I always returned to it later. I wanted to know what happened next.
The second part of the novel was much more intense, almost like another story. The action picked up speed, the real danger and the lioness of the title finally appeared, and the plot switched direction as easily as a car.
I suppose I could’ve appreciated this book better if I were inside the author’s target audience, 13 or 14, rather than my much more advanced age, but it was a nice, light diversion regardless, and I enjoyed it. I think this novel is a good introduction to the medieval literature, especially for pre-teens.
I also learned a new word, recreant , a couple olden insults, blitherwit and gapeseed , and a juicy exclamation – Oh, lawks! I must admit, I’m partial to such verbal gems and I collect them.

Footnote: the cover art of the hardcover edition is terrible. Don’t pay attention to it; the story is much better.

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Jan 17, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-the-shelf

uneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur’s Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend’s castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain —a young knight seeking adventure—arrives just in time to escort her to King Arthur’s court.

Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose...more uneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur’s Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend’s castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain —a young knight seeking adventure—arrives just in time to escort her to King Arthur’s court.

Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose wit and audacity set many a puffed-up personality in its place. Before arriving at Lady Laudine’s castle, the trio stops at Camelot, where they hear the story of the Storm Stone, a magical object deep in the forest that soon sweeps everyone into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic.

Filled with broken promises, powerful enchantresses, unconventional sword fights, fierce and friendly lionesses, mysterious knights, and damsels in and out of distress, The Lioness and Her Knight proves itself as witty and adventuresome as the rest of Gerald Morris’s tales from King Arthur’s court.
(amazon.com)

So not my favorite medieval based novel. It has the magic, knights, and dammsals in distress, but it's not as good as other books I've read. I liked it to an extent. To me, it seemed that a lot of really random things were happening to Luneta. Some of the these random things didn't make sense in the story line. My favorite random part had to be the Lioness called Lass.

There was a couple of different plots going on in the story. In one chapter there would be one villan and in next chapter there would be a different one. There was plenty of action and sword fighting and some romance. To make it a good novel Morris had to add some magic so Luneta is taught to be an enchantress, which comes into play later in the book.

The characters were easy to get a long with and easy to like. My personal favorite character was Rhience. He always had some witty and comical to say. It helped move slow parts along in the book. All of the characters were very well described and I had an emotion for all of them.

So it might not be my favorite book, but it was very well written. I enjoyed most of the novel and the only problem I had was many story lines intertwining in the book. But for the most part it was enjoyable. 4/5 stars(less)

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Apr 11, 2012 Miss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ooh hijinks! This felt like the early Squire's Tales books, more light-hearted than the last few. The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight was still funny but dealt with some more serious material. Plus, I thought Dinadan was the most cynical of all The Squire's Tales book, it was funny but in a way that verged on biting. This is more in the vein of The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf which is excellent since this book follows Lynet and Gaheris' daughter. :D I was very amused at how much Lu...more

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May 20, 2011 B rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 05, 2013 Jia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: junior-section

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 22, 2012 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

By far my favorite of the entire series, Gerald Morris is a complete genius when it comes to Arthurian Legends. Once again he creates fantastical characters to interact with those of the legendary knights. My particular favorite is that of Rhience. The former knight turned fool who can say whatever he likes because no one takes him seriously anyways. No matter how many times I read through this book (and it has been QUITE a few) I still find myself laughing and utterly delighted at these charact...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Nikki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-and-ya, based-on-myth-saga-etc, fantasy

As is usual with Gerald Morris, this is light and fun and easy to read. It's reasonably close to the original story that he's telling, though highlighting the role of Laudine's maid, Luneta, and taking it much less seriously than Chrétien does, at least seemingly. The last few pages made me grin and clap. I loved the addition of Rhience/Sir Calogrenant's real identity. (And, as usual, Kai, although in the background, is just perfect.)

Gerald Morris' little problem with either his research or his...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Rebecca O'Connell rated it 5 of 5 stars

This has to be one of my all time favourite books - it's impossible not to love it. The writing, the plot, the characters - even the title - everything about it is just so special. First read it when I was... younger. Maybe 12 or so, and kept re-reading it for several months. Then I loaned my copy to a cousin... and never saw it again. Needless to say, I'm heartbroken.
Note to self: Go out and buy a new copy; TODAY!

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Nov 01, 2010 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book! I loved this author's style of writing and I thought he did a nice job on retelling the story. At first I was a little skeptical when I found it at my library but it turned out to be a really great book. I liked all the characters, (and this is important to me, to like all the characters, because if I don't like any of them I won't enjoy reading the book) and I liked how there was a lot of action going on because it kept me reading until the end. This was the first one by him...more

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May 28, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Actually a re-read for me, though I don't remember when I first picked this book up. Loved it, great story.
My only complaints might be that you never found out why the one sister tried to get the other one knocked off...
Oh, and it is kind of weird that Gawain and Terence are like 38 to 40. No longer teenagers, anyway xD

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Oct 31, 2012 Djinnk rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I had so much fun reading this book. An amazing, witty, quick read and tied with The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf as my favorite of his works. I love his take on Arthurian Legends, his feisty female characters and the cute romances. I'm looking to buying the series as I wouldn't mind re-reading any of his books.

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Aug 02, 2012 Lizzy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful story of King Arthur's court. The heroine is a typical girl who doesn't like where she is in life, so she tries to change her fate. There's a romance blossoming, but it's handled wonderfully to where it's sweet, but not steamy. Perfect. :)

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Oct 11, 2011 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-fae, fantasy, king-arthur

Interesting retelling of a French minstrel's tale set in Morris' version of King Arthur's England. Humorous and adventurous with twists and turns before love wins the day. My son continues to read us through this series at evening time.

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Oct 25, 2010 Debrarian added it

“Headstrong sixteen-year-old Lady Luneta and her distant cousin, Sir Ywain, travel to Camelot and beyond finding more adventure than they hoped for until, with the help of a fool, Luneta discovers what she really wants from life.”

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Apr 28, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction-young-adult

In this book, we meet some of the offspring of some of the earlier books' characters. Very fun, although I'm rather wanting to strangle french minstrels of the middle ages now for their ideas of proper love and whatnot.

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May 19, 2011 Mitchie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one I would give a 4.5 star. It's really enchanting and takes place in Midievil Times in England I think. I like it because (kind of like the Harry Potter Series) it's a puzzle book or "Mystery" book, if you will.

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Jul 29, 2009 Michelle J rated it 4 of 5 stars

Parts of this were pretty hilarious. A pretty enjoyable, quick read. I didn't even know it was part of a series until after I read it. Never did I feel like I had missed something, unlike other series I've read.

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Jan 23, 2013 Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: folk-tales

Another great book in the series. It was really enjoyable to read this one since I had no prior knowledge of the tale. I'm also getting really anxious to see how the series wraps itself up.

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Feb 15, 2013 Violet Stone rated it 5 of 5 stars

this is my favorite book of all time it has everything wit, wisdom, warriors,and true wove also one of the best female leads ever

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Aug 19, 2009 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this tale of Arthurian England. Kind of an interesting mix of history and myth. I'll be reading more from the series.

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Mar 28, 2011 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a reliably smart, entertaining and satisfying yarn, you can't go wrong with Gerald Morris.

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Jun 24, 2009 Cory rated it 4 of 5 stars

Morris' books are in no way earth-shattering, but they are always enjoyable.

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Jul 26, 2011 Audra Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. But it isn't my favorite from the series.

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Jun 11, 2009 Ehbluemle Bluemle added it

The Lioness and Her Knight / by Gerald Morris (2005)

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Jul 30, 2011 Audrey added it · review of another edition

Morris is a fun writer who crafts a great tale!

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Mar 19, 2008 Jarrah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-geraldmorris, series-squirestales, genre-yafiction, faeries, quest, arthurian, genre-yafantasy, setting-secretworld, knights, magical-objects, country-england

Luneta, daughter of Lynet and Gaheris of The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (my favourite Aurthurian book ever), is sick to death of her quiet home. When the chance to visit a friend at her castle offers itself, she throws herself into it, and into all the adventures that ensue.

There's something about Morris' humour and style that rubs me exactly the wrong way. That said, this was somewhat Savage Damsel-copy cat; the storyline wasn't one of Morris' more memorable. Still quite marvellous, though.

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Nov 29, 2012 Maddie rated it 4 of 5 stars

loved it!!!!

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Apr 07, 2010 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-ya, favorites

My favorite of his.

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Jul 27, 2011 Mel added it

It was okay. The main character kind of bugged me with her know-it-allness. Love the jester though!

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Jun 01, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

A cute fast read for the airplane. I would probably say this is a teen chick lit style. It is set in King Arthur's time, so part of me had A Knight's Tale in my head as I read (ah... Heath Ledger...) :) So a great summer book when you just want to relax and not have to think too much.

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About Gerald Morris

Gerald Morris is known for his light yet addictive series of stories for preteen and teen readers based in the Middle Ages during the time of King Arthur. Collectively called "The Squire's Tales", the series includes The Squire's Tale, The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady, The Savage Damsel and The Dwarf, and Parsifal's Page. The books at the start of the series focus on Gawain, but primarily on T...more

More about Gerald Morris...

Books by Gerald Morris

The Squire's Tale (The Squire's Tales, #1)

The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (The Squire's Tales, #3)

The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (The Squire's Tales, #2)

The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight (The Squire's Tales, #6)

Parsifal's Page (The Squire's Tales, #4)

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“Of course it is juggling, theman in motley was saying...YOu know what your problem is, Sir Grenall? You've been seduced by the lure of spectacle. Sure, I could juggle three or four balls and use two hands, and that would be very impressive, but then what would I do after that? Five balls? Three hands? You see how it goes? Now me, I'm an artist, trying to recapture the original purity of the art form. This-the man nodded at the ball he tossing up and down-this is the essence of juggling.” — 31 people liked it

“Luneta and her parents started and whirled around, to see Terence standing just inside Luneta's door. "Deuce it, Terence!" Luneta's father expostulated. "You'll kill someone that way someday! How did you get inside without any of us hearing you?"
"I came in the door, of course," Terence replied, stepping forward. He held two swords in scabbards, which he tossed onto Luneta's bed as he approaced.
"For anyone else, the hinges would have squeaked," Luneta's father muttered.” — 5 people liked it

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The Lioness and Her Knight (The Squire's Tales #7)

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