What do you think?
Rate this book
Life of Aglovale de Galis
Originally published in 1905 and long unavailable in an
affordable format, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis is a psychological reconstruction of the life of a minor character in Malory s Le Morte d'Arthur, showing the dark underside of the Round Table. It is a Job-like tale of the rogue knight Aglovale, son of King Pellinore, and his path toward spiritual redemption. Written in the fine slow prose of contemplation, Sir Aglovale was Clemence Housman s third and final novel. It is also her finest achievement.
affordable format, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis is a psychological reconstruction of the life of a minor character in Malory s Le Morte d'Arthur, showing the dark underside of the Round Table. It is a Job-like tale of the rogue knight Aglovale, son of King Pellinore, and his path toward spiritual redemption. Written in the fine slow prose of contemplation, Sir Aglovale was Clemence Housman s third and final novel. It is also her finest achievement.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1905
4 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Clemence Housman
42 books13 followersClemence Annie Housman (23 November 1861 – 6 December 1955) was an author, illustrator and activist in the women's suffrage movement. She was the sister of A. E. Housman and Laurence Housman. Her novels included The Were-Wolf, Unknown Sea and The Life of Sir Aglovale De Galis. She was also a leading figure in the Suffragette movement
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 14, 2024
July 2024 re-read thoughts:
Very ‘old fashioned’ (both in its sensibilities and its language) and very centered on a particular version of Christian theology. The story of a minor knight of King Arthur’s court whose entire life seems to be a dark night of the soul. It won’t appeal to everyone (perhaps not even to many at all), but it’s a powerful story that builds on its source material (Thomas Mallory) and creates something unique and eminently worthwhile. A powerful story of the power of perseverance and hope in the face of despair. If the world is broken and you don’t win Lady Luck’s lottery of circumstance how do you cope? With difficulty and much hard work it would seem.
The only character I can think of with a sadder story, a more pathetic (in the classical sense) life, would be Turin Turambar, cursed by Morgoth, though it might be said that Aglovale’s story is even more pathetic (again in the classical sense) in that his fate was fully determined by his own worst character without recourse to a vengeful god harrying him at every turn. (Though I suppose this could be contested depending on how you view the elements of providence in this story.)
While undoubtedly a man who commits crimes and offenses that cannot be ignored, Aglovale still often comes across as one who’s heart is in the right place (perhaps more often after the fact), but who nevertheless always seems to make the wrong decisions. Led by his impulses and holding a moral code replete with justice, but devoid of mercy, he stumbles from misadventure to misadventure. Despite this I can’t help (much like several of the characters in the story) but admire and perhaps even love Aglovale, warts and all. As is said of him in the tale: “This is a knight who in right and in wrong utters truth; and well he deserves that his plain word should be taken against any man’s oath.” (234)
I was particularly struck by a passage that seems to underscore Housman’s ambivalent attitude to Arthur himself and the legacy of his kingship. This comes out in the intriguing interpretation that the three queens that take charge of Arthur at his passing do so distinctly as his enemies, not as former enemies now seeing the error of their ways, whose purpose is to ensure his death in despite of the planned aid of the enchantress Nimue. It’s definitely a twist I’d forgotten (or missed) on previous reads and have certainly not seen elsewhere. This could perhaps be seen as a reinterpretation to explain why Arthur has never returned in his country’s need (though given Housman’s open criticism of Arthur’s modus operandi, regardless of the good that may have managed to come from his reign, I incline to the interpretation that she feels this fate more just than his traditional endless sleep). Either way it is certainly a somewhat unique case of Housman fully re-writing, or outright changing, the words or intent of her “dear master”.
Original review:
An incredibly moving story that takes place in the Arthurian mythos and centres around the life of a minor character from Malory, for my money this may be the best novelistic interpretation of the Matter of Britain of the 20th century. The prose is somewhat archaic (Housman follows Malory's style), but for me that was a plus, not a minus. The author gives us an unflinching look into the glory and the squalor of the Arthurian court and doesn't pull any punches.
Aglovale is the son of King Pellinore (a man known in his day for being one of the peerless knights of his generation), and the elder brother of both Lamorak (the future lover of Queen Morgause and one of the knights who will be listed along with Lancelot and Tristan as one of the three greatest of Arthur's court) and Percivale (one of the few who will gain preeminence in the Grail Quest). From the beginning we see that poor Aglovale is doomed from the start and is not likely to live up to this pedigree. As little more than a lad he is unhorsed by his peerless younger brother in front of not only his parents, but also King Arthur himself. From there things go from bad to worse. Aglovale is never able to regain his confidence and, despite some early success in Arthur's wars of succession which gain him a seat at the Round Table, he is never able to overcome his own perceived failures and lack of merit. Thus he moves from Knight of Camelot to mercenary bandit to penitant overburdended by his own guilt and sense of worthlessness.
He is a real tragic anti-hero and it is ironically not necessarily because of his quesitonable deeds, but because of his unbending devotion to truth and his inability to lie in the face of shame. Unlike some knights (such as Gawain, Kay and Agravaine...not to mention Mordred) Aglovale never denies his wrong doing and never seeks the easy way out of explanation and excuse. He calls a spade and spade and as a result ends up being showered with abuse and ignominy while other Knights of his acquantaince do deeds as bad as his own (or worse)and remain high in Arthur's favour. Indeed, Arthur is far from fully sympathetic in this tale for he seems to see in Aglovale a tacit criticism of his peerless court and is willing to let this single man bear the weight of the crimes that he refuses to deny. Still, he struggles on and manages to remain true to his own ideals even in the face of the derision and failure he meets at every turn. The flip-side of this is that Aglovale is a hard man. He spares no excuses for himself and thus does not flinch at applying the same rigorous standards to others. This of course does not win him any friends. Only his brothers and, ironically enough, Lancelot bear any admiration for Aglovale. Of his brothers only Percivale can perceive the good man his older brother is trying to be (the others view him with a sort of shamefaced admiration which vacilates between embarrassment and sympathy). For his part Lancelot sees a man able to live a life his own sense of honour could only dream of...he has too much to lose should he publicly admit to the acts he has done in private, and he honours the man he cannot afford to be.
It sounds a dreary tale, and there are definitely moments of drudgery in Aglovale's life, in fact many dark nights of the soul he must endure, yet despite all that a character who is not always lovable is made sympathetic and I always find myself rooting for this underdog in the shining court. In the end Aglovale's tale becomes not only a story of a fallen man struggling for redemption, but a critique of the inadequacies of Camelot and a warning of the dangers in the acceptance of any ideal that will allow falsehood to endure for the sake of public image.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
Very ‘old fashioned’ (both in its sensibilities and its language) and very centered on a particular version of Christian theology. The story of a minor knight of King Arthur’s court whose entire life seems to be a dark night of the soul. It won’t appeal to everyone (perhaps not even to many at all), but it’s a powerful story that builds on its source material (Thomas Mallory) and creates something unique and eminently worthwhile. A powerful story of the power of perseverance and hope in the face of despair. If the world is broken and you don’t win Lady Luck’s lottery of circumstance how do you cope? With difficulty and much hard work it would seem.
The only character I can think of with a sadder story, a more pathetic (in the classical sense) life, would be Turin Turambar, cursed by Morgoth, though it might be said that Aglovale’s story is even more pathetic (again in the classical sense) in that his fate was fully determined by his own worst character without recourse to a vengeful god harrying him at every turn. (Though I suppose this could be contested depending on how you view the elements of providence in this story.)
While undoubtedly a man who commits crimes and offenses that cannot be ignored, Aglovale still often comes across as one who’s heart is in the right place (perhaps more often after the fact), but who nevertheless always seems to make the wrong decisions. Led by his impulses and holding a moral code replete with justice, but devoid of mercy, he stumbles from misadventure to misadventure. Despite this I can’t help (much like several of the characters in the story) but admire and perhaps even love Aglovale, warts and all. As is said of him in the tale: “This is a knight who in right and in wrong utters truth; and well he deserves that his plain word should be taken against any man’s oath.” (234)
I was particularly struck by a passage that seems to underscore Housman’s ambivalent attitude to Arthur himself and the legacy of his kingship. This comes out in the intriguing interpretation that the three queens that take charge of Arthur at his passing do so distinctly as his enemies, not as former enemies now seeing the error of their ways, whose purpose is to ensure his death in despite of the planned aid of the enchantress Nimue. It’s definitely a twist I’d forgotten (or missed) on previous reads and have certainly not seen elsewhere. This could perhaps be seen as a reinterpretation to explain why Arthur has never returned in his country’s need (though given Housman’s open criticism of Arthur’s modus operandi, regardless of the good that may have managed to come from his reign, I incline to the interpretation that she feels this fate more just than his traditional endless sleep). Either way it is certainly a somewhat unique case of Housman fully re-writing, or outright changing, the words or intent of her “dear master”.
Original review:
An incredibly moving story that takes place in the Arthurian mythos and centres around the life of a minor character from Malory, for my money this may be the best novelistic interpretation of the Matter of Britain of the 20th century. The prose is somewhat archaic (Housman follows Malory's style), but for me that was a plus, not a minus. The author gives us an unflinching look into the glory and the squalor of the Arthurian court and doesn't pull any punches.
Aglovale is the son of King Pellinore (a man known in his day for being one of the peerless knights of his generation), and the elder brother of both Lamorak (the future lover of Queen Morgause and one of the knights who will be listed along with Lancelot and Tristan as one of the three greatest of Arthur's court) and Percivale (one of the few who will gain preeminence in the Grail Quest). From the beginning we see that poor Aglovale is doomed from the start and is not likely to live up to this pedigree. As little more than a lad he is unhorsed by his peerless younger brother in front of not only his parents, but also King Arthur himself. From there things go from bad to worse. Aglovale is never able to regain his confidence and, despite some early success in Arthur's wars of succession which gain him a seat at the Round Table, he is never able to overcome his own perceived failures and lack of merit. Thus he moves from Knight of Camelot to mercenary bandit to penitant overburdended by his own guilt and sense of worthlessness.
He is a real tragic anti-hero and it is ironically not necessarily because of his quesitonable deeds, but because of his unbending devotion to truth and his inability to lie in the face of shame. Unlike some knights (such as Gawain, Kay and Agravaine...not to mention Mordred) Aglovale never denies his wrong doing and never seeks the easy way out of explanation and excuse. He calls a spade and spade and as a result ends up being showered with abuse and ignominy while other Knights of his acquantaince do deeds as bad as his own (or worse)and remain high in Arthur's favour. Indeed, Arthur is far from fully sympathetic in this tale for he seems to see in Aglovale a tacit criticism of his peerless court and is willing to let this single man bear the weight of the crimes that he refuses to deny. Still, he struggles on and manages to remain true to his own ideals even in the face of the derision and failure he meets at every turn. The flip-side of this is that Aglovale is a hard man. He spares no excuses for himself and thus does not flinch at applying the same rigorous standards to others. This of course does not win him any friends. Only his brothers and, ironically enough, Lancelot bear any admiration for Aglovale. Of his brothers only Percivale can perceive the good man his older brother is trying to be (the others view him with a sort of shamefaced admiration which vacilates between embarrassment and sympathy). For his part Lancelot sees a man able to live a life his own sense of honour could only dream of...he has too much to lose should he publicly admit to the acts he has done in private, and he honours the man he cannot afford to be.
It sounds a dreary tale, and there are definitely moments of drudgery in Aglovale's life, in fact many dark nights of the soul he must endure, yet despite all that a character who is not always lovable is made sympathetic and I always find myself rooting for this underdog in the shining court. In the end Aglovale's tale becomes not only a story of a fallen man struggling for redemption, but a critique of the inadequacies of Camelot and a warning of the dangers in the acceptance of any ideal that will allow falsehood to endure for the sake of public image.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
February 5, 2022
This is a powerful, memorable book. It's very strange, and it has some deeply disturbing passages--intentionally so, I believe, as Housman is questioning some rooted prejudices and abuses in Arthuriana--but its compelling prose and courageous spiritual explorations make it worth putting high up on your list of Arthurian adaptations.
June 29, 2022
[Second read: 2022] I enjoyed this more on a second read. The stand out quote this time was:
_____________________________________
I was sitting on the fence about whether or not to give this book three or four stars. It’s not an unalloyed “4” but neither is it a mere “3.” In the end, evidently, I went with four stars. It’s one of the better Arthurian-themed books I’ve read and there are some scenes in it that will stick with me for a while (more about that in the spoiler-laden thoughts below).
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in the Matter of Britain, who wants to read about a fully developed character torn between the basest and highest impulses of human nature, and who also wants to do it while reveling in the archaic style of Malory or de Troyes. [The writing style imitates that of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur as it is ostensibly written by a friend or follower of his, and it leaves no prisoners. There are passages from the book where I’m still not quite sure what happened though later context usually makes things evident.[1] It can be off-putting, and was for the first few chapters but as with my experiences reading Marlon James and Sandra Newman, persistence pays off and you’ll be well rewarded.]
The following thoughts contain significant spoilage:
Clemence Housman has created a tremendous character in Aglovale de Galis, and I would strongly recommend this book.
[1] Case in point: There’s a scene early in the book where Gaheris accuses Aglovale of crimes, and Aglovale makes the cardinal mistake of freely admitting to them before the whole Court. What he should have done was call out Gaheris to a joust (or “just,” as Housman spells it) and prove himself in combat. Disgusted, Gaheris refuses to fight him, and Aglovale winds up fighting the one knight who had stood up for him, Griflet. I’m still not quite sure why the code of chivalry required this.
[2] The reader needs to know that there is a blood feud between the sons of Lot and those of Pellinore because the latter killed the former in battle. Though Gareth is a knight beyond reproach, his brothers are not, having foully murdered both Pellinore and Aglovale’s other brother Durnor, also in ambush.
The law of God, [Aglovale] said, required not the observance of honour, but honesty of man to man, and truth in the inward parts. But under the greatest King in Christendom truth was put down that honour might be established. Yea, in the annals of the Round Table there were instances enough, flagrant instances of honour established to the detriment of honesty; for so dear to Arthur ever was the noble flourish of man's invention that he gave no keep to the plain foundation. (p. 274)
_____________________________________
I was sitting on the fence about whether or not to give this book three or four stars. It’s not an unalloyed “4” but neither is it a mere “3.” In the end, evidently, I went with four stars. It’s one of the better Arthurian-themed books I’ve read and there are some scenes in it that will stick with me for a while (more about that in the spoiler-laden thoughts below).
I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in the Matter of Britain, who wants to read about a fully developed character torn between the basest and highest impulses of human nature, and who also wants to do it while reveling in the archaic style of Malory or de Troyes. [The writing style imitates that of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur as it is ostensibly written by a friend or follower of his, and it leaves no prisoners. There are passages from the book where I’m still not quite sure what happened though later context usually makes things evident.[1] It can be off-putting, and was for the first few chapters but as with my experiences reading Marlon James and Sandra Newman, persistence pays off and you’ll be well rewarded.]
The following thoughts contain significant spoilage:
Clemence Housman has created a tremendous character in Aglovale de Galis, and I would strongly recommend this book.
[1] Case in point: There’s a scene early in the book where Gaheris accuses Aglovale of crimes, and Aglovale makes the cardinal mistake of freely admitting to them before the whole Court. What he should have done was call out Gaheris to a joust (or “just,” as Housman spells it) and prove himself in combat. Disgusted, Gaheris refuses to fight him, and Aglovale winds up fighting the one knight who had stood up for him, Griflet. I’m still not quite sure why the code of chivalry required this.
[2] The reader needs to know that there is a blood feud between the sons of Lot and those of Pellinore because the latter killed the former in battle. Though Gareth is a knight beyond reproach, his brothers are not, having foully murdered both Pellinore and Aglovale’s other brother Durnor, also in ambush.
September 16, 2014
A very challenging read with dense prose that nonetheless successfully emulates Malory's style. I found myself reading and re-reading sentences to understand their meaning, but I also found myself eager to read the next. A beautifully crafted work. There is love for Arthurian literature evident in every single line. Spotlighting a minor character in Arthurian romance, Aglovale overcomes a less than savory career in his youth to strive to become the ideal Arthurian champion. Unfortunately, his king and peers base all their estimation of him on his sordid past - or rather, what they know of it. Aglovale comes out in the end as a hero whose tragedy lies in his proving himself too late to those who have already judged his character. I found the last lines particularly moving in their entreaty to set aside a prayer for Malory himself. Was Aglovale Housman's stand-in for the real Malory?
August 4, 2024
Astonishing! This tells the story of Sir Aglovale, a knight mentioned in Malory but explored in full here by Clemence Housman. Sir Aglovale makes for a terrific anti-hero. He is unliked and often unlikeable, but when he's shunned by Arthur and his fellow Knights of the Round Table because his instincts prefer truth to chivalry, the reader can't help but take his side. From there it's a long hard slog to Aglovale's rightful ending, but well worth it for the company along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
read-enough-of
October 6, 2012Time to call it quits on this one. I really really liked it; it's beautiful and moving. But it's also very slow, and so little happens, or rather, a lot happens, but it's always the same, that I just ground to a halt. I've tried going back to it a couple of times and each time, I think, wow this is great, I'd love to finish it, but then I go read other things. It's entirely my failure. I think it's a wonderful book.
August 6, 2012
In spite of its faults. For Aglovale, a great sinner and an agonised saint, and for his servant Brose. I'll never forget those two. An original.
March 14, 2023
3.5 stars out of 5.
I have a copy of this obscure novel thanks to Green Knight Publishing (which is possibly more well known for the Pendragon RPG), who reprinted some older works of Arthurian literature in their Pendragon Fiction Line in the early 2000s, including this one. Prior to that, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis was only published once in 1905 and again in 1954, but only a few other times since, as part of other smaller reprint collections, and as such would have been quite hard to find.
Aglovale is a unique Arthurian story, following a knight’s life in detail who is not one of the prominent figures that readers are familiar with. I wouldn’t recommend it for a reader who doesn’t have much of a foundation in the Arthurian canon, as it does rely on some previous knowledge of Arthur’s overall story arc, as well as the backgrounds of both Lancelot and Arthur’s Orkney nephews. It is also written in a much older style, drawing heavily from translations of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and other similar writings. Housman makes use of quite a few antiquarian words or meanings that some readers may have difficulty with if they haven’t read any earlier works about King Arthur, or if they also don’t happen to know any French, which would help with some of the words that pop up occasionally (e.g. “mellay” being mêlée, “maugre” meaning both “spite” or “ill will” and “in spite of”/”despite”, via malgré). Even though I came prepared, I still had trouble a few times when some dialogue scenes about particular sticking points of knightly honour went over my head, either because of the terminology used, or an implication the author made that was probably supposed to be inferred easily by her contemporary readers, but not necessarily by readers in modern times - or at least not this reader.
Regardless, even if I didn’t grasp every nuance, this is still a fascinating story. There is no other work I’ve read that quite explores the psychological toll of upholding nobility, knighthood, and Christianity that a man of Aglovale’s society would have endured at the time. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Once and Future King come the closest, likely, but they are both about fundamentally good and well-meaning Arthurian heroes who struggle against temptation or their failings later in Arthur’s time, unlike Aglovale, who failed to measure up to his family’s and his king’s standards from a young age and at every stage of his life. Aglovale is not about the titular character’s mental health in the way that a modern novel might be, but it does go into the depths of suffering a man can have when he struggles to be as good as his perfect brothers time and again, is publicly shamed in front of his fellow knights of the Round Table and his king, and hits rock bottom several times. To be clear, he does do horrible things during his worst periods, and neither the novel nor the characters try to excuse any of them. And yet, the miracle of Aglovale is his ability to get back up again after his faults and his sins have brought him low, and not only that, but to become a knight who is admired by those who can look past Aglovale’s failings and see the good within. Some of the most uplifting parts of the book are when characters who can see Aglovale’s potential defy his detractors as they support and stand up for him in front of others. Aglovale is certainly worth the read to see how a knight can attain nobility not by being perfect from the beginning, but by choosing to be good and actively working towards personal redemption.
I have a copy of this obscure novel thanks to Green Knight Publishing (which is possibly more well known for the Pendragon RPG), who reprinted some older works of Arthurian literature in their Pendragon Fiction Line in the early 2000s, including this one. Prior to that, The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis was only published once in 1905 and again in 1954, but only a few other times since, as part of other smaller reprint collections, and as such would have been quite hard to find.
Aglovale is a unique Arthurian story, following a knight’s life in detail who is not one of the prominent figures that readers are familiar with. I wouldn’t recommend it for a reader who doesn’t have much of a foundation in the Arthurian canon, as it does rely on some previous knowledge of Arthur’s overall story arc, as well as the backgrounds of both Lancelot and Arthur’s Orkney nephews. It is also written in a much older style, drawing heavily from translations of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and other similar writings. Housman makes use of quite a few antiquarian words or meanings that some readers may have difficulty with if they haven’t read any earlier works about King Arthur, or if they also don’t happen to know any French, which would help with some of the words that pop up occasionally (e.g. “mellay” being mêlée, “maugre” meaning both “spite” or “ill will” and “in spite of”/”despite”, via malgré). Even though I came prepared, I still had trouble a few times when some dialogue scenes about particular sticking points of knightly honour went over my head, either because of the terminology used, or an implication the author made that was probably supposed to be inferred easily by her contemporary readers, but not necessarily by readers in modern times - or at least not this reader.
Regardless, even if I didn’t grasp every nuance, this is still a fascinating story. There is no other work I’ve read that quite explores the psychological toll of upholding nobility, knighthood, and Christianity that a man of Aglovale’s society would have endured at the time. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Once and Future King come the closest, likely, but they are both about fundamentally good and well-meaning Arthurian heroes who struggle against temptation or their failings later in Arthur’s time, unlike Aglovale, who failed to measure up to his family’s and his king’s standards from a young age and at every stage of his life. Aglovale is not about the titular character’s mental health in the way that a modern novel might be, but it does go into the depths of suffering a man can have when he struggles to be as good as his perfect brothers time and again, is publicly shamed in front of his fellow knights of the Round Table and his king, and hits rock bottom several times. To be clear, he does do horrible things during his worst periods, and neither the novel nor the characters try to excuse any of them. And yet, the miracle of Aglovale is his ability to get back up again after his faults and his sins have brought him low, and not only that, but to become a knight who is admired by those who can look past Aglovale’s failings and see the good within. Some of the most uplifting parts of the book are when characters who can see Aglovale’s potential defy his detractors as they support and stand up for him in front of others. Aglovale is certainly worth the read to see how a knight can attain nobility not by being perfect from the beginning, but by choosing to be good and actively working towards personal redemption.
Read
January 31, 2022Very flowery language - I’d recommend if you’re a fan of the early Arthurian romances. The ending redeemed it for me, but the first half was a fairly excruciating read for me personally because of the writing style (story was on point though).
June 27, 2020
In the meritocracy of the Round Table, what about the knight who fails?
Housman delves into the cracks of Le Morte d’Arthur, asking these questions of one of the lesser brothers of the two great knightly families of Arthurian Legend... (the two great *feuding* knightly families)
Housman mimics the archaic language of Malory but in a stunted and stylish form that gives the reader space to contemplate the psychological depths of our hero especially in contrast to the character landscape of Arthurian Legend.
Often in story, redemption is instant and done, whether through death or ending. Housman does the hard work of representing the struggle and pain of a life of repentance.
While this is my favorite work of Arthurian Literature, I unfortunately must guard my recommendation due to its intimate interconnection with Malory and the general myth along with her use of language as a barrier to those unfamiliar.
Housman delves into the cracks of Le Morte d’Arthur, asking these questions of one of the lesser brothers of the two great knightly families of Arthurian Legend... (the two great *feuding* knightly families)
Housman mimics the archaic language of Malory but in a stunted and stylish form that gives the reader space to contemplate the psychological depths of our hero especially in contrast to the character landscape of Arthurian Legend.
Often in story, redemption is instant and done, whether through death or ending. Housman does the hard work of representing the struggle and pain of a life of repentance.
While this is my favorite work of Arthurian Literature, I unfortunately must guard my recommendation due to its intimate interconnection with Malory and the general myth along with her use of language as a barrier to those unfamiliar.
November 21, 2019
One of the finest books I've ever read, and probably the finest Arthurian novel. Clemence Housman writes this novel in a style similar to Malory, which is befitting considering how tied to Le Morte this novel is. Aglovale is a minor character in arthuriana, outshined by his brothers Lamorak and Tor, and especially Percivale, one of the Grail Knights. Housman fills out this conflicted mans life, from his villainous ways early in his life to his fostering of his young brother, one of the finest knights of the Round Table. The fact that this book is out of print is a crime.
May 8, 2011
Beautiful, serene, at once very realistic and full of longing and tenderness, this book is one of the best-and least known- Arthurian stories ever written.
March 18, 2020
A simply written glowing story, like The Once and Future King, it has a charming convincing simple writing style, but the other has astonishing realistic essences that a glove doesn’t which makes it more simple, yet in a different quality is more smoothly written work. The story reads like a family saga which is how it charms for medieval elements. It is also passionate about emotion. Detailed in its storytelling and story-driven with occasionally descriptive and when it is short-winded subtly beautifully done describing the land of King Arthur. A rich story because of its straight forward prose, realistic characterization.
At times in the action parts swift and informative. The story is filled with knightly honourous drama. With exciting religious elements. The characters have complicated thoughts and emotions. It's an intensely written book which makes it difficult to read. Intelligent slow-paced in its story. Meaningful on strength and how to handle tragedy. exciting fast-paced writing and detailed atmosphere and characterization. It is to be admired that the story does not fall into romanticism and is meaningful in its prose about chivalry, honor and the holy grail. The book portrays the King Arthur story is a detailed portrayal of the fancily written portrayal of the quest for the holy grail. It has in its religious subject matter a message against evil. Symbolic dramatic characterization. Realistic down to earth the complicated character Aglovale de Galis because of not an exactly good knight. Insightful about the emotion of knights.
At times in the action parts swift and informative. The story is filled with knightly honourous drama. With exciting religious elements. The characters have complicated thoughts and emotions. It's an intensely written book which makes it difficult to read. Intelligent slow-paced in its story. Meaningful on strength and how to handle tragedy. exciting fast-paced writing and detailed atmosphere and characterization. It is to be admired that the story does not fall into romanticism and is meaningful in its prose about chivalry, honor and the holy grail. The book portrays the King Arthur story is a detailed portrayal of the fancily written portrayal of the quest for the holy grail. It has in its religious subject matter a message against evil. Symbolic dramatic characterization. Realistic down to earth the complicated character Aglovale de Galis because of not an exactly good knight. Insightful about the emotion of knights.
August 12, 2022
The dark soul of a knight. Between the prose style and the story line, it took me a while to get into the book, but it gradually engrossed me more and more. It is a profoundly moving tale and an even more profound exploration of a flawed yet praiseworthy character--not an easy feat to pull off. Fans of medieval fantasy fiction may not warm to it, but fans of Arthurian legend likely will find much to admire and think about.
December 2, 2010
Not an easy read, but a heck of a payoff.
October 6, 2016
be warned; contains heavy-handed sermonising and moralising. Way past its sell-by date. Might be of interest to people of a religious bent who happen to enjoy retellings of Malory
June 11, 2018
An excellent novel (from 1905), dealing with a minor character in Malory.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews