Prince Valiant

by Martin Delrio, King Features Syndicate

In an age of dark sorcery and mighty deeds, an unlikely champion has arisen in the court of King Arthur--a lowly squire of unknown parentage who can defeat the King's best in jousting and swordplay. His past is a mystery, his courage and loyalty unparalleled--and it is he who has been chosen to safeguard the beautiful Princess Ilene, herself as brave and able as any knight who stands by Arthur's side. For foul treachery has invaded the realm, drawing a hero reborn into the land of the barbarian--to battle a dread evil for the imperiled future of Camelot. . .and to fulfill a destiny as magnificent as his name.

246 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

A pseudonym used by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Delrio is a pseudonym used by James D. Macdonald (sometimes in collaboration with his wife, Debra Doyle) on various tie-in works for Mortal Kombat, Spider-Man, and other franchises, including this novelization (copyrighted by King Features) of a Prince Valiant film from 1998. The film script was written by Michael Frost Beckner, Anthony Hickox, and Carsten Lorenz, based on a story by Beckner. It's not a great movie, but it's fun for fans of the comic strip. Prince Valiant was created by the legendary Hal Foster and still appears every Sunday in a continuous continuity. (Don't we wish Marvel and DC could do that instead of rebooting and ret-conning every year!) Foster was like Alex Raymond or Lee Falk in his mastery of storytelling in a sequential art format, but he was a great artist as well, and his panorama style is unmatched save by the terrific artists who've followed his tenure on the strip. The film stars Stephen Moyer, Katherine Heigl, Joanna Lumley, Warwick Davis, Ron Perlman, and several other well-known actors, many of them hilariously miscast. It's not a great movie, as I said, but it's a popcorn munching load of fun for Foster fans, as is this novelization, which adds several little flips and flourishes and tells the story with considerably more coherence and humor. For example, on page 103, we get a subtle (well, kind of subtle, maybe) shout-out to Alfred Lord Tennyson with this conversation between Ilene and Valiant:

"Don't worry," Valiant said. "My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure."
"You came to spy on me while I was taking a bath!"
"Well... five, then," Valiant said. "It should still be good enough."

On page 153, Val and Prince Arn have this exchange:

"Vikings in Marion Cove," Arn said. "You weren't lying."
"Why would I lie?"
"That's right," Arn said. "You believe in truth, justice, and the Arthurian way."
"Of course," Valiant said. "There is no other."

There's some fun silliness, but it's an engaging and exciting story, and follows the continuity of the original strip fairly well. It's a finely enhanced translation of the script.

[Jennifer Custer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of childhood stories.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read this book; I'll have to dig it out and take a gander at it again.