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King Arthur Trilogy #1
The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
His kingdom was magical, his knights were loyal, and his life was filled with adventure. . . .
Young Arthur Pendragon became High King of England the instant he pulled the mysterious sword from within the stone. He unlocked the magic within the sword Excalibur, and won the heart of the Lady Guenever. At his side through quests and adventures were the Knights of the Round Table—among Gawain, who faced certain death at the hands of the Green Knight; Percival, who learned that it took more than a victory on horseback to win a place at the Round Table; and Lancelot, who daily felt a passion he was forced to hide. And over them all ruled Arthur, true King. . . .
"Stands far beyond any Arthurian collection for young readers."— Times Literary Supplement
"Other than Malory, I can think of no better introduction to the whole sweep of Arthurian stories."— School Library Journal , starred review
Young Arthur Pendragon became High King of England the instant he pulled the mysterious sword from within the stone. He unlocked the magic within the sword Excalibur, and won the heart of the Lady Guenever. At his side through quests and adventures were the Knights of the Round Table—among Gawain, who faced certain death at the hands of the Green Knight; Percival, who learned that it took more than a victory on horseback to win a place at the Round Table; and Lancelot, who daily felt a passion he was forced to hide. And over them all ruled Arthur, true King. . . .
"Stands far beyond any Arthurian collection for young readers."— Times Literary Supplement
"Other than Malory, I can think of no better introduction to the whole sweep of Arthurian stories."— School Library Journal , starred review
262 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1981
38 people are currently reading
1715 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Sutcliff
108 books680 followersRosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
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November 19, 2020First of a series of three books retelling of tales of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table for children (The Light Beyond the Forest deals with the quest for the Holy Grail, The Road to Camlann with the end of the whole Arthur business, drawing strongly on Malory but in a child friendly way . OK, but not particularly distinctive I think because Sutcliff as a wheelchair user, or perhaps more appropriately said a chariot rider is at her best with a view point character who is disadvantaged in some-way, particularly physically, lacking such a character means these aren't I think the best examples of her style. Although she comes close to Arthur stories in The Lantern Bearers, and others, visualising him as some post Roman, Celtic-revivalist leader, these stories are much more 'traditional' retellings so to speak.
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August 22, 2023How do you compare the work of two storytelling masters like T.H. White (The Once and Future King) and Rosemary Sutcliff? I recently finished Sutcliff's King Arthur Trilogy, and then went back and re-read a good part of White's version, which I'd forgotten a good deal about. I've been looking for a good King Arthur choice for my daughter for next fall, and I'm leaning towards The Sword and the Circle. It's not that the two wouldn't be complementary, but, as a trilogy (Sutcliff) or a four-"book" novel (White), they're both pretty long. Not to mention intense.
And this is where King Arthur, any King Arthur, becomes problematic for school reading. White points out somewhere in TOaFK that there is a reason Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur ("The Death of Arthur") is called that. The beginning of the story is the beginning of the end, and the end, we are led to believe, is inevitable. Friendship leads to betrayal, and laws intended for justice bring grief. Evil women conspire and seduce, friends and family members kill each other, and knights described as gallant and gentle also destroy and are destroyed. To take the story to its end is to explore tragedy. But how far do you want to go with that exploration, say with a twelve-year-old?
Sutcliff's rendering--she draws heavily on Malory as well as on other ballads and legends--is more traditional and straightforward, not as satirical as White's. It's also much less talky; White's characters have long philosophical conversations about might and right, and he spends pages trying to set straight our romanticized ideas of the "Arthurian age." Sutcliff takes less of a world-weary tone, makes fewer all-over-the-place analogies (White compares one battle to a scene from the Wild West), and does not include White's gruesome and detailed descriptions of magic practices and other disturbing images (parental previewing is seriously recommended). Neither is particularly explicit about the relationship between Lancelot and Guenever. On the other hand, even the first of Sutcliff's three books is full of sword exploits, bereaved maidens, and the evil half-sisters. These are fairy tales grown large and serious, and when the wizard and the enchantress characters have faded out partway through the story, what's left is a seriously confused bunch of human beings, most of them decent-hearted but with a couple of apparent sociopaths among them to keep things stirred up.
If, like the book Peter Pan, you (and the twelve-year-old) can accept the story, in either Sutcliff or White's telling, mostly as fairy tale, as legend, as a stage drama; if you can view it as the inspiration for dozens of later storytellers, poets, painters; then probably either volume, or limited parts of it as AO recommends, will work as literature for junior-high age.
"He said then, that when Percival came to join us, it would be as though he were a herald."
"A herald?"
"A sign, then. For by his coming we should know that within less than a year the Mystery of the Holy Grail would come--will come, upon us here at Camelot...and the knights will leave the Round Table and ride out upon the greatest quest of all."
"We shall come together again," said Lancelot, trying to console him.
"Some of us," said the King. "But it will not be the same; never the same again....We shall have served our purpose; made a shining time between the Dark and the Dark. Merlin said that it would be as though all things drew on to the golden glory of the sunset. But then it will all be over." ~~ Rosemary Sutcliff, The Sword and the Circle
(Review written 2013)
And this is where King Arthur, any King Arthur, becomes problematic for school reading. White points out somewhere in TOaFK that there is a reason Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur ("The Death of Arthur") is called that. The beginning of the story is the beginning of the end, and the end, we are led to believe, is inevitable. Friendship leads to betrayal, and laws intended for justice bring grief. Evil women conspire and seduce, friends and family members kill each other, and knights described as gallant and gentle also destroy and are destroyed. To take the story to its end is to explore tragedy. But how far do you want to go with that exploration, say with a twelve-year-old?
Sutcliff's rendering--she draws heavily on Malory as well as on other ballads and legends--is more traditional and straightforward, not as satirical as White's. It's also much less talky; White's characters have long philosophical conversations about might and right, and he spends pages trying to set straight our romanticized ideas of the "Arthurian age." Sutcliff takes less of a world-weary tone, makes fewer all-over-the-place analogies (White compares one battle to a scene from the Wild West), and does not include White's gruesome and detailed descriptions of magic practices and other disturbing images (parental previewing is seriously recommended). Neither is particularly explicit about the relationship between Lancelot and Guenever. On the other hand, even the first of Sutcliff's three books is full of sword exploits, bereaved maidens, and the evil half-sisters. These are fairy tales grown large and serious, and when the wizard and the enchantress characters have faded out partway through the story, what's left is a seriously confused bunch of human beings, most of them decent-hearted but with a couple of apparent sociopaths among them to keep things stirred up.
If, like the book Peter Pan, you (and the twelve-year-old) can accept the story, in either Sutcliff or White's telling, mostly as fairy tale, as legend, as a stage drama; if you can view it as the inspiration for dozens of later storytellers, poets, painters; then probably either volume, or limited parts of it as AO recommends, will work as literature for junior-high age.
"He said then, that when Percival came to join us, it would be as though he were a herald."
"A herald?"
"A sign, then. For by his coming we should know that within less than a year the Mystery of the Holy Grail would come--will come, upon us here at Camelot...and the knights will leave the Round Table and ride out upon the greatest quest of all."
"We shall come together again," said Lancelot, trying to console him.
"Some of us," said the King. "But it will not be the same; never the same again....We shall have served our purpose; made a shining time between the Dark and the Dark. Merlin said that it would be as though all things drew on to the golden glory of the sunset. But then it will all be over." ~~ Rosemary Sutcliff, The Sword and the Circle
(Review written 2013)
February 27, 2012
I don't know how this author is able to say SO MUCH in so few words. A lot happens quickly in this book, so you have many events and many characters over few pages, so you would think it would feel like there's a lack of depth. And yet somehow, with just a few words of dialogue, she is able to capture the essence of the character's soul, and you feel deeply for that character. I'm on page 70 and this book has already moved me to tears. And I was on the bus at the time! Inconvenient, but brilliant.
It's also interesting, having been a fan of some other versions of King Arthur stories (The Sword in the Stone being the most obvious; Monty Python and the Holy Grail also deserving a mention) to have a clearer picture of how these characters fit together/know each other/are related.
A truly delightful book. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
It's also interesting, having been a fan of some other versions of King Arthur stories (The Sword in the Stone being the most obvious; Monty Python and the Holy Grail also deserving a mention) to have a clearer picture of how these characters fit together/know each other/are related.
A truly delightful book. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
January 20, 2022
Book 1 of 3. Concise without significant compromise in text and absolutely accessible to “children 9-90 years”. My first Rosemary Sutcliff and certainly not my last! Highly recommended for fans of Arthurian tales, myths/legends and children’s literature. Delightful.
June 19, 2020
aka, Knights Making Bad Life Decisions
April 4, 2023
sir kay failknight of all time. anyway say what you will about the british but we really popped off with arthuriana
November 7, 2022
I'm not a King Arthur or Round Table fan, but Sutcliffe does such a wonderful job with her narrations, that I didn't really want to stop reading. You can't help feeling transported back in time; especially given the style in which she wrote - it felt very medieval.
So three stars for the story/retelling of the legends, and four stars for the great job she did in the retelling of it!
Ages: 14+
Cleanliness: There are fight scenes described with blood, a head being chopped off and rolling etc. Not overly descriptive but with enough detail so you know what happened. There are several affairs in the book, most of them being in passing and with no bedroom scenes or details. Arthur has a one night fling with his half-sister (not knowing it's her). Guenever and Lancelot are in love, which is why he leaves often, to avoid being around her. They touch hands once and are caught kissing another time. There is a lot of magic, casting of spells, Merlin, and several mentions of the Druids and their powers.
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So three stars for the story/retelling of the legends, and four stars for the great job she did in the retelling of it!
Ages: 14+
Cleanliness: There are fight scenes described with blood, a head being chopped off and rolling etc. Not overly descriptive but with enough detail so you know what happened. There are several affairs in the book, most of them being in passing and with no bedroom scenes or details. Arthur has a one night fling with his half-sister (not knowing it's her). Guenever and Lancelot are in love, which is why he leaves often, to avoid being around her. They touch hands once and are caught kissing another time. There is a lot of magic, casting of spells, Merlin, and several mentions of the Druids and their powers.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
March 2, 2019
The best thing that recommends this book is not the immortal tale, but the way it is written. These stories have been told and retold numerous times throughout the ages, but how they are brought to life is what draws a reader in, and Rosemary Sutcliff's prose is lyrical and wondrous, both faithful to a mythical age while also concealing touches of modernity. Her descriptions of nature alone, using kennings (one of my favorite instances is describing the night as "wolf-dark") and sensual imagery, are well worth a read:
But where Sutcliff really shines is hinting at existential conflicts that resonate more with a modern audience than with the people of Old. Take this excerpt where Merlin and a young King Arthur are talking about their future deaths:
Moments like these inject new, exciting life into these familiar tales. I'm sure that this book, like all Arthur books, lies in the shadow of the great The Once and Future King (which I haven't yet read. I know, I know, I have to get to it), but I think it deserves to stand on its own thanks to Sutcliff's loving, magical prose. After all, there are as many stories as there are storytellers.
The air was like warm milk, and the scent of honeysuckle and sweet briar hung heavy between the high walls, and the full moon was pale and blurred in the hazy sky.
But where Sutcliff really shines is hinting at existential conflicts that resonate more with a modern audience than with the people of Old. Take this excerpt where Merlin and a young King Arthur are talking about their future deaths:
Arthur was silent a moment, watching the swallows darting sickle-winged about the battlements. Then he said, "This sleep - will it be for ever?"
"Not for ever, no. We shall both come again, you and I, when the time and the need call for us."
Arthur went on watching the swallows. He felt the warmth of the evening sunshine on his face, and Cabal's muzzle thrust lovingly into the palm of his hand, and thought of Guenever's face, and the faces of men who were his friends. "What will they be like, the people we come back to? What will it all be like?" he whispered suddenly in anguish.
Moments like these inject new, exciting life into these familiar tales. I'm sure that this book, like all Arthur books, lies in the shadow of the great The Once and Future King (which I haven't yet read. I know, I know, I have to get to it), but I think it deserves to stand on its own thanks to Sutcliff's loving, magical prose. After all, there are as many stories as there are storytellers.
June 25, 2024
Ik houd van dit boek. Ik houd van dit soort boek, het taalgebruik, de quests, de personages... duidelijke 5 ster <3
February 3, 2024
Having read Ladybird retellings of Arthur stories as a child, I always wanted to read a properly detailed, but readable version. I gave ‘The Once and Future King’ a try 8 years ago or so, but discovered that it was satire, and disappointingly silly.
Rosemary Sutcliffe delivered exactly what I was hoping for: a version which covers the established legends comprehensively, but in modern-day English. She just tells the stories for what they are, and I found them as exciting as I had remembered and hoped they still would be.
The legends of Arthur, Merlin, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table are an intriguing placement of fantasy and myth within the historical setting of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. The characters are influenced both by a kind of superstitious Christianity and old Druidic magic. Knights ride around the countryside in search of adventure, and encounter damsels in distress several times a day. Many of the stories are driven by love, often forbidden or unrequited.
A brief roundup:
Favourite Character: Sir Gawain or Sir Gareth
I might be boring but I liked that these brothers both have a moral compass, and although Gawain in particular is hot-headed and often regrets his actions, he has a strong sense of loyalty. His stories, ‘The Green Knight’ and ‘The Loathly Woman’ are probably my favourites.
Most Overrated Character: Sir Lancelot
This guy is the best knight in all of Christendom, but spends his life moping around for Queen Guenever who is obviously married to Arthur. When he thinks he has the opportunity to sleep with her he doesn’t think twice, but discovers it’s someone else in the morning; he dives out of the window into thorns and runs into the forest where he spends 3 years living wild in his PJs. When he comes to his senses he discovers he fathered a son but doesn’t want to meet him.
Strangest Discovery
Some weird stuff goes down at Camelot which isn’t conveyed in the Ladybird books! Probably the most disturbing is that Arthur has a son who is also his nephew…
Favourite Moment
The Green knight challenges Gawain to hit him with one axe stroke, which he will return a year later. Sir Gawain beheads the Green Knight, only for the Knight to stand up and pick up his head by the hair. He reminds Gawain that he will see him in a year’s time, and rides out of the court, arm outstretched and head swinging, leaving a room of stunned knights and the knowledge that Gawain is doomed. Or is he?
Part two of the trilogy is up next!
Rosemary Sutcliffe delivered exactly what I was hoping for: a version which covers the established legends comprehensively, but in modern-day English. She just tells the stories for what they are, and I found them as exciting as I had remembered and hoped they still would be.
The legends of Arthur, Merlin, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table are an intriguing placement of fantasy and myth within the historical setting of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. The characters are influenced both by a kind of superstitious Christianity and old Druidic magic. Knights ride around the countryside in search of adventure, and encounter damsels in distress several times a day. Many of the stories are driven by love, often forbidden or unrequited.
A brief roundup:
Favourite Character: Sir Gawain or Sir Gareth
I might be boring but I liked that these brothers both have a moral compass, and although Gawain in particular is hot-headed and often regrets his actions, he has a strong sense of loyalty. His stories, ‘The Green Knight’ and ‘The Loathly Woman’ are probably my favourites.
Most Overrated Character: Sir Lancelot
This guy is the best knight in all of Christendom, but spends his life moping around for Queen Guenever who is obviously married to Arthur. When he thinks he has the opportunity to sleep with her he doesn’t think twice, but discovers it’s someone else in the morning; he dives out of the window into thorns and runs into the forest where he spends 3 years living wild in his PJs. When he comes to his senses he discovers he fathered a son but doesn’t want to meet him.
Strangest Discovery
Some weird stuff goes down at Camelot which isn’t conveyed in the Ladybird books! Probably the most disturbing is that Arthur has a son who is also his nephew…
Favourite Moment
The Green knight challenges Gawain to hit him with one axe stroke, which he will return a year later. Sir Gawain beheads the Green Knight, only for the Knight to stand up and pick up his head by the hair. He reminds Gawain that he will see him in a year’s time, and rides out of the court, arm outstretched and head swinging, leaving a room of stunned knights and the knowledge that Gawain is doomed. Or is he?
Part two of the trilogy is up next!
September 13, 2023
A basic introduction to the myths of King Arthur and the knights of the Roundtable. I enjoyed that this book did not focus solely on King Arthur but went into the stories of Lancelot, Gawain, and other knights. A super fun and easy read!
March 5, 2010
I've always loved Rosemary Sutcliff's books, so probably I'm automatically biased towards this one. Actually, I found it a little hard to get into at first -- the first few chapters seemed very much like the first part of the Historia Regum Britanniae, except for children. Still, I gave it chance and though it was slower to get started for me than, say, The Eagle of the Ninth, it got to a point where I didn't want to put it down. It is recognisably for children, but at the same time there isn't too much talking down -- the narrative voice is pleasant, not patronising.
It has some interesting features, when compared to other stories. The main things that interested me were the fact that Arthur has a bit more to do than in most tellings, and actually ventures out on quests himself, and the fact that Lancelot is described as ugly. I wish there was a little more done with that, somehow, but I don't know what I'd do with it if there was something to do with it... It's a bit negated by tonnes of women falling in love with him, anyway. I liked the little glimpses of Nimue we got near the beginning, and I wish she'd kept on showing up -- the story cleared both her and Morgan Le Fay out of the way fairly quickly, which felt odd to me.
The book is fairly episodic, so it's easy to read in little chunks if that's what you want (perhaps if you're reading to a child -- though some of the chapters are a bit long for that, and I wouldn't really say a young child would be that interested).
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
It has some interesting features, when compared to other stories. The main things that interested me were the fact that Arthur has a bit more to do than in most tellings, and actually ventures out on quests himself, and the fact that Lancelot is described as ugly. I wish there was a little more done with that, somehow, but I don't know what I'd do with it if there was something to do with it... It's a bit negated by tonnes of women falling in love with him, anyway. I liked the little glimpses of Nimue we got near the beginning, and I wish she'd kept on showing up -- the story cleared both her and Morgan Le Fay out of the way fairly quickly, which felt odd to me.
The book is fairly episodic, so it's easy to read in little chunks if that's what you want (perhaps if you're reading to a child -- though some of the chapters are a bit long for that, and I wouldn't really say a young child would be that interested).
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
August 23, 2023
Gorgeous and lyrical retellings of the Arthurian legends. (this is the 1st book in a trilogy, but I have not read the others.)
My 10 year old daughter loved this, although the chapters are long and some of the language (vocabulary) difficult.
A sense of melancholy pervades, but that's not a terrible thing in a book for a tween. They're starting to understand those longings for adventure and belonging and "something more." And when these beloved knights make foolish choices, they understand that there are long-reaching consequences too.
Anyway, I'm no Arthurian scholar and I can't compare various retellings because of how few I've actually read for myself. But I definitely recommend this one.
My 10 year old daughter loved this, although the chapters are long and some of the language (vocabulary) difficult.
A sense of melancholy pervades, but that's not a terrible thing in a book for a tween. They're starting to understand those longings for adventure and belonging and "something more." And when these beloved knights make foolish choices, they understand that there are long-reaching consequences too.
Anyway, I'm no Arthurian scholar and I can't compare various retellings because of how few I've actually read for myself. But I definitely recommend this one.
"We shall come together again," said Lancelot, trying to console him.
"Some of us," said the King. "But it will not be the same; never the same again." He narrowed his eyes into the blazing sky over the western hills. "We shall have done all that is in us to do. For Britain, for the kingdom of Logres. For all that we have fought and built for and tried to make secure...We shall have served our purpose; made a shining time between the Dark and the Dark. Merlin said it would be as though all things drew on to the golden glory of the sunset. But then it will all be over."
Lancelot said, "We shall have made such a blaze, that men will remember us on the other side of the Dark."
September 14, 2015
I love Rosemary Sutcliff so much, so it felt simply perfect to be introduced to the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by her writing. . . I can't wait to finish the trilogy and dig into more Arthurnian legends (Looking at you, "Pendragon's Heir"!). . . but this was beautiful, and heartbreaking, and the stories were rich and moving. Some made me angry, some made me sad, some made me laugh and others made me cry. . . the characters were rich and the writing was beautiful just like Sutcliff always writes...
My two current favourite knights are Gawain and Perceival ;)
My two current favourite knights are Gawain and Perceival ;)
June 21, 2018
A little slow for my taste but a good introduction into Arthurian Legend. The stories are short and more or less unconnected, so it was a fun book to pick up and read a bit of at a time, but not a real binge-reader. I especially liked all the parts with Merlin, and the tale of Tristan and Iseult.
January 30, 2021
The more stories I read of King Arthur, the more I’ve concluded that it’s not an account of heroism or godliness or chivalry, but a complete tragedy. At the beginning of Sutcliff’s book, I bemoaned the trap of her retelling the story of Arthur and his knights.
But! Because Sutcliff’s writing is so magnificent, particularly her movement of the narrative lens from very close to far away, her use of flora and fauna to transition from scene to scene, and above all her implied desire for redemption in all things, what is by nature a tragedy was depicted as a one heck of a story with a promising continuation.
One of the ways Sutcliff redeemed some of Arthur’s story for me was her retelling of Sir Geraint and his wife Enid. She paints a picture of their quarrels and Geraint’s temper and misunderstanding which leads to epically unknightly treatment of Enid but let’s it end with deeper affection and security in their marriage, whereas other accounts I’ve read end the story with a sadness and unforgiveness that spoils their marriage for the rest of their lives. She did this with other accounts as well, changing their endings to be more redemptive than they are traditionally depicted, although there’s little she can do about Guenever and Lancelot and the fates written for them.
Having read The Eagle of the Ninth and being so satisfied with that story, I was afraid King Arthur would ruin Sutcliff for me. And yet she rose to the occasion, encouraging me to read more of her work, no matter the story.
But! Because Sutcliff’s writing is so magnificent, particularly her movement of the narrative lens from very close to far away, her use of flora and fauna to transition from scene to scene, and above all her implied desire for redemption in all things, what is by nature a tragedy was depicted as a one heck of a story with a promising continuation.
One of the ways Sutcliff redeemed some of Arthur’s story for me was her retelling of Sir Geraint and his wife Enid. She paints a picture of their quarrels and Geraint’s temper and misunderstanding which leads to epically unknightly treatment of Enid but let’s it end with deeper affection and security in their marriage, whereas other accounts I’ve read end the story with a sadness and unforgiveness that spoils their marriage for the rest of their lives. She did this with other accounts as well, changing their endings to be more redemptive than they are traditionally depicted, although there’s little she can do about Guenever and Lancelot and the fates written for them.
Having read The Eagle of the Ninth and being so satisfied with that story, I was afraid King Arthur would ruin Sutcliff for me. And yet she rose to the occasion, encouraging me to read more of her work, no matter the story.
July 27, 2021
I started this book hoping I would in the end know more about the legends of King Arthur. For being called a book about Arthur it was a lot of myths about other knights and queens and what more that lived on that time. Some of the titles that the characters held were confusing and so was the plot. I’m sorry. I really like the legends of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere but this was confusing and honestly, disappointing.
Apart from that, there were characters that I really liked, for example Guinevere (although she didn’t get much screentime) and Merlin. Then we have characters like Lancelot that throughout just were annoying.
Apart from that, there were characters that I really liked, for example Guinevere (although she didn’t get much screentime) and Merlin. Then we have characters like Lancelot that throughout just were annoying.
May 13, 2016
My favorite collection of Arthurian legends (not that I've read very many). This collection focuses on more of the earlier tales, and while some are noble, some humorous, some sad, they all have the energy and beauty and classic fairy-tale charm of the golden age of Arthur, and are seasoned with more joy than sorrow. My favorites are the tales of Beaumains the Kitchen Knight, and of Gawaine and the Loathly Lady. :)
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January 25, 2020This novel has an abundance of educational value. I think at first, my students, were very hesitant about reading this 'boring novel' but quickly became interested in the various characters and the swift movement of the storyline. For 6th graders, a novel that does not drag is a major benefit to keeping them interested. Ms. Sutcliff is a master story teller. I have students waiting in line to check out her other novels. It is a win for the teacher!!!!
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October 30, 2021This book is not really suitable reading for children. It begins with incest and moves on to adultery all of which is excused or sentimentalised. Earlier adaptors of these tales for young readers were more sensitive. It is a pity this is the case as Sutcliff writes so vividly. Even she, though, is hard put to it to make the umpteenth knightly clash sound any different to the preceding ones. Not her best book.
October 21, 2019
I was on a quest for an Arthur collection that stayed true to the legends, was beautifully written, and wasnt too dry to be enjoyable for the kids. And then I skimmed over a dozen- Pyle, White, Lang, Greene, whoever wrote The Boys King Arthur. Sutcliffe was by and far the winner. Her prose is lyrical as always, and she honors King Arthur without feeling the need to add to it.
September 22, 2014
Beautifully written. Sutcliff's writing continues to amaze and delight me. She has taken another classic and given it fresh life while maintaining the haunting mysteries of the story.
January 25, 2025
THIS WAS ACTUALLY FIRE EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A GENRE I LIKEE!!!!!
4/5 STARS (Highly deserved it !!)
4/5 STARS (Highly deserved it !!)
July 15, 2019
I'll state upfront that one of my shelves does not really fit this title: historical fiction. However, it is the closest I have since I don't believe I read a lot of folk tales/lore type book. I'll add this shelf if I begin to notice this statement isn't true! I have always deeply admired Sutcliff. However, I was fairly disturbed after finishing Tristan and Iseult at how sexist the book was and started this one with some apprehension. However, it was never really an issue since the women are mostly off stage in this book. Sutcliff was careful to note what were her sources for her various retellings of the King Arthur legend. Why only three stars? Well, some isn't really Sutcliff's fault. I have always been impatient with Merlin for simply going along with his fate instead of doing something about it. OK, this way he will be around for when Arthur comes back, but still, I find it annoyingly passive. The stories just didn't grab me enough to make me feel this was worth more stars. Arthur comes across as a slightly petulant character who seems to rely on Merlin to do everything. His adopted brother Sir Kay, is a brat, but that is also acknowledged by pretty much everyone including Arthur. To be fair, Sutcliff's worst is probably better than many author's best writing. And I found this much better than Tristan. Nonetheless, I'm giving this only 3 stars.
October 20, 2017
I've always loved the Arthurian legends, so it is no wonder this was on my bookshelves. Yet somehow I'd never got around to reading it. Now I'm trying to work through my shelves and this was next on the list.
It is basically a set of short stories about the various knights and their adventures. As such, it lacked a certain cohesion. Lancelot and Guinevere's affair was touched upon, but not developed to its tragic conclusion. It was all somehow too dispassionate and dry. It felt almost as if the author was trying to present it as non-fiction, but that didn't quite come off either.
This one is NOT a keeper for me.
It is basically a set of short stories about the various knights and their adventures. As such, it lacked a certain cohesion. Lancelot and Guinevere's affair was touched upon, but not developed to its tragic conclusion. It was all somehow too dispassionate and dry. It felt almost as if the author was trying to present it as non-fiction, but that didn't quite come off either.
This one is NOT a keeper for me.
June 30, 2018
6/2818 The Sword and the Circle by Sutcliff is another one of the books connected to the new myPerspectives resource. Written in 1981, this is a very traditional telling of the King Arthur legend and consists of separate pieces that, after the first three chapters, could be read independently. The vocabulary and sentence structure are challenging and somewhat antiquated. Origins of Arthur, Excalibur, the Round Table, Guenever, Lancelot, Gawain, Percival and more are revealed. Repeated reference to Christianity is one of the many details that reflect the period both in which this was written and the period in which these staple stories occurred.
August 6, 2023
my review, which I posted to instagram @snuggery.mom several months ago, when I'd finished it:
book review: The Sword and the Circle, by Rosemary Sutcliff.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I always scribble a little book report in the endpages of a book, once I have read it. Here I what I scribbled in, just now, for The Sword and the Circle:
I loved it, plain and simple. Sutcliff is as brilliant an historian as she is a wizard of prose, and the subject matter is *pinnacle*, the sparkling light "between dark and dark," so dazzling that "it shines on the other side of the dark."
Oh, how I love you, Arthur, and your knights. But, especially Arthur. Two more books in this trilogy, thank God❤️
book review: The Sword and the Circle, by Rosemary Sutcliff.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I always scribble a little book report in the endpages of a book, once I have read it. Here I what I scribbled in, just now, for The Sword and the Circle:
I loved it, plain and simple. Sutcliff is as brilliant an historian as she is a wizard of prose, and the subject matter is *pinnacle*, the sparkling light "between dark and dark," so dazzling that "it shines on the other side of the dark."
Oh, how I love you, Arthur, and your knights. But, especially Arthur. Two more books in this trilogy, thank God❤️
June 24, 2022
Rosemary Sutcliff's The Sword and the Circle is a good collection of King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table stories. It starts with how Arthur becomes king by pulling the sword from the stone and how he received Excalibur from the lake. You get the store about how the Round Table is created and who are the chosen knights. You learn about Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, and the Green Knight. There is an interesting tale about Tristan and Isecult in the book as well. This easy-to-read book is a good primer for people who wish to learn about King Arthur and the Round Table Knights.
October 18, 2018
I rated this book four stars because it just had too many characters in so when I saw a characters name I was like who is that and what does he do for king Arther . But the good thing about this book was that it was really adventurous because each paragraph most of the knights went on quests to try and find adventure . i would recommend this book for ages maybe 9-13 because it has some tough words in to pronounce but maybe if your clever you will be able to read it if your 8
July 16, 2019
raditional retelling of the Arthurian legend. First in a trilogy. Good; probably one of the better retellings. Not perfect; it doesn't add to the legends much, so there's still a lot of background that could be thrown in. So it's not one damn quest after another. But it's good. Good feel. But the development of Arthur, which is always the best part of the legends, is pretty quick; less than a quarter of the book.
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