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merlynnefae's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I've been trying to read more about Arthurian lore and legend, so I was glad to find out that my library had this. I got the audiobook version and I found myself enjoying it and found that I was able to listen to all of it fairly quickly. I enjoyed how the stories were told and I found that they were interesting. However I did find at times that they were very slow paced so I'm glad that I did get the audiobook version. I also enjoyed that they were formatted the way they were as they were bite-sized for each tail So that way I could kind of feel like I was binging the story. I found the book informative and interesting enough that it kept my interest and I was able to get through it in two days
cagebox's review against another edition
5.0
I knew very little of King Arthur and the knights of the round table before reading this. Sure, I knew names and places but nothing more than that. I found Pyle's work to be the perfect work to serve as an introduction to all the main players in the drama. You'll find here some one-off tales of chivalry and jousting along with the greater overarching narrative. A great book for adults and children alike.
dreavg's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
justinies's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
obsessed with the simplicity of old stories. sometimes the right answer is just “then they died. the end. now for the next one”
planetshannon's review against another edition
4.0
I don't often listen to audiobooks, but this was narrated by Sean Bean and that hooked me.
2019 Update: Listened to during the holiday season, and I feel like finally starting to remember the stories!
2019 Update: Listened to during the holiday season, and I feel like finally starting to remember the stories!
kirux13's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
furby's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
explorerstragic's review against another edition
3.0
Let me preface this review by saying that a lot of it is in light of having recently read Pyle’s Robin Hood.
While I enjoyed The Story of King Arthur and his Knights more than I enjoyed Robin Hood, I was disappointed that Pyle used almost the exact same formula of plot development – Arthur/some swanky knight of the round table meets bad guy – they have an epic duel – then the bad guy becomes an ally. At times it was basically Robin Hood but with jousting and significantly more nobility.
That being said, there were an abundance of delightful stories. The figurative language was stunning, more so than in Robin Hood. There were lots of important female characters too, which I was surprised to find in a book of its time. I especially loved the riddle at the end and Sir Gawaine’s character development (from a rude silver-tongued rascal to a loyal knight and faithful husband).
It was also hilarious to read the folly of some of the knights and how easily they were manipulated and enchanted. It was heart-warming when they overcame challenges together, laying down their life for each other, and resolving conflict between each other.
I HATED Merlin in this. He was a boring, creepy, grumpy old man. He fell in love with the Lady Vivien, a fifteen-year-old girl, and then carelessly taught her everything he knew about magic. Then Lady Vivien betrayed Merlin and trapped him in a stone tomb forever. But Merlin totally deserved that.
Also, what the heck happened to Sir Launcelot? He made no appearance whatsoever. It wasn’t until literally the last page that Pyle wrote a note saying that one day he would write more stories about the other knights, including Sir Launcelot, Sir Percival, and Sir Galahad.
All in all, this novel was only a fraction of the Arthurian legend. Nevertheless, it was an interesting adventure.
While I enjoyed The Story of King Arthur and his Knights more than I enjoyed Robin Hood, I was disappointed that Pyle used almost the exact same formula of plot development – Arthur/some swanky knight of the round table meets bad guy – they have an epic duel – then the bad guy becomes an ally. At times it was basically Robin Hood but with jousting and significantly more nobility.
That being said, there were an abundance of delightful stories. The figurative language was stunning, more so than in Robin Hood. There were lots of important female characters too, which I was surprised to find in a book of its time. I especially loved the riddle at the end and Sir Gawaine’s character development (from a rude silver-tongued rascal to a loyal knight and faithful husband).
It was also hilarious to read the folly of some of the knights and how easily they were manipulated and enchanted. It was heart-warming when they overcame challenges together, laying down their life for each other, and resolving conflict between each other.
I HATED Merlin in this. He was a boring, creepy, grumpy old man. He fell in love with the Lady Vivien, a fifteen-year-old girl, and then carelessly taught her everything he knew about magic. Then Lady Vivien betrayed Merlin and trapped him in a stone tomb forever. But Merlin totally deserved that.
Also, what the heck happened to Sir Launcelot? He made no appearance whatsoever. It wasn’t until literally the last page that Pyle wrote a note saying that one day he would write more stories about the other knights, including Sir Launcelot, Sir Percival, and Sir Galahad.
All in all, this novel was only a fraction of the Arthurian legend. Nevertheless, it was an interesting adventure.