The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights

About the book

Knowles retells the legends of Arthur through an abridgement chiefly drawn from Malory, with additions from other sources. Arthur's rise, Merlin's counsel, the adventures of the knights, and the quest for the Holy Grail become stages in a larger narrative rather than isolated episodes. The ideals of courage and loyalty encounter tests that cannot always be settled by victory in combat. Personal attachment and spiritual obligation place different demands on the same figures, making the strength of the fellowship depend on more than outward prowess. The author's preface makes the purpose of popular presentation explicit. This version offers readers a guided passage through the legendary material while preserving the sense that each individual adventure contributes to the changing fortunes of a shared chivalric world.

• Chivalric fellowship
• Loyalty
• Spiritual testing

Why read it

For a consecutive introduction to the Arthurian legends with the adaptation's relationship to its medieval source made explicit.

Popular retelling by James Knowles, chiefly abridged from Malory