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Go to My LibraryThe Boy's King Arthur, Being Sir Thomas Malory's History of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
- Language
- English
- Published in
- Publisher
- C. Scribner's sons
- Pages
- 403
- ISBN
- 9780684191119
Subjects
Original edition details
Other editions (103)
Le Morte D'Arthur King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table
2010 • Penguin Publishing Group
English
The Romance of King Arthur
1994 • Barnes & Noble
English
The Romance of King Arthur
1994 • Studio Editions
English
Le Morte D' Arthur
2013 • Simon and Schuster
English
The Death of Arthur
1994 • Naxos Audio Books
English
Other editions
Le Morte D'Arthur King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table
2010 • Penguin Publishing Group
English
The Romance of King Arthur
1994 • Barnes & Noble
English
The Romance of King Arthur
1994 • Studio Editions
English
Le Morte D' Arthur
2013 • Simon and Schuster
English
The Death of Arthur
1994 • Naxos Audio Books
English
SIR THOMAS MALORYS LE MORTE D ARTHUR
1982 • Scribner
English
Tales of King Arthur
1987 • Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
English
Le Morte d Arthur
1972 • St Martins Pr
English
Le Morte D' Arthur
2013 • Simon and Schuster
English
Le Morte D' Arthur
2013 • Simon and Schuster
English
LE MORTE D'ARTHUR (The Death of Arthur)
1966 • New American Library
English
Le Morte D' Arthur
1972 • Lyle Stuart
English
Tales of King Arthur
1989 • Schocken Books
English
The Death of Arthur
1994 • Naxos Audio Books
English
The Dolorous Death of King Arthur
1992 • Hearing Eye
English
Morte d' Arthur
2011 • Collector's Library Editions
English
The Death Of Arthur
1998
English
The Death of King Arthur
1996 • Penguin
English
The Death of King Arthur The Immortal Legend (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
2012 • Penguin
English
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
2006 • Modern Pub.
English
B&N Le Morte D Arthur Leather
2015 • Barnes & Noble, Incorporated
English
Le Morte Darthur The Winchester Manuscript
2008 • OUP Oxford
English
Le Morte D'Arthur: Complete, Unabridged, Illustrated Edition
2003 • Cassell Illustrated
English
Le Morte Darthur, Or, The Hoole Book of Kyng Arthur and of His Noble Knyghtes of the Rounde Table Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism
2004 • Norton
English
Morte D'Arthur: Sir Thomas Malory's Book of King Arthur & of His Noble Knights of the Round Table
1999 • Merchant Book Company Limited
English
The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
1979 • Pan Macmillan
English
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, book collection on CD
2007 • B&R Samizdat Express
English
The boy's King Arthur;: Sir Thomas Mallory's history of King Arthur and his knights of the round table (The Scribner illustrated classics)
1924 • Scribner
English
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
1979 • Grosset & Dunlap
English
The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
1978 • Weathervane Books
English
The boy's King Arthur;: Sir Thomas Mallory's history of King Arthur and his knights of the round table (The Scribner illustrated classics)
1970 • Scribner
English
King Arthur and His Knights
1924 • Barnes & Noble
English
The Morte Darthur, Parts Seven and Eight
1968 • Northwestern University Press
English
The Noble Tale of the Sangreal 1923
2004 • Kessinger Publishing, LLC
English
Morte d'Arthur, Le: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table
1962 • Signet
English
Selections from Sir Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur
1973 • Folcroft Library Editions
English
Le Morte Darthur: The Seventh and Eighth Tales (Hackett Classics)
2008 • Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
English
Le Morte D'Arthur: The Seventh and Eighth Tales (London Medieval and Renaissance)
1977 • Holmes & Meier
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Chinese-Simplified Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Le Morte D'arthur: Webster's French Thesaurus (French Edition)
2006 • Icon Group Intl Inc
French
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Korean Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's German Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Chinese-Traditional Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Morte D'Arthur, Le
1962 • Signet
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Italian Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Spanish Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Merlin, the Wizard (Raintree Stories)
2000 • Heinemann/Raintree
English
Le Morte Darthur
1990 • Studio Editions
English
Morte D'Arthur, Le Volume 1
1976 • Dent
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2008 • Red and Black Publishers
English
Le Morte Darthur: Text
1973 • AMS Press
English
Le Mort d'Arthur Volume 1
2007 • BiblioBazaar
English
Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table
1986 • New American Library
Maltese
La muerte de Arturo (estuche)
2001 • Siruela
Spanish
Le Morte D'Arthur
2005 • HighBridge Audio
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2002 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le Morte d'Arthur Volume 2
1970 • National Geographic Books
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2002 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2003 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le Morte d'Arthur Volume 1
1970 • National Geographic Books
English
Die letzte Schlacht des König Artus: Die großen Geschichten der Menschheit
2007 • Beck C. H.
German
The Book Of Merlin, The Book Of Sir Balin From Malory's King Arthur With Caxton's Preface
2007 • Kessinger Publishing, LLC
English
Morte D'Arthur, Le
1962 • Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume 1 (Library Edition)
1998 • Blackstone Pub
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2008 • Editorium
English
Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics)
2001 • Signet Classics
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2008 • Editorium
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2003 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le roman du roi Arthur et de ses chevaliers de la Table Ronde (le morte d'Arthur)
2002 • L'Atalante
French
Le Mort d'Arthur Volume 1
2007 • BiblioBazaar
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2002 • IndyPublish.com
English
The Winchester Malory (Early English Text Society Supplementary Series)
1976 • Early English Text Society
English
The Pendragon
1984 • Grand Central Pub
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2003 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2013 • Reprint Services Corporation
English
Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics)
2001 • Signet Classics
English
Le Morte d'Arthur (Modern Library)
1994 • Modern Library
English
Morte d'Arthur, Le: Volume 1
1976 • Dutton Adult
English
LA MUERTE DEL ARTURO 1
1994 • COLOFON, S.A.
Spanish
Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur or King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table
1962 • Signet
English
The Book Of Merlin, The Book Of Sir Balin From Malory's King Arthur With Caxton's Preface
2007 • Kessinger Publishing, LLC
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2021 • Independently Published
English
Le Morte D'Arthur - Volume I
2004 • Hyperion
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Part 1
2003 • Kessinger Publishing, LLC
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Part 2
2003 • Kessinger Publishing, LLC
English
La Muerte de Arturo (Spanish Edition)
SIRUELA
Spanish
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2003 • IndyPublish.com
English
Le Morte D'arthur (Highbridge Classics)
1997 • Highbridge Audio
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2015 • Hackett Publishing Company, Incorporated
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
1993 • Random House
English
Le Morte D'Arthur Studies on the Sources
2008 • Editorium
English
Le Morte Darthur
1996 • Wordsworth Editions
English
Le Morte D'Arthur (vol. 2): Large Print
2019 • Independently Published
English
Le Morte D'Arthur: Launrelot and Gueneuer/Cassette/Swc 1374
1983 • Easton
Le Morte Darthur
2005 • eBooksLib
English
King Arthur's Last Battle
2006 • Penguin Adult
English
Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur: A New Modern English Translation Based on the Winchester Manuscript (Renaissance and Medieval Studies)
2009 • Parlor Press
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
1976 • Dent
English
Le Morte Darthur Volume I
2008 • Red and Black Publishers
English
Le Morte D'Arthur
2002 • Black Cat
English
Morte D'Arthur(Annotated) : Vol. ii
2021 • Independently Published
English
Le Morte D'Arthur, Volume II (Webster's Portuguese Thesaurus Edition)
2006 • ICON Group International, Inc.
English
Morte D'Arthur, Le
1962 • Signet
English
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Rating Sources
Many readers praise this retelling of the King Arthur legends by Sidney Lanier, adapted from Sir Thomas Malory, for its enduring appeal and literary merit. It is often described as a cherished book from high school or childhood, appreciated for its faithful retention of much of Malory’s archaic language. This linguistic style, while challenging, is seen by some as a positive, offering a poetic charm and revealing connections between older and modern English words. The book is lauded for presenting a detailed account of the knights' activities and for creating a "dream romantic world" filled with honorable heroes and the values they uphold, such as kindness, honor, and fighting for justice. A significant highlight across reviews is the "stupendous" and "gorgeous" artwork, particularly the N.C. Wyeth illustrations, which are frequently cited as a major draw and an immense addition to the storytelling.
Despite its strengths, the book receives considerable criticism, primarily concerning its challenging language. Many reviewers find the archaic English cumbersome, difficult to understand, and even "incoherent" or "nonsensical" in places, requiring frequent recourse to a dictionary. This makes it unsuitable for younger readers, despite its "Boy's King Arthur" title, which is widely considered misleading. Another common complaint is the repetitive nature of the narrative, with many stories featuring knights embarking on adventures that largely consist of jousts and conflicts, leading some readers to find it boring or lacking continuity. Some editions are also criticized for typos or poor formatting, such as words breaking across lines. Additionally, some purists note that Lanier's version, while edited for accessibility, sanitizes some of Malory's original gore and adult themes, which some feel diminishes character consistency or the original intensity.
In conclusion, Sidney Lanier's "The Boy's King Arthur" is a classic retelling that evokes strong, often polarized, reactions. While it can be a challenging read due to its archaic language and episodic structure, it is widely regarded as a fine introduction to the Arthurian legends, particularly for those who appreciate classic literature and medieval chivalry. This book is best suited for highly literate young adults and adults who are prepared for a linguistic challenge and enjoy tales of valor, honor, and adventure. Readers who appreciate historical retellings, beautiful illustrations, and the opportunity to engage with a more traditional literary style will likely find much to enjoy, even if it requires effort. However, those seeking an easy, fast-paced read or a modern interpretation might find it less appealing, and may prefer other, more contemporary versions of the Arthurian tales.
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