The Legend of the King

Gr 5—8—Camelot is in ruins, nearly all the famous Knights of the Roundtable are dead, and Arthur is no longer on the throne. Or is Camelot just waiting to rise again? In this final title in the series, Morris once again makes the adventure, excitement, and magic of King Arthur and his court accessible to every reader. Arthur's illegitimate son, Mador, born to the great sorceress Morgause, has raised an army, the White Horsemen, and is massacring people across the countryside and blaming it on Arthur's knights. At the same time, Camelot is infiltrated by spies and the scandal of Lancelot's affair with the queen causes a division between Arthur and the great knight, though that is soon healed. And the door between the human and magical world closes. Through the mayhem, Arthur's England triumphs, but at the cost of nearly everyone who has appeared throughout this series. Yet the ending is hopeful and still possesses the magic of the legends. As with the earlier titles, Morris does not shy away from love or violence, but instead stays true to the feel and premise of the original tales while building on them. Reading the previous books is a necessity to understand all of the characters, although a list of them and the books in which they appeared is helpful. An excellent end to a worthwhile and well-written series that can be recommended to reluctant and skilled readers alike.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA