Chatterbox: Blab About Books

I checked this out from the library a month ago, and still think it was the best book read of 2013. It's a retelling of the Arthurian myth, and is written in a very light and whimsical style, but with just enough gravity so that it doesn't become satirical. It's in four parts (well, four books separately published, but like Lord of the Rings, is really just one story), starting from when Arthur is a young boy, and ending right before his Last Battle against Mordred. I enjoyed the first part most, because of Merlin, who is the most hilarious wizard/mentor ever, and also because White invented and added a lot of interesting stuff. But White is also a really humorous storyteller and makes the known legends and adventures lie somewhere between a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and Tolkienesque epic fantasy.

It's a really good read, especially if you don't want to tackle Le Morte D'Artur (which is insanely long and archaicly written), or if you ended up uninspired by Roger Lancelyn Green's King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

If you like King Arthur or are just in the mood for something captivating, fast-paced and inventive, you should totally check this out.

Just a last note: it is not a children's novel so although it was written in the 1940s, there are some parts that may be a trifle "adult." From what it seems, though, I think it's proper for junior high and up.