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Arthurian Fiction

The many worlds of Avalon, Camelot, King Arthur, Guinnevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table. Singles and series presented alphabetically by author's surname. Some of these selections are appropriate for mature Young Adults.

Also see Ballads and Literature and Arthurian Study for more books relating to King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and the Holy Grail.

  • The Mists of AvalonThe Mists of Avalon
    Marion Zimmer Bradley

    The magical legend of King Arthur, and the legendary tale of the rise and fall of Camelot, is vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne.

    Paperback: 912 pages

  • Lady of AvalonLady of Avalon
    Marion Zimmer Bradley

    Before King Arthur and Camelot, the high priestesses of Avalon wrestle with their powers as they see visions and seek out incarnations of the Sacred King who will save Brittania.

    Paperback: 480 pages

  • The Forest HouseThe Forest House
    Marion Zimmer Bradley

    In the Forest House of ancient Britain live the last remaining Druid priestesses, practicing ancient rituals and attempting to keep peace between their people and the Roman invaders.

    Paperback: 432 pages

  • The Forever KingThe Forever King
    Molly Cochran & Warren Murphy

    An unusual intertwining of 20th-century adventure with Arthurian legend. One thread of the story takes place in Arthurian England, where the evil knight Saladin is trying to gain possession of the Holy Grail and make himself immortal, and the other set in the modern world, where Saladin, now a mental patient, is again seeking the Grail and immortality.

    Paperback: 416 pages

  • The Broken SwordThe Broken Sword
    Molly Cochran & Warren Murphy

    Not long ago, Arthur was an ordinary boy. Now he knows that he is the legendary King Arthur, returned to lead not just Britain but all mankind into a new era of justice, peace, and freedom. Accompanied by the wizard Merlin, Hal – an ex-FBI agent who is now Arthur's bodyguard – and a young girl who holds the powers of the ancient Druids, Arthur seeks the tools of his great work – the Holy Grail and the sword Excalibur. Sequel to The Forever King.

    Paperback: 480 pages

  • The Winter KingThe Winter King
    Bernard Cornwell

    Set in Dark Age Britain: a land where Arthur, the illegitimate son of Uther Pendragon, has been banished and Merlin has disappeared, where the child-king Mordred sits unprotected on the throne, where religion vies with magic for the souls of the people. It is to this desperate land that Arthur returns from exile, swearing an oath to protect the kingdom until Mordred comes of age. First volume in trilogy.

    Paperback: 433 pages

  • Enemy of GodEnemy of God
    Bernard Cornwell

    Arthur, still defending Britain for his young nephew Mordred, faces religious uprisings, Saxon invasions, and disloyalty at the heart of the kingdom. At the same time, Merlin's and Nimue's quest for the Cauldron (Holy Grail) also becomes entangled in treachery. Second volume in trilogy.

    Paperback: 397 pages

  • ExcaliburExcalibur
    Bernard Cornwell

    Merlin, the greatest of the Druids, believes that the ancient gods are deserting Britain, and that the invading Saxons can't be defeated without the gods' help. Mordred reigns with a brutal hand, and Arthur sees his dreams of peace evaporate. Third volume in trilogy.

    Paperback: 436 pages

  • Mad MerlinMad Merlin
    J. Robert King

    From his involvement in the rise of Uther Pendragon and the birth of Arthur to the height of Camelot's power, the wizard Merlin labors under the curse of his destiny even as he seeks the truth of his identity.

    Paperback: 512 pages

  • Lancelot du LetheLancelot du Lethe
    J. Robert King

    Destined at birth to be Camelot's greatest knight and its deadliest foe, the child known as Lancelot grows up on the Isle of Avalon, unknowing of his fate.

    Paperback: 464 pages

  • Le Morte D'AvalonLe Morte D'Avalon
    J. Robert King

    The daughter of a slain king must become an Arthurian Joan of Arc for all women when her position in society and royal lineage place her in direct opposition to all that Arthur must accomplish, not just for Camelot, but for all mankind.

    Paperback: 464 pages

  • TaliesinTaliesin
    Stephen Lawhead

    The adventure of Charis, the Atlantean princess who escaped the terrible devastation of her homeland, and of the fabled seer and druid prince Taliesin, singer at the dawn of the age. It is the story of an incomparable love that joined two worlds, and spawned the miracles of Merlin, and Arthur the king. Book One in series.

    Paperback: 496 pages

  • Merlin by Stephen LawheadMerlin
    Stephen Lawhead

    Respected, feared and hated by many, he was to have a higher destiny, for it was he who prepared the way for the momentous event that would unite the Island of the Mighty – the coming of Arthur Pendragon. Book Two in series.

    Paperback: 448 pages

  • ArthurArthur
    Stephen Lawhead

    The songs of Taliesin, the master bard, had foretold his rising. The vision of Merlin the prophet would guide him. He was Arthur, Pendragon of the Isle of the Mighty. His courage would be lauded; his enemies, legion; his reign, legendary. Book Three in series.

    Paperback: 448 pages

  • PendragonPendragon
    Stephen Lawhead

    Arthur is king, but darkest evil has descended upon Britain's shores in many guises. Fragile alliances fray and tear, threatening all the noble liege has won with his wisdom and his blood. Book Four in series.

    Paperback: 448 pages

  • GrailGrail
    Stephen Lawhead

    Drought, plague, and war have left Arthur and his kingdom on the brink of death, until a Holy Grail restores his vigor. But when evil, in the guise of a beautiful maiden, steals the Grail – and the Queen – Arthur must embark on a quest of recovery. Book Five in series.

    Paperback: 400 pages

  • AvalonAvalon
    Stephen Lawhead

    In a near-future Britain, the death of King Edward IX throws the succession into disarray until a young man named James Arthur Stewart discovers his identity as the reborn King Arthur and claims his rightful throne.

    Paperback: 496 pages

  • The Crystal CaveThe Crystal Cave
    Mary Stewart

    Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys – or as he would later be known, Merlin – leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon, and the conception of Arthur. Book One in series.

    Paperback: 512 pages

  • The Hollow HillsThe Hollow Hills
    Mary Stewart

    Keeping watch over the young Arthur Pendragon, the prince and prophet Merlin Ambrosius is haunted by dreams of the magical sword Caliburn, which has been hidden for centuries. When Uther Pendragon is killed in battle, the time of destiny is at hand, and Arthur must claim the fabled sword to become the true High King of Britain. Book Two in series.

    Paperback: 496 pages

  • The Last EnchantmentThe Last Enchantment
    Mary Stewart

    Arthur Pendragon is King; unchallenged on the battlefield, he melds the country together in a time of promise. But sinister powers plot to destroy Camelot, and when the witch-queen Morgause – Arthur's own half sister – ensnares him in an incestuous liaison, a fatal web of love, betrayal, and bloody vengeance is woven. Book Three in series.

    Paperback: 529 pages

  • The Wicked DayThe Wicked Day
    Mary Stewart

    Born of an incestuous relationship between King Arthur and his half sister, the bastard Mordred is reared in secrecy. Called to Camelot by events he cannot deny, Mordred becomes Arthur's most trusted counselor – a fateful act that leads to the "wicked day of destiny" when father and son must face each other in battle. Book Four in series.

    Paperback: 432 pages

  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir OrfeoSir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo
    J.R.R. Tolkien

    Sir Gawain is a young knight who must prove his valor, piety and courtesy when confronted with a succession of temptations. J.R.R. Tolkien's translation of the fourteenth-century anonymous narrative poem.

    Paperback: 224 pages

  • The Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the Stone
    T.H. White

    Growing up under the wise guidance of Merlin, Arthur is trained in the pursuits of falconry, jousting, hunting and sword play. He is even transformed by his remarkable old tutor into various animals, to experience life from all points of view. In every conceivable and exciting way he is readied for the day when he is destined to draw forth the sword from the magic stone and become the rightful King of England.

    Paperback: 288 pages

  • The Once and Future KingThe Once and Future King
    T.H. White

    Quartet of novels published in a single volume in 1958. The quartet comprises The Sword in the Stone (1938), The Queen of Air and Darkness (1939), The Ill-Made Knight (1940), and The Candle in the Wind (published in the composite volume, 1958). The series is a retelling of the Arthurian legend, from Arthur's birth to the end of his reign.

    Paperback: 640 pages

  • The Book of MerlynThe Book of Merlyn
    T.H. White

    Discovered amongst T.H. White's papers after his death, this magical account of King Arthur's last night on earth spent weeks on the New York Times best-seller list following its publication in 1977.

    Paperback: 137 pages

  • The SkystoneThe Skystone
    Jack Whyte

    Before the time of Arthur, Britain was a dark and deadly place, savaged by warring Picts, Celts, and invading Saxons. Roman citizens who had lived there for generations were suddenly faced with a deadly choice: Leave and take up residence in a Roman world that was foreign to them, or stay and face the madness that would ensue when the Roman legions left? For two men, there can be only one answer; they will stay, to preserve what is best of Roman life, and will create a new culture out of the wreckage. In doing so, they will unknowingly plant the seeds of legend, for these two men are Arthur's great-grandfathers and their actions will shape a nation. Book One in series.

    Paperback: 512 pages

  • The Singing SwordThe Singing Sword
    Jack Whyte

    As the great night of the Dark Ages falls over Roman Britain, a lone man and woman fight to build a last stronghold of law and learning – a crude hill-fort, which one day, long after their deaths, will become a great city known as Camelot. Book Two in series.

    Paperback: 560 pages

  • The Eagles' BroodThe Eagles' Brood
    Jack Whyte

    The saga of the colony known as Camulod continues with the tale of Merlyn, the commander of the land, and Uther Pendragon, the cousin he's known and loved since they were birthed, four hours apart on the same day. As different as they can be, they are inseparable. In a world torn apart by warfare and upheaval, each is the other's certainty and guarantee of the survival of the colony, until a vicious crime, one that strikes at the roots of Merlyn's life, drives a wedge between them. A wedge that threatens the fate of a nation. Book Three in series.

    Paperback: 640 pages

  • The Saxon ShoreThe Saxon Shore
    Jack Whyte

    When Merlyn adopts the orphaned babe Arthur – the living incarnation of the sacred dream of his ancestors – an enormous responsibility is placed upon his shoulders. He must prepare young Arthur to unify the clans of Britain. Above all, Merlyn must see that Arthur survives to achieve his ancestors' dreams – in spite of the deadly threats rumbling from the Saxon Shore. Book Four in series.

    Paperback: 736 pages

  • The Fort at River's BendThe Fort at River's Bend
    Jack Whyte

    Fearing for the life of his nephew when an assassination attempt goes awry, Merlyn takes Arthur on a journey to the ruins of a long-abandoned Roman fort – far from Camulod and the only place where Merlyn feels they will be safe. It is there that Merlyn enlists the help of a close-knit group of friends to help Arthur learn the skills of a warrior and the tough lessons of justice, honor, and responsibility. Arthur is just a boy, but the day is not far off when he will have to claim the sword that is his birthright. Book Five in series.

    Paperback: 480 pages

  • The Sorcerer: MetamorphosisThe Sorcerer: Metamorphosis
    Jack Whyte

    It is time for the Sorcerer to fulfill his promise – to present the battle-proven Arthur as the High King of Britain. When Arthur miraculously withdraws the Sword of Kingship from the stone in which it is set, he proves himself the true and deserving king – sworn to defend and preserve Britain as a powerful, united force. Book Six in series.

    Paperback: 512 pages

  • UtherUther
    Jack Whyte

    This parallel novel to The Eagle's Brood, fills in some gaps about another major character in the Arthurian legend, Uther Pendragon, who is Merlyn's cousin and King Arthur's father. Uther tells the tale of a young man torn between his love for his adopted Camulod and for the land of his birth, Cambria.

    Paperback: 928 pages