tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post7534025689679426024..comments2023-04-12T06:15:02.968-04:00Comments on Fantasy Debut: Ana and Thea Accept My Dare!Tia Nevitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-60375405460381265442009-07-06T23:09:46.613-04:002009-07-06T23:09:46.613-04:00Isn't that interesting? Because I think you...Isn't that interesting? Because I think you're right. It's so freaking hard to end it "well". And the lack of a single worthy film adaptation is disgusting. I keep hoping they'll manage it satisfactorily but, rather like most of the Robin Hood adaptations, it doesn't seem to be in the cards. <br /><br />Raven, I have a copy of HAWK OF MAY on my shelves. Need to pull it down and give it a go.Angiegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353676756221692186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-56292564980973410592009-07-06T19:53:33.329-04:002009-07-06T19:53:33.329-04:00Everyone is probably long gone, but how could I fo...Everyone is probably long gone, but how could I forget to mention Stephen Lawhead!? His Pendragon Cycle started out very strong, but, in my opinion, the first three books were much better than the last two. The end of the story is just too much of a bummer for most authors to handle well, I think.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-24532767293296664962009-07-01T18:24:24.574-04:002009-07-01T18:24:24.574-04:00I forgot about First Knight. Now that you've r...I forgot about First Knight. Now that you've reminded me, I'm gagging. :) What a horrible movie. They just can't get Arthurian adaptations right.<br /><br />I own a copy of Malory (somewhere), but I never read much of it. I read more of Geoffrey of Monmouth. But my real loves are the scholarly books that examine Arthurian legends in search of kernels of truth. At one point I read a ton of those and planned to pull all that research into my own Arthurian retelling. I doubt I ever will, though.Ravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09792843423654460015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-92073313035847527132009-07-01T05:57:05.700-04:002009-07-01T05:57:05.700-04:00Raven, along with the list of movies you hated, I ...Raven, along with the list of movies you hated, I also would like to toss in First Knight, in which Richard Gere played Lancelot. I was given a used copy, and it was so awful that I didn't make it through the first thirty minutes.<br /><br />I also enjoyed Steinbeck's modernization of the original Malory, a project which Steinbeck unfortunately never finished. It's called The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights.<br /><br />And the original Malory, while quirky, is worth reading if you enjoy slogging through old English texts. I even had my husband reading it, and he got such a kick out of Pendragon becoming "wonderly wroth" that we actually started using the phrase around the house for a while.<br /><br />That chilling scene at the end of The Sword in the Stone, where Sir Ector starts speaking in old English, comes straight from Malory.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-70901188302464802812009-07-01T00:52:11.722-04:002009-07-01T00:52:11.722-04:00I just realized my comment above could be taken as...I just realized my comment above could be taken as implying that Merlin (the UK TV series) is a 4th/5th-century retelling, which it's not. Castles galore. Still a fun show. :)Ravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09792843423654460015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-80595867792491659912009-06-30T16:26:25.875-04:002009-06-30T16:26:25.875-04:00I think I read The Sword in the Stone as a kid (I ...I think I read The Sword in the Stone as a kid (I know I saw the movie), but I didn't read the rest of the series. Also, I hated Camelot and Excalibur and Bruckheimer's King Arthur and pretty much every other film adaptation out there... although I have to say I'm enjoying the UK's Merlin. The Merlin/Arthur relationship in that series hooked me.<br /><br />I tend to be a fan of retellings that try to capture 4th/5th-century reality instead of going for the whole knights and castles thing.<br /><br />I second the recommendation of the Mary Stewart books. Don't miss the fourth book in the series, which humanizes Mordred. I think that's actually my favorite book of the four.<br /><br />I also recommend Gillian Bradshaw's Arthurian trilogy, which starts with Hawk of May. It centers on a Gawain character, Gwalchmai. It's been ages since I read it, though. I should take another look and see if it's as good as I remember it being.Ravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09792843423654460015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-76945298185128353732009-06-29T22:05:05.375-04:002009-06-29T22:05:05.375-04:00It's interesting to me how the style of a time...It's interesting to me how the style of a time period can determine how we like or do not like a story. It sounds like the style of this book is much different from what a contemporary author would use if they wanted to get the same basic story on the shelves today.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10984572932841489282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-6953708448616344762009-06-29T12:16:28.248-04:002009-06-29T12:16:28.248-04:00I grew up watching the Disney movie "Sword in...I grew up watching the Disney movie "Sword in the Stone" so was totally expecting the whole "Wart" thing. One of my high school English teachers was obsessed with the whole mythology and how it shaped much of English culture. I love reading different adaptations.Laurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11795668965659926769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-78806642060375618372009-06-28T14:27:01.267-04:002009-06-28T14:27:01.267-04:00I really enjoy these dares. I'm going to have...I really enjoy these dares. I'm going to have to visit their site again and see how it all works. I've read a few of the reviews from the dares and they are some of my favorites!Mariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234907275906877802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-6684036874701203552009-06-28T06:46:49.002-04:002009-06-28T06:46:49.002-04:00Ok, now I need to pull MIDDLEMARCH off the shelf a...Ok, now I need to pull MIDDLEMARCH off the shelf and put it on my nightstand. I'll use it for "fill-in" reading between review. Maybe I'll finish it before Christmas.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-40001090387033052702009-06-27T22:28:02.179-04:002009-06-27T22:28:02.179-04:00Very interesting responses, guys. I'm glad you...Very interesting responses, guys. I'm glad you answered Tia's dare on this one. I'm a lifelong lover of all things Arthurian so it's a treat to hear about other people reading them. Tia's right. The love story in the other books is fantastic. <br /><br />I highly recommend Mary Stewart's Arthur set starting with THE CRYSTAL CAVE. They're fabulous. <br /><br />Also. You all need to read MIDDLEMARCH. Don't be deterred by the length. It's a winner.Angiegirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00353676756221692186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-49834537346472798352009-06-27T14:32:08.992-04:002009-06-27T14:32:08.992-04:00Ana, it is pretty much a love story between the th...Ana, it is pretty much a love story between the three of them. "Lance" and Arthur are best friends and both love Guenever.<br /><br />I too, have Middlemarch, and have not managed to read it. Silas Marner is MUCH shorter.<br /><br />Thea, I hated Camelot also, so you don't have to duck anything. It just barely skims the surface of White's novel.<br /><br />And Jo, I hope you enjoy it!Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-90179878564276924172009-06-27T13:17:15.113-04:002009-06-27T13:17:15.113-04:00Thanks Tia :)
Maybe one day I'll finish the b...Thanks Tia :)<br /><br />Maybe one day I'll finish the book because I know I'm not giving it a fair shot...but I just don't think I can handle all the heartache right now. I'm a wuss. <br /><br />And Lancelot & Guinevere's romance holds absolutely no appeal to me. (Sorry, Ana) <br /><br />I hated CAMELOT. *ducks*<br /><br />My favorite take on the Arthurian legend still remains MZB's MISTS OF AVALON ;)<br /><br />And SILAS MARNER sounds pretty interesting! It's a date.<br /><br />Thanks again, Tia!Theahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11138984974139025278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-34388133114430379592009-06-27T09:07:04.604-04:002009-06-27T09:07:04.604-04:00Thanks for daring us, Tia.
And man. You had to g...Thanks for daring us, Tia. <br /><br />And man. You had to go and use the ONE thing that would make me want to read the rest of the book didn't you? The "And the love story between him, Arthur and Guenever ("Jenny") is fantastic" romance card.<br /><br />Damn it. *g*<br /><br />And the George Elliot books sounds pretty cool. I have Middlemarch which *gasp* I never got around to read. But I think we may well do a joint of the one you suggest. Thanks!Anahttp://thebooksmugglers.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-28617190812456400162009-06-27T07:55:06.038-04:002009-06-27T07:55:06.038-04:00Yikes! I forgot to include a link back to Ana and ...Yikes! I forgot to include a link back to Ana and Thea's site! The post has since been updated.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-64671381266136370012009-06-27T07:32:32.379-04:002009-06-27T07:32:32.379-04:00I actually really like the sound of this book! To ...I actually really like the sound of this book! To be perfectly honest, I know pretty much nothing about the story of King Arthur. I only know what's in the Disney film, and what I've seen in the UK TV Program Merlin. Other than that.... nada. So maybe I am at the right stage to read this book and enjoy it. And I LOVE the Disney film, so already this book is sounding good! Great reviews girls! I'll be taking a look at this!Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02828378728962868575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5195356832263192713.post-20890543315312180362009-06-27T07:26:56.523-04:002009-06-27T07:26:56.523-04:00I actually agree with you. The first book is almos...I actually agree with you. The first book is almost a prologue. When I first read the book, way back when I was 20 or so, I didn't get sucked in until I read those spine-tingling final pages of The Sword in the Stone. It was easy to continue. The second book, The Queen of Air and Darkness, introduces Morgause, her sons, who all become knights in Arthur's court, and King Arthur's early years.<br /><br />The third book--my favorite--is about Lancelot. The musical Camelot--which is loosely based on this novel--takes the easy way out and casts a handsome actor as Lancelot, but in the book he is hideously ugly. Arthur is his hero. And the love story between him, Arthur and Guenever ("Jenny") is fantastic.<br /><br />The final book, as might be expected if you at all know the story of King Arthur, is a bit of a downer. But I loved this novel and read it over ten times.Tia Nevitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05489109929908389257noreply@blogger.com