Customer Reviews

The Ballad Of Sir Dinadan (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Squire's Tales (Prebound))

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A heroic knight falls in love with the married queen, incurring the wrath of the king. Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot? No, it's a slightly different Arthurian tale, and one that mainly focuses on the musically-inclined Sir Dinadin, who never wanted to be a knight anyway.

Dinadin has always wanted to be a minstrel (especially since his older brother Tristam is a valiant knight), but his father knights him in a drunken stupor and sends him off. After dispatching the knight of a treacherous damsel, Dinadin joins up with a rather dim Welsh knight, Culloch, and ends up at Arthur's court of Camelot. Then he goes off with Culloch, Kai and Bedivere to do knightly things -- including freeing a sharp-tongued lady-in-waiting called Brangienne and Culloch's attempts to win a rather unattractive princess.

Along the way, Dinadin learns that Brangienne is fleeing Queen Iseult, because she knows that Iseult is in love with Tristam, who is wandering around, having taken a vow of silence and unwilling to shut up about it. He also won't shut up about Iseult, with the result that everybody except her husband knows about them. Dinadin teams up with the noble Moor Palomides (who wants to learn what knights are), as Brangienne's safety is jeopardized, and the not-so-secret affair between Tristam and Iseult comes to a dramatic peak.

Morris takes a skip back in time for this book -- it takes place parallel to "The Squire, His Knight And His Lady" and "The Savage Damsel And the Dwarf," though the overlap is only about two paragraphs long. And he handles this story very well and very deftly -- Dinadin doesn't want to become a knight, and he doesn't really have conventional aptitude for it. He'd rather stay home and play his rebec. But his cleverness and ingenuity are what make him a good knight, above and beyond being able to whack things with a sword.

Dinadin is as likable a hero as Morris has penned before, not your typical knight but a solid and admirable one instead. Palomides serves as a good foil, searching for the English ideal knight and finding it where he doesn't expect to; Brangienne is very like Eileen, very witty and smart. Iseult and Tristam are pretty pitiful, and I'm not just talking about the nauseatingly-named "Love Grotto." Tristam thinks he's nothing without a lady to serve, and Iseult is just... well, she's just a lisping ditz with a crazy husband.

As with all his books, there is plenty of humor in this story, ranging from horribly-written ballads to a magical drinking horn to the worst wedding ceremony in history. (Not to mention Kai repeating the ballad line: "Jug jug witta poo poo") It gets a bit more serious near the end, but overall it's much more lighthearted than Morris's fourth Arthurian tale, "Parsifal's Page."

Fans of Morris will definitely like "The Ballad of Sir Dinadin." (Or Sir Dumbledin... Dimbledum... Dinderlin... oh bugger it...) Giving a new twist on the tale of Iseult and Tristam, Morris lets the spotlight shine on the unlikely and capable Dinadin.

Although I didn't find this one as amusing as The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf (my personal favorite)The Ballad of Sir Dinaden is more comic fun from Gerald Morris. While some might find it too predictable, this book is charming in that while it might not be the most mysterious of books, it's certainly one of the more goof humored. Arthurian buffs will be especially excited to note Sir Lamorak's lady love. Yes, that is exactly who you think it is, at least, I hope so.

After reading one book by author Gerald Morris, we were addicted! Now my husband (43), my son (12), and myself (37) are fighting over every book in the Squire's Tales series that we can get our hands on! We bought this book because we heard it was "good literature." We had no idea HOW good until we read it. It is clever, witty, sarcastic, adventurous, and inspirational! My husband laughed so hard he cried! It is a very entertaining retelling of the King Arthur stories and Canterbury Tales, complete with knights, castles, princesses, magic, fairies, herbs with healing powers, and quests! The characters as sassy and full of spunk, and there is a new adventure around every corner. We recommended these books to our local library, some of the librarians read one of the books, and they ended up ordering a bunch of the books from The Squire's Tales series for the library. (This book is fifth in the in the series.) It is easy to recommend such a charming and entertaining book!

I love all of Gerald Morris's books, but this is one of my favorites! Despite the title, it is a retelling of Tristan and Isolde. Now everyone knows that tragic love story -- but not this way!

The story is told from Dinadan's point of view. He is the younger brother of the famous Tristan, but doesn't really know his brother. After his drunken father knights him, Dinadan leaves to go adventuring. During his travels, he meets his brother (who doesn't remember him). He realizes that the famous Tristan is really a self-centered idiot. He also meets the beautiful cruel Isolde. Dinadan learns a few life lessons on his travels, and also meets a spunky young lady with a terrible secret, who turns out to be the former handmaiden of Isolde. The ending is wonderful and quite unexpected, and everyone gets what they deserve. Althought it doesn't stick to the actual tale, it's still great fun for everyone!

The ballad of Sir Dinadan is my second favorite book by Morris. It is a great and funny story about a knight who doesn't want to be a knight at all. Dinadan trys to find his place in life as he watchs thoses around him. Some he admires and some he admires and then is shocked to discover who they really are. As with all of Morris' books this one is funny and is packed full of action.

A heroic knight falls in love with the married queen, incurring the wrath of the king. Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot? No, it's a slightly different Arthurian tale, and one that mainly focuses on the musically-inclined Sir Dinadin, who never wanted to be a knight anyway.

Dinadin has always wanted to be a minstrel (especially since his older brother Tristam is a valiant knight), but his father knights him in a drunken stupor and sends him off. Dinadin joins up with a rather dim Welsh knight, Culloch, and ends up at Arthur's court of Camelot. Then he goes off with Culloch, Kai and Bedivere to do knightly things -- including freeing a sharp-tongued lady-in-waiting called Brangienne and Culloch's attempts to win a rather unattractive princess.

Along the way, Dinadin learns that Brangienne is fleeing Queen Iseult, because she knows that Iseult is in love with Tristam, who is wandering around, having taken a vow of silence and unwilling to shut up about it. He also won't shut up about Iseult, with the result that everybody except her husband knows about them. Dinadin teams up with the noble Moor Palomides (who wants to learn what knights are), as the not-so-secret affair between Tristam and Iseult comes to a dramatic peak.

Morris takes a skip back in time for this book -- it takes place parallel to "The Squire, His Knight And His Lady" and "The Savage Damsel And the Dwarf," though the overlap is only about two paragraphs long. And he handles this story very well and very deftly -- Dinadin doesn't want to become a knight, and he doesn't really have conventional aptitude for it. He'd rather stay home and play his rebec. But his cleverness and ingenuity are what make him a good knight, above and beyond being able to whack things with a sword.

Dinadin is as likable a hero as Morris has penned before, not your typical knight but a solid and admirable one instead. Palomides serves as a good foil, searching for the English ideal knight and finding it where he doesn't expect to; Brangienne is very like Eileen, very witty and smart. Iseult and Tristam are pretty pitiful, and I'm not just talking about the nauseatingly-named "Love Grotto." Tristam thinks he's nothing without a lady to serve, and Iseult is just... well, she's just a lisping ditz with a crazy husband.

As with all his books, there is plenty of humor in this story, ranging from horribly-written ballads to a magical drinking horn to the worst wedding ceremony in history. (Not to mention Kai repeating the ballad line: "Jug jug witta poo poo") It gets a bit more serious near the end, but overall it's much more lighthearted than Morris's fourth Arthurian tale, "Parsifal's Page."

Fans of Morris will definitely like "The Ballad of Sir Dinadin." (Or Sir Dumbledin... Dimbledum... Dinderlin... oh bugger it...) Giving a new twist on the tale of Iseult and Tristam, Morris lets the spotlight shine on the unlikely and capable Dinadin.

this book is 'oh my gosh!' worthy, from when dinadan leaves home to the suprising ending. through the whole book i was lost in a sea of magic.
~Elise~

This story is still as hilarious as the other four, but over the years (as I've read it again...And again...And again) I realized that, at it's heart, there's a darker story. The antics of Tristram and Iseult are funny enough, but if you look closer, the heartbreak that they wreak is evident. In the scene after Iseult runs away with Tristram for the hundredth time, Dinadan sees King Mark sit on the steps and cry--and you feel so sorry for him, even though you know he's a jerk. The worst
thing, though, is what they do to themselves and the people around them to keep this affair going (Iseult tries to kill her former lady-in-waiting because she knows about the love potion).
However, the book's not depressing. On the contrary, it's fun, witty, and
also makes you think along the way. Read it; especially if you liked the others.

The Ballad of Sir Dinadan is side-splittingly funny. If you know anything about courtly love, the troubadours, or the Mabinogian, you will recognize why this book is so funny. Sir Dinadan is one of Morris' best characters yet, and true to Malory: smart, down-to-earth and impatient with fools.

This is a funny, adventursome story about a knight of King Arthur. Sir Dinadan is a musician, who is not skilled in warfare, as a matter of fact, he hates it. After his father knights him, Sir Dinadan sets out on a series of adventures, many including his brother Tristram. Tristram being the famous lover of Isuelt from Arthurian tales. I loved this book, Sir Dinadan, his feisty lady friend, and the surprising ending. enjoy!