The Pendragon Chronicles: Heroic Fantasy from the Time of King Arthur [Paperback]

Mike Ashley (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1991

A look at the legend of King Arthur features sixteen retellings--by John Steinbeck, Andre Norton, John Brunner, and other writers--that capture all the romance and excitement of earlier accounts.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Peter Bedrick Books (June 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872262286
• ISBN-13: 978-0872262287
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,069,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The best Arthurian anthology I've read, October 21, 2001

By 

Craig Childs (Cordova, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pendragon Chronicles: Heroic Fantasy from the Time of King Arthur (Hardcover)

This is the best anthology of Arthurian fiction I've ever come across. Ashley treats us with every variety of the legend imaginable. First, he draws from pre-Malory sources: a retelling of the last chapter of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of Britain; "The Lady of the Fountain" from the Mabinogian, an ancient collection of Celtic myths; and the 12th century epic poem Jaufry, which was forgotten for 600 years.

He also includes retellings of famous selections from Le Morte D'Arthur, including Steinbeck's take on Sir Balin and the Dolorous Stroke, and Roger Lancelyn Green's somewhat liberal translation of the "Tale of Perceval".

And finally there are many modern fantasy stories that treat the Arthuran mythology in turns as comical, idyllic, historical, or romantic. The depictions of Merlin and Arthur vary from author to author depending on the mood and setting, but that is what makes the legend so exciting to study.

I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in the stories of King Arthur and Camelot.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dan's Heroic Book Reveiw, March 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Pendragon Chronicles: Heroic Fantasy from the Time of King Arthur (Hardcover)

The Pendragon Chronicles : Heroic Fantasy from the Time of King Arthur is some of the best peices of work put down in one book. The 12 stories in this book prove and prove again why arthurain stories are the most wirtin type of stories ever. Most of the stories have detailed and booldy battles in them, some even have love and lust. All of my favorite characters show up in the stories, Sir Arthur and Lancelot of the Lake all make there own appearances. No matter what type of book you like Jane Yolen gives you the best stories you have ever seen.
This book is a colliction of stories of the dark ages to the middle ages. I gave this book a five because of the way for if there was a bad story you didn't like they made up for it by two more good ones. You also can add to your useless triva of all the differnt ways to dei a slow and painfull death. Some of the stories area little to detailed like one about Merlin and how he misses love but other than that it was a awsome book. I Would say this is alittle more of aboy book on the subjects it deals with but its a perfect book if your looking for different subjucts of Arther.
My favorite story is called Midnight, Moonlight, and the secerct of the sea. It doesnt deal with the happy go luck time of jousting and marryment but of the awfull cursaides were the nights ran through the streets beheading and killing everthing they say and one nights exploits and banishment to wonder. I would tell more but this is a story that its just too good to give away the ending.
This is the end to my review
untill next time
Dan

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction to Arthurian Legend, November 28, 2008

By 

Edward J. Barton (Tukwila, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pendragon Chronicles: Heroic Fantasy From the Time of King Arthur (Hardcover)

Mike Ashley has assembled a series of ancient and modern Arthurian legends in a series of "Chronicles". The literature ranges from classical to fanciful - and is a short story format. For those of us that probably weren't as exposed as we should have been to the classics, Ashely offers a wading pool approach to Malory or Tennyson.