The Forever King (Arthur Legend 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Molly Cochran (Author), Warren Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1993 | Series: Arthur Legend 1

In a darkened house not far from the place where Camelot may once have stood, a madman schemes, plotting toward the day when he will wrest the cup that men call the Holy Grail from the boy who is its guardian.

Arthur Blessing is no ordinary ten-year-old. The Grail is his by chance, this time, but the power to keep it--a power as ancient as time itself--is his by right.

Now he must stay alive--battling foul sorcery and indefatigable assassins--long enough to use that power.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cochran and Murphy's ( Grandmaster ) new novel melds two plots, one taking 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 the evil knight Saladin, now a mental patient, is again seeking the Grail and immortality. is trying to gain posses sion of the Holy Grail and thus become immortal. The Arthurian section is well written, with some clever new twists on familiar characters, especially Merlin and Nimue. Rather than echoing the conventional portrayal of Nimue as a scheming enchantress who bespells and traps Merlin, the authors depict her as a naive young waif who becomes the wizard's adopted daughter and helps him foil Saladin's plans. But the chapters set in modern times, where Arthur is reincarnated as a 10-year-old boy, are embarrassingly trite, with two-dimensional characters who spout dialogue that would be considered cliched in a made-for-TV movie. There is always room in the fantasy genre for a good new Arthurian novel. This, unfortunately, is not it.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- An unusual, creative intertwining of 20th-century adventure with Arthurian legend. Hal, an alcoholic, retired FBI agent (Sir Galahad) must protect ten-year-old Arthur Blessing (King Arthur) and the powerful Holy Grail from the madman Saladin (himself). Help comes from Mr. Taliesin (Merlin) and Excalibur. As the story unfolds, readers move rapidly back and forth through the centuries to numerous settings; it is necessary, but not too difficult, to remember where and when a character was last seen. Although everything is explained, some prior knowledge of the Arthurian romances is helpful. Characterization is especially well done. There are sharp contrasts between the good and evil individuals while maintaining the duality of traits required since each character is actually two people in one. Teens should not be disheartened by the age of young Arthur. He is mature, and his age is easy to forget. A fun romp through history.
- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High Sch . , Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (March 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812517164
• ISBN-13: 978-0812517163
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #394,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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