Black Horses for the King and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

77 used & new from $0.01
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Black Horses for the King
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading Black Horses for the King on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

Black Horses for the King (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "GALWYN' FEEDING the fishes again," the mate called as I emptied the odorous bucket overboard..." (more)
Key Phrases: horse sandals, Prince Cador, Master Glebus, Comes Britannorum (more...)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


11 new from $1.60 63 used from $0.01 3 collectible from $10.00

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition, February 19, 2002 $5.59 -- --
  Hardcover, June 30, 1998 $12.45 $10.00 --
  Paperback, July 31, 2008 $6.95 $3.13 $1.79
  Mass Market Paperback, April 26, 2004 $6.99 $2.94 $0.01
  Mass Market Paperback, July 29, 1998 -- $1.60 $0.01

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books)

The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books)

by Frances Temple
3.6 out of 5 stars (5)  $5.99
The Samurai's Tale

The Samurai's Tale

by Erik Christian Haugaard
4.2 out of 5 stars (60)  $6.95
The Ides of April (Ray, Mary, Roman Empire Sequence.)

The Ides of April (Ray, Mary, Roman Empire Sequence.)

by Elaine Goodman
4.0 out of 5 stars (10)  $9.56
The Great and Terrible Quest

The Great and Terrible Quest

by Margaret Lovett
4.5 out of 5 stars (8)  $10.50
Mystery of the Roman Ransom

Mystery of the Roman Ransom

by Henry Winterfeld
4.8 out of 5 stars (8)  $6.95
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Anne McCaffrey is back with this precious, well-researched yarn that follows a Celtic lad in service to King Arthur. Set in fifth-century Britain, McCaffrey's first historical novel for young adults rejects a fantastical, Hollywood treatment of King Arthur in favor of realism and solid storytelling. Take away the Round Table and the usual knights-in-shining-armor hoo-hah, and you're left with an engaging, endearing chapter from the life of Artos, Comes Britannorum, a young war leader in search of horses strong enough to carry his armored warriors into battle against the savage Saxons.

The story is told through the eyes of polite, earnest young do-gooder Galwyn Varianus, who has fled the service of his cruel, brutish, seafaring uncle to take up with the charismatic Artos. Galwyn quickly proves his value with his affinity for languages and horses, and he accompanies Artos and the Companions (proto-Knights of the Round Table) as they execute their plan: acquiring and then breeding a handful of fabled Libyans, the horses of the book's title, and then mastering and disseminating the knowledge of horseshoe-making. The action revolves around Galwyn's role in this plan and never rises above the pace of, say, an after-school special. But rich details, McCaffrey's obvious love of the subject matter, and involving characters go a long way to make up for the story's slow trot. (In particular, you'll find yourself waiting eagerly for the comeuppance of one character, a sneering rider named Iswy, Goofus to Galwyn's Gallant.) --Paul Hughes



From Publishers Weekly

McCaffrey steps out of her niche as a Hugo and Nebula award-winning fantasy writer to tackle her first historical novel for young adults, retelling the Arthurian legend-minus the Round Table, Guinevere and Merlin-through the eyes of Galwyn Varianus. A Roman Celtic youth, Galwyn helps the future king of Britain, known here as Lord Artos, acquire the legendary Black Horses of his legions. The author's tender reverence for equine history (she raises horses in Ireland) makes for vivid descriptions of frightened steeds in the hold of a ship across the English Channel; it also allows an undue amount of horsey jargon. A teenage boy interested exclusively in horseshoes rings not quite true, yet the well-drawn story moves along at a compelling trot, climaxing in a battle in which horses help Lord Artos reclaim Britain for future mad cows and Englishmen. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Del Rey; 1st Ballantine Books Domestic Ed edition (July 29, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0345422570
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345422576
  • Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,267,111 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #31 in  Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( M ) > McCaffrey, Anne

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Anne McCaffrey
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Anne McCaffrey Page
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
"GALWYN' FEEDING the fishes again," the mate called as I emptied the odorous bucket overboard. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
horse sandals
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Prince Cador, Master Glebus, Comes Britannorum, Comes Artos, Master Ilfor, Canyd Bawn, Galwyn Varianus, Decitus Varianus, Lord Bericus, Prince Geneir, Aqua Sulis, Narrow Sea, Sextus Tertonius
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 1 book:
 
5 books cite this book:

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Black Horses for the King
81% buy the item featured on this page:
Black Horses for the King 4.1 out of 5 stars (26)
The Samurai's Tale
6% buy
The Samurai's Tale 4.2 out of 5 stars (60)
$6.95
The Ides of April (Ray, Mary, Roman Empire Sequence.)
5% buy
The Ides of April (Ray, Mary, Roman Empire Sequence.) 4.0 out of 5 stars (10)
$9.56
The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books)
4% buy
The Beduins' Gazelle (Harper Trophy Books) 3.6 out of 5 stars (5)
$5.99
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(4)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
Agree with these tags?

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

26 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (13)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Black Horses is a refreshing, unique look at King Arthur, July 11, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Black Horses for the King (Hardcover)
In a departure from her normal fare of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Anne McCaffrey gives us a hugely believable tale of King Arthur, and the true uniting of all the Britons. Told from the point of view of a young runaway, Galwyn Varianus, Black Horses traces Lord Artos', who is later thought to be King Arthur's, search for fast horses. These horses had to be big enough and strong enough for his knights to ride to give the Britons a fighting chance against the bigger armies of the Saxons.

Historically accurate, Black Horses is a fast read, and an emminetly exciting story. Despite the lack of the mystical turn of the normal King Arthur tale, or perhaps because of it, Black Horses for the King takes the reader into a realm of fantasy both thrilling and moving. A highly satisfying story aimed at the young adult, Black Horses is a treat for all readers, young and old alike. King Arthur fans will enjoy this unique look at their favorite hero, and those who like more realism in their stories will like this likely view of a piece of history.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the Horse Lover, June 30, 2000
This review is from: Black Horses for the King (Hardcover)
This book would make an excellent gift for a horseman (or woman) that you know. It is an incredible historical fiction about the development of farriership (blacksmithing) in the world. The characters and plot are well thought out and balance the technical aspect of the book. Even a person with no knowledge of horses would find this to be an interesting novel. The hero is both relatable and human; he makes mistakes but learns from his experiences working with the horses. Arthur, the future King Arthur and a supporting character in this book, has never been characterized in such a realistic way; the character seems to come alive in the pages of this book.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A fresh look at an oft-told tale, August 16, 2004
By Lissa "starcrossedlady" (Long Beach, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
As a parent and soon-to-be teacher, I'm always on the lookout for books that are unique. Something that may take a new spin on an old tale, or may present my kids with a story that they might not have known before.

Black Horses for the King is Anne McCaffrey's take on the Arthurian legends, with a twist; the protagonist of the tale is a young man who ends up caring for the special horses that will carry Arthur's warriors into battle. Ms. McCaffrey paints a vivid picture of England after the Romans abandoned it, and slips in what was really happening (and might probably would have been happening) with the citizens, and with the land.

It was an engrossing story for this adult; I think there's enough here that can captivate a wide variety of readers. I would let my soon-to-be third grader read it, but it's more intended for fourth through sixth grade. But hey! Read it because it's good! There's drama, some fighting, horses, and even a little humor. I think Anne McCaffrey did a great job with this story; I hope you feel this way, as well.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Story
Being a big fan of McCaffrey, I hoped that I would enjoy this story and I did. Would like to know more about the time period, and Arthurian legends now. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Barbra

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Galwyn Varianus's life has never been easy. When his father died he was apprenticed to his cruel uncle on a trading vessel, though all he wanted to do was stay shore-bound and... Read more
Published 11 months ago by TeensReadToo.com

4.0 out of 5 stars A young boy helps King Arthur
Though this book is aimed at young adults, I quite enjoyed it. It was a fast read, and I am interested in anything that has to do with King Arthur. Read more
Published on June 27, 2007 by Lady of Winterfell

4.0 out of 5 stars Anne McCafery's historical fiction book set in the time of the Briton and Saxon War ( by a 13 year old )
Anne McCafery is back but instead of a fantasy novel she's come out with a great historical fiction book, set in the time of the Briton and Saxon War, Black Horses for the King... Read more
Published on February 6, 2007

4.0 out of 5 stars The Story of King Arthur without the round table
Best-selling fantasy author Anne McCaffrey has done it again and has written another fantastic book, Black Horses For The King. Read more
Published on February 6, 2007

4.0 out of 5 stars Black Horses For the King Report by a 13 year old
Anne McCaffrey writes Black Horses For The King as her first historical fiction story, branching off from her popular fantasy Dragonriders of Pern series. Read more
Published on February 6, 2007

3.0 out of 5 stars Historical, but not well intertwined.
Throughout reading this book I had mixed feelings about it. At parts it seems to just be like reading a text book, at other parts it felt like I was reading more of a Lord of the... Read more
Published on November 6, 2006 by GIDG3T

5.0 out of 5 stars Arthurian Lore
I collect every book I can find about Arthur and his universe. McCaffrey's book fits excellently into the collection. Read more
Published on September 2, 2005 by Dr. Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Sr.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good young adult novel, nothing more
Good young adult novel, which I am giving to my elder kidlet (age 9) to read now. He'll enjoy the mixture of horses and King Arthur, I think. Read more
Published on April 15, 2004 by Essay

4.0 out of 5 stars nothing special
This was a good book, but nothing special. This book tells the story of Galwyn Varianus who works for his cruel uncle. Read more
Published on June 16, 2003 by ...Loggie...

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:

















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.