The Once and Future King

This book explores from a slightly different angle the story of King Arthur. The storyline is both readily familiar and yet new. The writing is crisp, fascinating, and infused with its own magic.

One of the neat aspects of this book is that the author periodically steps into the writing to tell you that Malory had this to say and, well, he says it better, so for more info on this, why don't you just go read his account of this part of the story. Pretty interesting way to go about it. Furthermore, occasionally the author likes to throw in complete anachronistic references, which usually made me laugh outright because they were so outrageous.

It's a fun book to read. If you're finding this on your high school reading list, be not afraid. It's interesting, the-opposite-of-stilted, and magical. Also, it's easier to tell everyone apart because White takes the time to really develop the characters. Sometimes Malory just throws them at you which makes it hard to distinguish who's who.

Great retelling of King Arthor after Mallory. Don't get bogged down in historical inacuracies or the fact that Arthur is Norman rather than Welsh like in most recent versions. King Arthor isn't a real person he is a real legend and he has been evolving for centuries. Sometimes he's a Celtic warlord other time a Roman general and other times a Norman king. Often Lancelot is by his side, but Lancelot is a French invention added to the story centuries after it originated. So just enjoy this story as fiction, and Legend and don't worry about the "real" king Arthor. The Once and Future King is actually four books (a fifth, The Book of Merlin, is also available but it isn't nearly as good.) Of the four books Ill Made Knight is the best as it deals with Lancelot and Guenivere's affair with such poignancy and heart. The Queen of Air and Darkness is often unecessarily silly and is the worst of the four (I'd give it three stars by itself.) But the whole is an incredible epic. Well worth your time.

I had to read this book for an english assignment over the summer so naturally I had my doubts and hate towards this book as I went into it. But, after I started reading through it the book began to grow on me and get under my skin. I actually began to enjoy reading this book. The storyline is almost as well known as the storyline from the disney movie's take on "The Sword in the Stone" (Which, was horrible compared to the book) There are four installments in the book and each is better than the last. The first installment is Arthur as a young man growing up and meeting Merlyn, Merlyn teaches young Arthur many things. For instance, Merlyn turns Arthur into a Hawk for one night so that he can learn about the life of the Hawks in his family's hawk nests at the castle. Merlyn also turns both of them into fish, and that was an extremely enlightening experience for Arthur. The second installment we still see a young Arthur but he has met Robin Wood (a.k.a Robin Hood) and Maid Marian and together along with the merry men go to the Queen of Air and Darkness. At their castle they fight Gryphons and Wyverns and it is a spectacle of a battle no one who likes reading should miss. The last two installments sadly I have not been able to read yet. But, I am a little bit throught the third of the four installments and it won't disappoint. So if you have kids buy this and read it to them. If you like knighthood and the whole chivalry thing. Read this at least once. you won't regret it.

Reading several of the other reviews, I found many people complained of the lengthiness and description. I have no complaints. After all, how is the average reader who is not an expert in medieval England going to understand what is going on unless White tells us? I loved the fact that White was so researched and was able to back up his story so that it became more an accurate account of history than a will-o-the-wisp fairy-tale.
This is the first Arthurian book I've really read, and I've fallen in love with this vision of simple nobility and honor. Arthur, Guenever, Lancalot, Merlyn, Gawaine . . . White made them so human I felt great surges of emotion while reading.
If you are impatient and want things to be spelled out for you rather than requiring you to think (as Merlyn tried to steer Arthur away from in the book) then you probably won't enjoy this book. It probably wouldn't appeal to the younger sort. However, if you enjoy reading and thinking you will adore this book.

Yet I have to add my two cents to the other reviews. T.H. White retells the Arthurian legend yet again. However it is obvious that his intent is not to supplant Mallory's Classic (This tome by the way is a classic in itself but I digress.)
One of the main obstacles I feel White overcame is adding his own wit and humor to a story that is as tragic as it is legendary.
White's finest moments of story-telling is his characterization of the mighty Merlin, making him almost a piece of comic relief without painting him with irreverence. In fact Arthur, Gwynervere, Lancelot, and the other assorted peoples of Camelot all live and breathe as if White was recording history/biography instead of writing a novel.
The couple small critiques I have with this epic is its length (of course might not be epic if it was cut shorter), I feel White detailed a few more minor incidents too thoroughly and didn't detail others enough, course as he explains the scenes he glossed over could be found in Mallory's text. HEHE actually those are both my complaints in one pseudo paragraph, I would have liked more Arthur and less of some other characters, otherwise this is a book I will read again and again and probably gain new insights etc... with each perusal.

I was given this book by my mother years ago, when i was 12/13 and i could never get past the first book, but recently, 10 years on i picked it up and loved it. Since i was 12 i've got into medievil history and re-enactment, and from someone who's worn and fought in some of the clothing described in the book i can tell you, it's all pretty accurate. It is a book that tells so much more than the boring majestic one dimentional story too often used by just about every other author writing about the times of arthur. The story is tragic and sad, but the way it was written by TH White makes it a story about real people. I truely believe this book to be one of the classics of all time because it has everything i ask for in a book on medievil england - interesting and realistic. I am sick of hearing those times described by people who have not taken the time to properly research or even wear some of the clothing/armour they are so inaccurately describing. A great book.

Whenever I need to truly escape, to take my heart and my mind to a far away place, I re-read the Once and Future King.  My mother, who calls this a classic, took lessons from it to teach us when we were young (about growing up and becoming self-aware).  This is the story of the boy who will be King Arthur, and his friend, mentor, and guide, Merlin.  The boy (called "Wart") spends a childhood of magnificent talking beasts and fascinating creatures.  He develops with guidance into the kind and balanced King Arthur.  It is the tale of Camelot as one might imagine it long before Hollywood glossed it over.  T. H. White wrote this in 1939.  To old to be relevant today?  You will find this paperback on the front counters of every and any Border's and Barnes and Noble's you enter.  The reviewer who mirrored closest my own feelings wrote, "...a warm, sad, glinting, rich, mystical, true and beautiful tapestry of human history and human spirit.  Read it and laugh.  Read it and learn.  Read it and be glad you are human."  Exactly. 

I found this to be a terribly slow book to read. The frequent narrative asides (many extremely anachronistic) were a major distraction and prevented me from settling into a rhythm as I read. As a result, I found myself easily distracted while trying to read this book.
However, it was worth the effort. T.H. White is exploring a number of significant issues here. It seems to me, looking at the period in which he was writing, that he was trying to use the Arthur legends as a vehicle to search for some meaning or understanding of the great events of his lifetime (i.e., World Wars I and II). Is war inevitable? Can it ever be justified? What alternatives might be found to avoid it? These are some of the questions that White confronts in his telling of story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round table. In the end, it doesn't seem that White finds any definitive answers. But he certainly provides plenty of food for thought.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of retellings concerning King Arthur, Guenever, Merlin, Lancelot, the Knights of the Round Table and the Kingdom of Camelot, but only a few of them attain literary quality and even less become classics. T.H. White's four-part masterpiece (or five-part, depending on what edition you have) definitely falls into the elite category.

With oddly chatty and anachronistic prose, which describes Sir Ector as drinking port and discussing Eton before explaining that he's only using these terms because "by mentioning the modern it is easier to give you the feel," White moves from comedy and satire to grandeur and tragedy, with each book getting successively darker as they follows Arthur's growth from childhood to old age. Likewise, White extensively draws upon quotes and ideas from other scholars and writers on the Arthurian subject, such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Milton, Tennyson, and especially Malory, who in fact makes a sort-of cameo at the conclusion of "The Candle in the Wind." It makes for a strangely personal narrator, one who addresses the reader directly and who can go off on several tangents, creating a challenging style that's initially hard to grasp.

The story begins in "The Sword and the Stone," set in a castle within the Forest Savauge, where a young boy called Arthur (but better known as "The Wart") enjoys his idyllic childhood under the care of his foster-father Sir Ector and with the company of his foster-brother Kay. After following an escaped hawk out into the forest Arthur stumbles upon the forgetful but immensely powerful Merlyn, an enchanter who returns to the castle as his new tutor. For the next six years Merlyn oversees Arthur's education by sending him on several adventures (including one with Robin Wood - and yes, that's spelt with a W - and his Merry Men) and turning him into various animals in order to learn the wisdom of the natural world. By the time we get to the scene that everyone knows about, in which Arthur pulls out a certain sword from an anvil in a churchyard, the fruits of his education pay off in an exceptionally beautiful way - one that the well-known Disney adaptation doesn't even come close to capturing.

The story continues in "The Witch in the Wood" (more recently titled "The Queen of Air and Darkness") in which we're introduced to the Orkney brothers and their mother Morgause, who are to have a profound effect on future events. The majority of this particular book feels like setup and foreshadowing for the following volumes, in which three bumbling knights arrive in Orkney, the brothers partake in a unicorn hunt, Arthur strategises for the Battle of Bedegraine, and Mordred is conceived.

Despite the fact that "The Sword in the Stone" is White's most famous book, it is my opinion that "The Ill-Made Knight" is his finest installment in the series, focusing on Sir Lancelot and including that knight's moral struggles, his love affairs with Guenever and Elaine, his wandering in the wilderness as a mad man, the quest for the Holy Grail, and the gradual encroachment of shadows upon Camelot. Envisioning Lancelot as a misshapen and ugly fellow, who fights his sadistic tendencies with gentleness and courtliness, torn in two over his devotion to Arthur and his passion for Guenever, and following his faith to the very ends of the world, "The Ill-Made Knight" is White's masterpiece. Dreamy and poetic, poignant and heartrending, funny and romantic, this story contains what is probably the finest character study of the three main players in any Arthurian retelling.

"The Candle in the Wind" tells of the fading glory of Camelot and the destruction of the Round Table, in which Lancelot's betrayal and Guenever's adultery are brought out into the open thanks to the designs of Mordred. With one vendetta following another, the end of Arthur's glorious reign swiftly approaches.

The final segment The Book of Merlyn, is a mixed bag, and doesn't seem to be included in this particular volume. More of an essay than a story, Arthur revisits Merlyn and his animal friends before his death for one last debate over the nature of mankind and its tendency to war. Originally rejected by the publishers, it was eventually published posthumously, there are some inconsistencies that may frustrate the reader.

When White revised "The Sword and the Stone" for its inclusion in a collected work, he added segments from "The Book of Merlyn", namely Arthur's transformation into an ant and a wild goose. These episodes are therefore repeated in this final epilogue, in which Arthur experiences these transformations as an old man. The text is almost exactly the same, which presents the problem of whether to read it or not. On the one hand, "The Candle in the Wind" is a powerful and fitting ending to the saga, but "The Book of Merlyn" (despite its confusing repetition), contains several beautiful passages pertaining to Arthur's weariness as well as the long-sought for reunion between Arthur and Merlyn.

In my opinion, the ant and goose transformations are more meaningful when experienced as an old man than as a youth, not to mention what the author originally intended, though it does mean that there are some discrepancies considering that in previous books Arthur recalls these experiences taking place in his youth. Confused yet? Perhaps it's best finish with "The Candle in the Wind," or at least take a break before reading "The Book of Merlyn."

In every version of an Arthurian retelling, it is interesting to note what each author uses as his/her themes and what characters he focuses on. Here, the key characters are Arthur, Lancelot and Guenever, with Merlyn and Gawaine as supporting characters, followed by Mordred and Galahad. Morgan le Fay and Nimue's appearances barely constitute a cameo, and concepts such as the Lady of the Lake and Excalibur are not mentioned at all. After playing a considerably large part in the first book, Kay drops out of the story entirely, as does King Pellinore, who is given a rather large subplot in the first two books as he searches for the Questing Beast.

More surprisingly, the likes of Robin Hood, Marian, Friar Tuck, Little John and Much enter the story - perhaps somewhat anachronistically - and are never seen again after the first book. Even more interestingly, Camelot itself is of minor importance. Although many stories present it almost as a character in itself that embodies Arthur's ideals, here the destruction of Camelot is far less intense than the destruction of the characters, especially regarding the failure of Arthur's life's work.

It's hard not to love and admire White's rendering of Arthur, Lancelot and Guenever. In recent publications, I have become increasingly annoyed at the characterization of these three characters. I cannot stand Marian Bradley Zimmer's portrayal of a selfish, simpering Guinevere; nor Rosalind Miles's blustering, boorish Arthur; and even the likes of Rosemary Sutcliffe and Thomas Malory, who adequately retell the barebones of the story, simply don't have enough room to offer insight on what's going on in the characters' heads. But even though I'd never read White's work before, I felt as though I was reading these three characters as I'd always imagined them in my mind: flawed, but inherently noble and loving. Arthur is honest, open-minded, modest, optimistic, and yet carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sir Lancelot strays far from the usual ideal of him as the handsome, charming knight - here he is tortured, complicated, and religious; both a lover and a fighter with a deep inferiority complex.

Then there's raven-haired Guenever: the best and the worst thing to happen to each man. Far from reviling her as an adulteress, White commends her for the strength of her love: "You could pretend that Guenever was a man-eating lion, or that she was one of these selfish women who insist on ruling everywhere. But she was not promiscuous. There was never anybody in her life except Lancelot and Arthur. She gathered her rosebuds while she might, and the striking thing was that she only gathered two of them, which she kept always, and that those two were the best." Because White was more comfortable writing male characters, Guenever remains rather enigmatic and one is never quite sure why Arthur and Lancelot love her so deeply. Nevertheless, there is a mystery and softness about the woman that draws you in, convincing you of their love even if it cannot be fully understood.

Although Arthur himself is entirely legendary, White presents a powerful statement on the thought that the ideas attributed to him reshaped English society, moving it out of the Dark Ages and into chivalry and civilization, where Might is not Right, and law and order become powerful tools in themselves. As such, the central themes of the novels are the search for antidote to war, and to observe the politics of man through the animal kingdom. Rather than the usual portrayal of Arthur as a warrior-king, he is an innovative thinker who breaks the rules of warfare in order to bring it to a halt, to control the violence of men by channeling it into good deeds, and then coming up with the idea of the search for the Holy Grail after the knights turn to bloody sportsmanship after peace (and stagnation) is declared. It is important to keep in mind that much of this was written during WWII, lending White's treatises on the subject a sense of bitterness, passion and hope that they may not have otherwise contained.

The best books are those that make you feel older and younger for having read them; those that you can tell the author threw their heart and soul into; the ones that make you feel as though you've been given a new perspective on the world. I don't say this about many books, but White's strange, sad, disjointed, poetic, joyful, humorous, challenging saga falls into all these categories. I'm just annoyed at myself that it took me this long to read it.

The Once and Future King is the unforgettable tale of King Arthur and his knights of the round table, as well as Merlin, the King's friend and Royal Adviser. The story covers all of Arthur's life, from his childhood to his wife's betrayal. Arthur is a very likable character, as are his friends and family -- despite the fact that one hates the actions of certain characters, their personalities are irresistible. Emotion flows freely throughout this story as you feel Arthur's pain, confusion, love, and victory. For this truly is the story of a man who gave up many things that he had to make the world a better place for all. It is simple enough for children to understand, yet complex enough for adults to find a deeper meaning. This is a story for anyone who has ever watched Disney's The Sword and the Stone and wondered where Arthur's nickname, Wart, came from, a story for anyone who fell in love with princesses or dragons as a child, a story for anyone who has ever had a dream -- in short, it is a tale for everyone.

This book transcends simply good reads. I read it as a child and many times since then. It is an old friend that never disappoints. The writing matures with the character and still provides fresh insights every time I read it.

Since I love this book above any other I have ever read, I need to get my prejudice out of the way.
So--what exactly is White's classic? It's not really a children's book, although the first part is a delightful fantasy. It's not really a fantasty, although it does have a wizard and magic. I think it is a totally unique retelling of The Matter of Britain, utilizing anachronism, medieval history, Arthurian legend, and anything else that was in White's marvellous brain.
What makes the book great, in my opinion, is how it draws the reader into its story and leads him or her into its plot, switching imperceptibly from the light sunshine of The Sword in the Stone to the blackness of the end and the faint hopefulness of the final encounter with Thomas Malory. If you can read this book without weeping, you are not human!
Give it a try! Let White/Merlin enchant you with the Middle Ages not as they were, but as they should have been.

Everyone knows that this book is one of the greatest novels of all time. T.H. White manages to give the world a simple fantasy story that turned into a tale with political undertones, hints at the meaning of life, and one of the most brilliant plots I have ever read. This is not some mere King Arthur tale- with it, White expresses his anxiety over the post-WWII political state of the world, and also tells the story of a boy that thought he wasn't anything, and went on to lead the great country of England. Unfortunately, The Book Of Merlyn is not published along with White's other four stories about King Arthur, but it is still necessary reading for those who couldn't get enough of this book to begin with. I kept reading this book until I reached half-way, and then I'd put it down, fearful of the fact that I might one day finish it. I eventually reached that sad day, but with it came points of light. King Arthur started out as a boy who only followed his foster brother, Kay, and didn't really have any thoughts of his own. Now, I'm not saying he became some sort of a genius once he pulled the sword from the stone, but he did gather the strength within himself to order to lead a country despite all of his fears. Let this be a lesson to all of us about greatness; it can be thrust upon us, we can be born with it, or we can draw it from within ourselves to become stronger than we ever found ourselves capable of being. For lovers of the tale of King Arthur, I can suggest further reading, such as The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It wasn't a book that drew me in and made me not want to put it down like a lot of fantasy novels do, but I'm not sure if that's because I know the story (at least, most of it), or the writing style, or what. It was probably a combination of the above things.

The one thing that I really didn't like is T.H. White's tendency to veer off onto what, for lack of a better phrase, I'll call social commentary. For example, in the last book of The Once and Future King, a chapter started out with Lancelot and Guinevere sitting in the castle looking out a window at the landscape. White then goes on to describe not only the landscape, but also the kinds of people one might see riding by and why, and then branches off into explaining other aspects of the society upon which they were looking. The whole chapter, except for the first paragraph, was this commentary and description.

White does this throughout the whole story. At the beginning of the novel, in the first two books, I found it interesting and enlightening, especially since the society that is being described is very different from the one that we live in today, but by the end of the fourth book, I was ready for it to move on and get along with the story.

I liked the story, but I knew that I would like the story. I've read and heard the Legend of King Arthur many times in many different forms, and I've almost always enjoyed it, so I wasn't worried about not liking the story. The more I think about it though, the more I think that I didn't really like many aspects of the novel other than the story.

I did enjoy some of the characters, the strong ones, but there really weren't too many strong characters. Granted, I didn't expect every character introduced to be strong and well-developed, no one can do that unless there are only a very few characters in the novel. There are many different characters in the story, but only a few-Arthur, Lancelot, Merlyn to some extent, and the Orkneys a little bit-were developed well. Most of the rest, even Guinevere in my opinion, were rather one-dimensional. I liked most of the characters who were developed, but I found it difficult to relate to most of the rest of them.

I have mixed feelings about White's narrative style. He wrote the book as if he were telling a story and talking to people, and he occasionally referred to the readers or to "you and I". He also refers to Mallory's version of the story, and in several spots explains why Mallory said or did something in his version of the story.

On one hand, it was interesting. I enjoyed some of the references to (relatively) modern times and tidbits about Mallory's version of the story. However, I think the way he narrated, recognizing the reader as a separate entity, prevented me from getting as involved in the story as I would have liked. It kept me feeling separate from things rather than like I was a part of them. It was a bit disconcerting, because I get into stories very heavily sometimes, and this novel didn't let me.

Overall, I think The Once and Future King is a good book, but not a great book. I liked it, but I didn't love it, and it's not a book that I'm itching to read again. Some of the time it felt like I was reading one of the books that I was assigned in school-books that I liked and enjoyed, but didn't love, books that I didn't always read because I really wanted to, but because I had to. Still, I'm glad I read most of those books, and I'm glad I read The Once and Future King.

The Once and Future King is a literary wonder! T. H. White takes us on a smooth & graceful ride of a wonderous and fulfilling adventure.

Through a medieval time, he keeps us entranced with the stories starting with "Wart" and Kay then guiding us to the infamous King Arthur, Queen Guenever, Sir Lancelot, and Galahad (Lancelot's son). Of course, there are many other coloured characters that keeps our mind's eye straining to see and crave more.

More than a fantasy, Mr. White goes into perfect detail of time & place of old England along with twisting & winding of mountain paths, beasts of mystery, and sharpened adjectives which brings the landscapes alive.

I would recommend this novel to anyone over the age of 13, as there are graphic scenes that may upset those of a younger age. T. H. White is an accomplished writer of many works whom I intend to read more of.

This is a review of The Ill-Made Knight, the third book in The Once and Future King pentalogy (after The Sword in the Stone and The Witch in the Wood _also called The Queen of Air and Darkness_ and before The Candle in the Wind and The Book of Merlyn).
The Ill-Made Knight tells the story of the life of Sir Lancelot, an ugly young man, fervent admirer of King Arthur, who comes to Camelot to become a Knight of the Round Table.
It won't be long until he and Arthur's Queen, Guenever, fall in love with each other. And soon Sir Lancelot is tormented by a devastating inner struggle. He is thoroughly ashamed of this love, which he considers a sin. So for his redemption, he swears to become the best knight in the world.
As for King Arthur, his knights have been busy restoring peace in all Europe, but soon the situation gets out of hand again, and he has to find something to keep them from fighting each other. He'll send them on a quest for the Holy Grail.
I was quite surprised by this book, which I enjoyed much more than the previous two. There's action at last, the characters are better defined, the story more gripping. I wonder what the last two have in store for me.

I love this book! In this tetrology, White has distilled all of the major Arthurian sources and put his own spin on the whole legend showing that it is timeless and still has much to teach the modern reader. As a high school literature teacher, I have required this book to be read by my tenth grade students for years. For most of them, it is the longest book they have ever been required to read. For the vast majority, it becomes a real favorite.
White has a way of using anachronisms to show how great and yet how small are the differences between the "mythological time" of Camelot and our own day. He did his homework both as a literary historian and as a medievalist. His descriptions of castles, falconry, the marvel of stained glass and attitudes of courtly love have a wonderful immediacy about them. White uses Merlyn as his own voice, making a strong anti-war statement. He takes certain liberties with the mainstream legend (Lancelot's appearance, Merlyn's aging process) which actually add to the interest of the story rather than confusing things.
White was writing to a British public-school- educated audience of the 1940's-60's. Keeping this in mind, it is easier to understand how little trouble his original readers had with the snippets of Latin and French (required subjects to them) which spice up the first two books. (Perhaps in a future edition translations of these could be added as footnotes.) Teens can find much for lively discussion in the ethical questions White raises, as well as in the problems of love which so dramatically dominate book three.
White makes references and allusions to Malory, the French and Welsh sources and Tennyson's "Idylls of the King" which are probably better understood either by a more experienced reader or by reading the book in the context of a class. Throughout the writing is on a very high level, but the ending of the entire book is one of the most moving scenes I have ever encountered in literature. White's incorporation of Malory into the ending is a stroke of genius, and the grief of the king will touch all who are not made of stone.

This is a review of The Candle in the Wind, the fourth book in The Once and Future King pentalogy (after The Sword in the Stone, The Witch in the Wood and The Ill-Made Knight, and before The Book of Meryln).
This volume tells the story of a Mordred on the onset of madness, of his attempts to overthrow his own father King Arthur out of thirst for power, and hatred for trying to drown him as a baby, by exposing Lancelot and Guenever's treason.
As the story flows, Arthur slowly witnesses the fall of the Round Table, sees the work of a lifetime, his ideal of Justice, and everything he has ever fought for, collapse.
The Candle in the Wind is an enthralling tragedy, ending in a wonderful speech against war, against all wars, which seem to rise again despite humanity's innumerable attempts to eradicate them. I read it avidly.

I love this book, and this story. The idea of King Arther as fair and just and non-judgmental; his response to Lancelot and Guenivere; his musings on the causes of war; and the relationships and friendships along the way are always intriguing to me. And, of course Merlin is always charming. I find the beginnings of the justice system and right and wrong, and the demise of "might makes right" very interesting. The characters, especially of Guenivere, Arthur and Lancelot, are very well developed and multi-dimentional. The tragedy of the love triangle is always sad for me. But, there is much humor in the book - joustings of knights take on the tone of Spamalot and there is a lot by which to be amused.

I cannot speak for this particular edition of the book - i bought mine in the UK the store site, called "The Once and Future King (Voyager Classics) by White, T. H. Special Edition (2013) [Hardcover]"

That particular edition is lovely (if you want a physical copy of the book), if extremely thick and cumbersome for carrying. On the other hand, the spacing, print quality and ease of reading are excellent. I would steer away from the cheaper physical books - i bought one and the print was tiny and hard to read.

As to the story itself - it's a story about failure, really, written by a coward. Being White's third "book" (although really this is a compendium of 4 or 5 books, more on the 4/5 thing later), the style changes massively as the book progresses, from a "naive" or "enthusiastic" writing style to something a lot more measured. The first "chapter" (which was originally the first book in the series) has poetry, hijinks, songs and talking animals. Over the course of the remaining chapters (each of which was originally a separate book), the style shifts to a more "mature" writing style, both in terms of content and also style. So less poetry and songs.

I like the "olde tymey" style of writing - think Pride&Prejudice, Great Gatsby, Great Expectations. If you're more a "modern" reader and haven't read an "olde tymey" book before, you're going to have to dig in your heels and get used to the style of storytelling (slower pacing, more character focus).

Also, this isn't a book that is particulary "Arthurian", nor is it "fantasy" in the traditional sense. The Arthurian legend - as told by Mallory - is used as a framework by White to examine why war exists. It's not preachy by any means, but it's also not "and then Arthur picked up Excalibur and joined Gandalf and Ben-Hur and attacked Cimmeria". If you're looking for your next fix of the same fantasy story with different names and locations, this isn't going to fit the bill. If you *do* really want that, the black&white conan comics from the 70s - Savage Sword of Conan - are pretty good.

Regardless, do pick this up and give it a read. Its a moving book (I'm always in tears by the end), and i hope you like it.

"The Once and Future King" is a captivating novel. I can truly say that it is one of the greatest books I have read so far. It is filled with all the elements that make a novel great such as love, honor, chivalry, tragedy, revenge, and betrayal. It starts with the loveable and innocent character named "The Wart" and his mentor the magician Merlyn. Merlyn teaches wart all he can; using imaginative methods such using animals like ants, hawks, and fishes. As the novel progresses we see the Wart become the great King Arthur and the themes become more mature.

I believe the story gets better as the novel continues. There is the famous love triangle between King Arthur, his wife Queen Guenever, and his best friend and finest knight Sir Lancelot. There is also the issue of Arthur's illegitimate son Mordred and the awful things he brings forth to Arthur's life. Finally, one of the most important and interesting aspects of this book is the ideas of king Arthur such as the fact that right is greater then might and that all people are entitled to justice. This is an enjoyable novel.

A selection from Jill's library, she recommended White's magnum opus to me as a book that she loved from her youth, but wasn't quite sure how well it help up today. After reading it, I can see how it could easily capture the heart of the young. It is like Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings--it opens on a light, fanciful note, then moves into a deepening gloom, filled with despair and humor, epic quests and little character studies, ending on both a sad and hopeful note. The Once and Future King is, of course, Arthur, about whom Sir Mallory made his fame, and made Arthur famous, in L'Morte D'Arthur. White expects his reader to have read Mallory, making reference to it more than once. White is not merely retelling the story of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table (although one can pick up the salient points by reading The Once and Future King); he is using the legend to explore the idea of honor, might, strength, and the feudal system.
Most people are familiar with the opening book of The Once and Future King, "The Sword and the Stone," from the obligatory butchery done to it by Disney. Like Carlos Collodi's Pinocchio and Felix Salten's Bambi, the flesh of White's story--the part that illuminates and fills out the plot--was picked clean from the bones of the structure. You recognize the major points in Disney, but there is always something that gets left out. Disney's version of "The Sword and the Stone" leaves out the rough parts, showing only the fun and fanciful bits (Kay remains, but he is a one-sided shadow of his book self). Yes, it contains humor, but Arthur's upbringing by Merlin also has its dangerous aspects as does Sir Ector's treatment of his young ward. The following three books are as different from "The Sword in the Stone" as Disney's version of it differs from White's. The second book, "The Queen of Air and Darkness," basically sets up the Orkney clan, a hot-headed Scots bunch that Arthur is related to (his father raped their mother's sister). While interesting, it lacks the "story arc" of the first book, and is mainly background for readers to understand why they act like they do in the third and fourth books.
The third book describes how Arthur created the Round Table, and what it's purpose was (to redirect the "might" of the ruling class inward, rather than outward at the people). He achieves his wish too well, creating a competition that he had hoped to avoid (the idea of the Round Table is that all who sit there are equals--no one sits at, or by, the head). Guinevere and Lancelot show up here as well, and the seeds are placed for their betrayal of Arthur (who herein is not that surprised or bothered by their adulterous affair--instead, it is envy of Lancelot by one of the Orkney clan and hatred of Arthur by his half-son Mordred that brings about their downfall). It is this downfall that the last book covers.
Some believe that Tolkien never intended for the Lord of the Rings to be read as an analogy of anything, contradicting the many scholarly essays on how Sauron represents Hitler, etc. White, on the other hand, is definitely saying something here about England, its imperialistic downfall, and the state of the world. Some of it is obvious, as in the discussion of Force Majeure and the concepts of "might" and "right." Other parts require a PhD dissertation. I enjoyed The Once and Future King, but not as much if I had read it as a teenager, or if I had spent more time at it as a college student.

Originally I had to read this book for a Pre-IB course at the high school I attend. After reading the first few chapters, however, I found the book more enjoyable and began reading it more for fun than as an assignment. I enjoyed it so much, I re-read it just to go through the story line again. Once And Future King is perhaps THE best book ever written on the Authurian legend. This book has encouraged me to read other books about Arthur, Merlin and Camelot, both by T.H. White and by other authors. It is a highly recomendable book and it is a great way to become interested in King Arthur and the occurences at Camelot. If anyone is even somewhat interested in Arthur, this is the book to read. It is very hard to explain in words how good of a book this is so just try it and see for yourself!!

I've always loved the Once and Future King. It can't be said to be neglected, but I think the thriving Arthur cult are by no means the only ones who would love it if they had the chance. Using a twentieth-century convention of speech in order to allow the reader to identify with the characters' concerns and dramatize the fairy-tale nature of the world around them, White gradually alters the tone of the four "Books" from whimsically silly (Arthur's childhood in "The Sword in The Stone") to high tragedy at the end of the tale. Any reader who had special skills or experiences as a kid that made it hard to fit in will identify with White's version of "The Ill-Made Knight," Sir Lancelot, who is the real hero of most of the story.
This is simply a must-read.

Anybody who has heard anything about the King Arthur legend knows this story so there are no surprises here, but rather a well done composition of the tale that moves well and is compelling. It is one of the best flowing and easiest to understand versions of the tale and the one to have if you are looking for a well written story or if you are a fan of the Sword in the Stone Legend and the Knights of the Round Table. It is a book you will enjoy and treasure for years to come.

In his childhood, Merlyn teaches Arthur to think, and one of the most impotant lessons he instills in the young man (or, rather, pushes him to think about) is the issue of Might and Right, both capitalized essences. Arthur begins thinking about this issue just as he becomes king, and just after a minor war (which he labels 'fun'). Merlyn shames him into thinking about all of the common people who have died in this war that was a sport for him, and after a lot of thought, Arthur slowly and painfully comes to the conclusion that Might is not Right.

To the modern reader, this is not a difficult conclusion to reach (often overlooked as it is). Those in power might do well to remember it. But the story of King Arthur is a story set in a time and place that was barbaric and, essentially, lawless. There was king, there were nobles, and church. But there was no one to protect the common people from outlaws, church, or even king. To understand the story of king Arthur, one has to imagine a mindset where there are no human rights groups, no amnesty international, no police, no ACLU. There was not even the notion of basic human rights. Now take that and add to it the image of a feudal society where the common man had little power or self-defense, and you can maybe understand the moral genius of King Arthur, philosopher king like Plato once imagined, set not on gaining power but on doing what was right and best for his people. All of them.

There is still the issue of Might, that testosterone reflex that is a great problem for Arthur, and has many of his factions of nobles warring against one another. Arthur sees the dilemma; all of this energy is being used on brutality that he wants to prevent when he assumes the throne. So he attempts to curb Might to his interests, setting it on the path of Right, killing two birds with one stone.

Good men are few an far between, good leaders even more so. Arthur creates a peaceful, happy and prosperous world. But like all utopias, it cannot last, for the tragedy is that, even in Camelot, a coup is brewing. The tragedy is that no one, not even Arthur, can completely live up to these ideals, and these failings cause their fall.

This is the definitive Camelot story -- starting with the boyhood of King Arthur, his tutelage by Merlin, and going through the entire story to the end. I read it as a child, and the lessons in it stayed with me my entire life. It's a classic, and still as absorbing and mesmerizing as it was the first time. Before Harry Potter, before Bilbo Baggins, this was the story of magic and adventure. Don't miss the pleasure of reading it.

TH White's Once and Future King is a decent read. I found it inconsistent in terms of time period and storyline but I found it a fascinating social commentary.

In regard to the time period I found it extremely confusing. For instance in the beginning of the book the knights wear plat armor. At the end of the book they are still wearing plate armor but guns are introduced. This would but the time period about 1400 AD. But during the Wart's experience in falconry he meets a falcon who quotes William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The plate armor points to 1200 AD yet Shakespeare wasn't born until the 1500s when plate armor had since gone the way of the dinosaur. So it's hard to put the story in a discernable time frame.

Regarding the inconsistency of the story line, I found parts of the book that had no reason to be except add extra pages. A great example is the part about the Questing Beast with Grummore, Palomides, and Pellinore. It doesn't tie into anything later in the story so why is it there? Is it supposed to be funny? If anything I found it boring.

In the book TH White has many views in regard to war, preventing war, justice, and so on. His views are very 1938 and 1949. In regard to 1938 he is very "negotiable." In regard to 1949 he is very questioning about power (most likely in regard to the arms race). The man obviously gave a lot of thought about how he would show his theories in the story.

This product has a surprising number of 1-star reviews, and I want to write a rebuttal against some of the arguments I'm seeing against the book. In broader context of medieval history and literature (much of it ever-evolving in the oral tradition before ever put into the written record), most of the complaints don't really stand.

Of course, lots of these low reviews seem to have been written by students whose unjust teachers have required them to read a book over the two-month summer break. While I think a lot of this is backlash against ANY teachers' demands over the break (and, as a high school teacher, have little sympathy on this), I also think this is truly a little over the heads of most kids; the sheer size of it frightens many off before they even open it. I had to read it in sixth grade, in the late 1980s, and it was totally wasted on me...it was like when we had to read Albert Camus in grade 11, because for some reason my teachers had believed then that existential nihilism and ennui are comprehensible to sixteen-year-olds. The great works we put in front of kids for exposure's sake are often way beyond students' cognitive development.

Like with the Camus, reading it again (technically, for the first time, I suppose) a few years ago was a whole new experience. In it, I found a great contemporary repackaging of Arthurian legend, more emotionally in tune with the modern than medieval mindset, yes, but therefore approachable to all literate grown-ups while being silly enough in places to provide comic relief. Though perhaps preferred by purists, Thomas Malory in the hands of most would turn a lot of readers off long before page 50.

To those who are picking apart inaccuracies in chronology, technology, and so on, there are a couple of things that I think are being missed. (I don't want to get into the nature of the third-person omniscient voice, so let's just disregard the "narrator's" anachronisms and move into those found in the story itself.) First, the nature of Merlin's lifecycle makes many of the anachronisms viable in the story (not to mention, Merlin is MAGIC; nobody's griping about how inaccurate Hogwarts is as a boarding school, are they?). Second, like the Harry Potter series, the Arthurian legends have been, at times throughout their existences, popular entertainment, so there's nothing wrong with adapting them to the 20th century as someone in the fourteenth century might have in telling the story. Third, historians haven't pinned down a "date" for Arthur's life to have ostensibly taken place; some claim his roots in a chieftain in England during Roman rule; others say he was modeled on Alfred the Great; and other ideas on this have their own supporters. Because Arthur never lived in a specific time, he's sort of become panmedieval....whatever time suited the storyteller, Arthur could show up in. Depending on what you're reading, the Arthurian Middle Ages, therefore, variously show elements of the years shortly after the fall of Rome, Charlemagne's rule, the so-called "eleventh-century renaissance," straight on through times that look more Renaissance and Reformation than medieval. White has committed no novel crime here, as Arthur exists in no one time.

Last, the political commentaries White embeds aren't really a problem. Again, Merlin as tutor is familiar with the future, and wants a way to teach Arthur to be a good king; magic forays into the "political systems" of animals permit this. Also, as I've said before, the various mindsets of the ages in which various Arthurian stories have been put to the page do, and SHOULD, characterize the written works, in the same way that Churchill's works on the history of Great Britain, for example, tell us as much (occasionally maybe more) about Churchill's time than about the time he's writing about. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

If you're still nitpicking over these things, then you might be the type who considers being a level twenty-four halfling mage with a vast collection of seventeen-sided dice a valid academic qualification to spout off on medieval history and literature. That's okay - frankly, the Middle Ages need their hobbyists, lest they be cut from the curriculum of historical learning entirely. But the arguments against this book - other than by kids, who might be genuinely stymied here - really don't hold water in broader context.

I enjoyed the book a lot but I wouldn't give it the superlative review that others on this site have given. What I like best about it is its sense of fantasy and fun. As a moral play, as a lesson against military force, it becomes ponderous, depressing, and ultimately pointless. Like Tolstoy in War And Peace, T.H. White is a much better storyteller than he is a philosopher. I didn't appreciate the monologue or lecture at the end of the book, whether in White or Tolstoy.
We start out with a story so light and imaginative and fun that it could be called a children's story. And as that, it's excellent. Merlin transforms young King Arthur into various animals and he communicates with his fellow animals, all of which illustrate traits of humans. For example, as an ant the child is exposed to mindless militarism.
The story of the love triangle between Arthur, Guenever, and Lancelot is puzzling, maybe even infuriating. Arthur is not emotionally upset about his wife's betrayal. On the contrary, it is a love fest between the three of them (not physically). What is going on? In T.H. White's fantasy world there are no deep dark emotions of jealousy and possessiveness. That's nice, I guess, for him. But the only way I can understand a world without jealousy and possessiveness is as a world without feeling. If you don't give a damn, you don't give a damn. It all feeds into the author's philosophy that we should all subscribe to John Lennon's "Imagine" song and give up all our possessions. Yeah, okay. Just let me keep this here ashtray, and, umm, I think I'll need my calculator.
One of the most frustrating things about this book is Arthur's loss of strength and sense at the end. He becomes so weak that he won't even protect his wife from "the law". Oh well, if they want to burn her at the stake, well, I donno, I guess .... It is no fun to read about a weak, senseless sap. Was Arthur not in a position to make the laws more humane? Are we to follow laws that lead to cruelty? I don't enjoy wallowing in someone else's misery, particularly when that someone else has the strength and brains of a waterlogged paper towel.
So I believe that the strength of this book is its imagination, its light and its fun, and there is a lot of it. The depressing parts, evidently judged essential to get a point across, or else God knows why they are there, just fall flat. In fact, the book itself just falls flat. The ending is unsatisfactory. You may have a tendency to decide that the book is famous and therefore must be great, and hell, we're not entitled to another happy ending all the time, but I have to disagree that this ending is good. No, I think it is pretty lame.
White's argument for us at the end is that the Have Nots will always make war because they want what the Haves have. I disagree. The Have Nots of this world don't have the wherewithal to make war. War is usually Haves trying to get at what other Haves have, or Haves trying to steal whatever the Have Nots happen to have. Can you just picture Guatemala attacking the U.S.?

This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in classic versions of the King Arthur legend--and anyone simply interested in reading a fantasy story with all the best: delightful humor, grand quests, riviting intrigue, . . . everything. Now I'm not saying it's the best book in the world. At first I was totally confused, seeing as the book just drops you into the middle England back in who-knows-when, and seems to expect you to understand everything about it from the social structure to the specifics of hawking. After a while though, I came to really enjoy it. And one other thing . . . King Pellinore is THE BEST CHARARCTER EVER. *blink* "what what?!" Nevermind, you would have to read it, but I love that guy.

I absolutely love this book.

I hate the angst in the Guinevere/Lancelot/Arthur mess. I always get so mad at all three of them. It takes a good author to make me forget that this is going to happen as I read the story. White did that. Even when G stepped on to the scene, I forgot. I was so caught up in the characters and how White dives into their minds and purposes, with such humor and wit! Through White's interpretation, I felt like I could empathize with each character.

This is my favorite Arthur book, bar none.

I have never been interested in magic or medieval ages, but after this book, I have become a little more thoughtful about these kinds of books. What is interesting about this book to me is all the important lessons you learn. It teaches you a lot about having good character. Even though there is a lot of magical character and events that are in this story, it still is kind of interesting to me. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories with a little bit of magic in them. If I had to compare this story with any other, I would say it is most similar to the Lord of the Ring. The only thing that makes the Lord of the Ring better is the battles. The Sword in the Stone has no battles in it. I like the fact that the underdog is the one who pulls the sword out of the stone. In fact he was an adopted boy raised by a wealthy family, who was expected not to be king. This boy was taught good character and many important lessons by his tutor, Merlyn. His tutor is a very wise magical wizard. To learn how the boy is taught good character and important lessons, you will just have to read the book. The stone in which the boy pulls the sword out was in a big church, and people all the time came to try to pull it out. They didn't know that it will only release the sword to a true king. That is all I am going to say about the book, overall I thought it was ok only because I do not enjoy these types of stories. It is written by a great author (T.S White) and if you like these types of stories then I recommend you reading this book.

When I picked The Once and Future King up off of the shelf, I thought "Whoa. This is a huge book." It was 2 times as thick as my hand! Once I sat down to read it, though, I couldn't put it down. There are four volumes in the book, and the first one drew me in like a fly to honey. The first book was called "The Sword in the Stone", and it was about a young boy called `the Wart', who is the future King Arthur. The Wart goes on several fantastic adventures, from being turned into all kinds of different animals to meeting the infamous Robin Wood. The first book was humorous and was probably my favorite one out of all of them.
The second book, "The Queen of Air and Darkness", I liked because while still being funny, it had more serious motives behind it. It focuses more on the Orkney clan, Gawaine, Agravaine, Gaheris, and Gareth. In this chapter, we start to see where some of the Round Table's trouble will come from.
"The Ill-Made Knight" was the third book, and one of my favorites, even though it was much, much darker and got a bit disturbing. It was all from third-person Lancelot's point of view, and it was really interesting despite the dark note.
The last book, "The Candle in The Wind", wasn't funny at all, but it was necessary to complete the story. The legend of King Arthur would have been much happier if not for this book, but it was still amazing and the most suspenseful of all of them. My heart was racing the whole time I read it, and it was wonderfully scary. It was also very sad and even though the ending was sort of happy, it was bittersweet because everyone probably died the next day.
Overall, the book was excellent and I loved it. It was one of the best books I've ever read. It was funny, serious, and scary all in one.

The future King Arthur aka Wart (rhyming with Art as in Arthur) started out in life as the whipping boy of his toffee-nosed foster brother Kay. He also became the model for Harry Potter (cf. Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, etc). Check out also "Harry is to Wart as Dumbledore is to Merlyn: The Magical Parallelism of their Respective Relationships" by Harold Long at [...]

It's no accident that T.H. White has been so inspirational. Apart from being dazzlingly brilliant, The Man Who Would Be King is very, very funny and Pythonesque - and like the Python boys' tongue-in-cheek satire is really all about the ghastly public school White and they had to endure - although of course White started writing his opus in the late '30s before the lads were born. If this masterpiece isn't required reading for all Arthurian fantasists it bloody well should be, or else it's straight to the Headmaster's study for you, Carruthers.

So much has been sung in the book's praises, it would be thoroughly gormless to add any more verses, so I won't, except to heartily recommend a most excellent Young Adult book in the same tradition by Barbara Burgess that has just come out: The Magic Manuscript: The Nine Companions

I read this book 40 years ago. When I was in 9th grade. It has always stayed with me. It haunts, it gets into your psyche and you love it. Or you can't follow it and you hate it. But is worthy of a try and very suitable for smart young adults. There are 4 stories here. The Sword in the Stone is the best known. It concerns the education of Arthur, the future king. Throughout, White, a tortured man in his lifetime, merrily reinterprets the classic legend of English folklore and wheels them in his own direction.

I had to read "Sword in the Stone" and "Queen of Air and Darkness" from this book for school, but didn't have the fortune to read it over the summer. I thought that the book was okay, but my teacher gave us way too much to read each night. We had to read about 4-6 chapters a night. That's a little too much for me to digest in such a short time period. At least if I had been assigned this book over the summer, I could have read this book in a more leisurely pace. I rented "Camelot" before the test over the book, but it turned out to be based on the 3rd or 4th book. It did help somewhat about the lessons that Arthur learned as different animals. Now I will have at least some background information when we come back to the 2nd half of the book. This isn't a bad book, it's just that I was forced to read too much in too little a time period.

What a great book! T.H. White is an excellent writer, and, with this book, he has successfully written about the Arthurian Legend. Yet, I gave it four stars. The reasons are: when some of the animals in the book talk, it is very hard to understand them because they 'taulk lik thees'. Also, I found book 2 to be the most boring book in the entire book. Besides the fact that it is very long and I was forced to read it for english class in 2 weeks, it is a very good book. Before I was hesitant to read it because, one, of its intimidating size, and, two, because I was not really into King Arthur, Guenevere, and Sir Lancelot. It is a great book, I don't want to say much about it because some of it might be given away, but one thing, Sir Lancelot is quite different than I originally pictured him to be. If you want to read more on the Knights of the Round Table, read this. It is a great book.

This is the definitive book about King Arthur, first published in 1939. All the characters in this book are seen with soft eyes, the eyes of a forgiving man, who finds ways to explain even the most cruel of actions. A few depictions seemed surprising; Lancelot, for example, is portrayed as an ugly man. It is the big view of the author that I found most compelling. The author looked at Arthur's reign as a major change in the way humanity lived, not living to take revenge on its enemies, but attempting to settle squabbles with diplomacy.

I was required to read The Once and Future King by T.H. White for my literature class. I was familiar with some of the characters which I think no one could forget: Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot and Queen Guenevere. Although I knew of these characters, I was not aware of the intensity of their backgrounds. The book shone a new light on the story I was familiar with. White was very descriptive which helped in capturing my attention. True, the book is lengthy, but who is to say just how long a classic should be? And that is just what The Once and Future King is, a classic. It is a book of enduring significance and I would recommend it to a friend.

White's masterpiece stands with a few other 20th century works as timeless classics of fantasy: THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE WORM OUROBOROS, and perhaps Crowley's LITTLE, BIG. A number of reviewers claim that the book is "boring"--perhaps they were too young (although I certainly enjoyed the book when I was no older than 12) or have television-age (not even feature-film length!) attention spans... At any rate, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING can only be considered boring in the sense that it is not a sequence of battles or magic tricks. Instead, it is a retelling of one of the Great Stories; and in the end, it is a telling of the story of what it means to be a good man.

I don't think words can begin to describe how I feel about this book... so first let me tell you how I came across the once and future King. I had recently enrolled in an english class in my school and was told that this book would be the summer reading. Now I absolutely love fantasy stories and fairy tales but this book seemed like it was just a combination of every fairy tale the author could think of and they just smashed it all into one "amazing" story. Now I understand that the book and the stories in them are old so I can understand this being an older version but that still doesn't change the fact that reading this book felt like murder, it literally felt like the act of killing another human being, it was that bad. that all was just my personal opinion of the book some of the facts that I found was that the pace was unbearably slow, the story found so many ways to piss me off by throwing in fairy tales with other fairy tales at one point I thought I was reading Robin hood because for 3 chapters all that was going on was robin hood this and robin hood that... the characters were extremely bland and most of them were completely useless to the story itself.

I'd like to start out by saying this book was simply awesome. It was a little long, but not really. It can be boring in some parts, but when i was done reading this book, i knew that with out all the long descriptions, and dialogue, we would know nothing of the characters, and they'd be just like in any other book. That's the thing...this isn't just any old book, it's a classic. For those people who gave this book less than 4 stars, this is a classic for a reason. I can see someone maybe thinking this book is too long, or boring, but saying it's bad, is simply beyond comprehension. It's called a classic because it is one. This could very easily be the best book i've ever read.

If you adore King Arthur tales then this is the book for you! TH White spins a tale of magic and history into a big book that will keep you reading into the late night! I read this book when I was a young teenager. My mother recommended it and it began my love of Arthurian tales for the rest of my life. At the age of 54 I decided to read it again and I was not disappointed.

This was a good book in all. It' s writing was a bit inconsistent. The first half was very narative and sometimes a bit tedious, but it did an excelent work of introducing the reader to life in the middle ages. It is explained how Arthur grew up, rose to the throne of England and thought of the idea of the round table. In the seccond half the story of Lancelot is told, his affair with the queen and how it helped the kingdom decay. Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere are explained as the tragical figures that they are and portrayed very well as human beings and not mythical figures.

The book is not focused on telling the story of Arthur, one can read it in great detail in Malory' s boook as the author states, but instead on giving his vision of how he wanted to shape his country and how it all turned out. In this the book succeeds very well.

A very good reading indeed.

I have to admit that I absolutely adore this book. I read it as a child and loved the way the author humanized both Arthur and the other important characters (I mean, King Arthur being called Wart as a boy?), but mostly I identifed with the core of the tale itself. As I got older, I read the book again and I began to see the things that I just couldn't appreciate as a child. Things like White's inclusion of the class-distinction that permeated feudal society (and his own ideas about the "upper class"???), the absolutely incredible teachings of Merlin in the forms of the geese lesson and ant lesson, and, most of all, the incredible handling of Lancelot. White looks at Lancelot (and all of the characters, really) from the perspective of a Social Psychologist explaining how these famed people became what they did and does so in a humanizing and very powerful way. This idea of "explaining" fantastical characters has become popular in modern fantasy (see Marion Zimmer Bradley or Morgan Llywelyn), but T.H. White is a master. Arthur, Lancelot, Gawaine and all the others become REAL people for a time, with problems and insecurities just like us. I can't say enough about this book and its impact on me, it really taught me how to look deeper than the written word and see the author's meaning, both written and implied, and, in this case, see the author himself! I felt like I really knew what kind of person White was after this story, and when I read the biographical intro to "The Book of Merlyn", I was right! Whenever I read this book now I see a vague imprint of a face on every page (kind of Shroud of Turin, creepy-like wooooohaaaaah) and, although I've never seen a picture of him, I know its T.H. White I am seeing.

This is one of the most beautiful books I've read in my entire life, and a wonderful introduction to the legends of King Arthur and his famous Round Table. But it certainly isn't for light reading. With a whopping 600+ pages in the print version, all filled with irony, philosophy, and lengthy, poetic prose, T. H. White's masterpiece will take a long time (and a lot of patience) to read. Personally, I like long books, but not everyone does. However, you won't regret a single moment spent reading this book.

The Once and Future King is split into four individually published books. The first of which, The Sword in the Stone, is the lightest and most humorous, having originally been written for children. It tells the story of Arthur's days before he was made king. Arthur, affectionately nicknamed the Wart, is a simple, even naive young boy, but essentially kind and good-hearted. As he grows older and the story progresses, these are traits he will always bear. Here we meet several other recurring characters, such as Merlin, Ector, Kay, King Pellinore, and even Archimdes, the highly educated owl. Arthur learns many useful lessons on his exploits with Merlin, which he will remember during his trials as king. Apart from these light but useful philosophies, this part is filled with humor. Sometimes bordering on the outrageous, but never failing to make you smile, White makes jab after jab at some of the more ridiculous aspects of Arthurian England, perhaps most notably being a duel between Pellinore and Sir Grummore Grummersome. However, the book also has it's moments of poignancy. For instance, Merlin, who lives backwards in time, becomes muddled. When Arthur tells him that they only met half an hour ago, a tear falls from the magician's eye, and he says sadly, "So little time to pass?" The book ends with the Wart pulling the sword from the stone and being declared king.

The Queen of Air and Darkness is not quite as humorous, but it is not without its moments. Arthur has become a young man, and although having begun to mature, he is still young and inexperienced. He is having to learn to think for himself and make his own decisions, rather than rely on Merlin's judgement. But with a little prodding from his wise tutor, Arthur begins to see the folly of war, and to ponder Might vs Right. Here we see the beginning of the Round Table and what it stands for: equality, chivalry, and Might FOR Right. We are also introduced to Morgause and her sons, Gawaine, Gaheris, Gareth, and Agravaine, as we witness their childhood adventures. The book ends with Mordred's birth, and the tragedy begins.

The Ill-Made Knight is centerd around Lancelot, and is noticeably darker than the first two books. And Lanceot, especially, is very different from the dashing figure of nobility we have come to know him as. Ugly, grave, and battling self-loathing, Lancelot has made it his purpose in life to become the best knight in the world. He believes that his strength comes from purity, and so is faced with a terrible conflict when he falls in love with the king's wife, Guenever. And, to make matters even more difficult, she loves him, too. This is not Lancelot's only trial. Not by a long shot. But I don't want to spoil the whole story, haha. This story, I felt, was mostly to do with humanity and all of its shortcomings. Lancelot was on a quest for purity and perfection. But, as White says, those who become perfect are lost to the world, and those who do not return no better.

The Candle in the Wind is the tragedy come full circle, as old sins come back to haunt the king, and Arthur's civil laws betray him, forcing him to apply them mercilessly to his best friend and his wife. I won't go into too much detail as to the story (spoilers!), but I will say that this poignant conclusion brings up many questions, especially in the final pages, as Arthur ponders what it was all for. Why do men fight? How does one distinguish right from wrong? Is there really good or evil, are there any virtues, or is all we do merely a series of natural reactions to the world around us? There is no way of knowing for sure. And yet, despite these futile and despairing ponderings, there is still a theme of hope. At the end, Arthur speaks with his page, Tom, and says "…my idea of those knights was a sort of candle…I have carried it for many years with a hand to shield it from the wind. It has flickered often. I am giving you the candle now." And so Arthur's story lives on, and we remember what he believed in, what his light shined for - the goodness of men.

All in all, this is not a tale merely of magic, or war, or even love. It is the story of humanity and all of its follies and its beauties. And perhaps what White was trying to say was that man was neither good not bad, but rather had a capacity for either infinite good or great evil.

A retelling of the Arthurian legend,based largely on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur. NOT ! Certainly not in the simple sense of retelling a story you've heard. White bit off all of it, chewed up all of it and digested all of it. He added, only the good Lord knows what, and cooked up an un-imaginable work of art. The book is full of passages of un-common beauty, full of poetry and pathos. He paints portraits of his characters, so full of color and detail and life that they are sitting right there next to you. You love or hate them, right there and then.

This is written on the occasion of my 30th reading of this book. I read it about twice a year. It goes on cruises with me. I have bought about 15 copies as gifts to family and friends. All of my grandchildren have copies. The book is quirky. You have not ever read anything like it. I love the use of the anachronistic (?) language he uses. You must feel with his characters, or to be honest, I question the quality of your soul. And this is the most remarkable thing about the book - you need to read it with your soul. It is not a history book.It is more than a romance It is a book about real people, Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin and Lancelot, lots of others, their loves, their hurts, their victories and losses and finally, how in spite of all good intentions and undertakings and magic, it all falls apart. How the promises of a better and smarter world never get fufilled.

I remember reading an anthologized fragment of this book in high school. I thought it was hilarious, forgot about it, and was glad to rediscover it by way of the second X-Men film.
This book is about adolescence. Because of the themes of maturity and growing up, I exhort (yes, EXHORT!) all parent to get their teen-age children to read this book.. This book is literary "Pet Sounds," and covers all the emotions that we feel when we grow up. I was taken back decades, and personal involvement the key to good literature.
Before reading this book, keep in mind that it is shaped by two forces. First, the Arthurian legends, primarily Mallory and Tennyson. Second, World War II. Keep both in mind, or the book makes no sense. White makes the point that the Round Table is the solution to World War II.
This book is in four parts. The first one is "Sword in the Stone," the basis for the Disney movie of the same name. It is Arthur's tutelage under Merlyn. White captures Arthur's adolescence perfectly-it is a stunning work that made me feel thirteen again. Merlyn is the mentor, but he has his loveable foibles that make his charming. It also makes him very believable and antithetic. And the relationship between Kay and Wart is male Cinderella.
The second part is "The Queen of Air and Darkness." Once again, White shows his genius for showing family relationships. We add to Wart and Kay's relationship Gawain and families rather complex relationships. It reminded me of my own family. The different personalities makes the story so spicy. It is all personalities and relationships.
I think this story gets more poignant that the first since we both Gawain and Arthur cross into manhood. Gawain with the killing of the unicorn, and with Arthur the battle and the decision to found the Round Table to end war.
The third story is "The Ill-made Knight," which focuses on Lancelot coming to the Round Table and his affair with Genevieve. This book is about idealism and love, which is a form of idealism. Lancelot is in love with both Arthur and Guinevere, and this hero worship almost becomes "Hero Idolatry"
What bedazzled me was the lies that Lancelot believed about his affair with Guinevere. Chapter 5 sums up all of the Knight's lies:
"But please don't talk to me about the queen. I can't help it if we are fond of each other, and there is nothing wrong in being fond of people, is there? It is not as if the Queen and I were villains. When you begin lecturing me about her, you are making it seem as if there was something between us. It is as if you thought ill of me, or did not believe in my honor. Please do not mention the subject again."
These lies and Lancelot's capacity to lie and speak white lies is amazing. It is genius on White's part to come up with these half-truths. And a half truth is a total lie
This book is rather long, and I would have divided it a Chapter 13, which is where Greymere changes from medieval to renaissance culture. Arthur succeeds with Camelot, for "one brief shining moment." He then turns the Table's energy to finding the Holy Grail. This is the point: Arthur does not solve the violence problem, but merely sublimates it.
The last book is "Candle in the Wind." It is the rise of Mordred, and the fall of the Round Table. The book is about adolescence, but White is able to convey an old, tired, and very lonely Arthur who's past sins come to haunt him. In fact, the entire downfall of Camelot is due to the chastity sin.
Mordred is as good a liar as Lancelot. His problem is that Lancelot has some degree of virtue-maybe naiveté-but Mordred is a chainsaw. He lies to scheme, and then gets back at his derelict father. Another timely message.
The book stops suddenly, without a real resolution. Camelot dims, and it seems like Arthur's work has been for naught. But remember that the book is really finished in "The Book Of Merlyn."
White's Round Table was the United Nations, but in a sense, we are all still adolescents.

I found this book in the library at camp a year ago at age 15, and was constantly amazed at how eloquently it retold a story already full of energy. Although at the beginning I felt it was too lighthearted, by the end I realized this was needed to balance out the powerful midsection and ending. It deals less with the Arthurian part of the legend, concentrating on the far more heart-wrenching tale of the affair between Guennevere and Launcelot, and its bitter results. With the themes of love, jealousy, and above all redemption, this story is the most beautiful I have ever read.

If you want to know everything there is to know about the King Arthur legend, this is the book. Everything from his conception, his reign as king, and his death is all in here. The dirt on all of his knights are in here as well. I found the book fascinating and even philosophical. T.H. White goes beyond telling the epic fantasy. He writes the meaning behind the tale and compares how similar things are between medieval time and our modern time. The story come alive in this book. I can never put it down. And the characters are so well rounded. I found the Lancelot- Guenevere affair very interesting. I've seen Excalibur and it's nothing like this ! Do yourself a favor. Buy this book you too will fall under the spell of the tale that will live on for ages. Arturius Sempre Viva !

Look, so many people have reviewed this book that your never going to see mine on here, so I'll be brief. I first read this book on the verge of adulthood, and it made a marked change in my life. Since then I have read it many times, in many moods, in many places. While I have learned different lessons in these different stages, one central feeling has remained the same...that this book beyond being one of the best fantasy and mythic tellings of all time, will forever temper your feelings about the tragic nature of life and the mercy and understanding that it should require. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be better for reading this book.

Forget about knights. Forget Gramarye and castles and lances and burnished armor (and Disney). This book is about our once and future bond with the land. This is the most American book ever written by an Englishman, an Englishman who was smitten with white-fronted geese and red setters and hounds and goshawks, and had the good sense to follow them wherever they led. The Arthur legend is only of use to us inasmuch as we are willing to listen respectfully to the ramblings of young hedgehogs and the advice of the Pike, and apply these to our own lives. Miss this book and miss a world of utter humanity that only a talking badger could give you. Buy this book for your children if not for yourself.

I had to read this book in high school for an AP class and I remember absolutely dreading it because it was so big. While reading it, I was engulfed into the story and it really took me on a crazy journey. My friends and I would even discuss it at sleepovers and gossip about the characters lo. Such a great read. Plus, you get 4 book in 1 so that's a pretty good deal!

I was assigned to read this book as a summer reading assignment, and like every other high school student, I disliked the thought of doing so. In addition, I have never been a big fan of King Arthur and his adventures, so when I finally started to read this book my expectations were not high. However, after reading just the first part, The Sword in the Stone, which describes Arthur's childhood, I was pleasantly surprised. The mysterious magician, Merlyn, taught "the Wart" (young Arthur) about human nature and the world around him by changing him into different animals. The Wart was able to experience the world from the perspectives of a fish, a falcon, and a badger, among other creatures. By becoming these creatures the Wart gains a better understanding about the animals' lives and the particular way each species organizes its "society." The remainder of the story tells of King Arthur's efforts to bring unity, peace, and justice to England by establishing the Knights of the Round Table. The plot is entertaining and filled with colorful characters such as King Pellinore, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Grummore, who go on brave and fanciful quests including the search for the Holy Grail and the hunt for the Questing Beast. The love triangle among King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Guinevere, which ultimately helps to destroy King Arthur's dream of unity and peace, provides a dark counter point of jealousy and betrayal to the book's fairy tale quality. The story overall is easy to follow, entertaining, and full of surprises.
Besides its captivating plot, The Once and Future King reveals T.H. White's views of the world's societies. Even though this book was written from 1939 to 1958, its main points are still relevant to today's world. For example, when the Wart explores the moat as a fish, he is introduced to the monarchy form of government, which seems to work fairly well in keeping peace among the fish. The King of the Moat commands total respect from all the other fish, which allows for a successful monarchy. As an ant though, the Wart experiences a harsh totalitarian society, which festers war and greed among neighboring nests. The Wart is also exposed to the peaceful libertarian society of the geese. The geese treat one another with respect, which helps keep the peace. T.H. White suggests that a society that is based on mutual respect and sharing rather than strictness and force functions best. However, White does not overwhelm the story with his political views. Instead he subtly exposes them through a creative, entertaining plot filled with sometimes bizarre and always interesting characters.
One of the main themes of this book is the contradiction in using force to bring about justice. While King Arthur at first enjoys war, he eventually learns it is immoral. The lessons Arthur learned still apply to today's world. In the end Arthur finds justice and an ideal society impossible to achieve, just as they are today.
This book is now one of my personal favorites.

One of my favorite stories from childhood here delightfully read by Neville Jason. Not only does his voice give joy and wonder to the story, his character voices are evocative of the characters' personalities and maintain the emotional sense appropriate to each part of the story. My only complaint, and the reason for only 4 out of 5 stars, is that some parts of the story are missing. My hard copy had the scene where The Wart is transformed into a goose in Chapters 18 and 19, but this is missing from those chapters of the "unabridged" recording. Perhaps the reading was from an earlier edition of the work, but I miss the scene that was in my own and wish I could find it here.

I first read this book over thirty years ago and it still moves me to tears. It is best read by adults, not children. White was a tragic figure, and this shows in the way he paints his characters. The boy who grows up to be King Arthur: open, loving, not believing in original sin, trusting everyone to his own eventual doom. Lancelot: ugly, good at games, full of self-loathing. The Orkney Faction (Gawain and his brothers): damaged by their cruel mother, hot headed, impulsive, intensely loyal. White paints these characters with painful clarity. Lancelot, for example, has strong sadistic tendencies which he recognises and resists, and this is what makes him merciful. The only people White does not characterise well are women. He says of Guenivere that it is difficult to imagine her. All these characters move towards their final disaster with an inexorability worthy of Greek tradgedy - they can do no other. One moving chapter describes how the Orkney boys set out to capture a unicorn to win favour with their callous, neglectful mother, how much difficulty they have in finding and trapping the lovely creature, how they kill it and spoil it in the attempt to get its head home, and how the mother has them beaten for their trouble, and how they feel they have to make amends to her for their having been beaten ... It's deep psychological stuff.

White was a brilliant but tortured man, born of an English officer in India. His mother treated him with worse than neglect: she referred to him as merely as "the infant", left his early upbringing to a native nurse, sacking one such nurse because the boy loved her more than was "fitting". Later he was sent to an English public school where he was bullied sadistically by staff and pupils alike. White grew up with paedophilic tendencies which he recognised and which drove him to resist human company: the main love of his life was for his dog.

This is no book for children. Although it has many flashes of humour it is the serious work of a broken man for whom this must have been an attempt at self knowledge and redemption. It is beautifully written with clarity and grace. The best book I have ever read.

T.H. White's "Once and Future King" is one of the most amusing books ever written (in my not-so-humble opinion). White takes Mallory's "Morte d'Arthur" and makes it easier to follow (Mallory's tales are pretty complicated and not particularly linear), adds elements of humor, and still keeps the story lines intact. The first section of this novel was used as the basis for Disney's "The Sword in the Stone." I think anyone with an interest in medieval legend would thoroughly enjoy this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

T.H. White's "Once and Future King" is one of the most amusing books ever written (in my not-so-humble opinion). White takes Mallory's "Morte d'Arthur" and makes it easier to follow (Mallory's tales are pretty complicated and not particularly linear), adds elements of humor, and still keeps the story lines intact. The first section of this novel was used as the basis for Disney's "The Sword in the Stone." I think anyone with an interest in medieval legend would thoroughly enjoy this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I've read this book four times and will most likely read it many more times. It's not just the perfect introduction to the Arthur Cycle but a complete masterpiece in it's own right. I've read very few other books that really make me smile and feel like reading them is comfort for the soul. This book brings you to a magical place and lets you relish the feeling. The first part of the book (Sword in the Stone)really made me feel like a kid again. This book is for anyone who wants to read just to have some fun. By the way,everything I said about the book comforting your soul also applies to The Wind In the Willows. Enjoy!!!!!

Book Review by Ashay Patel
What is the true story of King Arthur and the Round Table? What are the true aspects of the code of Chivalry? What is England like during the Middle and Dark Ages? The Once and Future King by T. H. White answers all these engaging questions in the form of an entertaining novel. This book is a conglomeration of historical fiction, mythology, romance, and fantasy, and contains 638 pages of pure masterpiece. Anyone with a taste for classical literature, fantasy, or even historical fiction would regard this book as one of the finest examples of a true advanced novel. This book is directed towards a generally developed audience and has a large amount of mature content. The protagonist of this novel is none other than King Arthur. Arthur's most important facet is his idea of how "Might is Right" is not the right way of thinking. Arthur has a revolutionary idea that no other king of England has ever had before. Arthur believes that instead of using power because one has it, and choosing to use it for his or her personal agenda, should not be considered right like it is. Instead, Might should be used to enforce righteousness; therefore, Arthur creates the Round Table. This group of the most agile, skilled, and valiant knights enforces Chivalry, or a philosophy of truth and courage, as law. There are many antagonists in this story, but the major one is Arthur's own son, the malicious Mordred, who conspires to overthrow him as king. I rate this book as eight and a half out of ten for two reasons. First, the plot is highly developed and fast-paced. There are minimal times of boredom when reading this epic novel. In addition, the suspense in the novel compels the reader to keep reading until the end of the story. This novel, not only has romance, adventure, and numerous other genres all in one, but also makes a statement about how one individual can change the whole way a civilization thinks.

First of all, "the Once and Future King" is an amazingly written novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was quite lengthy (about 640 pages, and small font). I'm usually not the kind of person to be able to sit down and read for hours, but it definitely had me hooked after the first book.
The best thing about the book is that it isn't just an amusing story about Arthur and his reign over Camelot, it is also a parable in a sense. The book satirically discusses the problems of humanity and government, as Arthur learns these things for himself. Merlyn teaches Arthur that brute force isn't the only way to get things done and rule over a country. Arthur tries many times to come up with a plan to abolish might, though failing due to difficulties of society. It is wonderful how the book can be enjoyed at any age, and for different reasons. Younger audiences may find the adventure aspects of the story amusing, such as the tales of the sword in the stone, and Wart (Arthur's younger self)'s animal experiences. Others may read deeply enough to find the second story written between the lines. The book tells the stories of Arthur's progression into adulthood, and his realizations about society, how it can almost never be stable.
By far, I recommend this book to anyone who can read and has at least some traces of an attention span. You should purchase T.H. White's "the Once and Future King" today, just for the joys of reading such great material.

Moving, beautiful, inspiring, gut-wrenching, involving, enduring. I read The Once and Future King for the first time when I was 8. I loved it then, and I just finished reading it for the 12th or 13th time, 20+ years later. It gets better with each reading. I missed my train station last night while Palomides hid from the amorous advances of the Questin' Beast.
Poor tragic, human Arthur... poor tragic, human Guinevere. And brave Lancelot, who aspired to be better than human, but never understood that he'd succeeded.
T. H. White created a fantastic world for his legendary characters, and transports his readers to that fantasy world where boys can become geese, and maidens can capture unicorns, and miracles can be performed if only you are pure of heart...
Everyone's right, though. Galahad was a prig.

The Once and Future King is a mythical story about King Arthur that relates to the Old English history. I found this book to be a great story of adventures and many other events. The first book tells of Arthur's early childhood. It also explained all of the tasks and events that he took place in order to be a good King for all of England. The second book tells of how Arthur is still getting used to the kingdom and the problems he will face in the years to come. Merlyn will explain to him that Kings view war as a sport. This is what makes Arthur different from all of the kings. Arthur views war as something that can be avoided and only to be used if necessary. Arthur is also compelled to begin an order of knights that will use "Might for Right" as well as his kingdom will also. White is an amazing author, in this book he has spent a great ordeal of time explainig different things that will be vital to the book in the later chapters of the last book. Book three focuses mianly on Lancelot, Arthur's best knight, and Guenevere, Arthur's wife. White tells of Lancelot and Guenevere's love for one another and thier long time affair, that of which arthur is aware of. Out of his love for both of them, he is willing to keep it a secret. The last book's title, "A Candle in the Wind", fits it very well. Throughout the whole story you can see how Arthur's reign is coming to an end. Arthur's son, Mordred, who he fathered by Morgause, his own half-sister, is out to end his reign as king and get revenge on his father. Arthur must decide later on whether he should kill Mordred or not. The book ends with Arthur remebering all of the experiences and adventures he had and wondering why there had to be so much bloodshed. White has written a great classic, that will be around for a long time.

This book will blow you away. Most people "claim" they only like to read good books, so they'll overlook The Once and Future King as `too long' or `too slow.' However, I would put this book on my list of books that leave me amazed once I'm done. The Once and Future King, as you might expect, is another adaptation of the King Arthur legends. It starts from when Arthur was a child and goes on to tell his life story until he dies. The book also intertwines the story of Lancelot, Arthur's best knight, into the mix.
Most readers know a sketchy version of King Arthur's story, how he was called Wart, how he pulls a sword out of a stone, and how he becomes a king and forms the Round Table. I would choose the version by T.H. White for someone that is interested in the of story for several reasons. Firstly, it tells the entire story in a detailed account, so you won't be expected to know anything about King Arthur. Second, this book provides many more details to the legend that I didn't know before. Third, in my opinion, this is a pretty funny version of the story. I mean, who doesn't laugh when they think
about King Pellinore and his Questing Beast? A knight who dreams of a soft bed while wandering aimlessly in a forest looking for a monster. King Pellinore is only one of the
many interesting characters you'll meet in the book.
This is a classic fantasy novel. If you are a fantasy fan, good for you! If you're not, then keep on reading. I would not say that The Once and Future King is a very
hardcore fantasy novel. It is one that an average reader would enjoy even if (s)he didn't enjoy stories of heroes, dragons, magic, barbarians, and evil people who like to destroy
peasant towns. The reason I don't think of this book as a hardcore fantasy novel is because it doesn't fit the cliche I mentioned beforehand. Yes, there are witches. An example is Morgan le Fay, who cannot be around iron, including the common knife. Morgan le Fay is portrayed in this novel as a evil but very clueless witch who tries to tempt boys by turning her castle into food! In the following excerpt from the book,
Arthur (a child at the time) and his friend Kay, stand before Castle Chariot.
"The boys stood there in wonder and nausea, before just a strong hold. It rose from its lake of milk in a mystic light of its own-- in a greasy, buttery glow. It was the fairy aspect of Castle Chariot, which the Oldest Ones-- sensing hidden knife blades after all-- had thought would be tempting to the children. It was to tempt them to eat.
The place smelt like a grocer's, a butcher's, a dairy and a fishmonger's rolled into one. It was horrible beyond belief-- sweet, sticky and pungent-- so they did not feel the
least wish to swallow a particle of it. The real temptation was, to run away.
However, there were prisoners to rescue."
The descriptive paragraphs like that one just make the story come alive. Couldn't you just smell that rancid mix? I could.
King Arthur began as Wart, a child who dreamed of becoming a knight but had to settle for being a squire. The reason for this was he didn't have a father. Instead, Wart
was under the care of a man Sir Ector who has a son named Kay. Kay gave Arthur the nickname of Wart for the reason of just tormenting the boy. Then Merlyn came along. Merlyn proceeds to educate Wart in a very unconventional way, by changing the future
King of England into different animals, like a goose, an ant, and a badger. Eventually, Wart's education has to come to an end and Merlyn goes away. Wart becomes Kays' squire, so when Kay forgets his sword, Wart runs around frantically searching for a sword. Wart pulls a sword out of a stone, thinking it is an old war memorial. Even though I just told you the beginning of the book, you'll still enjoy reading about Wart's
education, which is one of the most interesting parts of the book. The details of the story make it interesting. Plus, I haven't even gotten to the part about his being King of England.
Merlyn is one of my favorite characters. He only has a short appearance in the novel, but he has a major impact on the plot. You might be a little more familiar with the spelling M-e-r-l-i-n though. In the novel, Merlyn is somewhat a "doomed character," he lives backwards in time so he knows what is going to happen. As a result, he mutters some strange and cryptic phrases about two women that will destroy Merlyn and
Arthur's lives respectively: Nimue and Guenever. Merlyn knows that these two people will destroy their lives, but he is powerless to stop them.
King Arthur's kingdom is called Camelot, but it is rarely, if ever called that in the book. Camelot was ideally the perfect place with peace and harmony between people.
King Arthur was also pure and innocent when he created Camelot. Arthur will die when Camelot falls. I think of this book as an allusion to life: all good ideas turn bad and all things good and perfect will fall and crumble eventually. A good idea may not work in real life.
I'm adding The Once and Future King to my book shelf of great books, and I hope that you will follow my lead and let this book blow you away.

I've been in love with the Arthur legend ever since I first heard it, so naturally I was interested in this book. After I read it, it became the ultimate authority for me; I judge all other versions (including Malory's) in light of this perfect version. It brings out the characters of Guenever, Lancelot, Arthur, Mordred, and the Orkney brothers like no other version ever has. Everything makes sense and hangs together. This book is a must-read for any Arthur fan and for anyone who thinks he isn't one-- you may get a surprise!

The Once and Future King is a very good book. It is a wonderful version of the legend of King Arthur that appeals to the people of today. It is well written, but there are a few things that do not appeal to me.
In the book, the author describes the characters, times, activities, and places very well. His descriptions made the story come to life. This I find good in some cases and not so good in others. I enjoyed when the author described the people through the story, not interrupting the storyline. One good example is in the first chapter of the Sword in the Stone. The author is able to describe the beliefs of the society, in this case, ideas about education, and influences of other cultures, Roman influence, in a dialogue between two characters. In doing this, he does not have to interrupt the storyline to describe these things. I disliked when the author stopped the story in order to describe things. One such example is the third chapter of Castle in the Wind. Almost the whole chapter is describing the time of King Arthur�s rule and does not seem to have any relevance to the story. Spending a whole chapter on the description does give you a greater knowledge of the time the story takes place. However, because it does not have an effect on the story, I do not believe it needs to be there. Instead of putting everything out at once, I would have liked him to do what he did with the characters. In many cases, he developed the character�s characteristics throughout the story instead of all at once. For example, T. H. White developed Kay�s personality throughout the Sword and the Stone. In this way, he was able to describe a great deal without making the descriptions boring.
I felt that parts of the book were too predictable. For instance, I could tell the purpose of Merlyn turning the Wart into various kinds of animals from when he first turned the Wart into a fish. I knew the story of King Arthur. Therefore, when the author added politics into the adventures, I could tell that it would be used to help the Wart when he became older. T. H. White�s messages in the Wart�s adventures are very clear. This I believe is good because if it were not clear, the times when he tries to send a message across may have seemed irrelevant. Some of these ideas could even be used by people today.
T. H. White was able to make the story less predictable and boring than it could have been. One way he made the book less boring was by changing the storyline, therefore making the story less predictable. Some of his changes, however, I disliked. One such change is the portion of the story when Kay and the Wart meet Robin Wood. In most of the stories I have read, the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur take place at totally different times. However, it was needed in the story in order to teach the Wart what real bravery was, in contrast to the Wart�s belief that jousting shows bravery. Another change I did not like was the making of Arthur into a Norman, when, historically, Arthur was a Celt. I dislike historical changes in stories. Personal changes, however, I enjoy. It changes ones view of a character. One example of this is the idea of Lancelot being ugly. This contradicts some stories where Lancelot is handsome, such as in the movie Merlin. It makes Guenever seem even worse, in that she was even cheating on her husband with a good looking person. T. H. White also made the story more interesting by adding humor. The Questing Beast�s love for Sir Grummore and Sir Palomides is an example of White's humor. This humor in a monster in love with two humans gives the story more of a light-hearted tone, so it is not just about bad things happening to King Arthur....
I disliked how at times it sounded as if T. H. White were reading the story to us, adding his own comments into the story. One example is the following quotation, �There is no need to give a long description of the tourney. Malory gives it� (349). This does not need to be there. If he is not going to describe the tourney, he should not explain why. I feel it just interrupts the storyline. However, it could be good if you wanted to know more about it, for you know where you can read about it.
If I could, I would probably give the book 4½ stars. It had a great storyline and the author made the story come to life. He was able to incorporate the culture of England at the time into the story without the reader actually acknowledging it. Part of my dislike may be that I have seen Disney�s The Sword and the Stone, a great retelling of the first book of this novel for those who are young and have a short attention span, and I already had an idea of what was going to happen. For anyone interested in medieval England or just a good book, I suggest you read it.

The Once and Future King is an interesting book about the tale of King Arthur and his knights. In it, many adventures and stories of wonderful quests and deeds are completed. Reading this book will require patience because it is a slow starter. About halfway through the book, it will begin to become really interesting. First impressions of the book may be that it is too long and monotonous or boring in the beginning, but completing this book will be well worth your time. The Once and Future King is divided into four books, each one is vital to the whole of the story. The "Once and Future King" can be classified as an action book filled with tragedy. The four books are:
"The Sword in the Stone," "The Queen of Air and Darkness," "The Ill-Made Knight," and "The Candle in the Wind."
The first book, called the "Sword in the Stone," was the beginning of Arthur's legacy. This section is devoted to Arthur's experience as a little boy. When Arthur was younger, he was referred to as the Wart. The Wart becomes King Arthur by committing a miraculous act. Mostly everyone knows the story of the "Sword in the Stone." Cartoons have been made to explain it. Before the Wart completes his miraculous act, he has been instilled upon him many valuable lessons. Merlyn acts as a teacher and prepares him to become the best king there was, the once and future king.
This book is a great tale of betrayal, love, and almost every human emotion there is. It may be slightly confusing at first, but everything works its way out and fits in perfectly to the big puzzle. The book vividly explains human nature and its power. The power of human nature was so strong that even the strongest could not even prevent it from happening. For example, Sir Lancelot is Arthur's most trusted knight and his best friend, yet human emotions such as love cause Sir Lancelot to betray his king and loyal friend. Many valuable lessons and morals are found throughout the novel. Several of the true meanings of morals and lessons are hidden upon the thousands of words in the book. Reading "The Once and Future King" will require time to analyze every paragraph to find the actual meaning of them. Some of the paragraphs may be taken apart and interpreted in many different ways. One example of a paragraph that can easily be interpreted several ways is as follows: " `Love is a trick played on us by the forces of evolution. Pleasure is the bait laid down by the same. There is only power. Power is of the individual mind, but the mind's power is not enough. Power of the body decides everything in the end, and only Might is Right' " (52). One of the main ideas of the book is in this quote. The idea of chivalry and whether might is right. 'Might is Right' was an idea proposed for chivalry, but Arthur later finds out that this idea is not correct. Other quotes like that can easily be found throughout the whole book. The book can easily be called a quote journal because each passage has some sort of meaning or idea behind it. The last chapter in the book is the major one. Everything unfolds in it.
T.H. White is a very creative writer and is able to portray the actions of King Arthur very well. He shows his ideas of right and wrong throughout this book. His masterpiece is one that will be read and studied for many years to come by students and others. This fantasy story is truly one of the best. Anyone who enjoys reading will love this book. Even if you do not like these types of books, this is a must read. "The Once and Future King" is a great novel that is waiting for you to read it and become another victim of being enchanted with its magical fantasy just like the thousands of other readers who have enjoyed it.

Might vs Right, Love vs Companionship, Redemption vs Agression, these are just a few of the many theme proposed in this classic piece of literature. The Once and Future King is based on the Welsh legends telling of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. From the very beginning of the story in its first collection of tales (The Sword in the Stone), we get a glimpse at a young Arthur (The Wart) who has ambitious dreams with no means to fulfill. That is, until he happens upon the wizard Merlyn and becomes his apprentice. Discovering the way of the law through the perspective of a communistic ant farm, to a Monarchaic pack of sporting Falcons, Merlyn helps Arthur to understand the importance of a proper means of ruling for when the young boy will become King.

The second piece of the Story (The Queen of Air and Darkness) continues the story of Arthur after he has become king and married a young Guinevere whom plays a integral part of the story in a secret love affair between Arthur and a newly introduced Lancelot. Lancelot the son of a blacksmith, is born unfair of face and to make up for his looks, he dedicates his life to become the greatest knight that ever lived. He does indeed revel in this feat, saving damsels, even gaining acceptance to King Arthur's order of knights, which gives him a spot of world-reknown, and introduced for the first time to Guinevere starting their passionate secret.

In the book's 3rd section, The Ill-Made Knight, Lancelot's gift of miracles is taken away from him, when rescuing a damsel (Elaine) from a magical fire, he wakes up the next morning to find that she has taken away the most sacred part of his knighthood, his virginity. Distressed and emotional scared, Lancelot flees to Guineveres side to escape the grasp of Elaine. In the comfort of Guinever's love, it is discovered that Elaine is pregnant with Lancelots child whom she names Galahad. Lancelot love is disowned by Guinevere and he flee's, going emotionally unstable and wanders the town as a crazy man until he is discovered performing as a jester by Elain who has become a nun after Lancelot walked out on her, vowing never to love another man again. Lancelot is saved from his histeria and returns to Elaines side.

This book is full of exciting tales and elements of any fantasy novel, murder, revenge, forbidden love, knights, magical beasts, wizards, and the list going on and on. The Once and Future King has kindled a whole new interest in Arthurian Legend and tales concerning this mythological heraldry. I highly recommend this tale to anyone interested in having a read that flies by with page-turning excitement abudant in every bit and piece.

When I was assigned this novel as a summer reading project, I was scared to read it because of its length. When I finally picked up the novel, it took me a few days to "get into it"; however, the novel captured my mind and I had trouble putting it down. Before reading this novel, I had no interest in the Arthurian legend, but now the story of King Arthur intrigues me. This book is divided into four main sections: 1) The Sword in the Stone, 2) The Queen of Air and Darkness, 3)The Ill-Made Knight, and 4) The Candle in the Wind.
The first section, The Sword in the Stone, is a story that we all know and love, thanks to the Disney film. Since this section would capture the mind of the youth, we can all relate to it and remember the first time we heard the story. I enjoyed this section, for the story is a classic.
The second section, the Queen of Air and Darkness, introduces us to the idea and planning of King Arthur's legendary Round Table. Also, King Arthur is tricked into having sex with his half-sister; the result of this affair, King Arthur's son Mordred, eventually leads to his downfall. Personally, I love the idea of the Round Table.
In the third section, The Ill-Made Knight, we are introduced to the great Lancelot. Lancelot is the greatest knight in the world because of his relationship with God and his care for other people. Later, King Arthur begins to fear his Round Table, and wants to turn his knights to God. He wisely sends them on a quest for the holy grail.
The final section, The Candle in the Wind, is my favorite part. As a reward for reading the first three sections, T. H. White gives us the Candle in the Wind. If you are as into the novel as I was, you will find yourself talking out loud trying to warn Lancelot. This is all I will give you for the final section, so if you want to receive the reward, read the entire novel.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White was assigned to me as summer reading for my sophomore English class, and I must admit I was not looking forward to it because of its length. However, after reading a few chapters, it was difficult to put the book down. What grabbed my attention was the unique way T. H. White described the characters. He brought them to life, often in unusual and comical ways. For instance, when the Wart first meets Merlyn, the magician is described as follows: "Close inspection showed that he was far from clean. It was not that he had dirty fingernails, or anything like that, but some large bird seemed to have been nesting in his hair." What a vision! The quote also shows how T.H. White is able to speak to a diversified audience. A child reading this description might just find it humorous, where, on the other hand, someone looking for deeper meaning might see that it foreshadows how the Wart is to be taught through animals. Although the Wart does not realize it at the time, Merlyn's innocent lessons with the animals that talk are really his way of teaching Wart about the evils and uselessness of war. Merlyn uses ants and geese as examples. Later when Arthur (Wart) becomes King, he is able to use these animal experiences to help him make decisions about war and whether or not `Might is Right.' Arthur decides might is right, and conceives the idea of a `Round Table' where all of his knights are equal, and they strive to achieve justice for all people. It is an intriguing concept (even from our democratic viewpoint), and this idea is what really sustained my interest throughout the remainder of the book. As the reader I began to admire Arthur's strong belief in justice and the way he put it above all else. Ultimately he is forced to sentence his wife to death and his best friend to banishment for having an affair, even though they were the two people he loved most. Arthur's goal was to do nothing that was not just. This is one of the lessons that T.H. White is trying to teach us. In his mind, he is Merlyn, and the readers are the Wart. He offers many other lessons in this book as well, but you're going to have to read it to find them out. I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age.

Although the book is long and some parts are slow or confusing it mostly a very good book. The last chapter is phenomenal! The chapter and a few other parts in the book are very thought provoking. It probably is the greatest King Arthur story ever written although it would be more enjoyable if the author did not consistently relate back to Malory. Many of the characters are very well-made and it is definately understandable why T.H. White's book was a great literary achievement and has become the classic it is today.

"The Once and Future King" was a good book. I enjoyed it because the characters in the book were portrayed as people specifically imperfect people. "A man who was not afflicted by ambitions of decency in his mind might simply have run away with his hero's wife, and then perhaps the tradgedy of Arthur would never have happened. An ordinary fellow did not spend half his life tourturing himself by trying to discover what was right so as to counquer his inclination towards what was wrong" (OFK 339). This passage describes Lancelot's eternal struggle over Arthur's Queen. Sir Lancelot was the greatest knight in the world, chivilrous, merciful, powerful, and unhorseable. He gave up all of this when he lost Gwenever seemingly forever, gave up his armor and position at the table, because of love. This was a very human quality, superhero's are invulnerable, but men in even the best armor can be wounded if stabbed in the right place. Another example of humananity in OFK was Elaine's love for Lancelot. She helped him recover from his mental wounds and loved him desperately. She knew Lance could only love Gwenever and would only go back to her, but any time with Lance was good time for her. Elaine could have been portrayed as just annother mistress but by making her feelings known the book became even more human. "She had renounced her positive madness and was joyful to see him living, whatever he did. They were young creatures - the same creatures whose eyes had meet with the almost forgotten click of magnets in the smoky Hall of Camelot so long ago. And, in truely yielding, she had won the battle by mistake" (502). Gwenever and Lancelot's love was not love at first sight, Gwenever was a cloud that Lancelot couldn't reach and didn't care to reach at first, but when she became human in his eyes the cloud became feasible and something he wanted. Humanity was the main theme in "The Once and Future King," no person was untouchable every man, women, and child displayed hatred and love, and by showing these qualities humanity could be seen and appreciated.

Although this was my first experience with the novel form of the Arthurian legend, I thought I would be bored because I knew the storyline from the Disney movie. The Once and Future King by T.H. White is much more than that though. The book is divided into 4 sections - The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
The Sword in the Stone basically goes through Wart/Arthur's childhood to the point where he becomes the king of England by pulling the sword from the stone. This section of the book was the only one with good character development. We watched the very mellow, easy-going Wart get picked on and hassled by Kay, saw his adventurous side in his ordeal with Robin 'ood, and watched as he matured with Merlin. King Pellinore's character emerged as the one in the book who would provide the laughs. His whole quest for the Questing Beast made me laugh out loud.
The second book is the most necessary for understanding the story. It tells of the problems of the four Orkneys - Gawaine, Agravaine, Gaheris, and Gareth. All four have severe emotional problems as a result of the neglect from their mother, which play key parts in the story. Also, the idea of the Round Table begins, and in the end of the story the table plays a vital role in the kingdom.
Book three had the most action in the story. Lancelot came to Camelot as the best knight ever, and went around purging all evil in the kingdom of Arthur. My favorite incident in this scene was when he defeated Sir Turquine and saved all the knights. This is very symbolic of how Lancelot fought for Right not just for popularity.
The fourth book concentrated mostly on Mordred's plan to destroy Arthur's kingdom. It showed the steps he took to persuade Agravaine to join him and catch Lancelot with Guenever. I will not reveal what happens in the end, but everyone should definitely read this book to find out what happens.

People of all ages are fascinated by the legend of King Arthur. The novel is split into four sections: The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind. Put together, these sections tell of Arthur's life-long struggle and, in the end, tragedy.
The Wart, Arthur's nickname as a child, is tutored by a magical wizard named Merlyn. Merlyn teaches him various lessons by turning him into different kinds of animals. White uses a subtle humor in this section which adds to the grand adventures of Arthur's as grows older.
The second section in the novel is where we are first presented with the issue of Might being Right. Merlyn's influence on the subject is strong. This in turn makes Arthur act upon his thoughts for changing the kingdom's laws. In this section of the novel we also learn of the Orkney Faction and Morgause, Arthur's step-sister. They play a major role in the downfall of Arthur's utopian kingdom dream.
The Ill-Made Knight, the third section in the novel, involves the addition of Lancelot to the knights of the Round Table. He has a love affair with Guenever, Arhtur's wife. Despite his knowledge of the affair, Arthur chooses not to act upon it for the punishment would be death for Guenever under the new laws of the kingdom. But when Mordred, Arthur's son, insists he persue this matter, he does. He reminds himself that Might is Right.
Piece after piece, Arthur's creation of the perfect kingdom diminishes. And in the last section, The Candle in the Wind, is where everything comes crumbling down. Arhtur goes to battle against his own son and looks back upon his life and realizes that it was a failure. This legend, though truly amazing, is indeed a complete tragedy. Through White's work, it is plan to see that Merlyn and he are very similar in that they both believe so strongly in the purpose of a good education.

Political allegory played a tremendous part of T.H. White's Once and Future King. While using many variations to convey his point through numerous characters, White brings about the underlying meaning in the search for justice. Wart learns many lessons throughout all of Merlyn's teachings. Possibly the most valuable lesson, and a subject that was brought up many times, was that of war. During Warts experience with the Mews and Cully, he is first exposed to an infantry that is assembled throughout the birds. Cully makes a statement drawing the reader back into more present time, about "Bolsheviks, politicians, administration, and racism." All which were possible aspects of war at one time of another. In Arthurs search for might against right, he encounters the facts of all the lower class men giving their lives in war at his order. It is not the Knights, who carry all the glory, whos lives are at risk, but instead it is the ground soildiers who are slaughtered and fight the "true battle." As Arthur is encountered with different problems, he is given the task of choosing what is right from wrong. The affair between Lancelot and Guenever is obvious to everyone in the story. However Arthur struggles with accepting the betrail of his wife, and most trusted knight. He chooses to let his son deal with the problem unveiling his one weakness. His inability to confront those closest to to him. This is shown throughout his life from the troubles with Kay, to the affair. White continually uses medieval words that are often difficult to understand throughout the book. However this vocabulary is contrasting to the present-day refrences, and similes drawing the reader back into the novel. Over all the novel was worth reading. Not because of the overlying story and tales of Arthurian legend, but the hidden meaning that can only be found in the heart of the reader.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White is the story of King Arthur of England and the rise and fall of his reign. What I liked most about this book wasn't just White's wonderful story telling. What I enjoyed most was its humor and the overall witty atmosphere. The novel is divided into four books that chronologically tell the story of Arthur and his accomplishments.
Book One "The Sword and the Stone" is the story of Wart becoming the King of England. Growing up without a father Wart thinks of himself as sort of an outcast. He becomes his best friend Kay's squire and he soon wishes he could be a knight. Later on, he pulls a sword from a stone making him King of England.
Book Two "The Queen of Air and Darkness" begins Arthur's reign as King of England. He established the Round Table and a code of chivalry making every knight fight for what should be done instead of what can be done. When his reign seems to reach his peak, he accidentally makes love to his sister, Morgause, while under a spell and she has their child, Mordred who signifies the beginning of Arthur's fall.
Book Three "The Ill-Made Knight" is the story of Sir Lancelot and his entrance into the Round Table and also into the lives of Arthur and his wife Guenever. He soon has an affair with Guenever that Arthur tries his hardest not to face. As the code of chivalry seems to fail, Arthur sends his knights in search of the Holy Grail. Lancelot begins to follow God during the journey.
Book Four "A Candle in the Wind" is the final book and tells the story of the fall of Arthur. I would continue, but this book concludes the novel and summarizes all that had lead to this point and I would therefore "spoil" the ending.
Overall, what I thought of as an assignment for school soon became an absolute joy to read and I recommend this book to anyone in need of an adventure.

Other than the Bible, this is my favorite book. Each time I read it, I get something different from it. One time I will see the philosophy of T. H. White, the next time a good love story, the next an excellent book for my pre-teen daughter. This was the legend that Lerner and Lowe used for "Camelot," and Disney used the first section for "The Sword and the Stone."
If you are only going to read one book on the Arthurian legend, read this one. Once you have, you will not need to read any others.

The Once and Future King is and imaginative fantasy in which many of today's fairy tales are based on. You can find Whites characters in many story books for children and even in Disney films. This novel is full of magic, mystery, war, and romance. A book with this much variety is sure to strike up any reader's interest. In the story, Arthur struggles to meet his unexpected destiny.
In The Sword and the Stone (the first section of the book) Wart, the main character is a young and adventurous boy who gets lost in the forest when him and a friend go hawking and then lose track of the bird. He finds Merlyn in a tiny cottage way out in the forest all by its self once Wart mentions he is in need of a tutor Merlyn says he is more than happy to tutor Wart. Before you know it he's being taught life changing lessons by none other than the great wizard Merlyn, himself. By being taught by Merlyn, Wart learns some spectacular things and is able to observe the world through many different points of view. Throughout the book Wart grows a newfound respect for him, others, and life which makes it easier to tolerate his best friend Kay who is a self centered jealous little brat. Kay is at his worst towards the end of the story.
This novel is not only intriguing but will keep the reader interested for sometime. With all the suspense and mystery it's hard to even put this classic down. Although it seems that during The Sword and The Stone the plot becomes blurry, as if things are happening one after another with no key destination. Fortunately it all sums up in the end. If the author had just given some more clarification his in depth details, and colorful characters could really have came to life. All in all T.H. Whites work is nothing less than remarkable.

I loved this book. It is bittersweet, wise, and even beautiful. Don't read this book if you want bloody battles and great daring-do, although there are some of those. This book is about life and Arthur and Guineverre and Lancelot and how imperfect people are. It is also about what it means to be a hero, a leader, and a decent human being.

I will agree with another reviewer and say that at times, although the language is wonderful, it is difficult to read, but everything in this book has a point that is revelant to these characters or the story.

There is a reason that this book is a classic and that most of us read it in English class. put simply, it is one of the best. The book is worth reading just for the description of jousting. 20 years later I still laugh to myself just thinking about the profoundly hilarious point of view so eloquently revealed in this book.
Other King Arthur books may have longer dialogues and plot development but this book is great at introducing the characters in the myth to new audiences. Enjoy!

When I started reading The Once and Future King, I was very confused and unsure of what was going on. But I soon caught on to White's unique style of writing and I began to see his true storytelling genius break through. This book is unique in how it cleverly combines stories of love, action, adventure, and chivalry into one, and how they all flow together to explain, (sometimes in great detail), the struggles and successes of King Arthur.

The book is split into four parts, the first being about the life of young Arthur, (a.k.a. the Wart), and about the amazing things he learned from the odd, yet intriguingly brilliant Merlin. It ends with the momentous event in which Arthur pulls the sword from the stone, becoming the King of England at a very young age.

The second part introduces you to the evil Queen Morgause and the Orkneys, a family that, throughout the book, is constantly affecting King Arthur in some way or another. The Round Table is born, and the knights come from all over to take part.

In the third book, Sir Lancelot Dulac is of main focus; his pains and emotions, his triumphs and mistakes, and his need for perfection. This book is very deep and interesting, involving a vicious love triangle and a troubled friendship.

The fourth and final part of the story, ("The Candle in the Wind"), is the most intense and difficult to read part of the book. It is here that Arthur's "mistake" son Mordred's evil plots begin to take effect, causing even more pain and suffering for Arthur, including times of almost impossible decisions that he must make, involving the lives of his own loved ones and others. You will be completely shocked at times, trying to take in everything that White throws at you. With many dark occurrences and deaths of much loved characters, this last book can be very intense and saddening for many. Although this last part can be hard to grasp at times, the ingenious thoughts poured into it by White will astound you constantly and cause you to really truly ponder certain aspects of life and love.

Speaking of the book in general, I must give credit to White for his brilliant characters. Each and every character in this book has his or her own unique personality, whether bad or good, and can many times cause you to become attached to them and to really feel what they feel. They are so amazingly created that their lives become important to you and their deaths depressing. I even despised the evil characters as if they were true-to-life people.

As you can see, this book has many great features, and has the ability to be a great read for any person to pick it up. But along with its good features, it also has its weaknesses. While reading this book, I only noticed one. It can be incredibly slow and difficult to read at some times, which may be a discerning fact for many readers. But if you can fight through them, the reward will be great. These slow parts can even be important or interesting at times, so therefore can be very profitable to read. You can think of this book as an AP or accelerated class: it can be a long, difficult struggle at times, but in the end the benefits outnumber the downsides at incredible levels.

I strongly encourage readers of any age from 10+ to try this book. It amazed me so many times that I will probably re-read it as many times as possible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

As powerful as Tolkien, and as erudite. The background material on the realities of the Middle Ages are woven into the fictional narrative masterfully. White is among the top per mille of the writers of the 20th century. Read this. Love it. Be humanized.

T.H. White's The Once and Future King is a modern retelling of the legend of King Arthur. It covers Arthur's boyhood to his impending death. The entire book revolves around the tragedy of Arthur and his grand ideas, and the central concept is that of "sin coming home to roost". It is divided into four books, The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
The Sword in the Stone is the story of Merlyn's tutorship of a young Arthur, nicknamed the Wart. White's use of animal experiences to teach the Wart is extremely creative. It is only in the first book that White shows us what Arthur is actually thinking and feeling. This too is interesting, since in the last three books we are reduced to guessing Arthur's feelings. White may have been overly descriptive in this book, but he is never really boring and nearly everything is relevant. This book was slow moving in places, but t was bearable because one easily realizes that, although slow, the book is always flowing toward the main point.
The Queen of Air and Darkness introduces us to the Orkney clan, of which Gawaine is the leader. Along the same lines as White's meandering style, is his use of different sets of characters that are slowly drawn together, and by the end of the story all sets are interacting with each other as one cast. White also continues the pattern he started when he showed us Arthur as a child, to show us the Orkneys' childhood. By watching the characters grow up, White is able to help us understand the behavior of the Orkneys as adults, which is crucial to the tragedy of Arthur. At the same time as we watch the development of the Orkneys, we see Arthur miles away in England, where he is finally learning to think for himself. If White had shown us the development of the Orkneys at the same time as we saw Arthur's childhood, he may have been able to spare many of his more impatient readers the boredom of watching characters evolve. The audience White wrote the book for, public-school educated English boys, was probably more able to appreciate the subtle refinements than most of the people who have posted online reviews of the book.
In The Ill-Made Knight, Lancelot is introduced to us as a friend of Arthur. I couldn't expect White to make such a drastic change in the story just to appease people like me, but all the same I was disgusted by Lancelot's disloyalty and wished the part of Lancelot and Guenevere could have been left out. At first it seemed that Lancelot had the right idea, when he tried to tell himself that his honor, duty, and loyalty wouldn't permit him to betray his friend. Though it was no fault of White's I was disgusted by this part of the legend. White's attempts to reconcile the two lovers in the eyes of people like me only infuriated me more, however. White shouldn't have tried to explain, let alone defend, the two traitors.
Although the last book, The Candle in the Wind, was where we saw the tragedy actually unfold, I thought that Gawaine's behavior was better than I had seen anywhere else in the book from any other character. It seemed that White tried to make Gawaine a character that gave the reader great grief, but I thought that Gawaine was a great friend to Arthur, perhaps not a great friend, since he drove Arthur to war with Lancelot, but definately the best friend Arthur had. Gawaine was fiercely loyal to anything he believed in, as we saw with his actions regarding his family and Arthur. White did a good job presenting characters at carefully chosen places on the spectrum. Gawaine is so loyal at times as to seem stupid. Lancelot had qualms, but actions speak louder than words and the point is that Lancelot did betray Arthur. We never heard Guenever express a single regret for betraying Arthur.
I thought the book was well written and had several excellent lessons. "Sin coming home to roost" was shown in almost every relationship in the book, most notably Arthur and Mordred and Lancelot and Guenevere. Loyalty and disloyalty were also predominant themes, and we saw the consequences of disloyalty in Arthur's downfall. Excellent themes like these distract the attention from the style and readability of the author, however, which were both also very good.

I'll confess that this was the first literary piece of Arthurian Legend that I read. I was a young adult at the time. After reading this I have gone on to read a number of other versions of Arthur's world. I've taken them all at their own worth and they have contributed to my Arthurian "knowledge". However I will say that I've used T.H. White's version as the benchmark for all others. This is an incredibly well written and presented story of Arthur. And as the title of this review says. It is the beginning point of all modern Arthurian Legend coverage for me and all others are measured by it. Read The Once and Future King/Book of Merlin, learn all the names and places, timelines and events. This will give you the basis for going on to explore any/all other Arthurian works.
Following this I'd recommend Mary Stewart's trilogy. But only after you read Once and Future King/Book of Merlin first.

The Once and Future King is a book filled with underlying meanings, ostensible purposes, and subtle humor. It is the story of King Arthur and his Round Table, which fights against Might. The book is divided into four different sections, each of which plays a vital role in developing the plot so to build up to the climax of Arthur's inevitable downfall. The four sections each have their own respective subplots to further develop each character.
The first book, The Sword In The Stone, focuses on Arthur's, then known as Wart, lessons from Merlyn as his tutor. This section is filled with humor and might be the best of the four parts. Merlyn states, "Education is experience" (46); therefore, Merlyn transforms Arthur into such things as a hawk, a fish, a bird, and an ant. Each lesson provides Arthur with experience, which plays an essential role in preparing him for his kingship, something he isn't even aware of yet. One of the most intriguing lessons is from the ants. T.H. White is comparing the ants to the Nazis. The ants live a monotonous life by doing whatever the person above them commands them to do without even thinking about it. To quote a line from Jurassic Park, "They were too busy trying to see if they could, they didn't stop and think if they should." Arthur becomes aware of how war is only existent because of one basic belief both from the ants and from the bird that befriends Arthur Lyo-lyok. He is too immature to comprehend the most important lesson he receives. "Which did you like best," he asked, "the ants of the wild geese?" (194) is the question that will play a key role in Arthur's growth. This book can be a learning experience for the reader as well as it confronts issues that some of us can be afraid to discuss. After reading this section the books isn't filled with as much humor but rather extends on the plot.
The second book, The Queen of Air and Darkness, begins as Arthur starts his reign. Arthur's way of gaining the throne is unconventional one and thus, Merlyn is worried about attacks from neighboring areas with the intent of overthrowing him. Arthur demonstrated his lack of maturity when he replied to Merlyn's worries of attacks by saying, "Let them come," replied the King. "I don't mind. I will beat them properly this time, and then we will see who is master" (221). His lack of maturity will prove to be a major characteristic on how Arthur will encounter problems during his reign. At some points Arthur displays maturity, namely when Merlyn makes him think by himself whether Might is truly Right, but there is never a definitive time when he has the true qualities which would make him a successful ruler. He was brought onto the throne too quickly and too young and because of his abnormal claim to kingship, he is forced to endure rough times as he learns and grows. The third book, The Ill-Made Knight, is aimed almost entirely around Lancelot. It talks about both his good and bad side in order to entirely explain the true person he is. Lancelot has his dark side and his good side. He relies on the fact that he is the best knight in the world to always give him strength when he feels weak. Because of this feat, he is a prominent member of Arthur's Round Table and is his closest friend. Even this can't prepare him for what is to come. The events that take place during the Crusade for the Holy Grail will change Lancelot into a whole different mentality, which will lead to a series of important conflicts. The fourth book, The Candle In The Wind, describes the tragic ending to a novel filled with happiness, despair, adventure, education, and sorrow. Each character has a downfall, but not all of them realize it and vow to improve upon it. Mordred and his colleagues tried to devise a plan to give him control of the kingdom. Lancelot realizes how horrible his mistakes were and the traumatic effect that are soon to follow. He has to deal with a horrible revelation that shocks him and makes him re-evaluate his life. Just as a candle in the wind won't stay lit, Arthur can't remain a dignified king with all that he has or has not done in regards to Might and Right on his conscience. Overall, each chapter makes connections to significant events that take place; however, some chapters, or parts of, can seem rather tedious to read and boring. This is a book that everyone should read at some point because of its issues that it discusses. I would recommend as a book to almost everyone except for children because they wouldn't understand the subtle humor of King Pellinore and the brutal comparisons made between Mordred and the ants to the S.S. and the Nazis. This back can convey a different meaning to everyone. That's the greatness of it. Anyone can read it multiple times and pick up new meanings to the same thing each time. Even after completing the book, some of the meanings of particular events remain rather vague. This is the only downfall to this book. Each of the four books keeps the reader full of anticipation as to what is to come. There is a lot of humor that can ease the process of reading this long novel, specifically in the adventures of King Pellinore in his hunt for the Questing Beast. In the end Arthur realizes all that he has done and what he has yet to do to improve upon that, hence the nickname "The Once and Future King". Even though Arthur is a part of the past and the future, will he end up being the best there was and the best there ever will be?

Four books comprise this epic of the life of King Arthur, from his childhood, when Merlyn was teaching him to gain other perspectives by transforming him into animals (Disney had a field day with that one) to his future as king dealing with dark witches and double-crossing relatives and betrayal by Lancelot and Guinevere.

White has a dry sense of humor and many wonderful insights into human nature, as well as a deep understanding of the theory of swordsmanship and chivalry to imbue the adventures with a sense of historical accuracy. I love this kind of stuff, and The Once and Future King is a classic.

I though The Once and Future King was excellent because I told the real, uncut, tale of the true Arthur Pendragon and the Knights of the Round Table, along with the significance of it. Although T.O.A.F.K was boring in certain chapters, I think it gave you alot of insight into the life and times of King Arthur as well as more or less tell and show you that he was a real person with feelings and hang-ups just like the rest of us in this world. All in all I greatly loved and appreciated the novel.

I was assigned this book for a summer reading assignment, and I could not put it down once I had read a few chapters. This book starts out somewhat slow, but it eventually grows like a snowball rolling down a hill. This book by itself is very interesting, with a lot about knights, magic, and jousting, but the real message of the book is found under the layers of fancy armor. The Once and Future King is a book full of hidden meanings and messages about war, education, politics, and religion. T. H. White is an expert at developing his characters. After a while, I began to identify with Arthur, Merlyn, and Lancelot, as if they were real people. This is an excellent book that caters to many audiences. You can read it for the themes that the book discusses, or you can just pick it up if you want an interesting medieval tale. I liked this book for its ideas about Might and Right, which Arthur discusses throughout the book, and I even found some helpful advice about education and perseverance that pertained to my own life. "The best thing for being sad is to learn something . . . you could spend fifty years learning to beat your adversary in fencing" (185-186).

T.H. White's The Once and Future King is a modern retelling of the legend of King Arthur. It covers Arthur's boyhood to his impending death. The entire book revolves around the tragedy of Arthur and his grand ideas, and the central concept is that of "sin coming home to roost". It is divided into four books, The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
The Sword in the Stone is the story of Merlyn's tutorship of a young Arthur, nicknamed the Wart. White's use of animal experiences to teach the Wart is extremely creative. It is only in the first book that White shows us what Arthur is actually thinking and feeling. This too is interesting, since in the last three books we are reduced to guessing Arthur's feelings. White may have been overly descriptive in this book, but he is never really boring and nearly everything is relevant. This book was slow moving in places, but t was bearable because one easily realizes that, although slow, the book is always flowing toward the main point.
The Queen of Air and Darkness introduces us to the Orkney clan, of which Gawaine is the leader. Along the same lines as White's meandering style, is his use of different sets of characters that are slowly drawn together, and by the end of the story all sets are interacting with each other as one cast. White also continues the pattern he started when he showed us Arthur as a child, to show us the Orkneys' childhood. By watching the characters grow up, White is able to help us understand the behavior of the Orkneys as adults, which is crucial to the tragedy of Arthur. At the same time as we watch the development of the Orkneys, we see Arthur miles away in England, where he is finally learning to think for himself. If White had shown us the development of the Orkneys at the same time as we saw Arthur's childhood, he may have been able to spare many of his more impatient readers the boredom of watching characters evolve. The audience White wrote the book for, public-school educated English boys, was probably more able to appreciate the subtle refinements than most of the people who have posted online reviews of the book.
In The Ill-Made Knight, Lancelot is introduced to us as a friend of Arthur. I couldn't expect White to make such a drastic change in the story just to appease people like me, but all the same I was disgusted by Lancelot's disloyalty and wished the part of Lancelot and Guenevere could have been left out. At first it seemed that Lancelot had the right idea, when he tried to tell himself that his honor, duty, and loyalty wouldn't permit him to betray his friend. Though it was no fault of White's I was disgusted by this part of the legend. White's attempts to reconcile the two lovers in the eyes of people like me only infuriated me more, however. White shouldn't have tried to explain, let alone defend, the two traitors.
Although the last book, The Candle in the Wind, was where we saw the tragedy actually unfold, I thought that Gawaine's behavior was better than I had seen anywhere else in the book from any other character. It seemed that White tried to make Gawaine a character that gave the reader great grief, but I thought that Gawaine was a great friend to Arthur, perhaps not a great friend, since he drove Arthur to war with Lancelot, but definately the best friend Arthur had. Gawaine was fiercely loyal to anything he believed in, as we saw with his actions regarding his family and Arthur. White did a good job presenting characters at carefully chosen places on the spectrum. Gawaine is so loyal at times as to seem stupid. Lancelot had qualms, but actions speak louder than words and the point is that Lancelot did betray Arthur. We never heard Guenever express a single regret for betraying Arthur.
I thought the book was well written and had several excellent lessons. "Sin coming home to roost" was shown in almost every relationship in the book, most notably Arthur and Mordred and Lancelot and Guenevere. Loyalty and disloyalty were also predominant themes, and we saw the consequences of disloyalty in Arthur's downfall. Excellent themes like these distract the attention from the style and readability of the author, however, which were both also very good.

This book is almost too good for words! I read "The Once and Future King" as a school project when I was a teenager. Never did I enjoy homework so much! T.H. White had me hanging on every word of this wonderfully done version of the story of King Arthur. Of particular interest was the attention paid to Lancelot. White brought this character alive and made him a living, breathing being. After reading this book as a young man I was dazzled with thoughts of chivalry and virtuous conduct. It really enriched my life. "The Once and Future King" is truly great literature! Buy this book now and bring a brilliant piece of olde English lore into your world.

This book overall was a very good book and I enjoyed it very much but the only draw back was that the descriptions of some of the scenes were very long and got boring after reading a page of them. Other than that i cannot think of any reason why someone would not like this book.
In the beginning of the book it starts out from The Sword in the Stone. Which we see wart Arthur is really like and we see what kind of person he will become. This is also where they go into long detail about the scene and what it is like because they have to explain every new scene that Arthur goes through as he changes from animal to insect and so on.
The book picks up from here and goes into Arthurs first years as king and his new ideas and what he has to do to achieve his goals that he has set. In this time of the book it often switches off between 2 diffrent characters and that is the 3 knights including Sir Grummermore, and the King Arthur. Some people really hate this because they always go to another scene when it get's to the good part but i think it is always worth it because when you do read what happens next it is always rewarding.
Now in this section in the book it is the end of King Arthurs reign and he is slowly declining from power and it is sad to see the king that was once so strong now slowly fading away.
Overall I thought this was a great book and I recommend it to everyone that enjoys reading.

First of all, if you are going to read this book you have really got to forget this "real King Arthur" thing and just accept the book as a fictional story as another reviewer said. Now, saying that this book is well written is an understatement. As you read, the text begins to flow in a very smooth ryhthm. TH white paints a lovely painting about this legend. This was also good because the language was modernized to fit anyone who wants to read it today. Many people do not know that the Arthurian legend can be compared to Carl Jung's archetypes. For example-the paradoxical unity of the King/Queen power coupling. The energies of a warrior, a Magician, a coward, a hero, a weakling, a know it all trickster, an addicted lover, etc. King Arthur is the land and the land is King Arthur. A good king gives life to things, while a tyrant takes it away. And when the King is powerful so is the land. When King Arthur found out about Sir Lancelot's betrayel, and Guenivere's disloyalty, King Arthur becomes a miserable weakling. Then the land has a huge swelling famine. So what does King Arthur do about it? He goes on a quest, to seek the Holy Grail. And whether or not they ever get the grail, the Knights are reunited;and the land's greatness is restored. This book is more than just a bedtime story, it is a portrate of human traits. People beings need images such as these,it's human nature.

The Once and Future King was an excellent book. It contained a deep and unraveling plot with many sub-plots and diversions, legendary locales, and well rounded characters. Most entertaining of all was the fact that you could relate to the characters as if you were going through their trials and tribulations.
The plot of the story takes some twists and encompasses four sub-books. The sub-books transcend King Arthur's life from the time he is a small boy (when he is referred to condescendingly as "The Wart") to his later years as King of Camelot. The first and third books are arguably the most entertaining. The first one deals with Wart and his tutor, Merlyn the Magician. The third book deals with Arthur's most powerful and loyal knight, Sir Lancelot Dulac, and is my favorite choice out of the four.
It is this character development within that makes OFK special. All the characters appear real if you delve into their personalities long enough, and their troubles and happiness seem to relate to you. The characteristic developments of Arthur occur in the first all the way to the last book, as he matures and faces the trials of his life, including his knowledge of the affair his wife, Guenever, and Lancelot are having. The knowledge of the affair yet the love for both people wage war inside of his mind as he contemplates his feelings.
Another interesting aspect of the book deals with Arthur's experiences in the first sub--book as various kinds of animals. Not just entertaining, Arthur's changes into multiples types of creatures proves to be extremely philosophical. When Wart is turned into a fish, he observes the teachings of monarchy and royalty. As he is turned into an Ant, he toils in the narrow-mindedness and single-views of the dictatorship. As he is turned into a bird, he revels in the democracy and freedom the animals possess. All of these aspects nurture Wart and teach him about the real world that exists in human society, such as war, dictatorship, and democracy. These guide him in his quest to unify England and establish civil law under the impression that Might is not Right.
These characteristics of the book are what really drew me to engage in reading it, as the 640 page novel appeared a little daunting in the beginning. All in all, I probably wouldn't have to read it again to fully enjoy it, as the effects of reading it do not need to be absorbed again because of the mastery of writing itself.

Most people remember the legend of Arthur, an English king from some century past, his sword Excalibur, his glorious Round Table, and, of course, Merlyn, his trusted teacher and advisor. In this novel, T.H. White retells the magnificent Arthurian legend with accuracy and ardor. He brings to life the mysterious affair between his wife, Guenever, and his most trusted knight and friend, Lancelot. He brilliantly captivates and explores Arthur's plan for civilizing Britain and bringing it into the Middle Ages. Among other things, he also throws in references to the twentieth century, especially the war era, because that was the time when the book was written, either in the form of allusion or anachronisms. Either way, White will pull you in and even amuse you at times, and the whole time he is building on the whole of the novel, the heart of his writing masterpiece.
The book is actually four books combined into an anthology that was put together in 1958. They are titled "The Sword in the Stone", "The Queen of Air and Darkness", "The Ill-Made Knight", and "The Candle in the Wind", respectively. Each deals with a certain era of Arthur's life, and a different step in his education and civilization process.
The characters in the novel are quite deep and hard to grasp, especially that of Lancelot. His mind works in such a way that it is hard to understand his reasoning, which makes Book Three a challenge to read and understand why it is there, why it is part of a novel about King Arthur. It is there because Lancelot was the King's friend, and it is because of his complexity and the way he thinks that the King meets his end the way he does.
Overall, this book is such an exciting read that it is impossible to say one knows everything about Arthur and not have read it. There is so much information presented in so many ways that it is a must for literary and fantasy buffs alike. Not only does this book cover the legend of Arthur, the Round Table, Lancelot and Guenever, and the Holy Grail, but it comments on society and the human race in its entirety.

I strongly recommend The Once and Future King by Terence Hanbury White to anyone who is interested in Arthurian Legend or just someone that is looking for a good piece of literature and a good read. The Once and Future King really is a literary masterpiece. The hostile world that King Arthur lived in is very clearly and accurately presented in White's book. From jousting knights to kings and queens, this book has it all, and more. This book truly illustrates the life of King Arthur and his many quests and adventures. It's diverse dialect, and intriguing stories, make the pages fly by. You simply can not put this book down. It is a story of love, adventure, deception, and chivalry, all the qualities of a great book. This book can also be related to today. Its main them of Right over Might, can be easily inserted in today's everyday problems. This book's moral is one of the strongest and most widely used in the world. The fight for justice that is displayed in this book should be incorporated in everyday life. Anyone who is willing to sacrifice a little time will truly benefit from reading this book.

The Once and Future King is an intricate, brilliantly composed novel that any wisdom-thirsting reader should enjoy. In this literary masterpiece, T.H. White combines the ancient legend of Arthur, Lancelot, Guenever, and the Knights of the Round Table with ethical themes found in feudal and modern societies alike. Through the Arthurian framework, White is enabled to convey a somber message about human nature's many vices while upholding an engaging and mirthful plot.
One quality of this book that I greatly benefited from was the combination of modern events and factoids with the familiar story of England's greatest monarch. Arthur's teacher, Merlyn, in deference to his "weakness for humanity", often uses contemporary occurrences to demonstrate philosophical viewpoints:
" `Very interesting,' (Merlyn) said in a trembling voice. `Very interesting. There was just such a man when I was young- an Austrian who invented a new way of life and convinced himself that he was the chap to make it work. He tried to impose his reformation by the sword, and plunged the civilized world into misery and chaos. But the thing which this fellow overlooked, my friend, was that he had a predecessor in the reformation business, called Jesus Christ" (266-267).
This reference to Hitler along with numerous other modern allusions help the reader understand Arthur's dilemmas, while giving the writing a humorous tone because of obvious anachronism.
By the end of Book IV, the jovial mood of Books I and II has all but dissipated, and Arthur finds that his efforts to change civilization have failed because of one major human flaw: imperfection. But even this dreadful feeling of futility does not extinguish the flame that Arthur lit. Instead, it gives him hope for the peace and perfection of future generations.
This book is not an easy read, but if you really strive to understand the deeper meanings woven into this remarkable tale, you will find the reading of T.H. White's The Once and Future King an enlightening and gratifying experience.

Somehow, I missed this classic when growing up, so when my daughter was assigned this book for her eighth grade honors English course, I eagerly picked it up. I was well rewarded for my efforts.
The Sword in the Stone, the most famous of the quartet and the first, was for me the least interesting, perhaps because of its lack of driving conflict. It concerns the education of Arthur, called The Wart, in often hilarious scenes as Merlyn sets out to instruct him in the way of all creatures.
The Queen of Air and Darkness is a better story than the first, though it lacks the substance of the two later books. It tells of the history and childhood of the Orkney clan (Sirs Gawaine, Gaheris, Agravaine, Gareth, and Mordred) as well as preparing for the emotional battles about to begin.
The Ill-Made Knight is simply brilliant, giving Sir Lancelot a humanity I never thought possible, not for a knight living in legend. The love triangle of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenever (called Gwen by Arthur and Jenny by Lancelot) is given life and understanding, real force. When I finished this book, I had to stop and swallow all the angst and love before I could continue.
A Candle in the Wind begins with some of the most monotonous descriptive writing possible, with White devoting ten solid pages to Lancelot and Guenever looking out a window onto medieval England. I began to believe that White was desperate to incorporate all his research. Once the story got going, however, I couldn't put it down as the tragedy of King Arthur's life unfolded.
Although these four separately published books are often described as a modern retelling of the legend of King Arthur, readers should be aware that they were written in the late thirties and early forties, a time when readers tackled demanding reading more readily than people do today. Do not expect to breeze through the volumes; even The Sword in the Stone, long regarded as a children's classic, is written in language far too complicated and scenes much too descriptive for a casual reader. White engages in expository pages - about Arthur's philosophy, the history of the feudal system, the evolution of courts of law, etc. - that for me watered down the narrative drive. This is my reason for taking away a star from the rating.
The characters, however, are drawn with precision. I took delight in White's imagining of Sir Gawaine ("Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight", if you can remember from freshman English) and his rough-and-tumble brothers. Lancelot and Guenever are drawn with affectionate details of their strengths and failings. Mordred is a wonderfully villain, a man both mad and cunning, with a history that makes his actions seem not only believable but inevitable. Arthur, too, is given flesh, although his generosity and lack of brilliance make him less interesting than the others.
I could write on and on about this book, but the store.com has a word limit. Read The Once and Future King, and see for yourself.

T.H. White has here taken perhaps the greatest of legends and reshaped it into a masterpeice of his own. The Once and Future King managed to captivate me, and engage my entire emotional spectrum. From anger to glee, from laughter to malaise, I was deeply moved in many ways (that rhyme was entirely unintentional). The story is that of King Arthur, with staples such as Le Mort D'Arthur drawn on for the overall direction, but with several unique variations. The result is an instant classic, and a must have for any Arthurian enthusiast. White brings life and passion to the, at times, dry account first chronicled by Mallory. He introduces comic relief in the form of King Pellinore and Glatisant, and puts a wholly new sping on the King Arthur/ Lancelot/ Guinevere love triangle. My only complaint (with which many may disagree) is that much of the myth is left out, or reffered to without actual detail. I realize it is within White's artistic liberty to do, but I would have liked for him to have cut less out. Otherwise a splendid tale, fully deserving of four and a half stars (though I can give only four due to the store's rating system).

The story of King Arthur is well known by many people throughout the world. From his beginnings as a young boy with his magician friend Merlyn, to his chance success of pulling a mystical sword out of a stone, people have heard of the young Arthur. Tales of his grown-up exploits, however, are a little less known. Of course, there is the storied Camelot and Sir Lancelot, but the dark underside of this seemingly happy story was not always revealed. Perhaps since there have been so many adaptations of this story, each retelling has different details. In the Once and Future King, written by T.H. White, Sir Lancelot is not a dashing knight, and the goings-on in Camelot are not always happy. Stories of deceit, adultery, and betrayal are mixed in with tales of bravery, love, and happiness. King Arthur goes from glowing successes to disparaging depressions. In one of the later of the four books (this printing of the Once and Future King is the four novels written by Mr. White combined into one), the disfigured Lancelot, whom is likened to Quasimoto, falls in love with Guenever, Arthur's wife, and they have a rather lengthy affair that acts as a stumbling point between Arthur and them. Initially, I wasn't expecting such an action to have occurred in a story that seemed to feature nothing but happiness, but there are quite a few darkly themed storylines. However, the dark mood that some of the book possesses is also counteracted by the cheery mood of other moments. The first book, the well-known Sword In The Stone, especially is very cheerful and sets a false tone for the rest of the book to follow up on. In fact, this book starts off much like the life of a common person might - from innocence to stories of guilt. Arthur learns along the way from his experiences and the people around him. Lucky enough for us, T.H. White has written a phenomenal story so that we too can learn and experience right along with King Arthur himself.

When I first began reading this book I was a little skeptic about it. Then when I got to about page ten I realized this book was going to be good. I did not know, however, that this would be the best peice of literature I would ever read. This book of four stories in one is a very accurate tale of Arthur and his kingdom because it is not always happy. White was not afraid to write about the dark times of Camelot. The fourth and final section of the book is a dark recollection of the final days of Camelot and its king. All four stories are great and that is why I gave it five stars.

The Once and Future King is a masterfully written novel with many intricacies and subplots. It can be read by anyone and be thoroughly enjoyed, if the reader does not expect an action packed book. I, as a matter of fact, felt that there was a lack of a gripping quality or objective that many of these stories have, but now I have seen it in a different light. T. H. White holds true to the original Morte d' Arthur by Tomas Malory and the legend of the fifth century Arthur. It is also very influential, where all other tellings of the legend are judged by it.
White has a very unique, cheerful, writing style. It is very colloquial and seems conversational. Using this style he adds comparisons to contemporary objects and ideas. For example, he makes references to today's forests and even to a lawnmower.
The characters in The Once and Future King are extremely well developed. They seem like they are actual human beings reacting realistically with each other. They have incredibly real conflicts and problems. Arthur begins in the first book, The Sword in the Stone as an innocent, idealistic, however naive little boy. He seems to be forgiving and accepting. He develops into an idealistic king who wants to harness and use Might for the establishment of Right. Merlin, a prominent figure in the book, lives backwards, which makes him forgetful, but insightful. His insight makes him an incredible teacher to Arthur in his youth. Lancelot is a very peculiar character. He is ugly and looks at himself as a bad and sinful person. This concept is what motivates him to do good. The other people are characterized very well also, but not in such detail.
There are four books in this classic story, The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
The Sword in the Stone Is the most famous book in the series. It is about Arthur in his youth, first learning about the world about him. He grows up in a quasi paradise of Sir Ector's castle. He completes his first quest of finding a tutor, Merlin who turns young Arthur into many different animals, each one teaching him a moral lesson. For example, when Merlin turns Arthur into a goose, he learns that wars are just fought over imaginary lines, essentially nothing. This is an incredible message, reaching beyond the character and to the reader himself. At the end of this book, Arthur pulls the sword from the anvil and is crowned King of all England.
This is a very enjoyable book, especially with all of the adventures that Arthur experiences. These events help shape Arthur as King and as a character in the book.
The Queen of Air and Darkness is mainly about Queen Morgause Arthur's half-sister and her four sons, Agravaine, Gawaine, Gaheris, and Gareth. This book is the most graphic of all the books. It includes a cat being boiled alive. It also talks about Morgause's seduction of Arthur and the birth of their son Mordred. In the beginning Merlin teaches Kay and Arthur a valuable lesson about the history of the British islands and about Chivalry and Might for Right. It is on these ideals that Arthur bases his round table.
The Ill Made Knight is about Lancelot. The book begins with Lancelot being knighted and falling in love with Guinevere. He adventures away from her partly by the wishes of King Arthur and during that time he rescues Elaine and she falls in love with him. Although he cannot return her love because of his love of Guinevere, he gives her a child, Galahad.
The knights embark on a journey to find the grail, which ends up killing the better half of the knights because they had achieved perfection. Lancelot goes in depth about his lack of saintliness afterwards.
This is a very intriguing book. It displays the tension between best friends and lovers. Again, the characterization is incredible here. Lancelot feels that he has a moral obligation to Elaine, yet he is utterly in love with Guinevere.
The Candle in the Wind illustrates the fall of Arthur's Kingdom. Agravaine and Mordred plot against Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arthur. Agravaine hates unfaithful women and wants to take Lancelot and Guinevere down and Mordred hates and wants to kill his father. Lancelot and Guinevere escaped fom the two miscreants' plan to catch them with adultery. While Gawaine and Arthur attempt to seize Lancelot's Castle, Mordred claims that he is the King of England. He decides to marry Guinevere. Once Arthur gets word of this he rushes back to save her. The book ends with Arthur leaving the Round Table to Thomas Malory.
This is an incredible conclusion to the legend. Arthur finally finds out in his final days that Might had to be eliminated entirely, or else any attempt to contain it would fail. He considered himself a failure, however it is quite the contrary. This is only the beginning.
The Once and Future King is an absolutely awesome book. It is a story being told to you by T. H. White in epic fashion. The characters come alive right before the reader's eyes and interact with each other. They have problems. They resolve them. They attempt to right the almost irreversible wrong of Chivalry and Might for Right. It is an unforgettable story that will change you forever.

This book, though set in King Arthur's time, is primarily a pacifist social commentary. Som the store reviewers have rated the book primarily based on its plot, but they've completely missed the boat. While the plot is very interesting, it largely exists as a framework with which to make a point about the recurrence of warfare in our global culture. The author manages to pull this off without disparaging soldiers, generals, or those who war. He also instills hopefulness of humanity's ability to one day solve the problems of cyclical war.

Another point I'd like to make is that the book is just a relavent today as it was when it was written. He makes some very interesting points about pre-emptive warfare. He also makes some interesting points about so-called "good" nations doing "bad" things and the enemies that arise out of those actions.

"The once and Future King" by T.H. White went from a book assigned for summer reading to a story that depicted many values and morals needed in society today. The story of a squire gifted the reign of king by pulling a sword out of a stone began the legacy of a righteous ruler. King Arthur wanting to unite his kingdom built a roud table to which it contained a 150+ knights. The table had a purpose, for it was built to use "Might for Right." The knights of the table would go out and help those in need;consequently, once the knights retained right in the kingdom, the knights began "to become the germs of their own corruption" by competing among themselves. King Arthur realizing the dilemma sent his knights on many quests to keep them busy. The knights symbolically being a civilization portray how we have the power to use might for right and do, but end up competing against eachother for the most recognition. The theme of perfecting humanity was well detailed in Arthur's ideas and plans for his kingdom. King Arthur would not have been able to do that if Merlyn did not teach Arthur the value of "thinking for yourself." "The Once and Future King" is a book that would make the reader want to read;however, the ending left me without a sense of closure.

The once and future King is a classic, and should be read by everyone, even if you think you may not like it. This book has so much to offer, to any reader. It has romance, battle, adventure, and it is thought provoking. (E.g. Might and Right, the story of how all the animals of the earth were created, the Wart's animal experiences, and the relationships between the four brothers Agravaine, Garavaine etc... all make us think about social and political issues, and some make us question our ideals and the ideals of the society we live in today.
This book is well written and entwines so much history, fantasy, mythology, adventure, and romance that it is hard not to enjoy reading it.
The first book in which the Wart is a young boy and is learning from Merlyn is my favorite part, mostly because of the experiences the Wart has as animals. (He becomes an ant, a bird, an owl, a fish, and others.) In this first book the descriptions of Merlyn's cabin, and the Castle of the Forest Savauge are some of the best writing in the book because of the vividness of these descriptions.
At first when I finished reading the book, I was disappointed at how it ended, but after thinking about it I realized that the way the book ended left room for the imagination to imagine what happens, with some factors already pre-determined.
I must say once again, that this book is wonderful, and has much to offer any reader, so stop reading my review and read the book (if you haven't already.)

Offering fantasy, humor, romance, and thought-provoking questions, The Once and Future King has all the necessary elements for a good read. The protagonist, Arthur, first appears as a child named "Wart" who becomes King Arthur. Arthur's mentor, Merlyn, is a magician who sprinkles fantasy throughout the story. As a child, Merlyn turns Arthur into many animals and Arthur visits various animal kingdoms, learning the pros and cons of each civilization. As for humor, King Pellinore and Sir Grummore elicit a chuckle whenever they appear. Although chivalry is traditionally thought of as a strictly serious and honorable pursuit, the questin' beast depicts chivalry in a humorous light. The relationship between Guenever, Lancelot, and Arthur is pure romantic tragedy, containing all of the elements of a romance novel. Although Guenever is having an affair with Lancelot, she still loves her husband, Arthur.

The issue of "Might" and "Right" is the central theme of the book. T.H. White forces the reader to reflect on human nature. Although man wants peace, it seems as if he thrives on war. Arthur tries hard to establish justice in Medieval England, and is willing to sacrifice his wife and best friend to achieve this end. His attempts fail because his fellow men always seem to find a way around the law. In the end, Arthur realizes that all of his ideas rely on one single principle--man is decent. If this premise is false, Arthur has lived his life in vain.
The book's major flaw is that it drags. There are many pages where nothing significant happens in the story line. Boredom aside, this book is recommended as a thought-provoking and exciting adventure story.

I have only read the first part of the three books in The Once and Future King, and I am already hooked. Before, I was never interested in the tales of King Arthur, and when I found out we would be reading the book (part I) in class I was extremely dissapointed.
The first 'book' of The Once and Future King tells how Arthur was brought up, thus foreshadowing how he will act when he becomes the king of England. T. H. White wrote this novel while serving in the war, and the book shows his opinion on issues such as communism, democracy, and even war itself (in a descrete way). These opinions are expressed when Arthur (also called Wart in his childhood years) is turned into different animals such as a fish, an ant, an owl, a goose, and a badger by his faithful educator, Merlin.
Throughout the first section of this book you will laugh and cry at the same time. Heroes emerge from the most unlikely people in true times of need. You will meet new people that will change your view on life forever, no matter what age you are. Even though I've only read the first part of The Once and Future King, I have already started on the next book which is also superior and impossible to put down. This is ultimately a promising book that people of all ages will adore!

T.H. White was a closeted homosexual and a conscientious objector during the Second World War. He keenly felt the pressures of modernity and yet he was drawn inexorably to the old stories of Arthur and his noble knights. The Once and Future King does much more than chronicle the boyhood of Arthur, his rise to power, and his tragic fall. It brilliantly weaves these medieval stories into a modern framework. White's concept was not unique to him--Geoffrey of Monmouth, Chretien de Troyes, and Thomas Malory used similar techniques--but no one in the twentieth century did it better. (The novel is the basis for Lerner and Loewe's Camelot. Often touching and even powerful, Camelot nevertheless trivializes its subject material.)

A wonderful book that tells of a great tale of epic fantasy and chivalry. When I read it for the first time as a 6th grader I became very bored witht the book, but now that I have matured and have to read it for an AP Lit. class I am really enjoying this book. It is divided up into 4 sections, the first being the Sword in the Stone, which is what the Disney movie was based on, the second being the Queen of Air and Darkness, which tells of Queen Morlan, the Orkneys, and the invention of the Round Table and Arthur's early thoughts on Chivalry, the third section is The Ill Made Night, which is about Lancelot and how he falls in love with Guenivere and Their "love triangle" or should I say "Love Quadrangle"...The last section is called the Candle in the Wind.It is an overall awesome book which is a must read classic for anyone who loves a tale of fantasy and chivalry.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White started off as a scary thing for me, simply because of the size of the novel. I expected it to be tedious reading, but it turned out to be one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. This book is a must for fans of fantasy books, and I happen to be a big fan myself. In his novel, T.H. White puts his own spin on the classic story of the life and trials of King Arthur, Merlyn, and Lancelot. He tells the entire life story of Arthur, from when he was a young boy, through the times he spent with Merlyn, and the book finishes with his death. All throughout the book White describes the battles between knights brilliantly, and his descriptions of the glorius knights in armour kept me reading for hours at a time. White throws many unorthodox ideas into his novel, such as the idea that Lancelot was actually a very ugly man, and that the bandit that we all knew as Robin Hood was actually called Robin Wood. These little changes are what kept me reading the book, as the whole book is filled with humor of this sort. As well as being very entertaining, the book showed the struggle of good against evil through Arthur, who represented all of the good ideas of the world, and his struggles with the many evil ideas in the world. I gave the book 5 stars because of its entertaining value that will keep you reading for hours at a time, and because of the lessons and themes that we learn through all of the characters in the book. This book is worth reading for anyone 13+, and it contains a little something for everyone to enjoy.

The Once and Future King is not an easy read. There are pages long detours which can make some readers put this book down permanently. However, if you are in the mood for something whimsical, delightful, and thought-provoking then pick this book up as you will not regret it.

T.H. White's The Once and Future King is a fascinating fantasy-fiction novel that tells the familiar story of a legendary king and a more detailed account of his accomplishments in question than those facts found in the pages of English history. The Once and Future King begins with part 1, The Sword in the Stone. This part describes Wart's (later known as King Arthur's) pleasant childhood and describes in-depth his whimsical experiences with his magical tutor, Merlyn. This leg of the book is especially light-hearted and enjoyable to read, but as Wart grows in age, the maturity of the book also subtly grows. What started out as a cheerful story is soon darkened by the powers of love, brutality, revenge, and the bitter truth. As the book progresses the story leaves Arthur and focuses on a young boy named Lancelot. As Lancelot grows towards manhood, he strives to be the best knight in the world by persevering with his training and discipline for over three years. At last when he is of age, he is welcomed to the Round Table at the court of Camelot. He quickly gains the respect of his fellow knights followed by the respect of the entire country. He proves himself time and time again to truly be the best knight in the world. For all his strengths and perfections he has one main weakness: Queen Guenever, Arthur's wife. Lancelot is tormented by this because he also loves Arthur and would never intentionally betray him, but he can not help falling in love with the King's wife. The tragic tale of Lancelot continues with him having an extremely prolonged love affair with Guenever, resulting in nothing but sadness and distrust.

As time relentlessly plods foreword and Arthur's Round Table begins to crumble because he has already vanquished all the villains in England and can no longer use his might for right, he resolves to use his might for spiritual purposes and sends his knights on a mission to seek the Holy Grail. Although the mission is accomplished, the Round Table is dangerously close to collapsing because over half of the knights have perished. The story continues on with more love, hatred, animosity, betrayal, death, and suicide. The book ends in an enlightening way that really makes you think about life and what a precious gift it really is.

Although the story becomes rather dark, there is a beauty to it that keeps the reader spellbound. I found that the more I read, the more enamored I became with the bitter-sweet tale and the less I wanted to put the book down. I gave this book four stars because it was an immensely fascinating saga, but it was hard to follow at points because the rather sporadic writing style sometimes made me feel like I had missed something or a long period of time had passed between chapters without the author telling the reader. Overall I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading a good book.

The Once and Future King is an excellent representation of King Arthur's life. Starting from when King Arthur was young to when he received the sword Excalibur all the way to the old age of King Arthur. The book also talks about the relationship between Sir Lancelot and Queen Guenever that led to the frightening events that happened between them. Another subject the book describes in extreme detail is the search or quest for the Holy Grail, depicted as a cup or bowl that Jesus used in the Last Supper. The book told individual stories about each knight that came in and with all the stories put together, form a spectacular image of what happened during the search or quest.
I think that this is a good book, even though it was a bit too long for my liking. The book describes King Arthur's life very well and in vivid detail. At the beginning of almost every chapter, there is a one to two page description of the scene that chapter is set in. For those who don't understand all this vocabulary of middle ages, there's also a plus in this book. The book often makes references to the twentieth century that makes it a lot easier to understand. For example, the book contrasts a dim candle to the Thomas Edison electric light bulb.
I recommend the book a lot. Almost every time I started reading a section, I would forget about time and eventually my mom has to cut into my reading so that I would not finish the book in one sitting.

This book, consisting of four parts-The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind-is about Arthurian legend and its adaptation to T.H. White's contemporary society, prior to World War II. Encouraged by his capricious mentor and educator, Merlyn, Arthur was trained as a tool to civilize Man. White uses this to illustrate the key idea of human perfectibility. Not surprisingly, King Arthur must deal with scandal, problems of incest and adultery, and race distinctions that separate and destroy man. Many of the themes found in the book, such as the loss of innocence and the nature of evil, will keep you interested with a surprising outcome for Arthur and his kingdom. White's insight on society is seen in Arthur's education and endeavors to civilize or "perfect" mankind. He was subjected to observe the two antithetical societies of the totalitarian ant and the open-minded geese, in which King Arthur learned the causes of war and the conflict of cultures and values. Although the themes and messages will keep you somewhat interested, the length of the book may deter some to not even start the book. I strongly recommend reading this book, despite, and at times, the confusing character names and seemingly uninteresting plot development.
The Once and Future King is, overall, a good portrayal of Arthurian legend with themes and messages still valid today, however, its length will take much time to complete.

the once and future king was the best book I have yet to read that details all of King Authors life. From the time being of his childhood when he was called the wart, to having to accept the fact that he is englands true king. Trying to creat new laws and fix the damage done by his father. Enduring many obsticals as well as meeting and gaining new friends and experiences teaching him new lessons in life. The once and future king covers it all.

T.H. White takes his reders on a journey only found in childhood dreams. Along the ride he engages you with talking animals, beast who roam the lands of england, and a suductive Queen whos only goal is to suduce men.

A world of fantasy unfolds before you when reading the once and future king; In audition, if you enjoy reading about dragons and magicians than you are a reader of the once and future king.

Ok, I have finished reading this book, and fell in love with it throughally. Anyone with any imagination or ounce of intellengence would learn to love and appreciate this book.

As for the numerous reviews that rated it a 1 because it was boring, is to be expected from a 1939 novel. It will of course have words they have to look up in the dictionary, and require wit they are not capibale of.

Many reviews that deemed themselves intellegent had no idea why Merlyn changed young wart into various animals. Arthur (as it is explained) has to learn how all animals co-exist. The final tale told to Wart by a beaver, is of man being lord over the animales, yet being one of the only creatures to love war. Arthur has to learn that might is only to be used for right. All the animals come together for his final lesson in pulling out the sword. They all remind him of what they have taught him, and he is able to pull it out, not just because it is rightfully his, but because he had been preparing for that moment for 7 years.

The details in this book can be a bit long at times, but they are only used to give the reader the best possible understanding to what is going on. I found this book ingenius beyond measure, and if you not only love to read, but enjoy reading something of value, I highly reccommend this enchanting tale of a boy that becomes the "Great" king.

This tale is also known to be Charles Xavier's favorite book, and he quotes himself in x-men to be like Merlyn.

I would also reccommend reading The Lady of Shallot by Tennyson. It is a poem you can find online...it is beautiful.

This book is rather long and will require some devotion on the readers part. However, I was not required to read this book. I read it for its history, and I rate it above any work of fiction in today's time. TH White is up there with Austen and Shakespeare in my book.

As many of the other reviewers you may read, this book was assigned to me for summer reading. I also regretted reading such a long book, but I had some previous interest in The Legend of King Arthur. I've enjoyed it ever since I saw the movie "A Kid in King Arhur's Court," (This has no relevance to my review, but I thought I would throw it in anyway.) It helps a lot to want to read this book, but anybody who starts it will want to finish it and maybe even read "The Book of Merlyn", The fifth and final book of the set. T.H. White breaks this novel into four books. The Sword in the Stone, The Queen and Air of Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind.
The first of these books is the classic that has been told over and over again, though not always involving Sir Ector's Castle. It is the beginning for the life of Arhtur, who lives with a foster family. Arthur grows up with Merlyn as his tutor. Merlyn teaches Arthur about government and people in to form of becoming an animal. All of Merlyn's teachings prepare Arthur for his reign as king, after he pulls the sword out from the stone of course.
The Queen and Air of Darkness tells the history of Arthur's father and of the fueds between the Gaels and the Galls. Also, it tells of the deception of Morgause, which eventually leads to the downfall of Arthur. This book moves kind of slow, but it is necessary for the plot. Arhtur come up with the idea to use Might for Right in this book.
The Ill-Made Knight deals with Sir Lancelot, who turns out completely opposite from what I thought he would be like, and of Arthur's Round Table. The Ill-Made Knight was by far my favorite book, even though it was the longest. The beginning of the end of the Table is brought out in this book, when knights start competing with each other. Because of this, Arthur sends his knights on the quest for the Holy Grail. T.H. White brings out the reality of his characters extremely well in this book, showing the breakdown of Lancelot and torment Arhtur is put though. Guinevere and Elaine also show how love can destroy lives, but neither one wanted to be without it and they both gave all they could for it.
The Candle in the Wind is the final book and the conclusion to this novel. This book is the story of Arthur's downfall from the greatest King in all of the world, to being seen as an old man who is "out of touch." Also, Lancelot suffers the consequences for his sins. All of which is the result of Arthur's illegitimate son, Mordred, and his hatred for Arthur. This book has the greatest psychological value of the novel. All of Arthur's triumphs and disgraces are contemplated over and over again. While this book leaves before the final battle and the conclusion of the story, it still has a glorius ending, which shows Arthur as he sould be remembered.
The Once and Future King was definitely worth the time and effort it took to read. The only reason I gave it four stars is because, even thoug I have not read it, I think it sould have included The Book of Merlyn.

When I read this book in my mid-teens, I absolutely LOVED it, because it nurtured and excited my imagination.
"THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING" combines all the elements of Arthurian legend, adventure, and history in describing the lives of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and some of the other notables of Camelot. (This is the novel, some of whose elements were later adapted to the screen as the Disney movie "The Sword in the Stone".)
White has written a delightful, entertaining story not without its harrowing moments. We first see Arthur as a boy ("The Wart") living with his adoptive family and serving as a page to his older brother. Merlin's role at the beginning of the novel is as a teacher for Arthur. (Note. Merlin had been entrusted by Arthur's real father with protecting his son.) He leads Arthur on a variety of adventures, which I won't go into here, except to say that the reader will be amazed with the rich imagery White creates.
The novel progresses through Arthur's life, his reign, his sorrows and joys, and the perils and highpoints of life in an England mired in upheaval and turmoil. White shows the reader how the forces of light and darkness interplay in the shaping of a society where magic can be a real factor in everyday life. It's a long novel, so brace yourself for a healthy sprint.

The Once and Future King by T.H White is a fantasy epic of King Arthur that is broken into four parts: The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight and The Candle in the Wind. This story involves the tragedies of family, fortune and war while including many moments of magic as well as points of humor. This epic is only for certain readers. Most people like myself would receive a negative impression on the book just because of its page number. A reader must look beyond that though.
With any interest in the history of King Arthur one would enjoy this novel. I enjoyed the great description of Arthur's magical childhood depicted by White in the first section. White brings the Wart's experiences to the scene of the sword and the stone, which everyone is familiar with. In the second section Arthur brings his knights to form the Knights of the Round Table, his first excellent idea. While that happened, Arhtur was seduced into having sex with his half-sister, Morgause. This event actually leads to his downfall, as he brings upon a son, Mordred. In the third section White describes the life of Lancelot and his relationship with Arthur. During this time Arhtur introduces the Quest for the Holy Grail. The fourth book is a very emotional time for Arthur with which many tragedies occur for him. I don't want to give any hints away.
Through many of Arthur's decisions and revisions depicted by White we are able to see where he went wrong and where he went right. Thus, readers who look for themes and morals can relate their lives to that of Arthur.
Besides the highlights of the Once and Future King, I was somewhat disappointed in his details. In many instances, White used entire chapters to describe what could have been summed up in several paragraphs. In chapters such as 36, I often drifted off from my reading because it was so boring reading paragraph after paragraph with no dialogue between the characters. Besides that I was fairly satisfied with the book in its entirety.

Having just finished the Lord of the Rings I was looking for some other fantasy book to finish up the summer with, I've heard a lot about The Once and Future King, all being good so I bought it. This book is pure trash, the humor is old and makes not sense today. It reads like an old man in front of you at the check out line, slow and full of questions, none of which get answered. Not knowing how so many people have given this book more than one star is above me, I almost want to be transported back to the time of King Arthur and placed on the rack for having read this book.

Truly the greatest book ever written. It is difficult to describe in words why this is so good, how it makes one feel. This is everything a story should be: it is funny, and happy, and sad, and tragic, and noble, and human. This surely is the reason language was invented. After five, six, seven readings, White's amazing style will not fail to make you laugh, cry, and most of all, enjoy. No words can adequately describe this book.

I was given this book as a summer reading assignment. I FINALLY finished it today. The book is one of the worst I've ever read. It's depth is so far over my head that i'm not sure i understand it enough to answer my review questions for school. Sadly, the only part of the book that kept my attention was the Lancelot and Gwen affair. That is the only reason i give it 2 stars. I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone under 20, unless you are patient and have a bunch of time on your hands. It's just way too confusing and boring!

I am in senior high and I have a few month before having to move on to the "real world". This book is not just a amazing work of art, but it is a guide onto life. The mesmerizing imagery and the sneaky satires drew me in to the story faster than you can say wow! It allowed me to see things that I've never seen before. It also confermed some of my doubts towards life. This book is better than a classroom. White's way of communication reaches pass your defences and leave you senseless. He takes on the role of Merlyn and makes you his student. I love this book, especialy the lessons and the symbolisms. White satirizes the major world powers without directly putting down his own thoughts. This book is for all ages. As long as you have an obsession towards learning and strive to better yourself. I mean, who could be a better teacher than Merlyn-"Education is experience, and the essence of experience is self-reliance." This is a must read!

I will not belabor all the other fine reviews here, only to state that the story is magnificent and an eternal classic. I remove one star of rating because my particular version seriously needed annotations to explain the incredibly esoteric references to British literature, historical figures, history, chivalry code, falconry, etc. I was completely lost for pages at a time while he goes on and on about "read Mallory if you want to know more about this", or "the falcon's thingamajimmy got stuck in the kaboodle's bodkins". What?

As another reviewer noted here, this book has "Classic" status, and so most people won't even question whether it's good or not - it's a "Classic," it MUST be good, right?

Well, yes and no.

Having delivered that heresy, I'll just say that there are parts of the book that are marvellous. The first segment, "The Sword in the Stone," is generally very good, and the light, deliberately anachronistic tone works pretty well with the material. It's enjoyable to read about the future King of England as a small boy, getting in trouble, playing, sitting through boring lessons, and dreaming of the future. And the 'education' Merlyn gives him and Kay (particularly Arthur, charmingly known then as 'Wart') is a highly unusual but oddly effective one. Becoming different kinds of animals and learning from their ways always seemed to me to be a good way to educate someone, especially a future king. And the climax, in which Arthur is revealed as the boy who more or less accidentally pulled the sword Excalibur from the stone, is powerful and affecting.

I'm less happy with later parts of the book, particularly those having to deal with the Gaelic or Celtic characters. "The Queen of Air and Darkness," while having a wonderful title, contains a lot of frankly racist commentary about the family of King Lot and Queen Morgause in particular, and Gaels in general. They're portrayed as violent, ignorant savages, fuzzy-minded and full of uncomprehending hatred, apparently unaware of the fact that they are supposed to submit to the 'natural rulers' of the British Isles, the Anglo-Saxon-Norman race which came to call themselves "English."

I have to simply assume that White, writing in the '30s after the Irish Rebellion and Irish independence, had a grudge against the Gaels and, taking the part of the English, chose to portray them as the 'chosen race' and the Gaels as their natural inferiors. Nevertheless, a very disappointing aspect to the book.

The love triangle between Lancelot, Arthur, and Guinevere in "The Ill-Made Knight" is very strong, and written in a very adult and moving way. Lancelot, especially, is a very sympathetic if remarkably pig-headed character, determined not to dishonor his Queen and King, yet unable to refrain from loving Guinevere. White also effectively shows the tragedy of the final conflict in "Candle in the Wind," the final segment of the book, marking the end of Camelot.

White says a great deal about war and human conflict in the book, and shows both up for the horrors that they are. Why do people war and fight? Why do they hold onto causes long after they should have been settled? Why do they seek glory through mass slaughter? Those questions had to be a lot on his mind after the horrors of WWI...and to seem doubly painful and ironic after the war which followed.

In any case, White was a terrific prose stylist, and the book is undeniably well-written. For that and for the many magical moments, it's worth reading at least once. But be aware of the biases expressed, and don't forget to go and read "Morte D'Arthur" as well. This magnificent saga deserves to be read as a serious romance/tragedy, not just as the often light and airy retelling presented by White.

I just read some of the other reviews done on this book by other readers, and I must disagree with quite a few of them. For those of you who like to read something with a bit more substance than most things published today, I highly reccomend this book. I picked it up in a used bookstore that had a narrow selection as something to pass the time. I was very surprised by the beauty of this book and have reccomended to everyone I know who reads. The portrayal of Launcelot was quite different from the way I had seen him portrayed before. The characters in this book are very fleshed-out and the problems that they face and the events that shape them are still relevant today. Certain scenes were reminiscent of Lewis Carrol's satiric absurdity while others were tragic and touching. I have read quite a few bad books lately, and this one reminded me why print will never die.

In the book Once and Future King, the author TH. White guides us through the life of King Arthur, and describes all of his trials and ordeals. White describes how Arthur grows up during the medevil times in a palace. Also how the great magician Merlin teaches Arthur about life and the things around him. Arthur takes many journeys throughout the book, he meets many new people, and makes new friends as he makes his way to the top to be King.
The book Once and Future King starts off very exciting. Within this very thick book, there are four smaller books. The first book, The Sword in the Stone, is a very interestin, and exciting book. Not because everyone knowsthe story, but because the reader can get involved in it. It is not just the narrorator talking, the people and animals talk also. Where as in the other three books, it is basically the narrorator talking the whole time, and it is hadr to get involved in the story. It was very hard for me to get involved, that is for sure.
I would recommend this book to any one who likes the medevil books. It is probably more geared towars high school kids and above, just because younger kides might not understand what the author is saying. Sometimes it is also hard to understand what the person is trying to say, because they talk differently than we do now. Overall the book was pretty good, but not great.

The Once and Future King should be the novel that all other fictional fantasies are judged. Simply, this book is the greatest I have ever read. Contrary to other opinions, I thought that the first book was long and tedious until the final few chapters of The Sword in the Stone. At that point everything that we read about the teachings of Merlyn and the making of a King came together. The second book did not dissappoint as it ventured into the world of Gawaine and his brothers. It gave great background into the world in which Arthur had to live. The third book focused on Lancelot, the ugly and brave knight, the best in the world, and his life. Every word in the book came together in the final book, the Candle in the Wind, and all of the character's emotions and motivations came to a head in a tragic yet satisfying end to a grand, large-scale epic that the world has only seen once- in the legend of King Arthur, or in this case, The Once and Future King.

This book was not what I expected it to be. It in fact, far surpasssed my expectations and proved to be triumph of entertainment and storytelling.
The book begins with a very light-hearted style, as we watch Arthur grow up and receive a rather unusual education from Merlyn. It is a very enjoyable introduction but expertly develops the character of Arthur. In fact, all the characters of the book are very realistic and well developed, and the reader feels as if he is experiencing real interaction between people with real emotion.
As the book develops, it becomes a much heavier but more interesting read. White takes the reader step by step through Arthur's grand plan to remake England and the various challenges, both political and personal, that he must face to do so.
The introduction of Lancelot into the story is the pivotal point in the book. He is a character worthy of both great admiration and incredible pathos. Lancelot elicits the greatest emotional response from the reader, as he must struggle to deal with his betrayal of Arthur and try to maintain his own ideal of honour, which changes many times as he grows older and wiser.
Between Arthur's philosophical quest and Lancelot's more personal and emotional quest, both of them lifelong, the reader is always kept intruiged as to how the story will play itself out, and entertained by White's sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant writing style.

I've read quite a few of the works in the King Arthur genre, and I very much enjoyed this book. White uses the existing legend as a framework around which he builds an excellent fantasy story.
The book is a little schizophrenic (for lack of a better word), in that it begins as a very light-hearted tale of Arthur's learning and development, becomes very philisophical as Arthur seeks to master the earliest rudiments of a democratic society, and ends tragic as his dreams fall apart around him.
Background isn't really necessary to enjoy the book, however, I would highly recommend readers to also look into Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, which is made reference to several times by White. It gives background on some of the side stories not focused upon, such as Tristam and Isolde.

First, I have to say that this is one of the best books I have ever read. It is an extremely profound, intellegent novel that has humor, heart and tradgedy.

The novel starts out with the education of a young Arthur, the very same boy who will rise to become the most powerful king in England. The story goes through the main points of the legend, including the sword in the stone, Merlin and the formation of the Round Table. T.H. White manages to keep the legend of King Arthur in tact while adding his own brand of humor and philosophy. Many of the famous quests of the knights are included, and are foucused mainly of the most beloved of all knights, Sir Launcelot. He was my favorite character in the book, and the sections that focus on him and his relationship with Queen Gueneveur were the most enjoyable to me. He was the greatest, kindest, and most powerful man on the earth, and yet he was just as weak as anyone else when it came to his emotions. I found that I could relate to much of what his character was saying.

The novel ends as good as it starts, only on a much more tragic note and without as much hope for the future. However, many lessons can be learned from this incredible novel and it should definitely be read more than once to be fully appreciated.

First of all, I highly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy complex thinking. It is filled with innovative, insightful, and interesting not-so-everyday questions. Especially in the last chapter, there are several of these questions as Arthur contemplates his life on Earth. As stated in the book, there are certain ideas and knowledge that can only be learned through experience, it cannot be taught. Answers to questions like: "Did my life make a difference?" "Was it positive or negative?" or "Was it worth living?" may fit under this category.

But if you are not that kind of person, there is still reason for reading this book. There is betrayal, romance, wizardry, war, and much more to keep your attention. With all these different elements in the same book, how can it go bad? There is no reason that this book should not be liked by anyone. Although, yes, there are some character confusions (i.e. the four Cornwall brothers), switching of person from first (in book I and II) to third person (in book III) and more switching in book IV, and some plot complications, the book can still be appreciated. Many complain about its "boringness," its length, or that it was not like they had expected it to be, but that is their fault. One must be open to new books, new ideas, not expecting it to "sweep them off their feet" or be the best book they've read in their entire life. And still others complain about its horrible ending. Well, newsflash, it is a tragedy. The book is just a part of the original, Le Morte D'Arthur, or "The Death of Arthur". Even the real King Arthur's life was a tragedy. Attempting to make the book end happily would completely transform the book into a fictional fantasy.

I would also advocate people to read it a second time at a much later date. This book can still be of greater value because one would understand it better because of personal experience, relating to Arthur during his childhood, in his prime, and near death. The book also will have new meanings not noticed during the first attempt at reading. Being fifteen, and reading it for the first time, I do not understand what is occurring inside Arthur at his peak of glory (leading the best 150 knights in the world) and at his downfall (being betrayed by everyone) because of my own lack of experience. Yes, I have had good times and bad times but not of the same magnitude of Arthur.

The biggest impact on me while reading this book was realizing that humans, ants (only five types), and termites (only two types), wage war against their own species. Seeing as how people have fought with one another for millennia, it dawned on me, why? Why fight wars? Why not be like the other 99% of species on this planet? What are the benefits? Is it worth the risks? In the End, does it matter? I have been assessing these questions for a long while and I still cannot generate reasonable answers. Perhaps after reading this book, you could come up with reasonable answers for yourself.

In conclusion, if you have this book - read it. If you don't - purchase it and read it. It is as simple as that. It will be worth your time and you will have no regrets.

This book is the very best for those interested in reading about King Arthur. It is filled with imagination and it creatively looks at the famous characters and events featured in the story with a fresh and unbiased tone. The musical "Camelot" and the Disney film "The Sword in the Stone" are both based off of this particular book, and many other versions have been influenced by it. It is a great book for the way it looks at Arthur as a man who was genuinely good, but also emphasizes that at the same time he was really only a normal guy with his limitations. One of my favorite parts is when Arthur is just a boy and Merlyn teaches him how to look at different things in different perspectives by turning him into animals. The middle and end are very sad, but the author shows her originality again by giving the very end an uplifting message that hope will live on in the sight of despair, and that people may be mortal, but legends live forever.

Don't get me wrong, this is a really good book and I enjoyed it thouroughly.. I just don't believe it's the masterpiece that some people put it out to be. It's a classic fantasy epic that could also be called a fantasy biography, because it tracks most of Arthur's life in his time.
It advertises as a fantasy, but mainly, it isn't. It's historical fiction to be honest, and I was simply expecting something different.

when i started reading this book, i was a bit surprised by its style. it is not the normal, modern style where descriptions are key and character development is done in a certain way. then again, it was written quite awhile ago. the style becomes addictive, however, and you never want to put the book down. when there isn't plot movement, white is telling little stories of arthur's childhood or funny things that happen or is sharing many other delightful little facts that i love to know. his interpretation of the characters is more childlike, and their motives are simple, and therefore easier to understand. most arthurian books aren't written this way (again, a difference of time), but i like it. its a nice change for the short period of time it takes to read this. most of the important elements from malory's le morte d'arthur are included (that is what he based this on), though he does put his own spin on things and create backstories that may not have been there previously. i did love this book, and would recommend it to anyone. i agree with what is written on the backcover. also, the book of merlyn is equally as good, though very different. it has no real plotline, and several of the scenes from this book (the ants) are repeated. but it's still good! :)

I missed out on this book when I was younger and have only recently read it for the first time. As a child, I can see how some might deem this book a little slow, especially with the war-heavy second half of Sword in the Stone, but as an adult, this book is an excellent venture. It reads more like a historical fantasy rather than an epic one, due to the attention to dates and historic detail of Arthurian Albion, but all the general legendry is there. The language is ornate and exquisite and the story ranges from whimsical to tragic without flaws. There are some mistakes in the editing, but that's just Harper being careless. I recommend this book to any adult fantasy lover. A new favourite for me.

This is the book that introduced me to the Arthur cycle. Ever since I read it three years ago I've been obsessed with the subject.
Even if you ignore all of the great Arthurian books out there this one is nothing short of a masterpiece.
I'm reading it now for the fourth time,and it just keeps getting better.
It's a beautifully told epic that will stick with you long after you finish it. White delivers a funny, touching,witty,tragic, and enthralling fantasy that may just open you up to the joy of the Arthur cycle.
While it's based on Malory's epic, White manages to boldly carve his name into the legacy of storytellers that goes back almost a thousand years.
If you plan on reading anything in the near future, take a chance on this triumph of English literature.

I thought that this book was one of the best books ever written. We had to read the Sword In the Stone Part of the book and reading the rest was optional. Of course, me, Being a huge fan of books like this read it. The retelling of king Arthur by T.H> White was one of the best that i have read.
It starts out with the tell of Warts(Arthur) "eddication" by Merlyn the wizard, with a number of adventures in which The Wart is turned into several different animals. and learns the secrets of all the animals.
WHen you get into the second, third and fourth book is takes you through arthurs Reign as King. We see him Marry Gewn, be betryed by Lancelot, and the quest for the Holy Grail. It ends with the knighting of Arthurs page when the Round Table is in Disaray, and with Arthur reminiscing aobut his childhood, and he remembers all his teachins from Merlyn.
All in all, I give this book 5 stars. I couldnt put this down and i would recomend it to anyone who likes to read. :)

The novel, The Once and Future King, is a unique combination of four books. All of the stories in the book are about King Arthur. Book I is about Wart, who later becomes Arthur, and who lives with his foster father Sir Ector in a palace. Merlyn tutors and teaches Arthur about the world by turning him into various animals. When Uther Pendragon, the king of England dies, they are forced to have a contest to find the heir to the throne.
In book II, Arthur has to battle against the Gaelic Kings. One of the kings he must battle is King Lot, one of Arthur's fierce rivals. Arthur establishes a group of Knights to protect the Kingdom and to fight for all that is right and grand. These Knights come to be known as the Knights of the Roundtable. Arthur also receives news of the Orkney fation from which he will have to save his kingdom. They had vowed revenge against the Pendragon line, which directly affects England.
The focus is on Sir Lancelot in books number III and IV. Lancelot is just a young boy in the beginning, but he eventually becomes Arthur's' best Knight and friend. Sir Lancelot attempts to find the Holy Grail and he later has an affair with Guenever, Arthur's Queen. The affair hurts King Arthur deeply and Sir Lancelot must find a way to rectify it.
I thought that the book was pretty interesting at times. I found the main problem I had with the book was in following the plot line. I really had to pay attention to it. There are a lot of characters and a lot of scenes change. You may have to read certain passages over in order to fully understand everything. I really enjoyed the book because of the excitement I felt. The book was filled with lots of really good action. The book was definitely way above average and I would give it about four stars out of five.
Due to the type of details in the book, I think it would be unsuitable for anyone under the age of thirteen. With all of the magic and the violence, it would probably suite the people who play adventure video games. But if you like action, and you like adventurous magic, you will love the book.

The Once and Future King was a pretty good book that i read in my English class. It was a good book if you like people transforming into different things and magic. I thought it was a good book to read because it is pretty easy reading because most of it is plot. It takes place long time ago but the language is just like how people today talk. Every now and then, the books drags and things get a little boring, but then later on it goes back to normal and it gets better. I think that it is a good book if you are in to fictional fantasy.

I read this book while driving a combine harvesting beans in Nampa, Idaho many years ago. It is a truly great love story. Not only is it about the eternal triangle, but also the love of life - sublime ideals soaring toward perfection only to be forsaken by this earthly tether sealing their fate. Another great love story of these mythological proportions is the Ramayana, which I also highly recommend.

Writing Quality: 7/10.
White writes with a sort of dry, tongue-in-cheek style, one that is easy to recognize in later British authors like Terry Pratchett, J. K. Rowling, and Neil Gaiman (though Pratchett tends a little sillier, and Gaiman can be more poetic, and Rowling a little simpler, writing for a younger audience). The narrative voice is consistent and pleasurable, and offers a sort of aloof counterpoint to a variety of tragic threads in the story, not the least of which involves Lancelot and Guinevere. Of course we care about Arthur and his troubles, but White's voice is very present (with frequent wall-breaking asides), so that we are always aware that we are reading a story, rather than becoming unconsciously immersed in his world. It's a storytelling style that works, and White is both nuanced and witty, if not particularly brilliant, as a writer. Although he is no Melville or Cormac McCarthy, there are wonderful phrases and descriptions in the book that I would be proud to have crafted myself.

Depth of Concept: 7/10.
White's take on the Arthurian legend is unique and thoughtful, though it is mostly driven by the plot-points of the traditional tale. Having said that, it's interesting to read it as a story of inevitability, partly because the Arthur story is so well known. Merlyn is a useful illustration of the concept, in the way he lives backwards, and so already knows the way everything will end. The Arthur story generally offers a useful lens through which to look at power and nation-building, and White offers psychological nuance to that framework.

Rounded Characters: 8/10.
Many characters in the book lack depth (Pellinore and Sir Ector, for instance), even if they provide humorous interactions and fun side stories (I found the same, on a simpler level, with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone). But for the principals, including Arthur, Lancelot, and Merlyn, White uses great psychological care. Lancelot's self-hate is tenuously balanced by his great love for his king and his mistress, and Arthur's noble nation-building dream teeters on the edge of his tricky personal relationships. Most of the major characters are conflicted, both in complicated and dramatically powerful ways.

Well-Developed World: 7/10.
There is a lot of useful, and sometimes poetic, description of the Arthurian world, but not with the sort of specificity or scope that Tolkien used in The Lord of the Rings, nor with the historical significance or political nuance in something like Rushdie's Midnight's Children. George R. R. Martin presents a Britain-esque world that feels more literal and present in A Game of Thrones; White's Camelot is more fairytale-esque, sort of mysterious and shrouded at its edges, and a bit more episodic in its content. The actual location and setting of many events seems of less importance than the characters involved in the event. There is, for instance, no need for a map to follow the narrative. White's narrative style seems less interested in world-building, and more interested in character interactions, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Page Turner: 7/10.
The book is long, and a lot of the story happens in rooms with people talking to each other. With a less capable writer, it would make for a long, dull slog, but it is White's narrative voice that pulls you along, with his clever insights and bite-sized pieces of wisdom. Still, since we mostly know the trajectory of the Arthur story, it can be hard to feel like you really want to know what happens next. I certainly didn't read the thing in one sitting, but I found something of value every time I picked it up.

Kept Me Thinking: 7/10.
White is a good writer, and many of his descriptions gave me pause to consider the way that he described something so aptly, whether a physical or psychological description. Nevertheless, I wasn't as existentially or intellectually involved as I was when reading something like Moby Dick, for instance, where many characters are both allegorical and literal, and where so many interpretations are possible. Nor was it quite McCarthy's The Road, where so much fluff is stripped away to leave the reader with no choice but to inhabit a horrific, almost hopeless situation, and desperately work to see the light at the end, long after putting the book down. Still, the Arthurian legend is one of the great, powerful stories in English literature, and that makes this a valuable story, and one that would stand up to comparison both with its Arthurian sources and with other great mythic works. It's more thoughtful, if less well-paced than Martin's A Game of Thrones, which has been compared to it, and its concern with honor, love, and loyalty present substantial conflicts to muse over.
___________________________________________________

Overall Recommendation: 9/10.
The Once and Future King may not be a perfect novel, but I'm not aware of any other modern retelling of a classic legend that can stand up to it (Maybe Rushdie's Satanic Verses?). The source material was already rich with drama and historical and national significance, and White's version does an admirable job of including all of that. It's a pleasurable read, both for youngsters and for intellectuals, something that few stories are able to accomplish. It says something both about myth-making, and about the war years in which White was writing the various sections of the book (a task that lasted decades).

See my profile web site for an expanded review.

This book follows the adventures of King Arthur and those in that time including Merlyn and Morgan Le Fay...these stories are classics and are written in a classic style that is sometimes hard to understand, but are entertaining. All in all, great book...well, books...it includes more than one, including the Sword in the Stone, so don't buy that if you buy this. :)

This was a wonderful book, to say the least. It was one I meant to read when I was 15 but found myself too young and too undisciplined to achieve that goal. Now, at age thirty, I marvel at the depth of philosophical insight captured in the pages of "The Once and Future King": the truths exposed in human nature, the complexities of issues within society, and the realities of political movements. I took notes during my reading to categorize some of TH White's more fascinating and intricate observations, particularly his opinions on war and education, love and resignation, youth and consequence and the intractability of certain moral problems. I recommend this book to anyone searching for a fun novel -- peppered with modern refernces alongside ancient retellings - that makes you think and reflect on your place in the world.

I first read this book in my high school English class about 10 years ago, and it remains one of my all-time favorite books! The story itself is fascinating, but it is White's writing that is absolutely exquisite... True, it is a very dense book and it will take a while to read through it, but it is worth it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the King Arthur legend...

Okay, I'll admit that this book is kind of hard to get through. But it is a beautifully written story once you get into it, and it will certainly be treasured forever. I just want to know something: reader from Maine, do you really pay attention to that stuff like the armor worn in the book? I just want to know if you are a college proffessor or something.

These are just a few words that can describe this book. If your a medieval, kings and queens, Knights and honor type of person, you'll love this book! Be sure to keep a good look for the story of "God and the Embryos", it will stun you, as it did me! I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, it has many morals and wonderful stories in it!

Last summer, I was assigned to read The Once and Future King for my English 2 XL class. Spontaneously, I expected a 636 page novel full of childlike fantasy, war, and history - which would've ruined my will and enjoyment of reading and as a result, my entire summer. However previous graduates of English 2 XL have told me that it is a class based on critical/creative thinking and the initiation of ideas. How could this history book be a part of the course? The answer revealed itself when I actually picked up the book and started reading. I noticed that T.H. White didn't just write a book of history and war; he wrote a magical book full of human qualities/character, politics, philosophy, and many other significant aspects. White wrote a book of one man's attempt to change the world - to reinvent chivalry, demeanor, and humanity.

The completely engrossing world of King Arthur is brought to life mainly through the wonderfully detailed emotions of the characters, ranging from the sly Mordred to the comic Pellinore, what, what. Their attitudes and behaviors are strikingly realistic; each one with his/her own individual qualities. Pertaining to character qualities, a main theme is portrayed when the fine line between youth and adulthood is discovered. White captures every single possible emotion of the ignorant youth, Kay, and the learnt and ponderous King Arthur. More specifically, the relationship between Guenever, Lancelot, and Arthur has to be the most complex and lifelike situation I've ever witnessed in any book.

Moreover, the most important theme and idea presented in this book are found in the inspiring words of Merlyn and in the constructive thoughts of Arthur's mind. Based on the assumption that man was decent, and obviously building upon the pacifist thoughts of the author, Merlyn guided Arthur to look on the world through a completely new perspective. In the medieval conditions in which Arthur inherited by his father, Uther Pendragon, the whole of England was molded around the brute and unlawful actions of the all-powerful knights and king. Arthur, with the help of Merlyn, "quested" about in attempt to civilize their civilization and the whole of mankind - introducing the issue of stopping the endless circle of death and revenge, and moreover, dealing with Might to establish Right. So in my opinion, the interesting and meaningful plot, coupled with the brilliant and diverse array of character behaviors/emotions, is really what makes this book worth while to read.

The many notable quotes, given from Merlyn as advice to young Arthur, were based on the whole idea of thinking for oneself, because "education is experience, and the essence of experience is self-reliance (46)." In effect, this book inspired me to think for myself, expanding the horizons of my thought - especially when relating them to today's problems and the uncertain fate of humanity. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to anyone, of any age, who enjoys not only great classics of Arthurian legend, but also a book filled with personality and insight.

I have a really old 1940 printed copy of this that I got back in 8th grade and 7 years later its worn to hell and still one of my all time favorites. One of the paragraphs, the last paragraph of the 2nd chapter/book, actually motivated me to finally try reading le morte d'arthur. I am even contemplating finally reading my copy of sir Thomas Moores utopia.

King Arthur and his famous Knights of the Round Table are among the most famous characters of any mythology. This novel, entitled "The Once And Future King, is the re-telling of the legend published some four decades ago and written by a man who was fascinated by the medieval time period. This novel is a good novel, but it lacks greatness and is at times lacking.

The novel's plot is well known. It starts with a young boy called Wart who pulls the sword from the stone and becomes the King of England. He marries Guinevere, sets up the famous Round Table, and creates an ideal society in the form of Camelot. But in the end this perfect could not last forever and eventually Camelot falls. Pretty much the basics of the Arthurian legend are retold here.

The main problem of the novel is in its characterization. King Arthur is the protagonist of the novel, but yet he seems to be lacking in the wisdom we have come to associate with the legendary king. But he is a three-decisional character and he does suffers one tragic flaw: he is too trusting and this will lead to the fall of Camelot. The same lacking of characterization can be found in the other two characters of the novel: Guinevere and the brave knight Lancelot. White doesn't seem to be able to handle their characterization very well. This is especially true of the romance between them. The highlights in terms of characters are the bumbling knight King Pellinore and, of course, the sorcerer Merlyn. It is through Merlyn that Arthur learns many of the lessons and also that we get the social commentary of the novel. Yet the weak characterization of the main characters hurts the overall effect of the novel.

White is at his best doing the descriptions rather then dialogue and it is this that makes the novel worth reading. There is an area where White doesn't keep this together as well. The novel's ending seems to be too awkwardly written and White seems to rush past many of the novels' revelations. It would have been nice if some of these had been closed since they do leave a few too many loose threads hanging at the end.

In the final analysis, "The Once And Future King" is a novel of great intentions done written with mixed results. White managed to take the classic legend of old and infuse it with some freshness. Despite its lack of proper characterization and some loose threads at the end, the novel is still a good re-telling of the King Arthur story. If you are interested in the King Arthur legend this is a good choice to read.

Before I read The Once and Future King, I'd only read children's book versions of the King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table variety. This novel affected me deeply as a teenager (and now as a teacher I've taught it a few times to modern crops of teens--and the smartest ones love it), so much so that as a college student in my senior year I began to play with the idea of writing a sequel. For to tell the truth, although the title refers to the fact that Arthur is destined to return some day (Hic jacet Arthurus, Rex Quandom, Rex Futuris--Here lies Arthur, King of the Past, King of the Future), the novel does (I hope this is no plot spoiler) end with the death of Arthur. After all, the book the novel is based on is Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur [The Death of Arthur]--so this only makes sense. Anyway, here's the lowdown on this novel, given that there's already so many reviews:

1) It was written in parts and published as such initially. The first "book"--The Sword in the Stone--really reads a bit like a delightful children's novel, albeit one that adults can enjoy. But Merlin does educate Arthur by turning him into various creatures (fish, ant, hawk, etc.) and some readers may find this a bit of a strech, even if there is some marvelous comedy involved. And it can be slow at times.

2) Once you get to book 2 it is like reading a whole different author. As book 2 begins a queen is boiling a cat: this is no longer the children's book that book 1 was! The plot also spins away from Arthur for a while here and this is the most difficult portion of the novel to get through. However, it can be hysterically funny in spots. A particularly magical moment (literally and figuratively) is the Unicorn hunt.

3) Once Lancelot is introduced, well, for me, that was it: I was in LOVE for life. He's my hero for life. And once he falls in love with the Queen and the plot begins to follow Malory more closely, this becomes the best modern retelling of the Arthur legends of all time. And again, the humor blossoms at the oddest moments to delightful effect. But this is also Knights and Jousting and the whole legend of the Round Table. Fantastic!

4) At some point later in the novel, T.H. White chooses to take on the Quest for the Holy Grail. He does so in a sort of indirect manner as each knight returns to tell his generally tragic tale (with again, moments of hilarity) and so it's a bit disjointed, as one must slowly assemble the pieces so to speak. This section could be difficult for some readers.

5) Finally come the Death of Arthur section: a little weird as Mordred (Arthur's illegitimate son through incest)seems to almost anticipate punk or goth or Nazi movements, with followers who all wear black and dress in strange uniforms or styles, and so on. But the basic tale, that is how the whole Arthur-Guenivere-Lancelot triangle comes to its tragic conclusion dragging the Round Table down with it--is again the best modern version of Malory you can read.

So, there you have it: Not a book for everyone I suspect, but as I'm sure the other reviews reveal, a book that will be loved deeply by a certain literate type of reader. And for me, it was the gateway drug that led to Tennyson's Idylls of the King and to Malory himself.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the novel left me wanting to write a sequel, and I'm ashamed to say that that task has preoccupied me, sometimes completely, sometimes barely at all, for many, many years. I pretty much had a complete version by the time I was 32 or so, although I've revised that a lot since, and I've not been in my thirties for a long, long time. So recently I decided that rather than die with the thing sitting in a box on my bookshelf, I'd put it out as an e-book, and it is currently available from the store as such. In fact, Today (Sunday 6/3, 2012) it is available for FREE download: The Cynningwydd: The King of the Wood. A new writer would be a fool to put himself into the company of T.H. White, but I do think that I've done something worthwhile and that those who love books about Arthur might enjoy quite a bit. In a strange way, my novel could serve as an "Introduction" to The Once and Future King. However, I don't think I'm EVER hysterically funny. Addendum: For the next few days the novel is again Free, ending at 12 a.m. Pacific Time on 2/1/ 13--but I could be off by 24 hours, so act quickly!

The Once and Future King is the well-known novel of the legendary King Arthur. T.H. White presents in vivid detail the beauty of the Middle Ages and the exigent lives of brave knights living through a score of battles and wars. In the first book of four aptly named, "The Sword In The Stone," Arthur meets Merlyn, the magician, who transforms him into many beasts. From the first page to the last page, the plot thickens and the story of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table unfolds. If you want to discover more about Lancelot, the most skilled knight of his time, and Queen Guenever, King Arthur's wife, this is the book for you. The Once and Future King was one of the best, and longest books I have ever read, but I thoroughly enjoyed every page. If you decide to read this book, do not be deterred by its amount of pages or T.H. White's lengthy descriptions.

This novel is a great piece of work. I had to find a book on Arthurian legend for my ninth grade english class, not even thinking about I grabbed the first book I could find at the local library. I luckily picked a great book. It is a very large book, but instead of being boring I read it almost to fast. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction. The author, T.H White, does a great job of making the well-known story into more of a story than just a legend. There doesn't seem to be anything unusual in White's writing style, it's just a good story. The story spans most of Arthur's life, starting when he is a young boy living with his foster parents to his death as a king. The author makes the reader almost feel the pain that the characters feel. White makes it as though the person reading the book is involved in the story. You probably wouldn't like this book unless you enjoy knowing about historical writing. This story is not a real event in history, but the story its self is history. But it's hard to remember when you are reading this book that it didn't really happen hundreds of years ago. I highly recommend this book to all people. You have to ignore how long this book is, i had to read it and all the pages were gone before i knew it. After reading this i have a picture of how times were in the middle ages, maybe it is wrong, oh well. I think we should all have to read this when we are my age.

This is a great book. I am reading it for my Legends of King Arthur class but wanted a hardcover copy for a gift for my father. Book came fast, in excellent condition and will be a nice edition to the library. Thank you kindly.

For those who struggle with the length and detail of Le Morte d'Arthur or Lord Tennison's poetic version of same, a work showing the beauty, honor, ethics and chivalry of Arthurian legends is not lacking. The Once and Future King is an extremely well crafted interpretation, showcasing the moral and ethical dillemas faced by all those with power over their environment or others. Some may call the book preachy, but I find much worth emulating in this tale of gentle sadness.

The Once and Future King is a book with 4 different plots in 4 different sections of the book. There are stories about how King Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone, The story of Sir Lancelot, The love between Sir Lancelot and Guenevier, and finally, the quest for the holy grail. Althogh there are 4 different plots, there are 3 main charcters, Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Gunivier. There are also big characters like Merlyn, the magaician of Camelot and Archemedes the talking owl. I liked this book because it talks about the Arthurian Legends. I also enjoyed this book because it was desciptive in many ways. For example, Sir Lancelot was in a tree and the author told every detail like he was sitting in Sir Lancelots place. Of course no book is perfect, because the 4 plots confused me and knocked it to 3 stars. If you enjoy a good midevil story, you'll LOVE this book.

I read this book in my English class in 8th grade, I like reading and found this wonderful. i have alwasy liked the tale of King Arthur but this book brought it all to life. It was sad, happy and even madding to me at sometimes. its a true classic and i would recommend anyone with the ablity to read it . It should really be 10 stars.

Wonderful, stunning, funny. This write up of the King Arthur saga was, for me, an introduction to the middle ages which made me realize where we come from. The book is about a change agent pur sang, learning, growing, developing AND implementing his vision of how to live together in one of the most difficult of times.
The best thing about fantastic books is when they make your own fantasy take you on a trip to a place where time runs backward, Kings are chasing beasts, magicians fall in love and knights save the life of virgins.
Already looking forward to the time when I will be able to read this book to my children...
If you don't like British humor, do not read this book.

As a teenager, at the age of 17, I found this book to be an amazing, poignant work. It brings back the ideas of true honor and love which are not much represented in modern literature- not only the love between a man and a woman, but also between mentors and students, between brothers, in a family. Although the story is ended on a sad note, there is never useless melancholy, it is always touched by some kind of hope or compassion. Arthur loves his betrayer, even to the end. The title, even- denoting a future king- shows the hope which is to follow sorrow.

The characters are well rounded and built, and many are followed from life until death.

Tragedy, Romance, action, comedy- there's nothing to dislike about this book.

The Once and Future King is by far one of the best books i have ever read. I was assigned this book as a summer reading book, when I first bought the book I was scared by just looking at the size of it. The first book The Sword in the Stone is about Wart and his adventures with Merlyn, animals like ants, fish, and owl's. The story goes off on tangents occasionally but most of them are pretty interesting and have famous characters like Robin Hood. Books 2,3, and 4 all deal with Arthur growing up to be King and Lancelot becoming the greatest knight of all time. It tells the story of Arthur's rise and fall of his Kingdom. If you enjoy the Arthurian legend or if you just want a great fantasy story than you should read this.
Final Note:
Pellinore owns everyone in the story, what, what?
JHS forever.

When we read this book in tenth grade English our class was sharply divided. Those that liked medieval fantasy enjoyed the book, while those of us whose tastes lay elsewhere were mostly unimpressed. As one that belonged to the latter group, I found much of this book tedious, but I liked some of the politics and genuinely enjoyed the love affair between Sir Lancelot and Guenever. I'd add the antics of the irrational Red Queen, but I guess that was in Through the Looking Glass. Overall, I gave the book a four-star rating because it does have some appealing parts, and fans of medieval fantasy usually like the book very much. But if your tastes lie elsewhere you are advised to look elsewhere.

Out of all the books that I have read I must say that this one has all the rights to be named "My Favorite". It has really great reasons to be my favorite because the contents of this book are some that made me admire T.H. White's stupendous work. The vocabulary selection, vivid images, and also the variety of characters were the glue in between my fingers and the book. I have never read something quite like this before.

The Once and Future King is the best fantasy novel ever written. In this amazing world that hopefully you will read about, you'll encounter a well known magician that will turn the Wart into that very admired character that we all have heard from, King Arthur. Also you will experience how The Great King Arthur will rule his beloved Camelot. How will he manage to handle England in a time where danger lurks everywhere from anyone? Be ready for big surprises and enjoy this book as I did!

I started read "The stword in the stone" in for school, once I finished the book I disliked it because I wanted more so now I am all most done with "The Once and Future King". This is what I need. But now as this book comes to and end the feeling of wanting more is coming again. I think I have falling in love with the Arthurian legend. Now I think I will move on the book that Malory written "Morte d' Arthur" I go to this book because I am told that it talk about the Holy Grail. But I am really enjoyed the "The Once and Future King" and think that if you are to read any of the 4 book inside the "The Once and Future King" that you should sale yourself short go ahead and read the whole book you will have all you questin answered.

What this book amounts to is a series of rambling, somewhat disconnected scenes with little overall plot or narrative thrust. The overall feeling is very light, humorous, and whimsical, and it is, in spots, quite charming and amusing. Alas, though, you find yourself about halfway through asking what the point, if any, is. The characters just prattle on and on, sometimes in a funny way, sometimes in a tedious and annoying way.... Is it a decent read? Yes. Is it the fantasy epic by which all others should be judged (as the cover says)? Hardly. This doesn't even belong on the same shelf as such classics as Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, or even The Black Cauldron series. I think people's love for the whole Arthurian thing has seriously clouded their evaluation of this book. Replace all the "Arthurian" character names with other names and you're left with what this book really is: a moderately charming, somewhat incoherent, light-weight breezy read. Read it if you want, but there's much better out there.

I first read this book in junior high school and have had an on-going love affair with it ever since then. T. H. White used the Arthurian myths to make timeless comments on life, love, innocence and human destiny. This wonderful book gets better each time I read it -- and I'm on my tenth read now.

Every adventure and every conversation seems to be written in direct correspondence to something you just went through in your own life. It's impossible, I know. But everything is so wonderfully wise and perfectly whimsical that it's impossible not to immediately apply it to the fight you just had with your wife, or neighbor, or congressman. It really is amazing and I'll be reading it, over and over again, for the rest of my life.

I think Every one should read this book. It has all the parts of a great book.I plan on reading it again. I wish every person in the world could read it. I think it was cool how no one could beat ir Lancealot. I think King Arthur took that Lance and Guinevere were lovers pretty well. I think T.H. White is a great writer.

This book is pure joy to read. I've reread it every couple years or so for decades, and with each new read I come away with more. T. H. White ranks up with Dickens, Twain, and Tolkien.

It somehow manages to be quite profound while at the same time it's very easy reading, the turned pages just slip away. It's the kind of book, when you reach the last page, makes you unhappy that the story is not continued, that there is no more, within this set of pages at least, to read.

It has become, packaged with Twain's Letters From the Earth and some select others, my favorite gift to give friends and family to brighten up their day and enrich their library.

Quite simply this is one magnificent book and is actually an honor to read.

The Once and Future King, by T.H. White, is a book that would be good for any reader. Not only does it fall into the fantasy genre, but it also contains action, love, and lots and lots of comedy. Even during the most serious scenes, the author finds a way to incorporate humor. You follow the life of King Arthur, and learn about how he established the knights of the round table. I would recommend this book to any person who likes action, drama, love, or comedy. I don't normally read fantasy, but after the first three pages, I forgot that it was. Although The Once and Future King is a lengthy book, you'll fly through it and be sorry when you reach the end.

I first read this book when I was 13 and can honestly say it changed my life in that it made me think deeply about issues I had never previously considered. Historically it is inaccurate - if Arthur did exist it certainly would not have been in the medieval period. But this does not matter at all - White tells the story with feeling and as it builds up to a climax it is impossible to put down. It is especially good as an introduction to Malory's Morte D'Arthur, easier to read but clearly based on the text. It is the most approachable book on the legend of King Arthur I have ever read and I would recommend it highly to anyone

... And able to read T. H. White's admirable rendition of the Legend of Arthur for the first time.

Alas, I am only able to experience this vicariously, having given the book to my nephew some time ago. Also, alas, I fear too late, as he has wanted to follow the modern path of fast things with wheels.

(But he may yet learn of the magic of Merlyn, and the mystery of the sword, Excalibur).

Mr. White's rendition is at once easy to read, and deeply insightful, sometimes darkly so, taking us from Arthur as a young lad, to Arthur ruling uneasily in Camelot.

Highly recommended to anyone who is young, or young at heart. Read it to your children or grandchildren, if you must.

I was supposed to read this book for summer reading. I put it off, which I shouldnt have until the ngiht before. I kind of like the story...or at least what I read....but it is SO freakin hard to understand. I just didnt get it. I wish they couldve been a tidge clearer with the whole story and it would have been great.

The book "Once and Future King" tells a story that takes place in the Middls Ages around Camelot when mythological creatures flourished and magic thrived. It's the story of King Arthurs life from when he is a boy going on adventures with his magical teacher Merlyn the magician, to when he became the king. Arthur is being turned into animals and even saving people as he meets up with well known myths such as Robin Hood and Little John, unicorns and griffens. This 4-in-1 book (four stories of Arthur under one title) is loaded with information of King Arthur's life and people close to him. However, I did not enjoy this book because it was too slow moving to keep me intresyed and too many unnecessary details were included. The beginning took a while to get going because whole pages were devoted to small things such a describing a field, when that field is completly irrelevent to the story line. Some of the words were just from that time period and hard to comprehend. I was also turned off by an untasteful scene of witchcraft and animal cruelty. Some of the descriptions were very poetic, but I didn't want to know that much about something that had so little impact on the story. Although the charcters were amusing, I would have liked to see more magic and action, less scence and adjectives. I think that if you have a lot of time to absorb all the words you would enjoy this book more. I would not recommend this book to anyone because whatever you are looking to read, htere is going to be a better book out there for you.

T.H. White's The Once and Future King gets two stars and I rate it just average. While the book did have many different strengths, overall, it was just too long and contained way too much descriptive "filler" and "fluff." The strengths of the book include good character description and variations, solid humor (especially those parts with Sir Grummore and King Pellinore)and compelling scenes of treachery, action and love. Most of the action took place in Books 2-4, when the Wart becomes King Arthur and creates the Round Table, and also when Mordred declares himself the King of England. I particularly enjoyed the scenes in which Lancelot and Guenever are together, because you could almost feel the romantic tension between them. However, the quality of the read was really impacted negatively by the seemingly endless pages of descriptive commentary. For some reason, White thought that readers could stay interested through these long trips that basically lead the reader nowhere. For example, White could not hold my interest as he described (at incredibly great length)the color of an insect on a tulip in the field behind where the main scene is taking place. I wanted to scream: "Get to the point! Get back to the action!" And the worst part is, this desriptive commentary makes up about 1/3 to 1/2 of the book. If White cut out even half of all this description, it would make the book a much more enjoyable read, and much easier to comprehend. For me, reading The Once and Future King was sometimes a painful experience, as I waded through the 600+ pages. In conclusion, if you are the sort of person who enjoys reading an intricate level of detail and description (poetry, really) and you don't mind it taking pages and pages of print to get to any action, then this would be a great read for you. Otherwise, I would steer clear of this book...or just skim through the "fluff" and find the main action (and more interesting) parts of this book.

Very fun book, if you can understand the language differences. It's unfortunate that this is really aimed at kids, kind of a several-generations-back Harry Potter feel, but most children won't be able to understand the language. It's not written in a particularly difficult style, just an archaic one.

Others have very competently covered the plot and characterization. I will simply say that this is the best book I have ever met. I first read it as a child and have read it many more times in the two decades since then. Each time some new depth or nuance is revealed.
If, god forbid, I had to select only one book from my shelves to last me for the rest of my life, I would unhesitatingly throw away the other thousand odd and keep The Once and Future King. This book has everything.
I envy people who are discovering it for the very first time - savor it!

The Once and Future King had many strengths, and it would be a good book except for the one major weakness that i noticed. I feel T.H. White did a good job with the chracters in the book, keeping them close to traditional Arthurian style. The book has many intriguing scenes filled with action, treachery, humor, and love. Now, one would think, based on the review i have given so far, that The Once and Future King is a fine read, but the one weakness that i felt the book had makes the book difficult to enjoy and hard to pay attention to. T.H. White added far too much meaningless commentary and description inbetween the interesting scenes. This made the book quite uninteresting and and, after the loss of interest, hard to follow and comprehend. And, unfortunately for me, almost half the book is made up of this miniscule description. Seeing as i am not an avid reader to begin with, this book made reading less appealing to me than it already was. Concluding, i would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading 300 pages of wandering commentary, and 300 pages of the actual relevant story. I definitely would not recommend this story to those who dislike reading unless it is packed with action from cover to cover.

"Might isn't Right" is a motto that fuels the wisdom of the story as it unfolds. It begins with the story of The Sword and the Stone and wraps up with the end of King Arthur's great Camelot. Although the book is an amazing example of the wisdom of T.H. White, it is also an example of his clever sense of humor, which he uses quite often throughout this great piece of literary art. The book is quite long and drags on in a few parts, but the pros far outweigh the cons. Overall, this book is a great read and makes sense of all the other Arthurian stories you may have ever heard.

Five chapters down this "children's book" & its got the most words i do not know.
Metheglyn, mews, varvels, fewmets, brachet, corkindrill, cloisonne, and more.
Oh yeah, & me favorite, Hic, Haec, Hoc, and Hunc. I kid you not.
The boyfriend actually did know most, 'cept he thought fewmets to be a pudding.
HeeHee.

Pay no heed the one-star reviewers. Except for a hapless mom who was made to read it to her por chile,
there isn't One who know what they talkin about. Most were either "made" to read it in the summer,
or are voracious speedreaders who got slowed down by it, or see it as somekinda "insult" to medieval-themed literature.
My favorite eggjample from one such honored reviewer:
"I have read many books, inlcuding several that portray stories from midevil times, this one was the worst."

& az for me, well. How can Anyone not like a book that's got a poym like this:
Therapeutic,
Elephantic,
Diagnosis,
Boom!
Pancreatic,
Microstatic,
Anti-toxic,
Doom!

I rest me case.

No education of King Arthur is complete or even begun without this book. It is comprehensive, covering Arthur's young years as "the Wart" to his struggles as the king. The writing vocabulary is not too difficult and the style is often casual. Readers of all ages should not struggle with the plot. Certain areas contain philosphical mental meandering with political undertones, but nothing too lengthy or serious for young readers.

I loved how detailed and orginal the story was. It's like T.H. White instead of trying to tell the complete story of King Arthur, takes little snippets of the parts he thought were particularly interesting or wonderful and makes them beautiful and rich with life and meaning. His words are full of love and light.The Once and Future King

TH White's Once and Future King is a decent read. I found it inconsistent in terms of time period and storyline, but I found it a fascinating social commentary.

In regard to the time period I found it extremely confusing. For instance in the beginning of the book the knights wear plate armor. At the end of the book they are still wearing plate armor but guns are introduced. This would but the time period about 1400 AD. But during the Wart's experience in falconry he meets a falcon who quotes William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The plate armor points to 1200 AD yet Shakespeare wasn't born until the 1500s when plate armor had since gone the way of the dinosaur. So it's hard to put the story in a discernable time frame.

Regarding the inconsistency of the story line, I found parts of the book that had no reason to be except add extra pages. A great example is the part about the Questing Beast with Grummore, Palomides, and Pellinore. It doesn't tie into anything later in the story so why is it there? Is it supposed to be funny? If anything I found it boring.

Now the social commentary was interesting. To answer your in class rhetorical question, Mr. Shakely, about the difference in the way people regarded war between 1938 and 1949 (which not so coincidently are copyright dates), I can tell you. In 1938 the US was recovering from the Great Depression, the clouds of war were already gathering again over Europe, and Japan had already been on a conquering spree in the Pacific for at lest 3 years. So America, in regard to any war said "We'll stay out of your business." After all, the memory of World War I was still pretty fresh in the memory. But in 1949 the mood had all changed. No longer was America or the world so indifferent to each other and for good reason. It was the Cold War. The Rosenthal's had been caught leaking nuclear secrets to the Soviets and the Soviets exploded their first A-bomb in '46 and in '49 they exploded their first H-bomb. The threat of nuclear annihilation and MAD (mutually assured destruction) was present in everyone's mind. So I'd say the view and general consensus towards war and conflict had changed.

In the book TH White has many views in regard to war, preventing war, justice, and so on. He presents his views in the literary vehicles of Arthur and Merlyn. Communism also makes a cameo appearance in the book a few times and in Arthur's quote to Lancelot, "Don't ever let anybody teach you to think, Lance: it is the curse of the world." White openly condemns communism through Arthur in this statement. Also he proves that no matter how hard you try you cannot make everyone equal. In regard to war and preventing war, first Arthur (White) tries to fight a war to get rid of evil, doesn't work. So, then Arthur decides to send the knights out to get rid of evil before it can start a war, doesn't work. Then for the sake of justice, almost kills his wife and becomes estranged from his best friend. Often it is hard to understand the social viewpoints of where White is writing from, but it is just one of the things the reader has to get through understand the full meaning of this book. That I'll leave up to the future reader of the novel.

The Once and Future King is the most wonderful book I have ever read! I was forced to read it because of an assignment in school, however, I was pleasently surprised! I finished it with in a matter of days of starting it! I really got into the story and felt as though I was watching something happen right in front of me! I enjoyed the romance between Guinevere and Lancelot, the balence between gentle love, war, and justice that Arthur possessed, and the mystical adventures that Merlin took Arthur on! This was the best book that I have ever read! Next up, The book of Merlin!

Arthur's high hopes and great plans are destroyed by the massive machinery of running a government and the realities of personal life. Arthur is good -- maybe too good -- and when his coalitions start falling apart, he is helpless. A beautiful rendition of a failed attempt.

This is one of those books where you open to a page at random after many years and are surprised and delighted that you weren't overselling the book to your friends when you were first reading it. When I first got to around page 500, I was genuinely disappointed that in less than 200 pages, there would be no more of this book left to read.

I summarize this book as a re-telling of the Arthurian legends in a way that makes sense to a modern, 20th-century western mind, but it's so much more. I'll never forget how I laughed as a young Arthur watched King Pellinore joust or the wonder with which the badger's recollection of the creation of the animals filled me.

This book is beautifly written which will capture the likes of young and old. The story is the best of it's kind. It goes indepth about all of the characters and makes it easy to understand. It deserves to be a classic.

I have a collection of King Arthur books. My second favorite is Wm. Goldman's, but this is the benchmaark Arthur book. I read this years ago, but it stays here and gets a fresh look every now and then. A keeper. Not for the library's used book sale. Might as well have The Book of Merlyn too if you are going to be a bear.

I think the people who like to read fantasy/adventure/romance novels should read The Once and Future King, by T.H. White. The reason that I think people who enjoy novels should read this because the story is based on the legend of King Arthur, which is fantasy. Another reason is because the story is based on the legend of King Arthur, which is fantasy. Another reason is because the first part of the book, The Sword In The Stone, is all about the adventures of the Wart (King Arthur) has with Merlin, who is a wizard that lives time backwards. I would suggest that some people who also enjoy romance should read this book because the story of King Arthur does have a romantic part to it.

First, one of the books strengths is that the narrator speaks in the third person. The narrator seems to know everything that has happened in the past and present. The narrator is able to access the thoughts of the characters in the book. The reason I see this as strength is because the narrator seems to know everything that will happen or has happened in the past and future! So, when Merlin is trying to teach the Wart in The Sword in The Stone he makes references to the wars that are held in our time. By doing this it's as if Merlin isn't just trying to teach the Wart but he is also trying to teach you as a reader.

Second, another one of the books strengths is that the tone changes throughout the four books of the novel. The tone of it starts out playful and satirical, but gradually the tone grows darker, and more serious. At the beginning of the novel it's funny. It shows the way little boys are playful with each other, and how they like to seek adventure! Throughout the novel you can tell that things are getting darker for example in The Queen Of Air And Darkness at the end when we realize that Arthur had just slept with his half sister and that she conceived his child. The tone also starts to get more serious because now Arthur isn't a boy anymore, but he is a King, and what ever he does has a big affect on Camelot.

Finally, one of the things about the book that I see as a strength and weakness is the fact that this one book is four different books put together. The strength of this is that it tells the story of King Arthur's life from beginning to end. The weakness of this is that it is hard to tell what the conflict, rising action, climax and falling action of the book is. Each novel has its own major conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action because it is made up of four different novels.

I personally enjoyed this book! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about fantasy/adventure/romance. This book is a mixture on all three of those genres and it's a very touching novel of King Arthur. In this novel the story of King Arthur is told in a way that it has never been told before.

a TRULY INSPIRING BOOK.......THE FIRST OF ITS KIND I EVER READ ALSO TRY THE "WHEEL OF TIME" AND THE SWORD OF TRUTH SERIES WIZARDS FIRST RULE , STONE OF TEARS, BLOOD OF THE FOLD, AND CASTLE OF THE WINDS

I found T.H. White's The Once and Future King to be very entertaining. It was hard to put this book down after I started it. Everyone has seen the disney Sword in the Stone, Merlin, or something else that has King Arthur in it. This book talks about his birth to his death, hardly leaving out any details. In the past I had never known who Galahad was or how Lancelot and Guinevere had begun to couple. I've seen movies such as First Knight and King Arthur and the difference in this book and the movies is very obvious. This book was simply refreshing.

While I have been a fan of fantasy since I was a young boy, the Arthurian legend never captured my imagination. That is, until reading this book. I came to love all of the characters - not just Merlin, Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot, but all of the minor characters too. Not a simple task for so storied a legend. T. H. White creates a beautiful tale that is about more than a boy becoming a king or the wizard that raises him. He writes a story about being human and what that can and should mean.

I normally hate reading... I usually only read the speach bubbles on the comic strip "Garfield" but for some reason, when I read this book, I had trouble stopping. The author has a unique style of writing that is both captivating and intertaining. This book is classified as Fantasy, but really it could be a number of genres: action, adventure, romance, and humor. If you like any of those, I highly recommend you read this book. The book is quite legnthy, but then again I considered that an asset rather than a drawback. Overall, I would give this book 4 1/2 stars, but since that wasn't available, i had to give it 5, because it sure wasn't a 4. (Now check the box that says "this review was helpful")

It's a shame that 5 stars is the maximum allowed. This is my favorite book of all time. I first read it as a college freshman in 1970, and have re-read it at least a dozen times since. Every time it makes me laugh and weep. This is a classic for our time and for every time.

I first read this book when I was 14 years olds in 1963. Since that time, I have reread it six times, the last being c. 10 years ago. I now feel a need to read it again as I approach my 50s. First time I read it, I read it much as a fairy tale. In latter readings, it came across very much as an adult novel. Something for everyone in it -- love, war, good, evil, quest for the Holy Grail, etc. My readings of the Once and Future King caused me to read Mallory's Le Morte de Arthur, Tennyson, as well as some of the original French and English legends about the subject. So, it incited a life-long passion in Arthurian drama although I don't think any of them ever approached the majesty of The Once and Future King.

Whimsical and romantic.And SAD. I hate the part when Morderd proposes to Guinereve and she has to say yes.(SOB)! Then Arthur and Lancelot both go to save her in the tower of London and morderd shoots Arthur with a Canon.

Warning! This paperback edition has very small print. I am going to look at the book stores to see if there is an edition with larger print. For a book this long - 600 + pages, it would be agonizing to read more than a few pages at a time.

My class in school was assigned to read this book. I am a particularly slow reader, so I was discouraged when I saw how long it was and the hard to understand language they used, but the more i read, the more interested I got. Although it is not one of my favorites, i really enjoyed reading this and i love the author's style of writing. You get to know the characters so much and the plot never gets too boring. New "mini stories" pop up in every chapter and it's always a pleasant suprise.

When I heard I had to read The Once and Future King and learned that it was about King Arthur, I was excited. I've always been interested in the legends of Arthur, without being obsessively so. After reading the book I was utterly disappointed.

The main problem with White's telling is I couldn't figure out how to interpret it. For such a tragic tale you think the writing would be more serious, but constant attempts at humor and references to such modern things as current newspapers detract from the overall style of the story.

The way White changes the characters from the common bed time stories is also surprising. Although the changes in the character's may have been well done and interesting in their own right, the fact that such well known characters have almost been altered beyond recognition throws you.

If you're seriously considering buying this book, I advise just purchasing the first part, The Sword in the Stone. Out of the four books within this volume, this first part is the best. Then, if you fall in love with this version of the legend, you could buy the rest of the series. Otherwise you're just setting yourself up for disappointment.

White's version of the epic, along with it's rather large amount of pages, shouldn't be read by the average fan of Arthur. If you're a die-hard, by all means, read and enjoy. Otherwise, steer clear.

I love it as a grandmother with stories to tell the 7year old boy and 5year old
girl. I have always loved Robin Hood stories and then there is Camelot.
The detailed descriptions of birds, animals etc are great.

My 13 year old loved this book. However when he got 3/4 through, he handed it back and said he wouldn't read a page more. He showed me when in the book things got, shall we say, PG-13. He enjoyed the book for its depth and the battles and all things boys love to read about. However, when things got really steamy and adulterous between Lancelot and Guinevere, and then Lancelot gets another young woman pregnant through a trap and one-night-stand, my son got very uncomfortable. It shows Lancelot trying to overcome temptation and failing, then turning to religion, and the evil of a woman scorned. My son said he would like to read it again at 17 or 18 or older. I guess what I am recommending to people who buy this book for their kids, really know the maturity level of your child. I enjoyed it for myself (though I didn't finish), but I am excluding it from my curriculum until my sons are much older and mature.