This is the second novel in a trilogy for teenagers which follows
the life of Arthur, squire to Lord Stephen de Holt. Set in 1200, it
is a rich, lively and absorbing tale, written in short chapters,
loosely in diary form, of the rites of passage from boyhood to
adulthood. Arthur's main objective is to prepare to go on crusade
with Lord Stephen, and to this end he has fencing lessons and goes
about the business of learning to dress his Lord in armour and to
wear armour himself. While they prepare, Arthur is also taken up
with the longing to discover who his real mother is, with his
growing affection for Winnie, daughter of a nearby knight, and a
number of castle intrigues and rituals. The different threads of
the story are illuminated with entrancing details of daily
mediaeval life, beliefs, use of herbs, customs, made immediate and
natural by the liveliness of the minor characters. Concurrent with
Arthur's story runs the story of the times of the legendary King
Arthur. Through his obsidian, a seeing stone, Arthur can see
stories from the King Arthur legend played out, and the two Arthurs
are further linked by the fact that Merlin, who appears in the
stone, is also the character who gave Arthur his seeing stone. The
stories of life under King Arthur's reign have a subtle and
tangential relevance to Arthur's own life - and serve as examples
of adult life which the teenager puzzles over, searching for right
and wrong. As the book progresses Arthur comes to realize that to
be a man he must listen chiefly to himself, and to become the
centre of his own story, not the onlooker in someone else's.
Gloriously imaginative and magical, this novel will grip readers in
their teenage years. Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)
Medieval life meets Arthurian magic in a novel that transcends boundaries of time and age, appealing to children of 9+ and older readers alike. This second book in the trilogy from the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the Smarties Prize bronze award is a timeless novel, stunningly reissued for a new generation.
Arthur de Caldicot arrives at Holt to be squire to Lord Stephen and accompany him on crusade. It is an exciting and bewildering time for him as he finds a warhorse, is fitted with armour and improves his fighting skills. And meanwhile these events are reflected in his seeing stone, in stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Packed with incident, wonderful characters, and fascinating historical detail, and interwoven with brilliant retellings of Arthurian legends, this is a glorious follow-up to THE SEEING STONE.
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