Arthur: The Seeing Stone - Book 1 (Paperback, New ed)

This is an imaginative reworking of the Arthurian legends for young adults, setting glittering chivalric fantasy within a fictional framework that creates a realistic depiction of medieval life in 1199. It is this contradiction between the ideal and the real that the young hero Arthur de Caldicot faces as he grows towards manhood on the borderland of the Welsh March. Arthur is the younger son and desperate to become a squire, the first step towards knighthood, but is afraid that his father intends him for the priesthood. The enigmatic Merlin gives Arthur a black obsidian stone within which he can see the life of his legendary namesake played out. As the unfolding destiny of the once and future king is revealed, the course of Arthur's own life becomes a mirror to what he sees in the stone. The pace and suspense of the story is maintained with 100 bite-sized chapters that balance the unfolding drama and Arthur's familiar teenage fears with a well researched account of life on a medieval manor. The crusades, King John and feudal inequalities are the historical backdrop with enough blood, romance and magic to maintain interest as the expertly written narrative successfully walks that fine line between fun and education. (10 - 14 years) (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. The winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the Smarties Prize bronze award in 2001, this timeless novel is stunningly reissued for a new generation. The year is 1199, the place the Welsh Marches. Young Arthur de Caldicot is given a magical shining stone in which his legendary namesake is revealed. In 100 short chapters that brilliantly evoke life in a medieval manor, stories of the boy King Arthur begin to echo - and anticipate - the secrets and mysteries that emerge in his own life . . . "As bright and as vivid as the pictures in a Book of Hours. Deep scholarship, high imagination, and great gifts of storytelling have gone into this; I was spellbound." - Philip Pullman, The Guardian

General

Imprint:	Orion Children's Books
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Arthur
Release date:	June 2001
First published:	2000
Authors:	Kevin Crossley-Holland
Dimensions:	198 x 129 x 30mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - B-format
Pages:	338
Edition:	New ed
ISBN-13:	978-0-7528-4429-9
Categories:	Books > Children's & Educational > Fiction > Fantasy & magical realism Books > Children's & Educational > Fiction > Fairy tales, folk tales, fables, magical tales & traditional stories Books > Children's Fiction & Fun > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Fables, Magical Tales & Traditional Stories Books > Children's Fiction & Fun > Fantasy & Magical Realism Books > Children's Fiction & Fun > General Promotions > School Holidays > Fiction Reads
LSN:	0-7528-4429-6
Barcode:	9780752844299

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