Le Morte D'Arthur or The Once and Future King?

seagull · 03-12-2011, 12:31 PM

I was wondering which one I should read first?

HarryT · 03-12-2011, 12:47 PM

Hmmm. You really couldn't have picked two more different books. Mallory's "Morte d'Arthur" is an extremely long, and even more extremely turgid (IMHO) 15th century tome, which I have to admit I abandoned after a dozen pages. "The Once and Future King" (which I did manage to get all the way through, although it was a struggle in parts) is a 1950s fantasy novel. About a million times easier to read

.

I'll tell you what: I'll be very impressed if you do manage to get all the way through "Le Morte d'Arthur".

carpetmojo · 03-12-2011, 01:05 PM

That's interesting - am I right in thinking I might have sat through a cartoon of "O & F King" about 6 times with my then 4 year-old offspring ?

But I agree about Le Mort d'Arthur - War & Peace without the laughs......... ?

HarryT · 03-12-2011, 01:06 PM

Yes, there is a cartoon version of "Once and Future King".

seagull · 03-12-2011, 01:13 PM

I know that Disney's 'The Sword and the Stone' was adapted from the first part of 'The Once and Future King'.

Hamlet53 · 03-12-2011, 02:26 PM

Definitely The Once and Future King. That is unless you are required to read Le Morte D'Arthur for a class, or wish to for intellectual bragging rights. I read The Once and Future King in about the 7th grad, and once more a couple of years ago and enjoyed it both times. It is certainly the best telling of the 'Camelot' legend out there that is written at an adult level. It was also the main inspiration of the Broadway play and later Hollywood film Camelot.

I am not certain of this, but I do believe that Once and Future King was actually written in multiple parts. Certainly the latter part of the book is more adult reader in nature than is the first.

Yolina · 03-12-2011, 02:47 PM

Well I'm going to recommend Morte d'Arthur

and no, I never had to read it for a class and I don't care about bragging rights - it's just something I enjoyed reading

Catlady · 03-12-2011, 03:19 PM

The Once and Future King is one of my all-time favorite books. It is actually four "books," published in one volume, the first "book" being The Sword in the Stone, which was made into the Disney animated film. The fifth section was published years later as a separate volume, The Book of Merlyn.

It is certainly much more accessible than Le Morte d'Arthur for a modern reader, and is the best retelling of the Camelot legend. You might also consider Mary Stewart's four volumes on the Arthurian saga, beginning with The Crystal Cave, and John Steinbeck's The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. Steinbeck's version is the only one legitimately available as an e-book in the U.S.

seagull · 03-12-2011, 03:28 PM

Thanks for the recommendations. I've went ahead and bought 'The Once and Future King' for my Kindle!

MTAlto · 03-12-2011, 03:46 PM

If you're at all familiar with the speech at reenactment events, Le Morte D'Arthur is actually fairly easy to understand. And kind of fun, if you need to practice your speech for such events. I have a friend in another state and we read aloud to one another once a week - we have a few books for fun just with the accents.

JSWolf · 03-12-2011, 04:15 PM

Go for Le Morte D'Arthur and ignore the naysayers. It was a very good book and well worth reading.

Catlady · 03-12-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Go for Le Morte D'Arthur and ignore the naysayers. It was a very good book and well worth reading.

Not being a nay-sayer. Certainly it's worth reading. But I would have quickly given up on it if I hadn't fallen in love with T.H. White's version first. The Once and Future King is a beautifully written book, not just some homogenized retelling.

derangedhermit · 03-12-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seagull

Thanks for the recommendations. I've went ahead and bought 'The Once and Future King' for my Kindle!

How did you do that? Amazon tells me that there is no Kindle version. B&N also doesn't have the EPUB.

jgaiser · 03-12-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derangedhermit

How did you do that? Amazon tells me that there is no Kindle version. B&N also doesn't have the EPUB.

For whatever stupid reason, it's not available in the United States. Elsewhere.. ??

derangedhermit · 03-12-2011, 08:23 PM

Stupid publishers, not acting in their own interests. Amazon is halfway down the second page if you google the title + EPUB. The first page and a half are torrent sites where anyone can get it for free. The harder they make it for people...well, they will get what they deserve.

03-12-2011, 12:31 PM	#1
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	Le Morte D'Arthur or The Once and Future King? I was wondering which one I should read first?

03-12-2011, 12:47 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Hmmm. You really couldn't have picked two more different books. Mallory's "Morte d'Arthur" is an extremely long, and even more extremely turgid (IMHO) 15th century tome, which I have to admit I abandoned after a dozen pages. "The Once and Future King" (which I did manage to get all the way through, although it was a struggle in parts) is a 1950s fantasy novel. About a million times easier to read . I'll tell you what: I'll be very impressed if you do manage to get all the way through "Le Morte d'Arthur". Last edited by HarryT; 03-12-2011 at 12:54 PM.

03-12-2011, 01:13 PM	#5
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	I know that Disney's 'The Sword and the Stone' was adapted from the first part of 'The Once and Future King'. Last edited by seagull; 03-12-2011 at 05:03 PM.

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03-12-2011, 01:05 PM	#3
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	That's interesting - am I right in thinking I might have sat through a cartoon of "O & F King" about 6 times with my then 4 year-old offspring ? But I agree about Le Mort d'Arthur - War & Peace without the laughs......... ?

03-12-2011, 01:06 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, there is a cartoon version of "Once and Future King".

03-12-2011, 02:26 PM	#6
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	Definitely The Once and Future King. That is unless you are required to read Le Morte D'Arthur for a class, or wish to for intellectual bragging rights. I read The Once and Future King in about the 7th grad, and once more a couple of years ago and enjoyed it both times. It is certainly the best telling of the 'Camelot' legend out there that is written at an adult level. It was also the main inspiration of the Broadway play and later Hollywood film Camelot. I am not certain of this, but I do believe that Once and Future King was actually written in multiple parts. Certainly the latter part of the book is more adult reader in nature than is the first.

03-12-2011, 02:47 PM	#7
Yolina Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 11573197 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Voyage	Well I'm going to recommend Morte d'Arthur and no, I never had to read it for a class and I don't care about bragging rights - it's just something I enjoyed reading

03-12-2011, 03:19 PM	#8
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	The Once and Future King is one of my all-time favorite books. It is actually four "books," published in one volume, the first "book" being The Sword in the Stone, which was made into the Disney animated film. The fifth section was published years later as a separate volume, The Book of Merlyn. It is certainly much more accessible than Le Morte d'Arthur for a modern reader, and is the best retelling of the Camelot legend. You might also consider Mary Stewart's four volumes on the Arthurian saga, beginning with The Crystal Cave, and John Steinbeck's The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. Steinbeck's version is the only one legitimately available as an e-book in the U.S.

03-12-2011, 03:28 PM	#9
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	Thanks for the recommendations. I've went ahead and bought 'The Once and Future King' for my Kindle!

03-12-2011, 03:46 PM	#10
MTAlto Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Montana Device: Kindle	If you're at all familiar with the speech at reenactment events, Le Morte D'Arthur is actually fairly easy to understand. And kind of fun, if you need to practice your speech for such events. I have a friend in another state and we read aloud to one another once a week - we have a few books for fun just with the accents.

03-12-2011, 04:15 PM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,957 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Go for Le Morte D'Arthur and ignore the naysayers. It was a very good book and well worth reading.

03-12-2011, 08:23 PM	#15
derangedhermit Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 1280000 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: None	Stupid publishers, not acting in their own interests. Amazon is halfway down the second page if you google the title + EPUB. The first page and a half are torrent sites where anyone can get it for free. The harder they make it for people...well, they will get what they deserve.

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