The Once and Future King by T.H. White (1958)

This is a re-telling of the legend of King Arthur, a series that spans from his birth to the end of his reign. Originally four volumes, it was later condensed into one with four parts — 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, on which the popular movie was based, follows the story of a young boy called the Wart. Wart lives in the castle of his foster father, Sir Ector. The Wart meets the magician Merlyn in the forest, who teaches Wart his wisdom. When Sir Ector’s son, Kay, is knighted, Wart begins to travel with him as a squire. After the death of Uther Pendragon with no heir left, it is proclaimed the rightful king will be able to pull the sword from the stone. Wart accomplishes this and is proclaimed the next king. The other books follow the adventures of the Wart, now called King Arthur, as he grows up, forms the Knights of the Round Table and fights to retain his power.

The Once and Future King is a story that most readers are already familiar with. There are many literary and film adaptations of the Arthurian legend and it is a popular subject. A new film, King Arthur, just released in July 2004, may also renew interest in the story. Readers can especially enjoy this version of the story because they are able to watch Arthur grow up. Readers will become fond of him as they have essentially “known him all his life.” The characters deal with the same emotions and issues that we deal with today — power, love, and betrayal. The story is fast-paced with drama and action.

The conclusion to The Once and Future King, The Book of Merlyn, was compiled as a separate volume and published posthumously in 1977.