Classics Without All the Class discussion

I, personally, will be reading the entire Once and Future King series. I guess that the book is actually broken up into 4 parts. The actual group is only reading The Sword in the Stone, but I plan on reading the entire thing, anyone else with me?

There are actually five books in total, including the Book of Merlyn, but that is was published posthumously and is not included in the first omnibus partially due to publishing house reasons. I just read (listened, really) them all recently, so I won't be again, but I'm more than willing to re-hash them all in the forums.

Possibly, I would like to see how the first book goes before I decide....

I’d love to do this if I can carve out the time! When I was a teenager, I liked the series so much that I wrote a term paper in the style of a dialogue between Arthur and Merlin. (Fortunately, I had an indulgent English teacher.)

I am also hoping to plow through the entire series. I've heard so many good things about it! :-)

I've been intrigued by this story since I first saw the cover, but never made time for it. I'm going to pick up a copy of the full Once and Future King and read with you!!

I've been intrigued by this story since I first saw the cover, but never made time for it. I'm going to pick up a copy of the full Once and Future King and read with you!!

C wrote: "Possibly, I would like to see how the first book goes before I decide...."
Same here- I put the full series in my to-read list, but I'm not committing myself yet. So far, "The Sword.." seems a pleasant but lightweight story, not my usual thing.

George wrote: "C wrote: "Possibly, I would like to see how the first book goes before I decide...."
Same here- I put the full series in my to-read list, but I'm not committing myself yet. So far, "The Sword.." se..."

The series definitely gets darker with each book, besides the Book of Merlyn. The plot is consistent, but it stylistically it changes drastically from book to book. I'd go so far as to say read a chapter or two of each book to decide whether or not you want to continue, unless you're someone who has to finish a book once started.

Shanea wrote: "George wrote: "C wrote: "Possibly, I would like to see how the first book goes before I decide...."
Same here- I put the full series in my to-read list, but I'm not committing myself yet. So far, "..."

Sounds like good advice, thanks!

I finished The Sword in the Stone a couple of days ago, but this month is shaping up as a busy one, so I doubt I’ll be able to read the rest.

Jeane wrote: "I, personally, will be reading the entire Once and Future King series. I guess that the book is actually broken up into 4 parts. The actual group is only reading [book:The Sword in the Stone|316845..."

I just got the complete set on audible so I'm in if you are still interested.

I am considering reading the whole thing too, but it depends on how I like the first book! The book I borrowed from the library actually consists of all 5 books.

I have 4 books. I would read the whole book, but I am starting a little late. I read slow so there is no way I would be done by the end of February.

Cindy wrote: "I have 4 books. I would read the whole book, but I am starting a little late. I read slow so there is no way I would be done by the end of February."

You don't have to read by the end of February. There are always a few trailers. Sometimes your hobby has to take a back seat, right?

So I breezed through The Sword in the Stone, but when I got to The Witch in the Wood my interest went all down hill! I don't know why, but I think it had to do with the lack of nostalgia that I got from Sword and the Stone, so I put it down and I am reading Brandon Sanderson's new book, but I'll be picking it up again when I'm done with that!

Anyone else have the same problem? Lack of interest after certain parts? Enjoying some parts more than others?

My second story is the Queen of Air and Darkness. I liked The Sword and the Stone. I am struggling with the second story. Some of the history is hard to follow. When the witch boiled the cat alive I thought it was creepy and gross.

Cindy wrote: "My second story is the Queen of Air and Darkness. I liked The Sword and the Stone. I am struggling with the second story. Some of the history is hard to follow. When the witch boiled the cat alive ..."

Huh, weird. I wonder why different versions are different.... I am listening to the audible version read by Neville Jason.

I am reading the Berkley addition. I did not care for The Queen of Air and Darkness. In the opening, a witch boils a black cat alive. There was a lot of animal abuse, not sure why that was a subject that kept coming up in the second story.

I read this for another group a few months ago and quite enjoyed it. It's witty and funny and silly. The other four sections, though, are much more serious and dark, and each was more brutal to get through than the last. I would recommend stopping after Sword, unless you're just really determined.

The increasingly dark tone is deliberate and crucial to the The Once and Future King. The book is a tragedy in the classical, Aristotelian sense of things breaking down, moving from order to disorder. The biggest emotional hit for me came from the revelations of certain character's deep tragic flaws and mistakes. White really made me care about his characters.

Well said, Mark! I might add, the series has to follow the line of the myth, and the myth centers on those tragic flaws and how they undo all the good that the brighter side of the characters’ personalities can achieve. That said, it’s a pretty uneven series.