Reading List Completists discussion

General Discussion about The Once and Future King

I didn't really know what to make of the first chapter. In fact, having started the audiobook I started to doubt my understanding of English haha and then I doubted the audiobook so I went to the central library of my city where they had a paper copy (the size of a brick...) and started the book again on my way back on the train.

Turns out, my understanding of English was just fine and the audiobook was 100% true to the text... it is just a very weird start... after that the audio version is my preferred medium so far. Book one is very easy to listen to whilst doing chores.

I will be starting sometime in the next couple of weeks. I remember that I read the first part of this book back in college, but I don't remember much about it other than it is a take on Arthurian Legend.

I finished book some weeks ago but haven't yet made my way back to the next book... Anybody else persevering with it?

Jessica wrote: "I finished book some weeks ago but haven't yet made my way back to the next book... Anybody else persevering with it?"

I am having problems getting to my October Book Club Books . . . I am a bad book club leader this month! :)

I need to start this and am hoping to finish reading it in November. We'll see since I have a number of long books in November, including Don Quixote. But I seem to remember this book with fondness, so I'm hoping it will be as good as I remembered. It'll be fun to read some Camelot stuff!

Haha ah well Matthew that happens to the best of us! Don't tell my Poirot readers but I'm 1,5 book behind on them (completely skipped the may book and didn't finish one in January...)

After my complaining (see above) I did finish the 2nd book which was only 100 pages and hmm seems like a bridge to the 3rd book mostly, which I am now also well underway with.

Is this 4 books or 5?

Yes, 5 books

Thanks Jessica! I think I'm going to go with the audiobook on Audible, since it shows it as being books 1 thru 5.

In Book 1, Chapter 7, the battle between King Pellinore and Sir Grummore is hilarious!

I am finally starting!

I noticed the discussion above and I am confused. My edition doesn't appear to be divided into books - at least, it doesn't call the divisions books. It has 4 parts

- The Sword in the Stone
- The Queen if Air and Darkness
- The Ill-Made Knight
- The Candle in the Wind

There's a 5th one called The Book of Merlyn. It is the conclusion of The Once and Future King, but it was published separately and posthumously. Apparently not all editions include it. It is actually a really interesting story. Hopefully your edition also has a nice foreword or afterword by Sylvia Townsend Warner, if not, here's wikipedia to summarize it ;-)

White was inspired to write this book upon determining that the key theme of Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur is to find an "antidote for war". Rather than containing a distinct plot, this book reads more like a discourse on war and human nature.

White had revised The Sword in the Stone (1938), The Queen of Air and Darkness (1939), plus The Ill-Made Knight (1940) to weave in the anti-war theme.[1] In November 1941 White sent the revisions along with The Candle in the Wind (part 4) and The Book of Merlyn (part 5) to his publisher with the intent that all five parts be published together as a single book. The publisher declined due to wartime paper shortages and White's antiwar message.

White salvaged parts of the rejected text by including scenes from The Book of Merlyn in the revised The Sword in the Stone part of The Once and Future King that was published in 1958

Marlise wrote: "In Book 1, Chapter 7, the battle between King Pellinore and Sir Grummore is hilarious!"

I agree! Pellinore remains a favourite throughout (well so far at least ... I'm 60% through)

I'm enjoying how I've noticed in several areas T.H. White makes a comparison to modern times. He mentions the Victorian Age in a quote I posted and also compares the excitement felt by one of the characters to someone flying in an airplane for the first time.

I am still plugging along in book one. I am enjoying it - actually more than I expected. I am just having a crazy fall and finding time to fit in all of my planned reading has been tough!

My hope would be that before 2020, I can binge this through to the end!

I'm not making much progress in this one, but my hope is that I will finish it by the end of January, lol!

Just finished Book 4 Candle in the Wind. Great title for it and my favorite so far! Should finish this next week.

Despite my slow movement through the book, I am actually liking it quite a lot! But, still not sure I will finish this year . . .

You all inspired me not to give up. My progress was halted when I had the return my library copy. Audio doesnt really do it for me with this one. Today I've downloaded an epub and made it almost to the end of book 3.

Jessica wrote: "You all inspired me not to give up. My progress was halted when I had the return my library copy. Audio doesnt really do it for me with this one. Today I've downloaded an epub and made it almost to..."

Awesome! I hope to knock a few more chapters out today, too!

Gonna have to follow this up with watching The Sword In The Stone on Disney+

Finished book one! Now I am on to stories of the le Fay clan.

Finished the last book, it was probably my least favorite. However, as a whole I was entertained by the series.

I'm somewhere in book 4. I actually enjoy the reading, yet it isn't a book I pick up for a quick read. Therefore there is a lot of time in between sessions and slow progress... But still hm 5 days in the year? Haha might work

Yay! I made it 😂 book IV was very very complicated. Overall an intense somewhat confusing experience. I think Ill write a review after a day or two to process it all .

The reading of this book was a very interesting process. I remember certain scenes and details in the first book that really spoke to me as a source of inspiration for, for instance, the Harry Potter books. The patronus and in fact the whole scene at the lake was almost plagiarism 😂, and there were many more little elements like that.

The other books were all so different from each other! And though the whole Guenever-Lancelot "situation" always annoys me in whatever version is presented to me, the way it was handled here was not too aggrevating.

I wasn't looking forward to book IV, Candle in the Wind, by then I felt rather done with it all, but the last chapters were very very good. (view spoiler)[ It is like we finally get some alone time with Arthur, perhaps Arthur finally gets some time for himself. (hide spoiler)]

The fifth book, not part of all the collections and published posthumously, presents a different ending. (view spoiler)[Merlin is there with insightful commentary and brings back some of the lighthardedness (? is that a word) of the first book. But in my opinion, it is not an improvement. I like the progressive gloomyness in the books and then the 4th book is a natural and beautiful way to leave. (hide spoiler)]

My message to you still reading is: don't give up! And after finishing give yourself some time to think about it. My appreciation increased after some days away from the book.

Alas - this one is now a 2020 book for me, too . . . and, I have to get started on the next big read! *sigh* so much pressure!

Jessica wrote: "The reading of this book was a very interesting process. "
Great review!

Just finished "Book 2" a few days ago.

It was just okay - kind of weird!

Book 3 seems to be the Lancelot book so far

So, until reading this book I imagined Lancelot being a pretty good looking guy. But, they frequently mention a facial deformity - at one point even comparing him to Quasimodo. Interesting!

I also kept reverting back to the classic handsome knight in my head. I think Lancelot was commonly perceived as handsome even by Mallory but White made him an 'apelike man' to underline Lancelots noble feelings or at least a noble struggle with his feelings.

Jessica wrote: "I also kept reverting back to the classic handsome knight in my head. I think Lancelot was commonly perceived as handsome even by Mallory but White made him an 'apelike man' to underline Lancelots ..."

I did notice on Wikipedia where they mention the many interpretations of Lancelot that White's version was intentionally much different than the others. This includes making him kind of awkward around people.

Gosh, I read somewhere or heard somewhere... and I don't know why I feel like it was in the book itself... mention of this. And also that though Guinevere is often portrayed as blonde haired she had black hair. Ugh, this is gonna bug me.

Something about the pacing of this book overall is somewhat odd. I am not sure if I can place my finger on it. I think it may be that short chapters are covering a lot of ground and then a lot of the story is occurring unseen between chapters and then quickly summarized at the beginning of the next chapter. So much happened today, but I didn't read very much!

Just finished Book 3 - this book is weird

Haha yes... Weird... Indeed. Hang in there! You almost made it haha