[books 2008] Here Lies Arthur

[inulro]

25. Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Reeve is the author of Mortal Engines, which we recently read and loved at Bibliogoths.

Does the world really need another re-interpretation of the King Arthur story?

The answer is emphatically yes, if it's this book. It's told from the point of view of a young girl who is taken in by Myrddin (not surprising as it's aimed at the young adult market), who is disguised as a boy and taken along on his travels with Arthur's war band.

This book's about a lot of things. It's about gender roles - Gwyn/Gwynne finds women's lives really boring, and prefers the roles and company of men, until they get all stupid about war. It's about loyalty and friendship. But mostly it's about story telling, and the ways a story can shape reality. In this version Arthur is a thug, but Myrddin spins romantic tales about him that people believe, and this has an effect on whether they follow him or not.

Most importantly, it's also an excellent adventure story, beautifully told.

I did a lot of work with development of the Arthurian tales as an undergraduate, including modern takes on it. Now I feel like going back and re-reading it all.

Many thanks to dghaem for lending it to me.

Comments

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

I've just read the first of Bernard Cornwell's Arthur trilogy, and that's very good. I particularly liked the way elements of Roman Britain still remain in Arthur's Britain.

Lancelot's a real git in the Cornwell books!

[inulro.livejournal.com]

If you like the elements of Roman Britain remaining, you'll love Here Lies Arthur. It has the added bonus of being partly set in what's left of Bath with the inhabitants trying very hard to remain Roman and civilised.