There was no reason for Arthur to think he would ever become king.A peasant and son of a baker, Arthur grew up in the castle town of Camelot. When he attended the Choosing Ceremony, it was merely to see who would draw the Holy Sword, Excalibur-to see who would inherit the throne of the recently departed King Uther. He never expected the sword would choose him...But it did.Now, at the young age of fourteen, he has become King Arthur, and for all the power he has gained, he has made just as many enemies. Surrounded by the Knights of the Round Table, and led by the mysterious mage, Merlin, Arthur is grateful for his allies, though he would just as soon return to his old life. Surely, someone more worthy should be chosen as king.Arthur is in the middle of chaos, a world where everyone wants more than they let on, where many hate the idea of a young boy with no noble background being crowned king; where cold stares and whispered words are just as sharp as an assassin's blade.As Arthur fends for his life, he must draw on the strength of his knights, especially fifteen-year-old Mordred, who becomes closer to him than the mere bounds of duty. He must become king, not just in name, but in his heart.And he must do it quickly, because his enemies want more than just his crown...

When he pulls a sword from a stone, Arthur fulfills his destiny to become king of England and together with his knights of the Round Table ushers in a golden age of chivalry.

Foreword by Neil Gaiman The world’s leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends—the story of King Arthur and his Knights—for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D’Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory’s work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position—Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as “The Adventures of Eagle-boy” and “The Coming of Merlin,” which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter’s story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.

Adapted by Alice M. HadfieldThe latest volume in the Core Classics series, this edition of the King Arthur legends will please teachers and students alike. The magic realm of Camelot is made inviting by a lively text that preserves the spirit and feel of the Middle Ages but also makes the story accessible to young readers. Enhanced by the Howard Pyle illustrations, the adventures of Gawaine, Galahad, and the other Knights of the Round Table are enchanting in their own right but also make a perfect supplement to the Core Knowledge history unit on the Middle Ages. As always in the Core Classics series, helpful word glosses are added to the text and an introduction is provided by E. D. Hirsch, Jr.

First published in the year 1897, the present book 'The Knights of the Round Table: Stories of King Arthur and the Holy Grail' is a collection of classic tales of adventure that are based on the medieval European history. This volume is compiled by William Henry Frost.