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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Not that specifically, but recently within the last week I asked my friend who is a priestess/witch of any decent mythology books of the UK.
So if you know of any decent mythology books of the UK, please pass them on! |
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"Can’t beat a bit of Malory but I have a soft spot for Marie de France"
Lightweight in comparison to the likes of Malory, etc., but I enjoyed the "Excalibur" film, and the Avalon fantasy novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana Paxson...also remember reading the Roger Lancelyn Green retelling as a kid!! |
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"Can’t beat a bit of Malory but I have a soft spot for Marie de France"
Reading Le Morte D'Arthur was a real eye-opener - slapstick humour, awful behaviour by Arthur, Merlin hardly in it, Lancelot's adultery with Arthur's wife. All aspects that haven't quite made it into popular knowledge of the myths. More recently I read a volume of selections from Tennyson's Idylls Of The King, and a retelling of the Holy Grail stories. Haven't come across Marie De France. |
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I recently watched The Winter King on ITV X - series based on the Bernard Cornwell book - and really enjoyed it. I'm now reading the book and can see how different the telling of the story is in the TV dramatisation. But so far the book is equally as gripping! |
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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago
Titz Towers, North Notts |
I've read quite a bit on this topic and the best book is Worlds of Arthur by Guy Halsall.
He really goes into the sources and the period in a lot of depth and makes a compelling case that there is nothing in it.
Higham's book isn't bad, but not in the same league and as for John Morris, avoid his work like the plague.
 |
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"I recently watched The Winter King on ITV X - series based on the Bernard Cornwell book - and really enjoyed it. I'm now reading the book and can see how different the telling of the story is in the TV dramatisation. But so far the book is equally as gripping!"
Not read that but noticed there was a TV series - thanks for reminding me to watch it!
I want to read The Once & Future King by T.H. White which is supposed to be very good. |
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By *TG3Man
over a year ago
Dorchester |
"Any fans of the Arthurian myths here? Which are your favourite tellings of them in literature and TV/film? Not necessarily strict retellings - stories based on or inspired by also count."
excalibar was it ever actually pulled from a stone?  |
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By *eliWoman
over a year ago
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"I loved the recent film The Green Knight - I know some found it slow and pretentious but it really captured me. "
Oh I loved it! I really love A24 in general so it was ideal for me.
So, time for me to dork out. I have a real love of Arthurian legend - I remember sitting in a lecture at Caius and it was honestly one of the best lectures I've ever attended. Helped reinvigorate a love of literature when it was slipping. Slightly.
In terms of depiction in popular culture... the Merlin TV series had me in a ch*kehold at one point. There's also the references in Once Upon A Time. Book wise I'll mention The Dark is Rising. That series?  |
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"I loved the recent film The Green Knight - I know some found it slow and pretentious but it really captured me.
Oh I loved it! I really love A24 in general so it was ideal for me.
So, time for me to dork out. I have a real love of Arthurian legend - I remember sitting in a lecture at Caius and it was honestly one of the best lectures I've ever attended. Helped reinvigorate a love of literature when it was slipping. Slightly.
In terms of depiction in popular culture... the Merlin TV series had me in a ch*kehold at one point. There's also the references in Once Upon A Time. Book wise I'll mention The Dark is Rising. That series? "
I love it when you dork out Meli. It's always so interesting and I always learn something.
The Merlin series never appealed to me for some reason, I don't know why (not a comment on its quality, I never watched it to find out).
I'm not aware of Once Upon A Time and I'm afraid I've never read the Dark Is Rising series. I feel like a failure! |
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By *ags73Man
over a year ago
glasgow-ish |
"I recently watched The Winter King on ITV X - series based on the Bernard Cornwell book - and really enjoyed it. I'm now reading the book and can see how different the telling of the story is in the TV dramatisation. But so far the book is equally as gripping!"
I knew Bernard Cornwell had did that I couldn’t recall title |
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"Got to be Monty Python and the Holy Grail for me!"
But a good second choice is T H White's The Once & Future King. Absolutely wonderful to begin with, it gets a bit more miserable as the Round Table spins towards ruin. If only Arthur, Galahad & Guinevere had been able to *share*... |
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"I loved the recent film The Green Knight - I know some found it slow and pretentious but it really captured me.
Oh I loved it! I really love A24 in general so it was ideal for me.
So, time for me to dork out. I have a real love of Arthurian legend - I remember sitting in a lecture at Caius and it was honestly one of the best lectures I've ever attended. Helped reinvigorate a love of literature when it was slipping. Slightly.
In terms of depiction in popular culture... the Merlin TV series had me in a ch*kehold at one point. There's also the references in Once Upon A Time. Book wise I'll mention The Dark is Rising. That series? "
As I said on the other thread, I was about to mention The Dark Is Rising but you beat me to it. Have you ever done the real time read along? Or The Art Is Rising? I loved joining in with that.
J |
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By *eliWoman
over a year ago
. |
"I loved the recent film The Green Knight - I know some found it slow and pretentious but it really captured me.
Oh I loved it! I really love A24 in general so it was ideal for me.
So, time for me to dork out. I have a real love of Arthurian legend - I remember sitting in a lecture at Caius and it was honestly one of the best lectures I've ever attended. Helped reinvigorate a love of literature when it was slipping. Slightly.
In terms of depiction in popular culture... the Merlin TV series had me in a ch*kehold at one point. There's also the references in Once Upon A Time. Book wise I'll mention The Dark is Rising. That series?
As I said on the other thread, I was about to mention The Dark Is Rising but you beat me to it. Have you ever done the real time read along? Or The Art Is Rising? I loved joining in with that.
J"
Oh J! Of course you've done that, you beautiful woman. 
Yes I've done the real time read along. So much fun! It's such a seasonal joy and reminds me of how much I loved first reading it. I love the series.
And OP - Merlin is good. Doctor Who style take on Arthurian legend. I loved it but I know a part of that was down to the representation I found in Guinevere. |
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"I loved the recent film The Green Knight - I know some found it slow and pretentious but it really captured me.
Oh I loved it! I really love A24 in general so it was ideal for me.
So, time for me to dork out. I have a real love of Arthurian legend - I remember sitting in a lecture at Caius and it was honestly one of the best lectures I've ever attended. Helped reinvigorate a love of literature when it was slipping. Slightly.
In terms of depiction in popular culture... the Merlin TV series had me in a ch*kehold at one point. There's also the references in Once Upon A Time. Book wise I'll mention The Dark is Rising. That series?
As I said on the other thread, I was about to mention The Dark Is Rising but you beat me to it. Have you ever done the real time read along? Or The Art Is Rising? I loved joining in with that.
J
Oh J! Of course you've done that, you beautiful woman.
Yes I've done the real time read along. So much fun! It's such a seasonal joy and reminds me of how much I loved first reading it. I love the series.
And OP - Merlin is good. Doctor Who style take on Arthurian legend. I loved it but I know a part of that was down to the representation I found in Guinevere. "
I've just put The Winter King on.
Funny you mention Dr Who as my interest in all things Arthurian was almost certainly sparked by a late 80s Dr Who story featuring Arthurian characters and mythology. |
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"I recently watched The Winter King on ITV X - series based on the Bernard Cornwell book - and really enjoyed it. I'm now reading the book and can see how different the telling of the story is in the TV dramatisation. But so far the book is equally as gripping!"
The Winter King trilogy is my favourite series by Cornwell - and ive bought everything he's written. |
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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago
London |
Another huge fan of The Dark is Rising series, there’s a great audio version of the second book (the actual DiR) on BBC Sounds.
Also love my audio telling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight read by the awesome Simon Armitage. |
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The Bernard Cornwell novels are awesome from a war lord rather than king point of view.
Merlin was amazing
I enjoyed the film with Charlie Hunnam - Kjng Arthur..
I’ve visited various sites in England all claiming Arthur as their own…
I think perhaps I just enjoy the whole mythology around Arthur  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I've read quite a bit on this topic and the best book is Worlds of Arthur by Guy Halsall.
He really goes into the sources and the period in a lot of depth and makes a compelling case that there is nothing in it.
Higham's book isn't bad, but not in the same league and as for John Morris, avoid his work like the plague.
"
Ohhhhh I'll nab those top tips if you don't mind. I'm going to have a look, thank you |
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"The Bernard Cornwell novels are awesome from a war lord rather than king point of view.
Merlin was amazing
I enjoyed the film with Charlie Hunnam - Kjng Arthur..
I’ve visited various sites in England all claiming Arthur as their own…
I think perhaps I just enjoy the whole mythology around Arthur "
I did read a book years ago about the myths which suggested Wales or Cornwall as the possible sites of Camelot, if it ever existed (which I very much doubt).
I think I started the Hunnam film but didn't finish it for some reason - I should go back to it as I can't remember why I didn't finish it. |
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Well here in West Wales this was reputed to be another outpost of Camelot. At Haverfordwest we have Marlins Bridge. What exactly Merlin the magician actually did or got up to, on or under the said bridge, I don't know. What I do know is that in the town of Carmarthen stood "The Old Carmarthen oak." I remember it as a roundabout when I was a child. For years it was held up by concrete and cement because, Merlin the magician had predicted that when the old Carmarthen oak fell, the town would flood. Eventually the old Carmarthen oak did have to come down, and guess what? The river Tivy burst it's banks and flooded Pensarn, the lower part of Carmarthen.
However in Scotland where stands Arthur's seat, above Holyrood Palace. This giving Edinburgh the claim to fame of being the Northern most outpost of Camelot. Now taking all that on board, in the era long before the motorways were built, with only horse's and carts to travel by, King Arthur certainly got around a bit. |
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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago
Titz Towers, North Notts |
"I've read quite a bit on this topic and the best book is Worlds of Arthur by Guy Halsall.
He really goes into the sources and the period in a lot of depth and makes a compelling case that there is nothing in it.
Higham's book isn't bad, but not in the same league and as for John Morris, avoid his work like the plague.
Ohhhhh I'll nab those top tips if you don't mind. I'm going to have a look, thank you "
Stick with Halsall and you can't go far wrong. He really knows his stuff and doesn't get carried away with the wish it had been stuff. |
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Love, love LOVE reading about Arthurian legends.
The Avalon series - Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Winter King, etc - Cornwell
The Pendragon Cycle - Lawhead
The Once & Future King, le Mort d'Artur and so many generic legends from when i was a kid.
Of the many films on the subject, I still think Boorman's Excalibur is the best. |
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"The Dark Is Rising sequence is brilliant, I love to reread it around Christmas.
Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy starting with The Crystal Cave is also very good."
Ooh, yes! Must be 20 yrs or more since I read them. Need to dig them out again |
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I'm watching The Winter King. I'd say I'm sticking with it more than especially enjoying it. I think it doesn't quite know what it wants to be. It's mostly supposed to be gritty and in a more realistic style but that means the little flashes of magic don't quite sit comfortably. And some of the acting isn't great, especially the actors playing Arthur and Derfel who are a bit bland. |
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First film I saw in the cinema as a child was The Sword In The Stone and I've been hooked ever since. Loved The Once and Future King by T H White and The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I'll pretty much watch or read any variant on it
Camelot 3000 by Brian Bolland, a comic book version set in the future is worth a mention too |
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"Well here in West Wales this was reputed to be another outpost of Camelot. At Haverfordwest we have Marlins Bridge. What exactly Merlin the magician actually did or got up to, on or under the said bridge, I don't know. What I do know is that in the town of Carmarthen stood "The Old Carmarthen oak." I remember it as a roundabout when I was a child. For years it was held up by concrete and cement because, Merlin the magician had predicted that when the old Carmarthen oak fell, the town would flood. Eventually the old Carmarthen oak did have to come down, and guess what? The river Tivy burst it's banks and flooded Pensarn, the lower part of Carmarthen.
However in Scotland where stands Arthur's seat, above Holyrood Palace. This giving Edinburgh the claim to fame of being the Northern most outpost of Camelot. Now taking all that on board, in the era long before the motorways were built, with only horse's and carts to travel by, King Arthur certainly got around a bit. "
Arthur's Seat is an extinct volcano. He must have had quite a substantial bum to sit on it |
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"Love, love LOVE reading about Arthurian legends.
The Avalon series - Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Winter King, etc - Cornwell
The Pendragon Cycle - Lawhead
The Once & Future King, le Mort d'Artur and so many generic legends from when i was a kid.
Of the many films on the subject, I still think Boorman's Excalibur is the best. "
This has just reminded me - I read the first book in Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle a couple of decades ago. Don't still own a copy nor remember anything about it though. Maybe I should try again (although I think I want to try Once And Future King next). |
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For me it's the story of Culhwch and Olwen from the Mabinogion and is one the oldest Arthurian legends. The trail of the twrch trwyth (magical bore they hunted) passes near where I grew up and is just part of my regions identity.
I could geek out about the Mabinogi but I would probably bore the socks off you all. |
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"For me it's the story of Culhwch and Olwen from the Mabinogion and is one the oldest Arthurian legends. The trail of the twrch trwyth (magical bore they hunted) passes near where I grew up and is just part of my regions identity.
I read a quartet of Mabinogion books by Evangeline Walton a very long time ago. I enjoyed them
I could geek out about the Mabinogi but I would probably bore the socks off you all. "
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I quite enjoyed Excalibur.
