Realms of the Round Table John Matthews 9780008644031

Fully illustrated collection of rare and previously unpublished tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, retold for a new generation by leading Arthurian expert, John Matthews, introduced by Sir John Boorman, director of the classic film, Excalibur, and illustrated with paintings and drawings by Tolkien artist, John Howe.

It is a time of magic and adventure, of chivalry and courtly love, when great evil must be met with heroic deeds. It is a time of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Realms of the Round Table presents for the first time an extensive collection of forgotten tales, retold for a new generation of readers by a modern-day Merlin, the world-renowned Arthurian authority, John Matthews. Contained within are a rich feast of Arthurian love stories and tales that delve deep into the darker mysteries of the Great Wood and the denizens of fantastic lands beyond.

Here also is a heady mixture of magic, faery lore, wisdom and mystery - capturing extraordinary tales of Camelot's greatest knights, such as Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain, and others less well known, and soaring from high adventure to mystical accounts of the Grail. There is even an Arthurian Christmas tale!

These age-old stories, companions to those collected in the sister-volume, The Great Book of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, honour the work of Thomas Malory in his legendary Le Morte D'Arthur. They are dramatically brought to life by the luminous paintings and drawings of internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist, John Howe, to present a glorious reimagining of the most influential work of English fantasy ever written.

John Matthews has made a lifetime study of the legends of King Arthur, and more recently of the history of piracy. His list of publications totals over 150, including the New York Times bestselling Pirates. He has acted as an advisor on several big budget movies, including King Arthur, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Prince of Persia. His work on the educational DVD to accompany King Arthur won a BAFTA award.

Praise for John Matthews' edition of the original Morte D'Arthur:

"Deserves not only to grace the shelf of every serious reader of speculative fiction, but to be read as well in its entirety. This version, edited by John Matthews ... is presented in a prose style ... more accessible to the average reader."

SF Site