The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman (The Magician King; Warp) is an inventive take on Arthurian legend that's sure to appeal to readers who enjoy high fantasy and those looking for a fresh, inclusive spin on familiar tales. The novel begins as 17-year-old Collum, a talented fighter, treks from the island of Mull to join the legendary knights of the Round Table, only to discover that he's too late. Arthur is dead, as are most of his knights, and Camelot is in shambles, thanks to rogue factions within Arthur's family.
Only a handful of the knights of the Round Table are left, including Sir Bedivere, who was hopelessly in love with Arthur; Sir Dagonet, who had been the court's fool until Arthur knighted him; Sir Dinadan, who made a treacherous bargain with a fairy; and Sir Palomides, who is a Muslim from Baghdad and has learned that "some Europeans were good, some were bad. All were tall, drunk, promiscuous and incredibly smelly."
Collum teams up with this motley assortment of knights and a disgruntled sorceress to restore order to England and redeem Arthur's legacy. Can they save the day, or is England now lost because Arthur was truly "the last light in the darkness"?
The Bright Sword is Arthurian whimsy at its finest. Flashbacks reveal the origin story of each knight against their current, chaotic quest. A hefty tome that mixes magic with indomitable curiosity, The Bright Sword makes for fascinating reading that will lure in readers of Mary Stewart, T.H. White, or T.J. Klune. --Jessica Howard, freelance book reviewer