As Balin stands over Lance’s dead body, up rides another figure on a horse. It’s a maiden! Not the one from whom Balin took his new sword, but a different one. Specifically, it’s Lanceor’s girlfriend. This one gets a name, … Continue reading →
Chapter V picks up right on the heels of Chapter IV, making it another one of those odd midscene breaks without much in the way of a clear reason for the break. Merlin finishes his story. “So Queen Lile gave … Continue reading →
So far Balin’s distinguishing characteristic is that he’s dumber than a sack of hammers. I’m just saying. Now one of King Arthur’s best knights whom Malory hasn’t mentioned before (but don’t take that to mean that he isn’t awesome) is … Continue reading →
While Balin is loading up, another rider comes in. This one needs no introduction: it’s the Lady of the Lake. You remember her. Sure you do. The Lady of the Lake shows up, and greets Arthur, and Arthur greets her. … Continue reading →
While the assembled knights are trying and failing to pull the sword from Wilma’s “scabbard,” we turn our attention now to Sir Balin, the Idiot Knight. Malory makes a case for Balin being fundamentally okay; he’s this guy from Northumberland … Continue reading →
When last we left off, Arthur was king, not everyone accepted him as king, and this guy Rience in the north of Wales was making trouble. Arthur’s hanging out in London as Book II opens, and along comes a knight. … Continue reading →
There’s basically three stories in Book I. You have the story of Arthur becoming king, which starts with the circumstances of his conception. You have the civil war against King Lot and Mister 100 and the others, which ends with … Continue reading →
A little time passes! And then Arthur gets word from King Rience of North Wales — remember that guy? Nobody liked him? Seems King Rience has been making trouble in Ireland and Wales. Seems he may or may not have … Continue reading →
We skip ahead a few hours, and Arthur and Merlin are riding up the road and come to a familiar-looking pavilion. “I recognize this tent,” says Arthur. “It’s the tent of that villain Pelli–” “It’s the tent of King Pellinore, … Continue reading →
A few minutes later, Arthur comes to, with no permanent brain damage from having been knocked unconscious, so that’s how far back it goes, this genre convention of bashing someone on the head and they collapse but wake up fresh … Continue reading →
