Grail (Pendragon Cycle (Audio))

Lawhead, Stephen R

ISBN 10: 1470890607 ISBN 13: 9781470890605

Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks, 2013

Synopsis

Drought, plague and war have left the Isle of Mighty battered and the beloved King Arthur grievously injured. But astonishingly, the High King lives, his wounds healed by a sacred and secret relic: the Holy Grail. Now, in this time of rampant disease and death, the great king wants to share the Grail's curative powers with all who require it. But with the Grail, evil has entered the royal court, in the guise of a beautiful maiden who seduces the King's most loyal champion. Confounding both Arthur and the sage Merlin, evil abducts the Grail, along with Arthur's beloved Queen, and carries them off into the dark unknown. Now Arthur faces the greatest challenge of his sovereignty: to recover his lost treasures. It will lead him through realms of magic and the undead, on a trail that winds inexorably toward a grim confrontation with his most foul nemesis--and his destiny.

About this title

Review:

This installment of Stephen Lawhead's long-running Pendragon series is narrated by Gwalchavad (Galahad), one of King Arthur's captains and Lord of Orcady. After getting off to a slow start as the aftermath of a war with the Vandali is sorted out, the story focuses on the Holy Grail, which its guardian, Avallach, has used to cure Arthur of a deadly wound. In gratitude, Arthur raises a shrine to the Grail, but soon the Grail is stolen by Llenlleawg (Lancelot), who also abducts Queen Gwenhwyvar. When Arthur and his knights pursue, they are led to the magical, bleak land of Llyonesse, into the sorceress Morgian's power, fighting for their sanity and the Grail.

This is a straightforward story; there's less intrigue than I expected. Evil Morgian's passages of gloating are nearly over the top, but the honest, steadfast knights are good fellows all. Read previous volumes first!

From the Back Cover:

The legend of King Arthur has been told many times—but never with the strength and resonance, passion and richness granted it in Stephen R. Lawhead's masterful

Pendragon Cycle

Drought, plague, and war have left the Isle of the Mighty battered and its heart, the beloved Arthur, grievously injured—until a secret relic is brought before the dying KIng; a Holy Grail that heals his wounds and restores his vigor.

But soon evil enters the royal court in the guise of a beautiful maiden; a soulless, malevolent force capable of seducing the King's loyal champion, confounding the sage whom some call Merlin, and carrying the sacred Grail—and Arthur's adored Queen—off into the dark unknown. And now Arthur faces the greatest challenge of his sovererignty: a quest of recovery that must lead the noble liege through realms of magic and the undead, on a trail that winds inexorably toward a grim confrontation with his most foul nemesis . . . and his destiny.

Drought, plague and war have left the Isle of Mighty battered and its heart, the beloved Arthur, grievously injured. But, astonishingly, the High King lives—his wounds healed and vigor restored by a sacred and secret relic: the Holy Grail.At Ynys Avallach, a dying Arthur was miraculously renewed. And now, in this time of rampant disease and death, the great king wants to share the Grail's curative powers with all who require it. A shrine will be built to house the holy treasure—and Arthur's fabled Kingdom of Summer will at long last come to be.But evil has entered the royal court in the guise of a beautiful maiden. Unbeknownst to Arthur, to his devoted warriors, to his adored Gwenhwyvar. . .even to the bard Myrddrin, the sage Emrys whom some have called "Merlin," malevolent forces, soulless and cunning, seduce the King's most loyal champion. And in an unthinkable unguarded moment, the Grail is carried off, vanishing somewhere into the dark unknown.Now Arthur faces the greatest challenge of his sovereig.

About this edition

• Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1470890607
• ISBN 13: 9781470890605
• Binding: Audio CD