Lev Grossman's The Bright Sword offers a familiar take on the fantasy genre, but unfortunately, it falls short in several key areas, making it a somewhat underwhelming read.

One of the most notable issues is the pacing. The plot unfolds at a sluggish pace, which can make it difficult to stay engaged. The story meanders through its various plot points, often feeling drawn out without much payoff. For a book that promises epic battles and high stakes, the slow progression makes it hard to feel the urgency or excitement that typically drives a fantasy narrative.

The world-building, a cornerstone of any good fantasy novel, is surprisingly thin. Grossman hints at a rich and complex world, but these glimpses are few and far between. The lack of detailed descriptions leaves much to be desired, as readers are left to fill in the gaps themselves. This minimalistic approach to world-building makes it challenging to fully immerse oneself in the setting, which is a disappointment for fans of the genre who expect to be transported to new and intriguing worlds.

Character development is another area where The Bright Sword falls flat. The characters, while functional, lack the depth and nuance that make them truly memorable. They often come across as bland, with motivations and personalities that feel underdeveloped. Without strong character arcs or compelling interactions, it’s difficult to form an emotional connection to the story.

In conclusion, The Bright Sword has its moments of intrigue, but its slow plot, lackluster world-building, and bland characters make it a middling entry in the fantasy genre. Fans of Lev Grossman’s previous works might find some enjoyment here, but those looking for a richly detailed and fast-paced adventure may want to look elsewhere.

I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan of Arthurian legend, but I’m familiar enough with those stories to have felt like I wanted to read this. Fortuitously, it seems I needn’t have worried too much about not knowing all the stories, because The Bright Sword imagines a Britain where King Arthur has been dead for two weeks. It’s something of a sad affair, especially for young Collum, because he just arrived in Camelot hoping to become a Knight of the Round Table. With just the dregs of the Round Table left and no one to wear the crown, the country is in chaos, but there are still more quests to go on and stories to be told. Extremely readable, The Bright Sword also manages to be very long with a winding narrative that often diverts to tell the stories of the remaining knights. Yet it fantastically folds a modern retelling of Arthurian legends into classic romances filled with quests.

After an unhappy childhood on the island Mull, Collum manages to escape and heads straight for Camelot, hoping to be knighted by King Arthur and offered a spot at the Round Table. Unfortunately, he arrives two weeks too late. King Arthur is dead, killed by his own son while also killing his son in the process. Queen Guinevere has gone to become a nun, Merlin has been buried under a hill by his apprentice Nimue, Lancelot has been missing since he ran off after being discovered with the Queen, and the remaining knights are sad excuses for knights. Filled with countless quests to recover a lost knight, find Arthur, and discover who is meant to be the next king, The Bright Sword weaves together several narratives, giving the remaining knights their own voices and stories, offering a sweet romance for Collum, and providing a parade of new quests to find Britain’s next ruler.

According to the author’s note, The Bright Sword isn’t supposed to be full of historic accuracy. Instead, it’s something of a pastiche of facts and various points in time. But it works well, offering settings familiar enough to readers to ensure the stories don’t sound too different from the classic romances fans of Arthurian legends would already be familiar with. This version of Britain shares space with the Otherworld, a place ruled by his half-sister Morgan le Fay. The fae frequently pop up throughout all the stories, and monsters and other creatures visit almost as frequently. There’s more than a touch of magic in this novel, and it offers a mystic layer that makes the whole story feel a little otherworldly. At the same time, Christianity is something of an anchor in this novel. After all, it recounts the quest for the Holy Grail, a new quest for the spear that pierced Jesus’ side, and an Arthur who ardently believes in God and Christ. It was sometimes a little discombobulating to see the pagan ways of Britain and Christianity reside side by side, and yet, for as frequently as both were brought up, it never really felt like either was more than just a piece of world building. Christianity is something that defines Arthur, and it certainly plays a large role in the story as it’s frequently mentioned, but it never felt like a focus of the story. It felt more like it was imparting information than trying to convince the reader of anything.

Quite honestly, I find myself feeling rather neutral about this novel. I very much enjoyed the writing and found it flowed well, but, at the same time, I felt like the story moved as quickly as molasses spreads. It was slow going no matter how much or how long I read; it just never felt like it was ever going to end. I did enjoy getting the knights’ backstories, but, after a while, they grew a little too long and a little too tedious. I didn’t even feel like some of the payoffs were worth it. Too often I felt like this novel rambled and meandered on before finally remembering the whole point of it, which essentially amounted to finding a new ruler for Britain. It was fun how the stories were woven together to get Collum to the end, but it was also sometimes excruciating.

I didn’t find anything wrong with Collum, but he wasn’t exactly the most exciting guy to follow around. He had a good head on his shoulders with no false modesty and no real ego to speak of. Actually, he was rather bland most of the time. I did like that he was always eager and never wanted to overstep or claim things he didn’t feel like he rightfully could. But that also led him to just feel bland. He has an interesting sequence during the first half that supposedly taught him a lot, but I didn’t feel like I saw the effects of it all later on. It was disappointing, and I found myself thinking Collum just felt beige. If it weren’t for his romance with the more interesting Nimue, I might have actually forgotten about him. She, at least, was fascinating and feisty.

The Bright Sword is probably fantastic if you’re a big fan of Arthurian legends or just seeking something more modern. It’s definitely very readable and entertaining, but I found it meandered too much. As much as I enjoyed it in the moment, I found myself feeling frustrated about it every time I came out of the story. It was nice to see a story set after Arthur’s death, it was fun to get to know the dregs of the Round Table, it was delightful to see the power the women had, and it was fantastic to see the power behind so many of the characters, both male and female. There are a lot of really good points in this novel, but it just meandered too much for me and I spent too much time wondering what the point of the whole narrative was.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in Arthurian legend and/or Camelot. Lev Grossman writes beautifully, and with this novel, he focuses on the supporting characters in Arthurian lore. They get to be the heroes, those characters central to the quest. We meet a brand-new character — young Collum from the Isle of Mull. He’s an orphan who’s been bullied and worse, growing up in the muck and mud of Mull. As soon as he’s able, Collum journeys to Camelot to join the Knights of the Round Table. Bummer that by the time he arrives Arthur’s been dead for two weeks and the only remaining knights are the B Team. The brilliance of this book is how the backstories of these characters from the margins are woven so beautifully through the new quest that has been set: Who will rule Camelot now that Arthur has left them?
[Thanks to Viking and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I went into this book knowing that King Arthur was dead, but I was still somewhat disappointed that it didn't have the traditional Camelot feel. I did enjoy the characters and the story was overall engaging, but it's just not what I look for in a tale that's set in Camelot.

Absolutely loved the take on the modern telling of the King Arthur narrative, beautiful prose that didn’t shy away from the darker themes of the original mythology. My only qualms were with the length, think it could have been condensed a bit but otherwise loved it!

When I saw Lev Grossman pop up in NetGalley, I had to request access to the Advanced Reader Copy immediately. I loved every second of the Magicians trilogy, so reading the Bright Sword was an absolute no-brainer for me. While Arthurian stories might not be my favorite thing to read, Grossman tells the story in a captivating way that kept me engaged throughout the admittedly CHONKY novel. Sometimes I did feel that the backstory sections dragged on for a bit longer than necessary, and I'm bad at remembering names (I listened to the Audiobook, for context) so sometimes I did get the characters a little confused. However, the modernization of the story (huzzah for trans and queer characters!), the fact that it was told from the perspective of a completely tertiary character in the main Arthurian lore, and the sweeping magical world made it absolutely a joy to read.

Thank you NetGalley for access to the ARC!

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.

Published by Viking on July 16, 2024

The Bright Sword takes place at the end of the time of magic. King Arthur is believed to be dead. Without his guidance, Britain is changing. Change is irreversible, but the future can be shaped. The few remaining knights of the Round Table feel a duty to choose Arthur’s successor and to defend Camelot from attack by lesser kings.

After the battle in which Arthur was lost, the Round Table is 94 knights short of a quorum. Having failed to save Arthur, Lancelot is living in a monastery, where he plans to spend his life in total seclusion. He is trying to atone for his many sins. Canoodling with Queen Guinevere seems to be high on that list.

The rollicking story begins with and focuses upon young Callum, who journeys to Camelot with a plan to beg Arthur for a position as a knight at the Round Table. Callum acquits himself in an unexpected encounter with a knight as he travels to Camelot. The knight’s identity, when finally revealed, fits well within the tradition of Arthurian tales.

Callum is dismayed to learn of Arthur’s death. The surviving knights seem to have lost their purpose. Britain has been forced into an early version of Brexit by the loss of its unifying force. Competing claims for the throne distress the knights, who aren’t used to making nakedly political decisions.

After winning a challenge, Callum is invited to join the group and to undertake new quests that will eventually determine Britain’s leadership. Adventures ensue, including encounters with magicians, giants, gods, the Lady of the Lake, and other characters drawn from Arthurian legend. From jousting competitions to farmers armed with pitchforks running across a field toward knights in armor, Lev Grossman assures that action scenes will keep the story from dragging. Yet the novel’s real interest lies more in its characters than in their adventures.

Backstories occupy much of the plot. We learn how Callum acquired the skills of a knight when he wasn’t being abused by his employer. We learn about the eventful lives of Sir Bedivere, Sir Dinadan, Sir Dagonet, Sir Constantin, and Sir Scipio. Gawain plays a small role in the story, but it’s appropriate for some of the lesser knights to enter the spotlight.

The knights were a diverse bunch. Bedivere’s physical longing for Arthur explains his loyalty. We hear less about the well-known past of Sir Lancelot, but we see him in the present, where living up to his legend proves to be his greatest challenge.

We don’t hear much about Merlin’s past but he plays a key role, often in battle with his former apprentice, Nimue. The story’s gossipy style exposes Nimue’s plan to seduce one of the knights. Whether she needed the assist of magic is not quite clear, even to Nimue.

The most interesting backstory belongs to Sir Palomides. The former prince of Baghdad is more intellectual than the other knights. Still, he found the struggle between Islam and Christianity to be less troublesome than his struggle for the love of Isolde.

By the end, most characters are transformed by adventures that expose them to miracles and force them to do (or attempt) great deeds. Just when it seems that their lives will normalize, along comes another invasion. That’s British history in a nutshell. “Change is the only certainty.” That’s also the ultimate lesson that the reader — like each character — is invited to internalize.

Yet the novel’s most profound question is one a knight contemplates in the moments before his death: “why it should be that we are made for a bright world, but live in a dark one.” In that respect, the world of Arthur parallels and continues to illuminate the modern world.

RECOMMENDED

It’s been nearly 1800 years since the Romans left Britain, and the English-speaking world is still reeling from the trauma. The Arthurian myth has grown up over the millennia partly to fulfil the wish to both have Roman civilization and also to have British home rule. Fresh from the major success of his Magicians series, Lev Grossman’s new epic revisiting of the Arthurian story in The Bright Sword, is surprisingly timely: the mythic allure of Brexit was just another such British dream of having the cake of European civilization and eating it with native paws.

A new take on the Arthurian round table but with a bunch of misfits and underdogs. King Arthur has died and now the round table is in shambles. A young knight named Collum is desperate to get a seat at the round table... and he's lied and killed his way into Camelot... but what is he to do now that Arthur is gone. With only the oddballs of the Round table left such as Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke and Nimue, Merlin's apprentice who turned on him..... things are about to get a little hectic. Collum and his companions are determined to reclaim Excalibur and solve the mysteries while also facing off against all the faeries, monsters, and old gods returning with Morgan le Fay as their leader. This is the start in a new series and a new take on the Arthurian story. This new take on the classic story is definitely an interesting one but I just don't think it was for me. I was really hoping I would like it more but I just found it kind of boring overall and just a slog to get through. I would however recommend it for fans of Arthurian stories just to read it and see if they do like it. I love Arthurian stories but this particular one was a bit of a miss for me.

Release Date: July 16,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking | Viking for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was so much better than I expected. I was by no means a fan of The Magicians and constantly would tell people that Lev Grossman was my most disliked author of all time. I went into reading this book fully expecting to hate it because of who wrote it. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did I not hate it, I actually enjoyed the book quite thoroughly. The characters are well written, the setting is beautiful, and the story is very well paced. A true joy to read from beginning to end, I was left wanting more after the final page. All I can say to sum up my experience is, Good job Lev, good job. Now it's time for me to find another author for me to loathe.

Lev Grossman is good at writing characters that are deceptively ordinary, the ones that worm their way into your hearts before you've noticed that you're invested. Sir Collum, the hedge knight from nowhere, who arrives too late to Camelot, after the fall of Arthur and the death and dissolution of the Knights of the Round Table, is a character like this. The Bright Sword is a slow burn; I was probably 40-50% of the way through the novel before it really hooked me. Grossman takes his time introducing each character and their motives, with chapters moving back and forth between past and present but somehow never disorienting the reader. He manages to combine research on the ancient post-Roman Britain with a healthy scoop of Celtic folklore plus the Arthurian mythology of later medieval romance to make something that reads as fresh and modern and emotionally honest. And on top of that, he writes a action and battle scenes no one I've ever seen. I have to admit that I was the exact target audience for this book, having grown up on Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave and Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon, so your mileage may vary. I loved The Bright Sword and will be thinking about it for a long time.

I think, perhaps, that this book is written for people who have more knowledge than I do of the legend of King Arthur. It started out strong for me but once Collum got to Camelot and started meeting the remaining knights, I struggled. There was a lot of characters to keep track of and there seemed to be a lot of unnecessary quests. It was very similar to The Hobbit in writing style with a plodding meandering pace. The backstory chapters were definitely my favorite ones and while there were some funny bits, I struggled to care enough about Callum to stay fully invested in the story. I had no idea what was going on most of the time.

This gets 5 stars for the character and world building and 3 stars for being pointlessly 200 pages too long.

I absolutely love an Arthurian story. The characters in this both live up to the best ones written and add new depth to them. Grossman is able to meld together centuries of contradictory tales while giving each chapter new life and personality. While I was very invested in what was happening to the characters, Grossman also left me wondering at times where he was bothering to go with the plot and the story could have easily been significantly shorter without compromising any of the narrative value. Please get this man a better editor who is willing to tell him to cut out needless tangents.

A bit too long for my taste, but serious Arthurian fans will love this. I enjoyed the backstories of the knights, and kept reading to reach the satisfying ending. I’m glad I stuck with it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The knights of the Round Table are in disarray when young upstart Collum arrives on the scene. He really wants a seat at the table but he may be too late. Or is he?

While initially a bit anxious about the page length (673 pages!), this book was a breezy read. It was charming and funny and heartwarming, full of characters both familiar and new (to me). The knights are on a quest (of course they are) and we are treated to their backstories along with Camelot's greatest hits. That retelling reminded me of what Madeline Miller's Circe did with Greek mythology. And the setting brought me back to reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon approximately one million years ago. And let us not forget Monty Python.

Swords, faeries, wizards, giants, magic, flying ships, kings, queens, knights, witches, forests, stones, true love. The Bright Sword has it all!

My thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the digital ARC.

Our hero in Grossman’s renewal of the Arthurian legend is Collum, a hapless aspiring knight who is eager to begin his quest, certain that his destiny will be revealed upon admission to the round table, only to learn that Arthur is dead. Grossman folds the story of King Arthur in upon itself, juxtaposing Collum’s quest to find his place in this new England with the adventures of side characters of the Round Table to celebrate underrepresented stories and identities. In centering the stories of a Saracen knight actually from Baghdad, a trans knight, a female sorcerer, and the unrequited love of a queer best friend, Arthur’s legend is not retold but refreshed. Each adventure and every character is granted agency to question their destiny and their role in the story we will ultimately tell about them, about faith, love, family, and nation.

Grossman’s writing is witty and bold and I found myself annotating the text extensively. In the Magicians trilogy, Grossman also sought to reframe a classic, but lost the plot with underdeveloped characters and odd pacing. The pacing here may also lose some readers astray, but the storytelling, purpose, and scope of achievement here is well worth the journey. Grossman probes the mythology of Arthur and the volatile medieval history of England in order to draw parallels to our own time and our own yearning for faith, peace, validation, and meaning.

I wrote about this on the storygraph and goodreads and shared links on various social media sites. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6701571678

This Arthurian novel reads more like historical fiction than fantasy. It was a departure from Grossman’s Magicians series. Despite expecting a different type of novel, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story.
I would recommend for fans of Arthurian and legend and historical fiction in general.

I was expecting a fantasy that connected me to characters in the world of Arthurian legend. There is an original character, and a few Knights of the Round Table, but it just wasn’t that exciting. There are chapters that focus on the few knights that are in the book, but I still didn’t have a favorite to rally behind. Even Nimue didn’t seem to have much character development (and I liked her chapter a little more than the others). Multiple times I was thinking, what just happened? Then the story moved on to the next thing, and it just felt like it was lackluster. Even character deaths.