I enjoyed Lev Grossman’s “The Magicians” trilogy so much that I’ll order anything else he writes, sight unseen. I’m glad I made that choice for his most recent novel, The Bright Sword, as it’s one of my favorite books of 2024.
As a kid, I was fascinated by the legend of King Arthur. Medieval knights, adventures, heroic deeds, devastating betrayals…I watched and read everything I could find on the subject.
Grossman’s approach isn’t to retell what has already been retold in so many ways; rather, he continues the story: What happened after Arthur died? What about the few remaining knights of the round table and Camelot? Would anyone try to join the table?
The Bright Sword brilliantly tells of what could have been post-Arthur while also taking chapter-long breaks to tell the stories of the remaining knights–how they knew Arthur, what their adventures were, etc. It’s a classic format written in a modern way.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is how the characters talk about the same things the reader is wondering about. I won’t spoil anything here, but it’s something I appreciate about Grossman’s writing–it’s like he knows that the reader is developing theories, and he reminds us that the characters are doing the same. We’re at the table too.
It’s a big book–it’s taken me weeks to read–but I highly recommend The Bright Sword if what I’ve described is appealing to you. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments if you give it a chance! Also feel free to share what you’re reading right now.