The mythical character King Arthur has been the focus of many books over the years. Each time, the basic story remains the same but the details, settings or characters can be depicted quite differently. For example, Rosalind Miles has written a trilogy which is from Guinevere's point of view rather than Arthur's. Jack Whyte's Dream of Eagles series is from a more historical perspective and traces the history of King Arthur back to Roman times. Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy, beginning with The Crystal Cave, is from the point of view of the legendary magician. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is from the perspective of several of the female characters, Gwenhwyfar, Viviane, and Morgause.
In this particular novel, a new character, Malgwyn, is the narrator of the story. He recounts the legend in flashback as he records his account of past times in a journal. Having reached the age of 90, he is remembering what happened during Arthur's rise to power and the part he played in it, for better or for worse. Many of the characters are names I recognize from other versions of the story - Guinevere, Gawain, Gaheris, Bedevere, and Mordred to name a few. What part Malgwyn plays and how the author weaves him into the legend of King Arthur, remains to be seen.
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