The Once and Future King

By: T. H. White

Narrated by: Neville Jason

Length: 33 hrs

Publisher's summary

The complete "box set" of T. H. White's epic fantasy novel of the Arthurian legend. The novel is made up of five parts: "The Sword in the Stone", "The Witch in the Wood", "The Ill-Made Knight", "The Candle in the Wind", and "The Book of Merlyn".

Merlyn instructs the Wart (Arthur) and his brother, Sir Kay, in the ways of the world. One of them will need it: the king has died, leaving no heir, and a rightful one must be found by pulling a sword from an anvil resting on a stone. In the second and third parts of the novel, Arthur has become king and the kingdom is threatened from the north. In the final two books, the ageing king faces his greatest challenge, when his own son threatens to overthrow him. In "The Book of Merlyn", Arthur's tutor Merlyn reappears and teaches him that, even in the face of apparent ruin, there is hope.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©1939, 1940, 1958 T. H. White (P)2008 Naxos Audiobooks

Critic reviews

AudioFile Earphones Award, 2009

"For those who have never read these five books, prepare to be surprised by their adultness, their laugh-out-loud humor and tongue-in-cheek commentary on modern life; for those who know them well, prepare to be delighted with Neville Jason's transcendent reading. The lovely timbre of his narrative voice, his rhythmic, easy pacing and host of individual characterizations transport listeners into White's weird and wonderful otherworld as quickly as Alice slipped through the looking glass. This long production is so entrancing that one wishes it would never end." (AudioFile)

Nearly perfect in every way

What is there to say about this amazing story that hasn't already been said? This is a must-listen for fantasy lovers or anyone who has ever been even remotely interested in the Arthurian legend. White's story is full of wit and humor, and every word is perfectly chosen. Neville Jason's narration is flawless - I was in awe of his ability to capture each character's personality with his voice, and then to switch between the (many!) characters so effortlessly. I'm hard pressed to think of a better use of an Audible credit.

Satisfyingly comprehensive and well edited

After purchasing, you can download the guide, which explains how this collection was edited. I think they made good choices. The narrator is excellent.

I can’t believe I missed this book as a young adult. It’s one of the best I’ve had the pleasure to listen to in awhile.

This book is amazing and completely enjoyable from beginning to end. The narration is brilliant. T.H White is a superb author with a flair for storytelling. The experiential depth and description go beyond description as a archer myself I was captivated by the accuracy of his descriptions of these things as well as his descriptions life during the Middle Ages and expansion of the Arthurian legend. This was a truly enjoyable fairy tail with many moral and ethical as well as fantastical aspects to the story. I can understand why this book has endured through the decades.

Wonderful narration of a good story!

Neville Jason was the perfect narrator, and listening to the story made me pay attention to portions I probably would have slid over in print. I enjoyed White's references to the 20th century, and Merlin's living life backwards was a wonderful aspect of the book,

The arc of the story was exactly what I expected, although I felt White got bogged down a bit at the end. That doesn't take away from a delightful listening experience.

just too long

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

took too many turns - was expecting something a little less fanciful. Off shoots of absurd tales. Not so much for me.

Fantastic reading of the best story ever!

What did you like best about this story?

This was the first book I had ever read on my own at the age of 14 and I only remembered how much I loved it. This audiobook rendition brought it to life beyond what I could have hoped for. I wish everyone could have the chance to listen to this story as told by Neville Jason because not only has it has brought me to laughter and tears within minutes but tells a profound story and philosophy that should be required reading for a full and meaningful life!

Loved this take

I've always wanted to read this and knew of the Sword in the Stone. I'm glad that I finally read this book. It was good.

A Classic for the Ages

One of my all-time favorite classics, written to be more accessible than some of the original Arthurian legends (such as Morte D'arthur). It was great to have all five books in one audiobook--The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, The Candle in the Wind, and The Book of Merlyn. It was a little slow in some parts of the later books, but overall well worth the listen.

Great classic a must read

Would you consider the audio edition of The Once and Future King to be better than the print version?

Yes the narrator lends a flare that is lacking in print

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't really have a favorite. The characters are all dear to any Arthurian fan.

Have you listened to any of Neville Jason’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. This was the first but I look forward to more

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire book has a certain whimsy, I felt moments that made me laugh but no deeper emotions

Any additional comments?

This is a necessary book if you love the tales of the round table.

The Roundtable Rides Again

As a kid, I missed out on King Arthur. This book brought me up to date.
The first two-thirds of the book were wonderful, exciting, and fun. The last third went real slow.
The book is worth reading but you may want to fast forward through some parts of the last third.