• The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

  • By: Howard Pyle
  • Narrated by: David Thorn
  • Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (229 ratings)

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The Story of King Arthur and His Knights  By  cover art

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

By: Howard Pyle
Narrated by: David Thorn
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Publisher's summary

Howard Pyle (who also wrote The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood) weaves the tales of chivalrous Knights, the magic sword of Excalibur, the Magician Merlin the Wise, and the legendary Arthur, later to become King of Britain. Pyle describes bouts of jousting, and knightly jealousies played out in grand style. Even in our present day, these stories last and challenge us to be our best, truthful, brave, and always wanting to right wrongs to those who cannot speak up for themselves.

Howard Pyle was born on March 5, 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware. From the time he was a very small boy he loved pictures, especially the pictures in storybooks. Among his favorites were Grimm’s German Fairy Tales and Arabian Nights. At the age of twenty-one, Pyle began to contribute illustrations and fables to St. Nicholas magazine and later went on to write and illustrate books for children. His first was The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood in 1883.

Many more books followed, including Pepper and Salt; or, Seasoning for Young Folk, Otto of the Silver Hand, Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates, and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. He also taught illustration at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia and later set up his own art school in Wilmington. He died on November 9, 1911, in Florence, Italy.-Amazon.com

Public Domain (P)2006 Alcazar AudioWorks

What listeners say about The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An Entertaining Account of Arthur’s Early Days

For a complete adult telling of the stories of King Arthur, listen to Malory or T. H. White, because Pyle’s The Story of King Arthur and His Knights is only the first of his books about Arthur, recounting Arthur’s birth and youth and winning of Excalibur and Guinevere, and then Merlin’s fate and the stories of Sir Pellias and Sir Gawaine. Moreover, Pyle moralizes after the episodes, telling us, for example, that although we may not literally become knights with swords, we may wield truth (Excalibur) and faith (its scabbard).

As for David Thorn’s reading, his nearly tongue-in-cheek delivery was perfect for Jonathan Stroud’s Heroes of the Valley, but almost seems out of place here, for Pyle reveres Arthur, “the most honorable, gentle Knight who ever lived in all the world,” and his knights, while Thorn’s heroes often sound nasally arrogant. And a woman reads Pyle’s chapter titles and descriptions with an American accent and syrupy manner, jarring next to Thorn’s British English. And each chapter closes with repetitive pseudo medieval music fit for a cheap computer game.

Nonetheless, there is much to enjoy and admire in this audiobook. Pyle assumes a vivid and muscular “medieval” style, as when Arthur jousts a knight “out of his saddle like a windmill—whirling in the air and smiting the earth so that the ground shuddered beneath him.” Or as when Arthur delivers some justice: “At this, the face of that knight fell all pale, like to ashes, and he emitted a sound similar to the sound made by a hare when the hound lays hold upon it. Then King Arthur catched him very violently by the arm, and he catched the locket and brake it away from about the knight's neck, and upon that the knight shrieked very loud, and fell down upon his knees and besought mercy of the King, and there was great uproar in that place.”

And the Story of King Arthur has plenty of exciting and humorous moments and scenes of sublime wonder and beauty. And knights, wizards, faeries, dastards, damsels, hermits, quests, enchantments, disguises, combats, loves, hates, oaths, betrayals, humiliations, machinations, and glorifications. Despite Pyle’s exaltation of Arthur and company, they are often humanly proud, foolish, seducible, and violent. And Thorn reads all with energy and accuracy.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Family-friendly chivalry

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights the book that was wrapped and placed under Christmas trees in my childhood in Canada in the 1950s. Lilting prose describes an entertaining world of idyllic countryside and cartoon violence. The narration is perfect, in my opinion. I look forward to enjoying this audiobook with my grandson, a 6-year-old Jedi.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An Entertaining Account of Arthur???s Early Days

For a complete adult telling of the stories of King Arthur, listen to Malory or T. H. White, because Pyle's The Story of King Arthur and His Knights is only the first of his books about Arthur, recounting Arthur's birth and youth and winning of Excalibur and Guinevere, and then Merlin's fate and the stories of Sir Pellias and Sir Gawaine. Moreover, Pyle moralizes after the episodes, telling us, for example, that although we may not literally become knights with swords, we may wield truth (Excalibur) and faith (its scabbard).

As for David Thorn's reading, his nearly tongue-in-cheek delivery was perfect for Jonathan Stroud's Heroes of the Valley, but almost seems out of place here, for Pyle reveres Arthur, "the most honorable, gentle Knight who ever lived in all the world," and his knights, while Thorn's heroes often sound nasally arrogant. And a woman reads Pyle's chapter titles and descriptions with an American accent and syrupy manner, jarring next to Thorn's British English. And each chapter closes with repetitive pseudo medieval music fit for a cheap computer game.

Nonetheless, there is much to enjoy and admire in this audiobook. Pyle assumes a vivid and muscular "medieval" style, as when Arthur jousts a knight "out of his saddle like a windmill "whirling in the air and smiting the earth so that the ground shuddered beneath him." Or as when Arthur delivers some justice: "At this, the face of that knight fell all pale, like to ashes, and he emitted a sound similar to the sound made by a hare when the hound lays hold upon it. Then King Arthur catched him very violently by the arm, and he catched the locket and brake it away from about the knight's neck, and upon that the knight shrieked very loud, and fell down upon his knees and besought mercy of the King, and there was great uproar in that place."

And the Story of King Arthur has plenty of exciting and humorous moments and scenes of sublime wonder and beauty. And knights, wizards, faeries, dastards, damsels, hermits, quests, enchantments, disguises, combats, loves, hates, oaths, betrayals, humiliations, machinations, and glorifications. Despite Pyle's exaltation of Arthur and company, they are often humanly proud, foolish, seducible, and violent. And Thorn reads all with energy and accuracy.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Sweet mercy, it is slow!!!

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

I would only recommend this book for someone ten or under. A child may find it amusing to have predictable stories dragged out endlessly, but I didn't. Pyle is verbose to the point of madness. The chapters about the winning of Guinevere are exceptionally tedious. Arthur disguises himself as a low gardener's boy in order to SPY on her! Then has a merry old time deceiving and humiliating his knights, his enemies, even the gardener. He rides out in disguise and defeats four knights in a row, We know in advance that he must prevail, but Pyle tells each story with the same, repetitive, grueling detail. In short, what should've been amusing, short tales are padded far past the point of interest. I knew there was a good reason why I couldn't make it through the book when I tried reading it as a teenager.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Nothing dealing with King Arthur.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't have a favorite scene. They were all so diluted with words that in the end, they had almost no impact.

Do you think The Story of King Arthur and His Knights needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Nooooo, Pyle has exhausted the subject entirely.

Any additional comments?

I love the style of language Pyle uses, but there is too much of it. An economy of words, to the tune of eliminating 40-50% of them, would've served the stories better.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Classics = good life lessons & frames of reference

Narration and transition music was awesome. Had to choose to stay on the story cuz it's a "good historic tale*, THEN I enjoyed the stories. Good choice to" read" but had to choose it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful story and narration

The various King Arthur stories are always wonderful. This offering is called pleasant listen, with an emphasis on duty, honor, grace, and nobility.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fell in love

The book was so good the cliff hangers were unbearable! absolutely amazing thank you

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

This is not the book I got!!!

The book I got is narrated by a woman and not what I ordered. All I want is to return this book and get my money back!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • DJ
  • 01-21-21

Loved it

Awesome very historic great adventures
Love this book 📚 are there more?
Fabulous very interesting book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful Writing

The man of today's society will benefit from it, he will learn what is being ask from a real man.

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