*Arthur, the Always King by Kevin Crossley-Holland

The lavishly-illustrated Arthur the Always King communicates the doomed majesty of the Arthurian legend.

*Arthur, the Always King by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Chris Riddell. Candlewick Studio, 2023, 237 pages.

Readng Level: Teen, ages 12-15

Recommended for: ages 12-up

Once, Future, and Always

It’s said that Arthur, the visionary king of old Britain, never died but was ferried to the Isle of Avalon by black-robed oarsmen. There he sleeps, surrounded by dozens of his loyal knights, until the call comes to arise and save his country once again. The Once-and-Future, or Always King, is said to be the sleeping spirit of England itself, the island nation that’s had an extraordinary influence on the globe.

Author Kevin Crossley-Holland is well versed in Arthur lore, having written a trilogy of Arthurian novels for middle graders that I somehow missed but would like to track down. This volume swiftly covers Arthur’s childhood with his magical tutor Merlin and his elevation to the throne after drawing a sword from a stone. Soon after he marries Guinevere and establishes the Round Table with its elite brotherhood of knights and vision of fighting only for justice and virtue. Then follows seven “trials,” including the quest for the Holy Grail. The next-to-last chapter is “The Trial of the Blood Knot,” in which Arthur is engaged in final battle with his own son Mordred.

Adultery plays a big part in the story, as it does in the legend, and for that reason this version is better suited to young teens and older. Arthur himself is the result of an illicit liaison between his father King Uther and the Duchess of Cornwall. In this version, Merlin was behind it all, in order to produce an heir to the throne whom he himself could train and advise. Not the best way to go about it, perhaps, as Arthur is later ensnared by his half-sister who gives birth to Mordred. Sir Gawain, in the saga of the Green Knight, is tempted but (barely) resists. Not so Sir Lancelot, whose passion for Guinevere overrides his pledge of honor and leads to the downfall of the Round Table. These details are treated frankly (e.g., bare-chested knights shown sitting up in bed) but not graphically, and always with a moral dimension:

“You do right to expect the best of everyone,” Merlin told [Arthur] once. “Doing so brings out the best in them. They try to rise to your expectations. Remember, however, that each of us is also a sinner. Each of us is capable of doing great harm, wounding the very people we love most.”

A Most Christian King

The Arthur legend is soaked in a Christian context, and this treatment is true to that heritage. Arthur’s establishment for the Round Table has a godly aim, though imperfectly implemented. “Is this what it means to be human?” he wonders. “To be able to dream the greatest and most golden dream and to know in the end it must fail?” Yes, pretty much: all our best efforts will fail or fall short, but to strive for better reflects God’s image in us.

237 pages is not enough to treat these stories with much detail, and some background, like Mordred’s parentage, is passed over too quickly. But as an introduction or refresher, Arthur, the Always King delivers more than the plot; there’s also a sense of doomed majesty appropriate to the story. Illustrations by Chris Riddell enhance every page and shine in lavish double-page spreads. But sensitive readers be warned: Some of them depict scary giants and bloody warriors.

Considerations:

• Note the emphasis on adultery, making this version of the Arthur legend more suitable for teens and older.
• Some illustrations depict scary giants, headless knights, and gory battle scenes.

Overall Rating: 4.5

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Review: Across the Rainbow Bridge, by Kevin Crossley-Holland, is an atmospheric introduction to Norse mythology.
• Review: The Sword in the Stone is T. H. White’s classic retelling of Arthur’s boyhood. And for more English legends, this excellent version of Robin Hood.

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