Knights of the Round Table: Lancelot

by Gwen Rowley

Strong and powerful warriors of nobility and honor, the Knights of the Round Table fought for kings, rescued damsels, and undertook dangerous quests. But true love may be the most perilous quest of all... "Sir Lancelot, First Knight of King Arthur's realm and the Queen's champion, cannot be defeated by any earthly man--as long as he keeps his oaths to Arthur and Guinevere. Though arrogant and supremely confident, he will be brought to his knees by...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0515141992
• ISBN13: 9780515141993
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Jove Books
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 6.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE: LANCELOT - A New Spin On An Old Arthurian Tale!

A very pleasant and surprising novel! I thought to myself, "I'll give this novel a try but I'm not expecting anything new." I was happily disappointed! Sir Lancelot, King Arthur's first knight, embarks on adventure after adventure starting in Corbenic, the home of Elaine, later mother of his son, Galahad. Stereotypes do not mar the originality of this novel. Lancelot is not who everyone believes he is nor is Guinevere. This is a surprising new twist to their relationship that is refreshingly welcome. Lancelot or Elaine do not have an easy time of it, from the realities of failed crops to the unwelcome magic of Morgause & The Lady of the Lake, this book has it all! Will Lancelot and Elaine triumph over all the obstacles in their path or is their love forever doomed? Read on and find out, this story will enthrall you from beginning to end! The second novel in this series is KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE: GERAINT and the third will be KOTRT: GAWAIN (9/07).

A Fresh Vision

Whether it's John Coltrane reworking "My Favorite Things" or Andy Warhol reproducing a rainbow of Marilyn Monroe images, one of the more difficult skills of a craftsman is taking something familiar, adding their own artistic touches, creating a new, fresh vision of the original - not meant to be better, just different. Ms Rowley has started her circumnavigation of the Round Table at one of the best known seats, Lancelot. I can see that this work will upset some Lancelot "scholars" (By the way, your Dungeonmaster called and they need your 12th level cleric to storm the Castle of Zarg!), but we're not dealing with George Washington or Winston Churchill here. It's a legend, not history. Ms. Rowley's plot is engaging and her characters are well developed and interesting, even the minor ones, and the romantic scenes will put a rivet in your codpiece. While I am interested to see if she can duplicate her effort with the less well known Geraint, I particularly look forward to see how she will present the other knight of repute, Gawain.

Original Look at Arthur's First Knight Lancelot

I liked this novel a lot because of it's original, and smart twist on the relationship between Gwen and Lance. I will not give away the twist, but Rowley wrote it amazingly believable that you just have to admire her for adding this original concept to the overdone and much repeated Arthurian legend. I like her characterization of Lance as a broken, guilty, and scarred warrior who finds his salvation in Smart, intelligent and practical Elaine of Corbenic and his son Galahad. I look forward to more of Rowley's tales of the Knights of the Round Table.

Inventive, evocative and romantic

The best myths evolve with time and with the storyteller's inventiveness, and I found this author's unusual take on the Arthurian tale refreshing and quite ingenious. More important, the story plunged me into a world that totally captured me, from the details of the British landscape, to the mystical world of Avalon, to the hair-raising battle scenes. Most of all, I felt intensely connected to each character -- the noble Elaine, her embittered brother, her dreamy father and idealistic younger brother, her loyal servant Brisen, the high-strung Guinevere and patient King Arthur, the devious Morgause and sinister Green Knight, and, of course, Lancelot. What a complex and compelling hero! If you want to be enthralled by an intensely romantic, satisfying read, look no further.

Different, but good

This book had a number of original twists on the classic Arthurian legend, and I can understand where that would throw some people off. That said, I enjoyed it very much. It had a good story (yes, a plot, an actual plot), characters you cared about, and was well written. I will definitely buy the next book by this author.