Here Lies Arthur

Reeve, Philip. Here Lies Arthur. 2007. Scholastic Press. New York, NY.

Book Awards:
2007- shorlist for Booklist Teenage Prize
2008 - Carnegie Medal

Annotation:
A retelling of the King Arthur legends. Gwyna is a girl who becomes a boy at the hands of Merlin. As a result, Gwyna is accpeted into the pack of boys who surround King Arthur and follow him into battles.

Book Talk:
King Arthur was a legend in his own time. Surrounded by the myths of the Magic Sword from the Lady of the Lake, and supported by the magic of Merlin, the legends of Arthur's rise to power exist to this very day. It makes you wonder what the story behind the stories could be. Is it possible that the legends don't catch the truth of what happened in Camelot?

Meet Gwyna. She is a young girl who is forced to leave her home on King Ban's lands when Arhtur's army attacks. Gwyna has fled from Arhtur's armies, only to be found hiding in the river by Merlin. Merlin takes pity on Gwyna, and takes her in. He gives her food and shelter for the night.

As we join the story, Merlin (Myrddin) has joined up with Arthur's brother, Cei.

"We meet at the river, then?" I heard the rider shout.

"The pool above the ford," called Myrddin, one hand up, waving, as the rider went away between the trees. "Where the waterfall is."

As the hoofbeats faded, he turned and saw me watching. He came toward me smiling, and I was still so little used to being smiled at that I just stood there basking in it till he reached me. e took me by one arm and pushed me back inside. "There is work to be done, Gwyna."

I looked at the dark loaves of dung his horse had dropped on the floor. I wondered if he ewanted it cleaned up.

"Didn't I say you'd help me help the Bear?" he said.

Arhtur needs a sign. There's an Irishman who rules those wet moors that rise up south of here. He's Ban's man, and if he chooses to avenge his overlord, it will be a hard strife and a waste of good men. Better for everyone if he can just welcome Arthur as his lord in Ban's place. Arthur could use an ally here in the west. I've spoken with the Irishman, and he's agreeable. But his people won't trust a man who carries the sign of Christ on his shield. The ways of the new God lie thin in those hills of his, like the first snow. Just a pretty coverlet. Dig a little and you soon find old ways and old gods underneath......."

So the old gods are going to make Arthur a present" Myrddin went on, fumbling among the furs and cloths behind his saddle. "A sign to show they are on Arthur's side."

"What sort of sign" I asked, afraid.

"I'll show you."

His quick hands undid the fastenings on a long bundle of oilcloth. Something golden caught the light. A sword hilt. I'd not seen many swords, but I knew enough to know this one was special. The pommel and the crosspiece were red-gold, inlaid with swirls and curls of paler metal. The hilt was twisted around with silver wire. The blade shone like water in the folds of the cloth....

"And maybe some god is watching over us, " he said. "Someone sent you to me, that's for sure. I had planned to have the Bear row out adn find teh sword on a ledge beneath that little waterfall, hid among the rushes there like Moses in his basket. Spin a story afterward to explain it. But now I have a better notion. And now I have you, my little fish."

And so begins the saga of Excalibur. And the presentation of Excalibur to Arthur. And thus begins the magic reign of King Arthur, with Merlin by his side.