Le Morte D'Arthur

According to tradition, a rogue knight of the fifteenth century collated all the legends and songs surrounding the pre-Christian Welsh chieftain Arthur into a fascinating, rambling prose narrative. Since then it has inspired numerous artists while becoming the principal source for today's notions of chivalry and the Knights of the Round Table. Yet, for modern Americans, it's as difficult to hear as to read, despite all efforts by the brilliant Derek Jacobi in this judicious abridgment. The diction, somewhere between the English of Chaucer and Shakespeare, has been tastefully edited for comprehension, but the values and literary conventions have not. If anyone can bring such fare to life, Jacobi can--and does! Through him, we hear what once inspired the fantasies of young boys. All the psychological and moral complexities that are the author's chief concern are present, as well as the vigor and sonority of the writing. Further, Jacobi's beautiful oral expression smooths out the unevenness of the original and gives more life to the characters than Malory did. Jacobi brings out the full tragedy of Arthur's death and the dissolution of the Camelot ideal. Malory as interpreted by Jacobi is well worth the listen. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Some of the words in this classic of early modern English will be unfamiliar, but Bill Homewood's deep, resonant voice carries the stories of King Arthur and his knights. He doesn't create distinctive voices for all the many knights and damsels, but the author did little to make them more than types. Arthur, Guenever, Launcelot, and a few others are closer to being characters in the modern sense, and Homewood fleshes them out accordingly. Those who know only the more recent versions of the Arthurian saga may be surprised at how much has been left out, but the material is vast, and even Malory left out some of it (such as the end of the story of Tristram and Iseult). D.M.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine