Seeing Stone, Vol. 1

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"Tumber Hill! It's my clamber-and-tumble-and-beech-and-bramble hill! Sometimes, when I'm standing on the top, I fill my lungs with air and I shout. I shout."

As The Seeing Stone opens, exuberant young Arthur has no idea what adventure lies ahead. A 13-year-old growing up in 12th-century England, Arthur soon discovers that his life parallels that of another Arthur, son of Uther centuries past, the legendary boy king "who was and will be." The second son of Sir John de Caldicot, lord of a manor near the Welsh border, Arthur narrates his everyday life in the Marchland in 100 clipped chapters of crisp, melodic prose. But his destiny entwined with that other, ancient Arthur is revealed only in snatches, after he receives (courtesy of our old friend Merlin) a piece of obsidian, a seeing stone, through which a well-woven story within a story unfolds.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Kevin Crossley-Holland spins an enchanting tale of magic and mystery in The Seeing Stone, the first book in a planned trilogy based on Arthurian legend. The story opens at the cusp of the 12th and 13th centuries, when a 13-year-old lad named Arthur discovers that his life is about to take some unexpected turns. At the heart of all this change is Merlin, a mysterious man who possesses incredible knowledge and power. It is Merlin's special gift to young Arthur -- a shiny piece of obsidian -- that gives this book its name and much of its magic.

All that young Arthur can think about is his desire to become a squire and, eventually, a knight, a goal his father seems determined to prevent him from reaching. At first, the only thing Arthur has to feed his dream are his hopes and his imagination, which are often tempered by the harsh realities of life. But then his mentor, Merlin, gives him a shiny stone, uttering a cryptic message about its power. When Arthur looks into the dark surface of the stone, images appear -- snippets of past events from other people's lives, including a powerful King named Uther and a young knight named Arthur. When certain aspects of young Arthur's life begin to parallel those of his namesake in the seeing stone, he begins to wonder if the images might not be a glimpse of the future rather than the past. Arthur's quest for the truth answers some of his questions but also raises plenty of others, no doubt as a lead-in to the second chapter in this trilogy.

This is no fluffy tale of Camelot. Arthur tackles a number of provocative issues in his dealings with others, and his observations provide a grim but realistic commentary on the filth, hunger, and barbarism that was a regular part of life in the Middle Ages. But the book's overall structure -- told from Arthur's point of view in 100 very short chapters -- and its mystical overtones make The Seeing Stone a quick and engaging read. (Beth Amos)

ANNOTATION

In late twelfth-century England, a thirteen-year-old boy named Arthur recounts how Merlin gives him a magical seeing stone which shows him images of the legendary King Arthur, the events of whose life seem to have many parallels to his own.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The year is 1199 and on the borders of England and Wales young Arthur de Caldicot waits impatiently to grow up and become a knight. One day his father's friend Merlin gives Arthur a shining black stone, and in it he starts to see stories of his namesake, King Arthur.

The Seeing Stone is a pageant of the past, crowded with characters, including Arthur's jealous older brother; the forthright village girl, Gatty; Tanwen, the serving girl; and Lady Alice, who entrusts Arthur with a terrible secret. Their individual dramas create an eye-opening picture of life in a medieval manor. But they are shot through with the legends of King Arthur in a narrative that builds to a thrilling and mysterious climax as the stories of the two Arthurs intertwine.

The one hundred short chapters are almost like snapshots, not only of the world of King Arthur, but of the earthy, uncomfortable reality of the Middle Ages: a time of uncertainty about the future, and a time of conflict -- between the social classes, between Christianity and Islam, and between reason and superstition. Kevin Crossley-Holland's brilliant new novel gives readers a seeing stone of their own. Use it to look into the past, and through the past into the future.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In this first volume of a planned Arthur Trilogy, British author Crossley-Holland inventively reworks the legend of the Round Table through he diary of a 13-year-old boy named Arthur, living in an English manor in the 12th century. One day, his friend Merlin gives Arthur a magical stone that shows him visions of the once and future king, whose story parallels narrator Arthur's so closely that at first the stone seems to depict the hero's destiny. More accurately, though, "Arthur-in-the-stone is not me. We look and talk like each other. But he can do magic, and I cannot Sir Ector and Kay are not exactly the same as my father and Serle, either." The boy recording the events is not King Arthur, but rather someone infused with the king's spirit, living a largely parallel life. Told in 100 very short chapters, the plot builds slowly, laying the groundwork of chivalric codes and court etiquette, and the character list in the opening pages is essential to keeping track of various personalities and their hierarchical relationships. Some readers may wish for more jousting and less of the domestic squabbles and local politics, but many will revel in Crossley-Holland's portrait of the period and the humorous observations conveyed through the diary entries. A clever, ethical and passionate hero plus several intriguing loose ends will have readers itching for the sequel. Ages 13-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

"In the first volume of the Arthur Trilogy, the author inventively reworks the legend of the Round Table through the diary of 13-year-old Arthur, living in an English manor in the 12th century," said PW in a starred review. "Readers will be itching for the sequel." Ages 10-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Arriving from England with hoopla and honors is the next Great Harry Potter Hope. It's a shame there will be comparisons, because Crossley-Holland's book is very fine in its own right. Yes, there is an Arthurian subplot, and yes, there is a wizard—named Merlin, no less. But the young hero, Arthur, of this novel lives in 1199—and what this book is about more than anything is life in a small manor on the Welsh borderlands during the late Middle Ages. Through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Arthur, Crossley-Holland recounts this life believably and well—from pig-slaughtering, to the lamented ascent of King John, to the call for a fourth Crusade to Jerusalem. The hero is a hero in the Arthurian sense—intelligent, compassionate, and anxious to find his quest. Undoubtedly Books Two and Three will take us along on Arthur's quest, too. It is something for which to look forward, because these pages slipped by altogether too fast. 2001, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, $17.95. Ages 10 up. Reviewer:Kathleen Karr

VOYA

In Book One of his Arthur Trilogy, Crossley-Holland transports readers to the year 1199, in which King John has taken England's throne, Pope Innocent wants men for his fourth crusade, Welsh raiders are poised to invade from the west, and people worry about the new century. Arthur, the thirteen-year-old narrator of this novel, lives at Caldicot manor and is affected by historical events and the day-to-day happenings at the manor. Arthur guides readers through the seasonal chores and celebrations on the manor and offers a clear look at life as a teenager during the Middle Ages. He excels at reading and writing, and it is through his journal that readers learn about his daily life as well as his thoughts and dreams. Merlin, a friend to Sir John de Caldicot, gives Arthur a seeing stone, which is to remain a secret between them. In the stone, Arthur can see and hear those who divulge the story of King Arthur. King Arthur's story often mirrors and portends events in Arthur's life;at one point Arthur realizes that the king looks like him but can not fathom what this might mean. This compelling novel is a quick read thanks to completely real characters and plenty of action. Medieval life is evoked effectively through vivid descriptions, deft characterizations and dialogue, and archaic vocabulary with a helpful word list that appears in the back of the book. Young adults interested in King Arthur or the Middle Ages will find this novel a marvelous read, as would teachers looking for a medieval historical fiction tie-in. Glossary. VOYA CODES:5Q 2P J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written;For the YA with a special interest in the subject;Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9;Senior High,defined as grades 10 to 12). 2000, Scholastic, 368p, $17.95. Ages 12 to 18. Reviewer:Rachelle Bilz—VOYA, December 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 5)

KLIATT