The Broken Sword: King Arthur Returns - Softcover

Cochran, Molly; Murphy, Warren

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0812545133 ISBN 13: 9780812545135

Publisher: Tor Books, 1998

Synopsis

Camelot in New York?

Not long ago, Arthur was an ordinary boy. Now he knows that he is the legendary King Arthur, returned to lead not just Britain but all mankind into a new era of justice, peace, and freedom. Accompanied by the wizard Merlin; Hal, an ex-FBI agent who is now Arthur's bodyguard; and a young girl who holds the powers of the ancient Druids, Arthur seeks the tools of his great work--the Holy Grail and the sword Excalibur.

The Grail's magic has attracted the attention of a powerful sorcerer who will do anything and kill anyone to claim its power. To protect Arthur, Hal summons the Knights of the Round Table from their enchanted slumber in the mists of Camelot. The Knights--now New York City's newest motorcycle club--find the 20th century a confusing time, but they know their mission--fight evil and save the King.

In the final battle, Arthur learns that having right on your side is not always enough. Sometimes there are sacrifices to be made. Will the Round Table never rise again? Will this Camelot, like the last, fade too soon into memory?

About this title

Review:

In a Moroccan bazaar, amidst gunfire and chaos, a battered cup falls into a blind girl's hand, and her eyes are filled with light. But Beatrice is not alone in her appreciation of the Holy Grail, and her vision goes deeper than the surface. She meets Taliesin, who brings her to Arthur, and they join forces to protect the power of the Grail from abuse and to protect themselves from a soulless, amoral man who will stop at nothing to possess it.

The Broken Sword is almost too fast-paced, packed with agonizing cliffhangers as peril presses young Arthur, Beatrice, and Hal (Galahad, now a retired FBI agent) on all sides, though the lengthy recapitulations of Arthur's and Taliesin's previous lives detract from the real story in the 20th century. But The Broken Sword has a complete-feeling ending that puts Arthur, his recovered knights, Beatrice, and Merlin happily in place for future victories.

About the Author:

Molly Cochran was written more than 25 books, both fiction and nonfiction, including the bestsellers Grandmaster, which won the Edgar Award, The Forever King, and Dressing Thin, a nonfiction work. Born in Tokyo, of Japanese and Irish-American extraction, Cochran graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, and has lived in many countries.

Cochran's other novels include World Without End and two sequels to The Forever King, The Broken Sword and The Third Magic. She has taught writing at numerous writers conferences. Cochran lives in Pennsylvania and is the mother of one.

About this edition

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0812545133
• ISBN 13: 9780812545135
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 480