Works
Sir Thomas Malory

Almost everyone knows about King Arthur to some extent, but most people are only aware of the name, maybe the stories of Launcelot's and Guinevere's love affair, and perhaps Mordred's betrayal and the destruction of mythical England. There are, however, more knights, examples including the hilarious Sir Dinadan and the pitiful yet noble and endearing Sir Palomides. There have been multiple retellings of the Arthurian myths, but the most complete collection to come from the actual British Isles would be the works of Sir Thomas Malory, collected by Eugéne Vinaver under the simple title Works and organized into 8 distinct, yet ultimately connected romances.

The collection really begins with King Arthur's most famous action: pulling the sword out of the stone, and with it claiming the right to rule England. His ambition sweeps farther than most people remember, though, because in the second book he expands his rule to the Roman Empire and defeats the Emperor Lucius, essentially becoming emperor of Europe himself. A grand collection of knightly adventures follows; Launcelot du Lake, Sir Gareth, and Tristram de Lyones each have an entire book dedicated to them, which are all full of many other adventuring knights who sire bastards, kidnap (and return) noblewomen, and a few unfortunates get to suffer, in the words of Malory himself, "evyl eese upon the braynne-panne." After the Grail Quest, however, the Arthurian Kingdom becomes more and more unstable, eventually destroying itself Ragnarok-style when Arthur and his son Mordred kill each other in battle, and the few surviving knights, realizing that their world cannot be saved, accept their fate, join Monasteries or go off to die in Crusades.

This book is a treasure of Anglo-Saxon mythology, but that does not mean that everyone should read every section of the book. Although some may be intrigued with the idea of Arthur conquering the Roman Empire, that story may prove too longwinded and tedious; the reader may skip it without losing too much understanding of the Arthurian World. However, the book of Tristram de Lyones and the story of the Holy Grail (or the Sankgreal) are must-read material; the reader experiences knightly adventure after adventure, and then witnesses the turning point of the Arthurian Kingdom, where the best knight of the world (Galahad) is revealed, achieves the Grail, and then dies in all the glory of the transcendent. Between those two books, we have the best combination of priestly asceticism and knightly valor; symbolic profundity and just plain fun in-your-face sword-fights, presented in delicious Malory-style Middle English.

For those willing to dive into the book, expect unbelievable, over-the-top presentation of Middle English. While in most copies a glossary is supplied, the occasional French and rare German word may prove a hindrance to anyone looking for something to read at breakfast. Do not try to read this book at anything but a leisurely pace; because of the episodic plot structure that characterizes Arthurian legends, anyone reading this book for fun can take a week-long break and renew reading later with increased vigor. The prose borders on the poetic, yet is succinct and understandable in ways that modern poems can never be.

The knights, fortunately, are simultaneously believable characters and representations of spiritual and moral archetypes. The very fact that Malory makes not only Launcelot, but Palomides, Sir Bors, and Dinaden likeable and relatable while still being able to illustrate a point speaks very highly of his abilities. Characters have flaws, weak moments, and unearthly triumphs; sometimes only to be brought crashing back to earth in a disappointment that readers can't help but sympathize with. Almost every character, not "just" Launcelot and Gawain, get rounded out and while that may occasionally lead to their fifteen minutes of glory, it may just as well lead to tragedy in death or infamy.

The fact that this was written in Medieval England may lead some to think that this is a book meant purely for academics. While it is true that this collection has academic value (there is no shortage of scholarly journals and book offering different interpretations and readings of the Works), to pigeonhole it in this way would be ignoring the enjoyment value of reading about knights beating each other. At the same time, to dismiss it as a glorified action novel would be ignoring the message books like "The Tales of the Sankgreal" are trying to say. Yet, at 600 pages, there's probably simply too much for the reader to focus his attention on everything. In the end, the reader must simply find two or three aspects of the book s/he really enjoys, and focus his entire concentration on that. This way, the book will resonate with the reader soundly and for that reason will become a much more enjoyable read.

Works, by Sir Thomas Malory