The Horn Book Guide

OLDER FICTION

Crossley-Holland, Kevin

The Seeing Stone: Arthur Trilogy, Book One

342 pp. | Scholastic/Levine | October, 2001 | Trade ISBN 0-439-26326-3 $$17.95

(1) YA Merlin tells the thirteen-year-old narrator, "Once, there was a king with your name....And he will be." The wizard's words are both legend and prophecy. The Seeing Stone that Merlin gives this new Arthur enables him to relive incidents leading to King Arthur's drawing sword from stone. The interplay between vividly depicted medieval life and heroic legend illuminate both in this compelling story. The sequels will be avidly anticipated.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2001