The Once and Future King

The Once and Future King
White retells the Arthurian legend in four linked books—The Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind—blending medieval romance with modern reflection. The story begins with young “Wart” (Arthur) tutored by the eccentric wizard Merlyn, who uses magical transformations into animals to teach him empathy and the responsibilities of leadership. When Arthur draws the sword from the stone, he becomes king and tries to create a just society through the Round Table. But idealism collides with human weakness: his wife Guinevere and his best knight Lancelot fall in love, his illegitimate son Mordred schemes against him, and civil war undoes his dream of order. White mixes humour, psychological depth, and political commentary, portraying Arthur not as a flawless hero but as a man struggling to reconcile power with conscience. The novel ends poignantly, holding out hope for renewal after tragedy.