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A review by nancyotoole
The Chronicles of Arthur: Sword of Fire and Ice by John Matthews
3.0
Matthews, John. The Chronicles of Arthur: The Sword of Fire and Ice. New York: Aladdin, 2009. Print.
Although it doesn't necessarily break any new ground, John Matthews's The Chronicles of Arthur does a solid job of retelling the story of Arthur's childhood, tutelage under Merlin, and eventual encounter with the sword in the stone, here called the sword of fire and ice. Although this is Arthur's story, the author also chooses to peak into the lives of those impacted by Arthur, such as Merlin and the women of Avalon. The artwork for this graphic novel was done by veteran Mike Collins, who does well with putting personal touches on classic characters. There are a few times where the panels are a little hard to follow, but these instances are few and far between. The Chronicles of Arthur is a fine selection for children and young adults interested in Camelot, but not quite ready to tackle White's Once and Future King, and Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. By the time the story has ended, Arthur has achieved his destiny and obtained the sword, but there are plot threads left unresolved. This makes me wonder if there are future volumes in this graphic novel series that will be made available.
Recommend Grade Level- 5 and up
Genre- fantasy
Source- Novelist
Although it doesn't necessarily break any new ground, John Matthews's The Chronicles of Arthur does a solid job of retelling the story of Arthur's childhood, tutelage under Merlin, and eventual encounter with the sword in the stone, here called the sword of fire and ice. Although this is Arthur's story, the author also chooses to peak into the lives of those impacted by Arthur, such as Merlin and the women of Avalon. The artwork for this graphic novel was done by veteran Mike Collins, who does well with putting personal touches on classic characters. There are a few times where the panels are a little hard to follow, but these instances are few and far between. The Chronicles of Arthur is a fine selection for children and young adults interested in Camelot, but not quite ready to tackle White's Once and Future King, and Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. By the time the story has ended, Arthur has achieved his destiny and obtained the sword, but there are plot threads left unresolved. This makes me wonder if there are future volumes in this graphic novel series that will be made available.
Recommend Grade Level- 5 and up
Genre- fantasy
Source- Novelist