Reviews

"The author leaves some tantalizing questions, and the tale is filled with knightly derring-do."--The Horn Book Magazine
"Well-drawn characters, excellent, snappy dialogue, detailed descriptions of medieval life, and a dry wit put a new spin on this engaging tale."--Booklist
"If your readers are looking for some notable swashing and buckling with a little chivalrous slapstick thrown in, this retelling of Arthurian legend is the book for you."--The Bulletin, Recommended

Gr 5-9-Terence, the squire in question, is not Chaucer's but a 14 year old of unknown parentage in Arthur's England, raised in the woods by a wizard who can see the future clearly but is foggy about the past. Gawain, not yet of the Round Table, comes across the boy and, needing a squire, takes him along. The story then follows the nobleman through Terence's eyes. New adventures weave through the familiar, threaded on the story of the loathly damsel, here called the "ugly woman," one of the strongest of the Gawain legends. The entertaining action moves rapidly through encounters with fools and villains to Gawain earning knighthood and the love of a smart and worthy woman. His squire, who has recurring visions and contact with an interesting shape-changer, eventually learns the mystery of his own birth and his destiny. Overall, this is a good story, well told, both original and true to the legend of Gawain, counteracting his lesser position in Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. Readers who savor swashbuckling tales of knighthood will enjoy this adventure. Librarians will find a great choice of comic and breathtaking quests for booktalks.-Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI