In this second book of Malcolm Guite's acclaimed Merlin's Isle: An Arthuriad, travel back to craggy Tintagel to discover how it all began. Raised by Sir Ector and tutored by the wizard Merlin, young Arthur must grow into his destiny as the foretold king. He will need the aid of the perilous elves, wisdom beyond his years, and a host of virtuous knights to weather the storms to come.
- Acclaimed poet Malcolm Guite's masterwork, a lifetime in the making
- Illustrated by award-winning artist Stephen Crotts
- Foreword by writer and mythographer Martin Shaw
- More than 25 full-page illustrations
- Color interior with unique illuminated capitals
- Clothbound hardcover with dust jacket
- Accessible for all ages
- A true, new epic of English Literature
In Guite's follow-up to Galahad and the Grail, the poet loses none of his mastery of the tale-in fact, he's only just gotten started. And even while exploring well-trodden paths of the Arthurian legend, he mines his sources for fresh insight and uncovers deep corners of lore that have lain dormant for a century or more. Add to this Guite's natural facility with the form and his allusions and nods to poets and storytellers past, and the reader is left with nothing less than a royal feast of story and song.
Merlin's Isle: An Arthuriad is an epic ballad cycle in four volumes:
- Galahad and the Grail (Spring 2026)
- The Coming of Arthur (Fall 2026)
- Knights of the Round Table (Fall 2027)
- The Passing of Arthur (Spring 2028)
Malcolm Guite is a poet, scholar, and Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge. He has published five collections of poetry and many other books including Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Hodder, 2017).
In 2023 he was awarded the Lanfranc Medal for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He lives in Norfolk and travels extensively to give poetry readings and lectures and also has a popular YouTube channel he calls "A Spell in the Library."
Stephen Crotts is an illustrator and printmaker whose work has been featured in award-winning books and albums with clients such as Andrew Peterson, Phil Wickham, and Christianity Today. He has received the ECPA Top Shelf Book Cover Award and two GMA Dove Award nominations for album cover art. His illustrated books include the NET Art Edition Bible and two children's books, The Sower and The Forgotten King. Stephen founded Friday Arts Project, a non-profit arts organization curating conversation and fostering craft to call forth a fully human community.