The Squire's Tale

by Gerald Morris

Book Overview

Growing up an orphan in an isolated cottage in the woods, young Terence never expected much adventure. But upon the arrival of Gawain, his life takes a surprising turn. Gawain is destined to become... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395869595
• ISBN13: 9780395869598
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 7

Customer Reviews

Funny & interesting - great series!!

This is the first of a great series of books. Knights & squires, quests & fairies, action & discovery ---- old stories re-told in an easy-to-read style with a dose of dry humor. Geared towards older children (my daughter LOVES them all), they don't insult the intelligence of the reader (I enjoyed them more than much of the "grown-up" fiction I read). The series is best when you read them in order, as you meet the characters again in future books. The books were such a hit, I actully purchased them in hardback (gasp!) so that the rest of my kids can read & re-read them as they get older. We're eagerly waiting for the 7th book (and the 8th...) to come out in print! John Morris (no relation to author)

This is one heck of a great book!

First thing: This book is awesome!!! Mr. Morris captured my attention like no other author has been able to do."The Squire's Tale" is a wonderful book based around Terence, a boy searching for his past, who comes to be Sir Gawain's squire, and soon encounters more adventure than he ever thought he would! Sharp, witty dialogue and absolutley lovable charaters (Like Tor, Polgrun, Gawain, Robin, Lori, Ganscotter, Authur, Kai, and, of course, Terence himself!) made this book one of my favorites (Bested only by it's sequal, "The Squire, His Knight and His Lady). After Gawain, a young man seeking to be Knighted by King Authur has a(rather humorous, stewpot) fight with Sir Hautubris, he recrutes a Squire out of young Terence (With the help of the Hermit of the Gentle Wood, Trevensent.) The two set out to Camelot, on the way meeting young Tor, who also wants to be a knight. Gawain gets his wish of being knighted,(Poor Tor doesn't, yet!) but only after Terence tells of the fight with Sir Hautubris. ("I have an ill-mannered squire." Gawain replied. "Will you punish him for telling of this deed?" Gawain hesitated, then shook his head. "No, sire. How could I punish him for telling what I wish to be known?") After a wonderful fight scene with the five kings, who were threatening Camelot and Aurthur, Gawain, Tor (He's knighted, yay!), Kai and Terrence are all rewarded by the king. A few months later, King Authur is married to Guinevere. During the party, a hart and hound, both almost compeletly white, wreak havoc. Soon after them, a hag on a white mule appears. A brief quarrel causes the hag to have Gawain pursue the hart and Tor follow the hound. ("King Aurthur," The woman said, "Send Sir Gawain after the hart." She looked at him through the corner of her eye. "Perhaps he will find adventure where he saw none before.")Gawain and Terence set out Questing. In the course of three months, they encounter quarreling brothers, rude men, one beautiful, but unusually blood-thirsty girl, one quiet knight who befriends them after a quick jousting competition, Gawain's "autie" Morgan Le Fay, ("You always were a twisted wench, Morgan.") two love-sick fools, The Lady of the Lake, Ganscotter the Enchanter, Lorie, his daughter (Also the hag from the feast), and many others. (I won't say who else! Surprise, Surprise!)All around, I'd say this is one execllent book for young readers. I'm 13, and even though I've read it many, many times, it still enchants me! HIGHLY RECOMENDED!!!

To become a knight

Here there be humor! For those of you tired of the relentlessly upstanding and humorless knights of the Round Table, stodgy King Arthur and the umpteenth retelling of the Guinevere/Lancelot legend, this is the book for you!The main character is Terence, a young boy who lives with a rather befuddled old hermit deep in the woods. One day he encounters a massive young Irish knight named Gawain who, the hermit tells them, will soon have Terence as his squire (the hermit can see the future, but only dimly knows of the past--he gets mixed up). When arrogant Sir Hautubris arrives and threatens the three, Gawain fends him off with a stewpot - and soon ends up going to his uncle's castle, Camelot, with his new squire.Shortly thereafter, at a banquet, a white hound and hart (deer) go bounding through, followed by the most hideous woman anyone there has ever seen. Somehow she manages to get Sir Tor, Sir Gawain and Terence to go a-hunting for the hound and hart, and so off they go. They meet a bizarre assortment of knights and ladies, dwarves and enchanters -- most of whom are one bean short of a pound -- and eventually bump into the Seelie Court...It all sounds fairly dry, but the charming way in which it is written will have you grinning at least once per page. These knights aren't invulnerable and infallible - they bicker and tease and embarrass themselves like everyone else. The faerie elements are more in keeping with traditional mythos than the gauze-winged little creatures.Terence is just great - smart, funny, and intelligent without any of those qualities being annoying. He and Gawain are excellent foils for each other during the absurd scenarios that arise on their quests. Gawain himself is also great, sexy and wry and just hilarious during the "stewpot" incident. I visualize him as a young Liam Neeson type. Another applause-worthy character is Sir Tor, the young field hand who dreams of becoming a knight. Though you will despise, to some degree, Queen Guinevere, the readers will feel extremely sympathetic to old faves like Arthur and Merlin.Of the many retellings of traditional Arthurian myth (as the story about the hideous woman is a real legend) Gerald Morris may succeed the most completely. He makes the characters full-fleshed and sympathetic, in the traditionally English settings of the old stories we heard as children. (I particularly like his portrayal of Gawain, who is often treated badly in the stories)"Squire's Tale" is a must-read for fans of Arthuriana, fantasy, and humor. (As are the three sequels)

EXCELLENT BOOK! I "MUST READ"(NOTICE THE CAPS)

I was browsing the "stacks" one day when I came across this book. Being the "judger of covers" as I am, I picked up, thinking,"Hey, it's pretty, I'll give it a go." I thought it would be ya know, the usual, every day, semi amusing book.(I mean, there's only a knight sitting backwards on a horse, totally cleche). Now that I've read this book, i deserve to be slapped. The Squire's Tale is now my favorite book. Every time I went to the library, I found myself searching for a sequel! And there you go! There is now three books written by this author, set in the authorian times.It's about a fourteen year old boy named Terence. He "coincidentally" met the great Sir Gawain. Terence finds out later that he is destined to be the great knight's squire. So the two set out to Camelot, where the whole adventure begins.For anyone searching for a fun-filled(sorry, had to say it...I'm sorry...)book, full of knights,magic,comedy and adventure...HORRAY! you've found it! This is one of the BEST books I've ever read. Hope you like it too! ;)~*MicheeDee*~

Awesome!

The Squire's Tale is one of the best novels I've ever read. Before I read this book I didn't have much interest in King Arthur's court. Now I'm eager to read his second novel (The Squire, His Knight & His Lady). And his book about to come out The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf. There are many detailed and exciting adventures in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone.