Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles: Or, the Book of Galehaut Retold

I slogged through the original Prose-Lancelot (as translated by Lacy et al), essentially to access the information consolidated in this book. I'd seen references to the expanded role of the Lord of the Distant Isles in the past, and I was interested to know how--generally, but particularly in this respect--the French version compared to the more familiar work of Thomas Malory. I will admit, it was... in excess of what I had suspected even based on the few footnotes referencing it.To be honest, actual knowledge of Arthurian legend is lacking. Oh, speak to the average Jane or Joe on the street, and that person will insist they know something. If you're lucky, they'll recall a snippet or two of T.H. White or... Braedley or, heck, even Disney's "Sword in the Stone". And that's on a good day. Or maybe they'll parrot some Monty Python quotes which, while amusing, is perhaps not the authoritative source. To the average person, Malory is practically unknown. In that context, the poor Prose-Lancelot doesn't have a prayer.But we can't really blame modern society, can we? The Prose-Lancelot is significant, but it hardly speaks to contemporary sensibilities. In many ways, it's tedious and overindulgent. No writer alive today would get away with dedicating an entire chapter to detailing the main character's perfect looks. Dialogue is theatrical, even persistently hyperbolic. Additionally, with no disrespect to anyone much less the generous and dedicated translators, the translated set is prohibitively expensive for the average person. I borrowed it from my university library, but not for an official academic purpose; I read it because I am a dork. Which brings me to another point--it's quite long. Sufficiently long that if certain persons knew how much time I had dedicated to something outside the laboratory, those unnamed someones would probably kick my ass. Anyway.That's why a book like this is so important. It's readable, affordable, and enjoyable. Knowledge that was once abstruse could now be in every home. An average person could read and enjoy this book and come away with infinitely more awareness of Arthurian legend than she or he possesses at present. And not just Arthurian legend, but the good old Prose-Lancelot, overlooked and nigh-forgotten among English-speaking persons. And let's be honest, the Prose-Lancelot is way better than the 15th century English accounts. Sure, it's still a little overindulgent, but that's what legends are for. (Trust me, it's been toned down.) Certainly, this is just about the best retelling you could ask for, especially given that it is focused on one particular aspect.That said--and do not think that this would cause me to reduce my rating whatsoever--there were clearly difficulties in creating this adaptation. In the original Prose-Lancelot, let's be honest, a bunch of meandering crap happens that isn't really important in the greater scheme of things. That's out. But the pacing is somewhat affected by the fact that Galehaut remains significant after his death, but more... sporadically? So the writers tried to maintain the context for his later mentions, but that does mean some events are streamlined, revised, or essentially changed. There are a few I think I might have handled differently, but in the end it's a minor quibble. The most important thing is that the themes and characterization remain genuine, and of that I have no question. Additionally, there is the matter of the tone.... The Prose-Lancelot is, ah, enthusiastic about its subject matter--as noted--to the point where it's a little too dramatic. This book has tried to rein it in a little. That's good, makes it far more enjoyable, but sometimes it felt almost hesitant. I almost wondered if the authors of the retelling were concerned about their credibility to the point they overcompensated? I've read the Prose-Lancelot and Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles. Trust me, the content is there, in the original. You don't have to worry if some uninformed hooligan thinks it's unauthentic; you know it's authentic, you can prove it, it's right there!Anyway, highly recommended, thanks for writing it!

This is excellent. Those who love the Arthurian mythos would do well to get a copy of this book. The understanding of the characters makes much less sense without it! Gaelhaut, the Giantess' Son, is neglected in the more famous translations, and it is high time someone came up and gave the original stories the attention they deserved. The spirit of the stories are kept well, and the sentences are often so simple they are haunting in their ability to stay with you. Lancelot is the perfect hero--his flaws are in his very perfection, and his friendship with Galehaut was a perfect counterbalance to the politics and dangerous times of the era. I would like to illuminate some of the examples that really made it stand out, but that would give things away for the reader. One of the lessons Lancelot learns from the Lady is that our most important mission is to Love. This is a very Celtic attitude, for without Love there is little reason to do anything. The love in the books takes on many forms: the group of people who hide Guenivere and Lancelot's love for each other, Arthur's warped love from witchcraft and his own insecurities, Gawain's love for his Uncle, and Gaelhaut and Lancelot's love for each other, so unalike in appearance and yet giving every appearance of two bodies wit one soul between them. The homeoerotic elements of the original text are rescued, and emphasize the growing tragedy as Lancelot's life slowly puts an end to his closest friend. This book is a keeper.

GALEHAUT DESERVED BETTER!!!!

This is a beautiful edition (paper, engravings) of essentially a fable book. I suppose children would appreciate the narrative.

This vividly retold story is a real page turner. I read it in one sitting, rivited. The setting, the mood, the sense of time, and most of all the main characters are facinating, engaging and inspire one to read on, to find out what will happen next in this exciting epic tale. All the classic issues of our current world are expertly addressed in this 13th century story- devotion, honor, discipline, faith, love, seperation, and death. Especially crafted are the sections illustrating the extraordinary love between Galehaut and Lancelot, and how both are inspired and challenged by it. Homo-eroticism is apparent in their love, but the text is so expertly handled by the translators that the overriding truth of their admiration for one another is not diluted by a notion that their love was singular in focus at all. I recommend this marvelous retelling of Lancelot and the Lord of the Distant Isles to all. We are fortunate to have such exciting parts of this grand tale so wonderfully conveyed.

I read this book the way I read as a child: completely absorbed, carrying the book from room to room, feeling outside of time and space, afraid to see the last pages coming. This part of the Arthurian story is not so familiar to most of us; I am grateful to the authors (eminent medieval scholars and translators) for having remedied that situation with so much grace and perceptiveness. Their version is lively, engaging, heartfelt and deeply moving, without ever being sentimental. I would think a very broad public would love this book.

The story of Lancelot and Galehot is a love story so unbearably heartbreaking. I adore this version of it. For anyone who just wants to follow just this storyline rather than the entirety of the Prose Lancelot, this is the book.Call me sappy but I really hope someone makes a film of this and changes the ending...

Fulfilled all my expectations.