The Broken Sword:
The Return of King Arthur
by Molly Cochran
The Broken Sword: The Return of King Arthur
by Molly Cochran, Warren Murphy

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Mass Market Paperback - 480 pages (October 1998) 
Tor Books; ISBN: 0812545133 
Dimensions (in inches): 1.31 x 6.77 x 4.19 
Other Editions: Hardcover
Avg. Customer Review:4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of Reviews: 19



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Synopsis The long-awaited sequel to The Forever King. When a teenage girl returns the Holy Grail to Arthur, the reincarnation of Camelot's High King, she joins him on a strange and perilous quest--strange because of the effects of Merlin's magic on the 20th century, and perilous because of a malevolent assassin who knows too much about the Grail and the young king. --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com 
In a Moroccan bazaar, amidst gunfire and chaos, a battered cup falls into a blind girl's hand, and her eyes are filled with light. But Beatrice is not alone in her appreciation of the Holy Grail, and her vision goes deeper than the surface. She meets Taliesin, who brings her to Arthur, and they join forces to protect the power of the Grail from abuse and to protect themselves from a soulless, amoral man who will stop at nothing to possess it. 

The Broken Sword is almost too fast-paced, packed with agonizing cliffhangers as peril presses young Arthur, Beatrice, and Hal (Galahad, now a retired FBI agent) on all sides, though the lengthy recapitulations of Arthur's and Taliesin's previous lives detract from the real story in the 20th century. But The Broken Sword has a complete-feeling ending that puts Arthur, his recovered knights, Beatrice, and Merlin happily in place for future victories. 

From Kirkus Reviews , March 1, 1997
More modern Arthurian galumphing: a sequel to The Forever King (1992). Arthur has been reincarnated as ten-year-old Chicagoan Arthur Blessing; his protector, once Galahad, is former FBI man Hal Woczniak. The evil sorcerer Saladin's successor, artist/assassin Aubrey Katsuleris (he's sold his soul to the old, dark gods), seeks immortality through the Holy Grail, formerly held by Saladin. Now, the Grail surfaces in Marrakesh, where it heals the congenital blindness of young Beatrice; she begins to recall a past life as the Innocent, a druidic high priestess, a life that also involves Taliesin (Merlin--yes, he's still around, too) and Aubrey (as the destroyer Thanatos). Excalibur lies smashed by Aubrey's black magic, but the pieces allow Arthur's knights to step through a time warp into the present and provide comic relief. Eventually, in New York, Beatrice magically defends Taliesin against Aubrey's magical assault, and Arthur--after Aubrey obligingly gives him the pieces- -wields a magically refurbished Excalibur to finish Aubrey off. Preposterous twaddle, what with the phony backdrops, ramshackle characters rushing aimlessly about, and threadbare doings strung together on a whim. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title.

 "This narrative interweaves present-day events and flashbacks to Camelot, recasting many Arthurian elements into a mythology that appears new while managing to employ all the classic touchstones. With its high-minded themes and echoes of the metaphysical thrillers of Charles Williams, this satisfying sequel lives up to its popular predecessor".           -Publisher's Weekly

Amazon.com Customer Comments

Average Customer Review:4.5 out of 5 starsNumber of Reviews: 19

jlp3_99@yahoo.com from Houston, TX , July 4, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
A subject suberbly worthwhile, and well done. 
First, note that this is a sequel to their earlier Arthurian saga. For my money, it is the lesser of the two, but none-the-less, a book that is a 'must read,' and hard to put down.

For those with no toleration for sex or any type of violence whatsoever, BE WARNED, there is some of each inherent in this interesting tale. I also abhor senseless violence and sex thrown in only as 'a hook.' The violence in this book is every bit as called for as is the violence in any of the Godfather series. The sex, on the other hand, may not have been totally necessary for the completion of the book. I'll leave this issue to the reader.

I anxiously await the 3rd of the series. The last two reviewers of this wonderful book, unfortunately, appeared displeased with it. As a book of fantasy, it cannot be given criticism that would normally accompany a historical manuscript based on facts alone. 

Again, this is a wonderful book, and I thoroughly recommend it!! --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title

ashandra_2000@yahoo.com from Wisconsin , February 18, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
Wow... 
WARNING! Don't read this book when you have an 8 am class. I started reading it at 10 pm and didn't put it down until 5 am! Still, it was worth it. I love the characterization, and the way that everything comes around full-circle. And the Knights of the Round Table kept me laughing the entire time! They're just how I would have imagined medieval knights, and I'm so glad that the authors didn't wimp out on that. Lancelot's still my favorite, though the others grow on you. Don't miss this one! And I can't wait until the sequel comes out! 

Jmurphy719@AOL.COM from Danville, NH next to America's Stonehenge , February 9, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
PLEASE, PLEASE,MORE, MORE 
One of the best of any Arthur series I have ever read. Right up there with Mary Steward's The Crystal Cave series, and, of course, The Once and Future King. Please Molly and Warren, don't keep us waiting for more! 

dspina.91@erols.com from South Philly , January 22, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
all the expected hype a sequel should have. 
arthur is now thirteen years old.saladin has passed the torch to someone named aubrey who will stop at nothing to get and keep possession of the grail.hal ends up with the knights of the round table who are driving him nuts adjusting to life in the twentieth century.emily is gone.they meet a man nammed zack,I liked him.I'm waiting for book three. 

Daming Ng (draven2037@yahoo.com) from Florida , January 19, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
I hope there are plans for another book 
I hope there are plans for another book. I know it would be hard to find another storyline for the characters to follow up on. But I think that the characters themselves are so 'alive' that any sequel to this book would sell itself on the sheer basis that it's a sequel to "The Broken Sword". --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title

d spina.91@erols.com from south philly , January 8, 1999 5 out of 5 stars
every bit as exciting as a sequel should be. 
aurthur is now thirteen years old.hal has been with him searching for emily all this time,when finnaly they meet.there reunion is short lived.salidin has passed the torch to someone else a man nammed aubry who will stop at nothing to have posession of the grail.also all the knights of the round table have been brought back to life but are having a rough time adapting to life in the twentieth century,driving hal crazy in the process. this sequel has 5 stars written all over it.a must read if you enjoyed the forever king... there also is a new character named zack,i must say HE`S THE MAN!!!! 


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