An original re-telling of the Arthurian legend, marred by too simplistic dialogue and a meandering ending. Courtway Jones has taken the famous Mallory texts and brought something completely original to them: a narrator, Pelleas, son of the Picts, who tells of his growing up years as a giant among the Picts and the conflicts between the Gaels and everyone else on the British Isles. Gawain and Agravaine and their brothers are central characters in Pelleas' boyhood, bringing them to life early on in the narrative. Then up shows Myrddin as that symbol of magic, a blacksmith. These were the areas in which Jones certainly did her research and knew how smiths were seen in the ancient world, and how the Picts/Gaels/Romans were occupants of the British Isles, along with the Saxons and the Jutes, during the probable time of the historical Arthur.

And the story works very well through most of its length: Arthur is raised by Myrddin, his wet-nurse is a commoner named Anna who is rescued from slavery by the company, and discussions of war, land-holding, and Druidry are examined well as part of the story.

But after Arthur is crowned King and Pelleas sets off on his own, probably the final 40 pages or so, the tale meanders into and then I went here and did this, and then I had this battle, and then this knight made me angry, and then . . . "till I finally ended reading the book. And the dialogue brings the whole soaring narration down to a thud. The sentences are simple, serve to show that the characters talk amongst themselves, and I didn't find much engaging in them as part of the story.

Still, for originality in bringing a new twist to an old and loved story, I do salute the author's abilities." ( )

Loved it. See my full review at
http://adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2013/09/in-shadow-of-oak-king-by-co... ( )