Product Description

The year is 1199, the place the Welsh Marches. Young Arthur de Caldicot is given a shining stone in which his legendary namesake is revealed. In 100 short chapters that brilliantly evoke life in a medieval manor, stories of the boy King Arthur begin to echo and anticipate the secrets and mysteries that emerge in his own life. '... as bright and as vivid as the pictures in a Book of Hours. Deep scholarship, high imagination, and great gifts of storytelling have gone into this; I was spellbound.' Philip Pullman, The Guardian 'instantly evokes T H White's The Once and Future King in blending the pastoral idyll of a medieval manor with the myths of King Arthur. There the similarity ends - this is truly a crossover book, settling in the interesting space between children's and adult fiction.' The Times

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24603 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Young Arthur de Caldicott is anxious to grow up, spread his wings and become a knight. But for now he must content himself with the life he has in the bosom off his family and friends. One day one of these friends, the old and mysterious Merlin, gives Arthur a special stone, and from that moment his life becomes entwined with that of King Arthur himself...

Arthur:The Seeing Stone is an extraordinary novel, contemporary in feel but with its roots deep in the past. One hundred short chapters give snapshots of both the mythical world of King Arthur and the day-to-day existence of a young boy growing up in 1199, and as the two begin to touch on each other's lives the story develops into a multi-layered novel with a depth and intensity that maintains a page-turning, easy-to-read--yet at the same time challenging--quality that is somehow unique.

Arthur: The Seeing Stone is an absolute must-read, written with a rich and earthy gusto that, combined with Kevin Crossley-Holland's authorative attention to the details of the Middle Ages, quite simply takes the breath away. (Age 9 and over) --Susan Harrison

Booktrust, 100 Best Books, 2002
"…a fascinating story, rich in historical detail."

Review
"Fun, intelligent highly enjoyable stuff." (Time Out )

Customer Reviews

A Good, Well researched Medieval book
This was a good book and i can't wait to read the 2nd and 3rd books. The book was about a boy called Arthur who was 13. He is the son of the Lord of the Manor. His biggest wish is to become a squire to another lord. His friend Merlin gives him a Seeing Stone where he follows a story about another boy called Arthur (the classic Sword in the Stone story). The book was written in the medieval period during the Crusades.It was obviously very well researched and i could relate to a lot of it as i studied the medieval period last year at school, in history. My only complaint would be that it was written in 100 short and i would say random chapters. I would have prefered, say, 50 longer chapters. It was a good book to get into on holiday.

A highly recommended read.
As a children's librarian I read many children's books. This book rates as highly as those of Philip Pulman. In my view It is one of those books that both adults and children will enjoy, especially if they have read The Sword in the Stone or The Once and Future King. A highly recommended read both for adults and children.

Two great stories rolled into one book - with more to follow
The Seeing Stone is the first in a trilogy, which tells the story of two Arthurs, one living in 1199, the other the king of legend. Arthur de Caldicot is growing up on the border of England and Wales, and is about to find out some very surprising things about his family. At the same time his life becomes more mysterious when he is given a stone. When he looks in it he can see the unfolding story of his namesake.

Crossley-Holland has written a wonderful story, with some fantastic characters, even those who appear only briefly. The book includes a list of characters to help the reader keep track of who is who, a word list of Medieval terms, and lovely maps of Caldicot Manor and the land surrounding it.

The Seeing Stone is a real treat for readers of 9 up to adult. I just hope the next two books are as good!