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Thomas Berger

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Arthur Rex: A Legendary Novel Paperback – January 1, 1985

by Thomas Berger (Author)

4.0 133 ratings

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Reinterpreting and expanding upon the Arthurian legend, the author begins to inject his own personality into the narrative, which constitutes a salute to the Age of Chivalry

Language

English
Publisher

Dell Pub Co
Publication date

January 1, 1985
ISBN-10

0440303621
ISBN-13

978-0440303626
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Thomas Berger
1,759
Paperback
112 offers from $2.19

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dell Pub Co; Reissue edition (January 1, 1985)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0440303621
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0440303626
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces

Best Sellers Rank: #2,607,872 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11,992 in Historical Fantasy (Books)
- #20,804 in Family Saga Fiction
- #175,390 in Mysteries (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 133 ratings

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Thomas Berger

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Thomas Berger (1924–2014) was the bestselling author of novels, short stories, and plays, including the Old West classic Little Big Man (1964) and the Pulitzer Prize–nominated novel The Feud (1983). Berger was born in Cincinnati and served with a medical unit in World War II, an experience that provided the inspiration for his first novel, Crazy in Berlin (1958). Berger found widespread success with his third novel, Little Big Man, and has maintained a steady output of critically acclaimed work since then. Several of his novels have been adapted into film, including a celebrated version of Little Big Man. His short fiction has appeared in Harper’s Magazine, Esquire, and Playboy.

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4 out of 5

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Barney Collier

The best retelling of the King Arthur legend ever!

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2013

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I first discovered Thomas Berger when I read Little Big Man years ago. While working my way through his opus, I stumbled across Arthur Rex. I was a little daunted by its length, but once I started I had trouble putting it down. (This was the hardcover version. The Kindle version is even harder to put down!) I am not an Arthurian scholar, but it certainly seems complete, telling every adventure of every Knight as well as Arthur and Merlin, and the various Ladies of the court. The narrator does not shrink from either the lust or the violence of the tales, but by using archaic terms and circumlocutions provides detailed descriptions of all the events without lapsing into pornography or gore. Neither does he avoid or minimize the many prejudices and magical beliefs of the times. But the story moves relentlessly on from one lusty encounter to another, from one tale of betrayal and deception to another, with characters displaying all of the human frailties that make life so interesting. It is very moving to watch one character after another strive to rise above their flaws to live up to their ideals, sometime succeeding, sometimes failing. I repeat: This is the best retelling of the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table stories I have ever read!

14 people found this helpful

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Kevin

Acceptable.

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2022

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My definition of 'acceptable' is a bit different. Having said that, delivery time was excellent.

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Lana C. Reigart

Nothing new, not Berger's best.

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2017

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First of all, I love Arthurian stories and I read almost everyone I can find. This one was more about the Knights of the Round Table than about Arthur. It was okay, but I got really tired of it about 75% of the way through. Read it if you love Arthurian legends, but don't expect a new take on anything you have known before.

8 people found this helpful

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Izzy Luggs

An Old Favorite

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2023

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Read it from front to back in two days as a young man when it was first published in 1978. Loved every word of it. Was delighted to find an original hardback edition on Amazon.

4 people found this helpful

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Happy Reader

a masterpiece of imagination

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2013

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There are few American novelists of the 20th Century whom I would put in a class with the great Thomas Berger. He is about as good as it gets. I am so happy to see his less well known books coming back into print thanks to the Kindle. _Arthur Rex_ is a masterpiece of imagination, wit, and pure great writing.

4 people found this helpful

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Stephen A. Geller, M.D.

Definitely recommended.

Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2017

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An 'original' retelling of the classic Malory King Arthur, with hints to White and Bradley, and with a distinct sense of humor. Very enjoyable reading but a little dense in parts. Definitely recommended.

6 people found this helpful

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Virginia L. Yingling

Not worth the time to read it

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2014

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In spite of the occasional humorous sections and the all-too-current exploration of whether even a good government can lift humans above their baser selves, ultimately the cynicism of this take on the Arthurian legend left me cold, as did its misogyny and homophobia. Maybe Berger meant that to be funny (in the 70's it probably passed for humor), but I found it ugly and jarring. If there is a bright note in all of this it is that Berger's cynicism about human nature may be disproven simply by how far we've come in terms of women's and LGBT rights since the book was written.

3 people found this helpful

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Ted Fontenot

King Arthur Agonistes

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2013

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From the author who gave us Little Big Man, Killing Time, and the Reinhart saga (Reinhart in Love is the masterpiece), this is an adroit and sensitive re-telling of the Arthurian legend. Berger tracks his source closely, but imbues his story with modern sensibility. Although I haven't read her, from what I read of her, I would think that if you like Hilary Mantel's stuff about Cromwell, you will like this. Arthur and Guinevere and Lancelot and all the rest of them have never seemed so human, yet Berger never crosses the line into anachronisms. He stays true to legend.

8 people found this helpful

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Atl Canuck

did not work for me at all

Reviewed in Canada on January 18, 2024

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did not bother getting to 1/2 of book..a dud...

Morgan

Good but I prefer Little Big Man

Reviewed in Australia on December 16, 2016

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A gifted writer Berger is almost but not quite forgotten. An acerbic, worldly and literate writer this book deserves to be better known. I suspect he's hampered by having a cynical authorial personae which is not fashionable at present.. Also the subject matter - maybe the world's had enough of Le Morte D'Arthur for the time being. The book leans heavily on TH White's The Sword in the Stone trilogy. I originally thought that the faux medievalism of the language would put me off but Berger does mostly manage it. Having said all that I would always prefer his Little Big Man books.

Shellpie

Lieferung schnell angekommen; entgegen Artikelbeschreibung nicht gebunden

Reviewed in Germany on February 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

Genialer Klassiker von Thomas Berger (Little Big Man), keine Druckfehler soweit ich sehen konnte. Mein Exemplar ist gut gebraucht, aber uneingeschränkt zu gebrauchen. Die Artikelbeschreibung behauptet, das Buch sei gebunden, doch dem ist nicht so.
Bei dem geringen Preis kümmert das mich kaum, trotzdem finde ich diese Misinformation inakzeptabel.