Last year, Ace Books republished Knight Life, Peter David’s very first novel, after Peter David rewrote it, not only to improve on the journalistic writing style with which he originally wrote it 15 years prior, but to include more material with which he could lay the foundation for continuing the story in a sequel. In Knight Life, the legendary King Arthur returns to life, and runs for mayor of modern-day New York. The concept alone should get you to buy the book. A fan of Arthurian literature like T.H. White’s The One and Future King, as well as similar works by Steinbeck, Thomas Berger, Sir Thomas Mallory and Mary Stewart, Peter constructed a tale that was faithful to the source material, in which Arthur must not only deal with modern politics in order to reclaim his mantle as a leader, but with a beautiful woman named Gwen who looks impossibly like the queen he loved 1500 years ago, a backwards-aged Merlin, and old enemies from his past that will do anything to destroy his political future.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters and premises are easy to keep track of, so unlike Peter's New Frontier series, you can pick this one up without worrying about the back story, and if you're not too familiar with Arthurian literature, things are explained for you. The book is also more light-hearted than his Sir Apropos of Nothing series (the third book of which just came out, and which I'm reading now), so if you prefer to stay away from grim stories, this is the book for you.
NITS & NOTES:
On page 23, it says that Arthur is “under five and a half feet tall.” Which means he’s about 5’ 5.” Why is he so short? Did the source books that Peter David used indicated that Arthur was so short?
I finished reading this a few weeks ago. It was hillarious! I loved it! I especially liked the scene where Gewn summons the demon in orde to find Merlin. I've loaned the book to a family member so I'm paraphrasing.
Gwen: Where did she take him? To Hell?
Demon: Worse. New Jersey.
That killed me! *LOL*
Peter included that bit about Verona, NJ because he grew up there, and hated it.