Readers' rating:
Published Mar 2003
256 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Young Dinadan has no wish to joust or quest or save damsels in distress or do any of the knightly things expected of him. He"d rather be a minstrel, playing his rebec and writing ballads. But he was born to be a knight, and knights, of course, have adventures.
So after his father forces his knighthood upon him, he wanders toward King Arthur's court, in the company of a misguided young Welsh lad named Culloch. There Dinadan meets Sir Kai and Sir Bedivere, and the three find themselves accompanying Culloch on the worst sort of quest.
Along the way, Dinadan writes his own ballads, singing of honor, bravery, loyalty, and courtly love—and becomes a player in the pathetic love story of Tristram and Iseult. He meets the Moorish knight Palomides, the clever but often exasperating Lady Brangienne, and an elvin musician named Sylvanus, along with an unusual collection of recreant knights and dimwitted defenders of chivalry. He learns that while minstrels sing of spectacular heroic deeds, honor is often found in simpler, quieter ways.
"Fans of the previous titles or Arthurian legend in general will thoroughly enjoy Sir Dinadan, but it stands on its own as a lighthearted introduction to the period." - School Library Journal
"A witty tale of adventure and reflection, this is another rewarding entry in the series that began with The Squire's Tale (1998)." - Booklist
"There is never a boring moment as the reader follows Dinadan's adventures with Tristram whose armor is golden but whose character is dross, as well as Iseult, Culloch, Palomides, Lady Brangienne, and others." - Children's Literature
"Above all is Morris's sense of fun—and his intelligent retelling of familiar stories. Ages 12-18." - KLIATT
"While not the strongest or funniest in the series, this will nevertheless satisfy Arthurian buffs as well as those who like their history and fantasy mixed with humor. Ages 10-14." - Kirkus
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Greg Belrendt
Gerald Morris is an American author. Morris is known for his series of stories for preteen and teen readers based in the Middle Ages during the time of King Arthur. Collectively called The Squire's Tales, the series includes The Squire's Tale, The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady, The Savage Damsel and The Dwarf, Parsifal's Page, The Ballad of Sir Dinadan, The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung Cart Knight, The Lioness and Her Knight, The Quest of the Fair Unknown, The Squire's Quest, and The Legend of the King.
His new series, The Knights' Tales is for younger readers and began with The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great, published in 2008, followed by The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short in the same year. Next came The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True in 2011. His most recently ...
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