King Arthur has fascinated young people for centuries, and since fantasy literature has become a passion for so many bright teens, a whole body of writing has developed that reimagines Arthurian stories in ways that make them psychologically relevant today--without losing the magical resonance of Camelot. In I Am Mordred, Nancy Springer, known both for her fantasy writing and the realistic novel Toughing It, brings the central father-son conflict of the Arthurian saga vividly alive. Teen fantasy fans will be familiar with the background events: the young King Arthur, unaware, bedded his half sister Morgause and conceived the child Mordred, who according to the wizard Merlin, was fated to destroy his father and the kingdom. Goaded by Merlin, Arthur attempted to have the baby killed, but was foiled by the intervention of the good sorceress Nyneve and the evil sorceress Morgan le Fay. Years later Mordred arrives at Camelot and becomes a knight of the Round Table. Springer focuses on Mordred at age 15, as he struggles against his destined fate of killing the king and father he both loves and hates. In an adventure story festooned with the golden bells of enchantment, Mordred undertakes a quest in the Forest Perilous to save Arthur's life and his own soul, but ultimately fails. Springer brings the story to a moving and ingenious conclusion in which the prophecy is fulfilled--and simultaneously overcome. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

From Publishers Weekly
In a starred review, PW wrote, "Springer reworks Arthuriana to craft an original tale resonant with archetypal themes of love, loss, betrayal and reconciliation." Ages 12-up. (Jan.)nCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8ATold in the first person, this is an involving and moving story. Mordred, the bad seed, the son of King Arthur and his sister, spends his youth learning who he is and then trying to deal with the prophecy made by Merlin that he will kill his father. Springer portrays Mordred as a troubled child who is plagued by his feelings of love and hate for Arthur. As a teenager, he seeks Camelot and tries to earn his father's recognition and acceptance, but eventually flees in a turmoil of emotion. The sorceress Nyneve tries to help him to fight his fate. She cannot protect him from Merlin, however, who forces Mordred to look at a vision of the future. Distraught, Mordred begs Arthur to hold in safe keeping his very soul. Unfortunately, Merlin steals it and ensures an unhappy ending. By focusing on Mordred's dilemma of being caught in a situation not of his own making, Springer portrays the tension in Mordred between wanting to do good and the fear that he cannot fight his fate. A thoughtful youngster, he is particularly distressed by the beheadings and acts of vengeance around him. Although many of the characters have magical abilities, they are portrayed as real human beings. This dichotomy increases the tension: good and evil are seen in terms both human and magical; Mordred is able to chose to be one or the other but his choices can also be thwarted by magic. A complex, necessarily slow-moving novel that will reward serious readers.AWendy D. Caldiero, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

ANNOTATION

When Mordred learns the identity of his father, he struggles with feelings of hatred, but also fights the fate which determines that he kill the good and gracious king.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

What will a person give to forsake his destiny? From his very incarnation, Mordred has been a pawn in Camelot￯﾿ﾽs history. Foretold by Merlin that he will grow up to kill his father, the beloved King Arthur, young Mordred struggles with his fate, loathing the great king who tried to kill him as a baby, yet journeying to Camelot where he learns to serve and idolize the legendary leader. Torn between feelings of love and hate, Mordred yearns to make peace with Arthur, who still refuses to acknowledge him. But Mordred is determined to have peace at any price￯﾿ﾽeven if it costs him his soul. In I Am Mordred, one of the most fascinating and misunderstood heroes of Arthurian lore comes to life in an epic fantasy for Camelot fans. Nancy Springer lives in Dallastown, PA.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW wrote, "Springer reworks Arthuriana to craft an original tale resonant with archetypal themes of love, loss, betrayal and reconciliation." Ages 12-up. (Jan.)n Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

What must it feel like to learn that your father had cast you adrift in the sea, hoping that you would die? To know that your very existence is a threat and that fate has decreed that you will kill your father, the great King Arthur, whom so many admire? Mordred himself is drawn to the king and he struggles daily to understand why he must be the instrument of his father's death. Is there nothing he can do, no way to shift the course of history? This is a compelling story, one that makes readers think. It is also filled with details of medieval life, and the not so honorable lives of the Knights of the Round Table and their great leader, King Arthur.

VOYA - Mary Arnold

In a haunting first-person narrative, Mordred, Arthur's bad seed, his bastard son by his half-sister, looks back on his struggle to free himself from the stigma of his birth and be accepted, even loved, on his own terms. Reminiscent of the redeeming psychological profile of Mary Stewart's The Wicked Day (Fawcett, 1984), this book lets readers listen to Mordred's voice and ponder with him the question of whether he is truly an evil, cunning threat to Camelot's peace or a pawn in a powerful game. Condemned to death by Merlin and cast adrift by his noble father, then rescued like Moses from the bullrushes, raised ignorant of his true heritage until the time is right for Arthur to be confronted by his fate, Mordred must come of age by coming to terms with the love/hate he feels for Arthur, great king and betrayer of his own blood. Can the power of fate be averted? Can one escape doing evil deeds by cultivating a brave and loyal heart? Will the power of love overcome the destiny of a hated name and prophecy? Filled with the stark violence of blood oaths and rivalries, mystical enchantments, and legendary characters, Mordred's story is the timeless tale of the struggle of good and evil and the changing faces of both. Springer's lyrical descriptions and the sword and sorcery will appeal to general fantasy readers as well as diehard Camelot fans. There is some focus on the role of women, both in the more general society of the period and as forces for strength or folly in Mordred's development. Seen in proof, Mordred's youth in the cover art should appeal to young adults also engaged in the journey to discover their place in family and society, struggling with the ties of heritage and their own dreams of possibility. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Will appeal with pushing, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8 and Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9).

KLIATT - Claire Rosser

To quote from the review of the hardcover from KLIATT, September 1998: Not the place to begin with the Camelot tales, but this haunting story of Mordred, King Arthur's son, destined to become his father's murderer, adds a fascinating dimension to them. It begins as a young Arthur, knowing the prediction that he will be killed by his own son, orders the deaths of 40 male babies, his possible offspring. Since the theme of this story is whether or not we can change our fate, of course the one baby who survives is Mordred, the illegitimate son. Many details and characters are included in the 184 pages, which end with Mordred at 27 and the final battle. Merlin is here in a strange persona; Gawain and Garet are Mordred's half-brothers; the Lady of the Lake offers some respite; but two relationships prevail: that of King Arthur and Mordred, and that of Mordred and Nyneve, a sorceress who supports and sooths him, accompanying him everywhere as his beloved dog, Gull. The language of legend prevails, which Springer uses with great ability, and the themes are profound and challenging. Readers who like Camelot stories will eagerly read I am Mordred. KLIATT Codes: JS*￯﾿ﾽExceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 1998, Penguin Putnam, 184p.,

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