"fun young adult Arthurian fantasy"

King Arthur declares that he and 9*3 knights will seek the Holy Grail. In Camelot, a gala occurs to celebrate the upcoming quest. However, something strange occurs when all the adults abruptly fall asleep while all the children remain awake; adding to the discomfit of those not asleep is the fact Merlin is missing. Gerard squire to Sir Rhaymond d'Abmont realizes an enchantment has occurred, but that the children must pretend all is normal or their enemies will take advantage of the vulnerability.

Gerard, Queen Guinevere's handmaiden Ailis, and Newt the horse boy know only Merlin can reverse the spell. They begin a trek to find the missing wizard unaware that a malevolent force will kill anyone who tries to prevent the destruction of Camelot.

GRAIL QUEST is a fun young adult Arthurian fantasy that looks at Camelot from an entirely different perspective as children must save the day. Though his appearances are limited, Merlin steals the show as everyone knows not to mess with someone who can turn you into a rat; in some ways he seems like the Merlin in the Disney cartoon The Sword in the Stone. The three heroes are terrific with differing personalities as the squire and the horse boy squabble all the time while the handmaiden tries to keep the peace. Targeting the Potter crowd, Laura Anne Gilman enchants her audience with her version of the Knights of the Round Table.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 13, 2006

Summary

On the eve of the Quest for the Holy Grail, every adult in King Arthur's castle falls into an enchanted sleep. The future of Camelot rests on the shoulders of fourteen-year-old squire Gerard, who has dreamed of becoming a Knight of the Round Table his whole life. With the help of Newt, the stable boy, and Ailis, a young maidservant, he must face terrible dangers, including a monstrous bridge troll, a wise and scheming dragon -- and finally, a dark, powerful force that will stop at nothing to destroy King Arthur, the knights, and the entire realm of Camelot.