Knight Life
Peter David
Ace, 343 pages
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Peter David began his novel-writing career with Knight Life, originally published in 1987, a humorous
tale that turned Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court on its head by positing an Arthur
transported forward into our time. It became something of a cult classic over the years, much in demand by David's
fans. Now it's been re-published in a beautiful hardcover edition, revised, updated and expanded (by 20,000 words)
by the author.
The novel opens on Morgan Le Fay, contemplating suicide. Immortality is no picnic when all your old adversaries
are dead and you've been reduced to living in a roach-infested apartment in New Jersey. Determined to have one
last gloat over her ancient enemy Merlin, imprisoned for eternity in a cave, Morgan summons up a magical vision
on her TV set...and discovers to her astonishment that the cave has been unsealed. Merlin is free! Invigorated
by the prospect of renewed battle against the hated enchanter, Morgan casts aside her suicide plans (along with
a couple of hundred pounds of ugly fat) and begins to plot revenge.
Meanwhile, Arthur has been released by Merlin's sorcery from his own imprisonment, and transported to Manhattan.
Merlin (who, in a nod to T.H. White, is aging backwards, and now has the form of a 10-year-old boy) believes the
world still has need of the once and future king, and is certain Arthur can do better this time around--if he can
avoid the rash actions and impetuous decisions that led to the downfall of Camelot. But the road to rule is a tricky
one, and it's best to start small. Arthur decides to inaugurate his modern political career by running for Mayor
of New York City.
Arthur has charisma to spare, but he's not exactly a present-day politician. And there's Morgan to deal with--newly
powerful and in league again with Modred (also a survivor of the centuries, his natural shiftiness put to good
use as a PR whiz employed by Arthur's opposition). And then there's Gwen DeVere Queen, who bears an astonishing
likeness to the original Gwynyfar and is living with a morose and occasionally abusive slacker named (what else?)
Lance. Will the love triangle trip Arthur up again? Will Morgan prevail? Even if Arthur doesn't make the mistakes
of the past, will history repeat itself anyway?
David answers these questions and more in rollicking style. The novel has a little bit of everything: deft satire
(a mayoral candidate whose main qualification is that he played one on TV), low comedy (a pair of addled muggers
who stand in for the Knights of the Round Table), a love story (Arthur and Gwen, together again), breathless magical
action (courtesy of Morgan's nasty enchantments), looming tragedy (can Arthur really escape his fate?) and a solid
grounding in Arthurian themes, amusingly transposed to the present day. There's also some convincing commentary
on the absurdity of modern times. Like Twain's Connecticut Yankee, Arthur views the world in which he finds himself
from the mindset of a very different age (though, thankfully, without the Yankee's smug moralizing), and these
views, together with liberal applications of common sense, have the potential to change everything.
Knight Life was a first novel, and despite David's revisions it still shows in places, with some awkward
transitions and dialogue that at moments of crisis becomes a bit too bombastic. But these minor caveats don't diminish
the fun of this breezy revisionist fable. Fans will be pleased to know that a sequel, tentatively titled Dead
of Knight, is in the works.
Copyright © 2002 Victoria Strauss
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