The Seeing Stone was bronze runner up for the Smarties Prize in ages category 9–11 years and it made the 2000 Whitbread Awards children's book shortlist. In 2001, it was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature. [6] Series [ edit ] The trilogy is a contemporary retelling of Arthurian legend, told by Arthur de Caldicot as a first-person narrative, where both the primary and secondary settings contribute to the retelling.

The wizard Merlin gives Arthur de Caldicot the "Seeing Stone" early in the story, along with the warning it will cease to work if anyone else shares in its knowledge. Through the stone Arthur observes the life of legendary King Arthur until his rise to power as King of Britain. It begins with the marriage of King Uther and Ygerna. They conceive a child, who is named Arthur and is taken by Merlin to a foster family. Years later, when King Uther dies, Arthur comes to be king. Many specific people look similar to or exactly like people in Arthur's life. The most notable resemblance is between Arthur and young King Arthur himself, which leads de Caldicot to suppose that Arthur in the stone is himself in the near future. This belief is only accentuated when he learns on his birthday that his parents are only foster parents, as for young King Arthur. Eventually it becomes clear that King Arthur inhabits a parallel universe, with events in both worlds reflecting each other. I started off not knowing if I was going to like this book or not. I had not read a children’s book for a while and knowing pretty much what happens to young Arthur (doesn’t everyone?) I wasn’t about to be bowled over in surprise.Tom Shippey suggests that the palantírs' deception says one should trust in providence, not crystal balls. [3] Painting by J.W. Waterhouse, 1902 Saruman making communication with Sauron in the late Third Age, by Jeremy Bennett; a concept piece for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) As bright and as vivid as the pictures in a Book of Hours. Deep scholarship, high imagination, and great gifts of storytelling have gone into this; I was spellbound." - Philip Pullman, The Guardian J.R.R.Tolkien explains in Unfinished Tales that when using a Stone to talk with another Stone, the speaker would use mental communication, but the thoughts were "received as speech." Two Stones had to be aimed at one another to speak together. The master Stone in Osgiliath is uniquely powerful, too, and anyone using that could actually "eavesdrop" on other Stone-based conversations, as well. Roughly a thousand years before the War of the Ring, the Ringwraiths capture the Gondorian fortress of Minas Ithil. This is the ghastly city that Frodo, Sam, and Gollum pass on their way up to Shelob's lair. When Minas Ithil is captured, no one officially finds out what happened to the palantír that was housed there. However, the wise leaders in Gondor decide that they should stop using their Stones, since the Nazgul — and more importantly, their master Sauron — may have captured it. This is a good call, as the Lord of the Rings does indeed end up with that Stone and uses it to destructive effect on more than one occasion in the future.

Crossley-Holland has translated Beowulf from the Anglo-Saxon, and his retellings of traditional tales include The Penguin Book of Norse Myths and British Folk Tales (reissued as The Magic Lands). His collaborations with composers include two operas with Nicola Lefanu ("The Green Children" and "The Wildman") and one with Rupert Bawden, "The Sailor’s Tale"; song cycles with Sir Arthur Bliss and William Mathias; and a carol with Stephen Paulus for King’s College, Cambridge. His play, The Wuffings, (co-authored with Ivan Cutting) was produced by Eastern Angles in 1997. There are significant female characters in the story and their lives are mainly under the control of the men, so they wield their power and influence in more subtle ways than the male characters, who just expect to be obeyed. This lends additional authenticity and depth to the book, as well as reminding us that it is only in recent decades that women's rights have been promulgated.

More clips from Year 5 and 6 - Legends and Heroes

The palantíri were made by the Ñoldor in Eldamar, likely by Fëanor himself during his time in Aman in the Time of the Trees, and then given by the Elves to The Faithful Númenóreans, who kept them as heirlooms until the Fall of Númenor during the late Second Age. Seven of these stones were rescued and brought to Middle-earth by Elendil and his sons and set in well-guarded Towers throughout the Realms in Exile.