T.H. White’s Arthurian opus, The Once and Future King, is probably as influential on the modern fantasy genre as The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, but more fun. White has adapted Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte de Arthur for modern audiences in this tome, divided into four books:

The Sword in the Stone, which chronicles Arthur’s childhood in Ector’s castle and his tutelage by Merlyn

The Queen of Air and Darkness, which follows the war between the newly-crowned Arthur and King Lot of Orkney from the perspective of Lot’s four young sons: Gawaine, Gaheris, Agravaine, and Gareth. The titular character is their mother, Morgause, who is terrifying. Cassandra Clare, true to form, has “borrowed” this title for one of her own books.

The Ill-Made Knight, which centers on Lancelot’s adventures, struggles, and family problems

The Candle in the Wind, wherein Mordred comes to power , and everything Arthur worked so hard to build collapses on him.

T.H. White: