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Arthurian Saga

Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Saga retells the rise and fall of King Arthur through a Britain emerging from Roman rule and threatened by rival kings and Saxon expansion. The first three novels are narrated by Merlin, whose prophetic gift is presented as a form of second sight supported by observation, medicine, engineering and political judgement.

The sequence moves from Merlin’s childhood and the conception of Arthur to the establishment of the kingdom and the catastrophe of Camlann. The Wicked Day shifts the centre of gravity to Mordred, while The Prince and the Pilgrim offers a self-contained Grail adventure within Arthur’s court. Across all five books, Stewart combines post-Roman detail, dynastic conflict and the supernatural traditions of the Matter of Britain.

Reading order

Books in this series (5 books)

The Crystal Cave cover

1. The Crystal Cave

Mary Stewart

First published 1970

4.2(51,602)

Myrddin Emrys grows up as the unwanted illegitimate child of a Welsh princess, protected by his intelligence and by visions that others fear or misunderstand. Escaping the violent court of his grandfather, he studies medicine, engineering and natural philosophy before entering the service of Ambrosius Aurelianus,…

The Hollow Hills cover

2. The Hollow Hills

Mary Stewart

First published 1973

4.3(24,794)

After Arthur’s secret birth, Merlin withdraws from court and waits for the signs that will reveal the child’s destiny. Britain remains divided, Uther’s health and authority decline, and renewed warfare makes the survival of the hidden heir a matter of national as well as dynastic importance.…

The Last Enchantment cover

3. The Last Enchantment

Mary Stewart

First published 1979

4.2(18,126)

Arthur has secured the throne, but victory does not end the work of creating a kingdom. Merlin continues to advise him through rebellion, marriage, disputed loyalties and the dangerous consequences of Arthur’s own family history, while the older seer feels his power changing and his public…

The Wicked Day cover

4. The Wicked Day

Mary Stewart

First published 1983

4.1(12,805)

Mordred grows up in Orkney under the shadow of a prophecy that names him as Arthur’s destroyer. When he learns that Arthur is his father, he enters the royal household determined to understand the king and find a place within the order Arthur has built, rather…

The Prince and the Pilgrim cover

5. The Prince and the Pilgrim

Mary Stewart

First published 1995

3.8(2,856)

Alexander, the fatherless nephew of King Mark of Cornwall, travels towards Camelot seeking justice and revenge for his father’s murder. His purpose is diverted when Morgan le Fay draws him into a scheme involving a mysterious silver cup whose associations may connect it to the Holy…