Summary
Lev Grossman is best known for writingThe Magicianstrilogy, but the author has a newfantasybook hitting shelves — andThe Bright Swordcontinues a great trend from his earlier series.The Bright Swordis one of themost-anticipated fantasy books of July 2024, and given Grossman’s impressive track record, the excitement surrounding this release isn’t surprising. AlthoughThe Bright Swordis a standalone fantasy story rather than a series, it weaves a compelling narrative that will keep readers invested in its fictional world and complex cast of characters.
A reimagining of Arthurian legend,The Bright Swordfollows 17-year-old Callum as he pursues his dream of becoming a knight of the Round Table. However, King Arthur dies before Callum has the chance to meet his hero — and the other knights aren’t exactly what he envisioned. They’re flawed and even objectionable, but they’re the only ones who can save Camelot from the threats descending on it. Needless to say,The Bright Swordoffers a unique perspective on the classic Arthurian stories. This is why it’s one of themost-anticipated books of 2024, and it’s also why it’s comparable toThe Magicians.
25 Amazing Standalone Fantasy Books To Read
Authors including Neil Gaiman, V. E. Schwab, Marissa Meyer, and R. F. Kuang have written riveting standalone novels that all fantasy fans should read.
The Bright Sword By Lev Grossman Continues The Best Trend From The Magicians Trilogy
It Subverts Expectations Of A Common Fantasy Narrative
The Bright Sword’s premise is a major selling point of the book, andit continues the best trend from Grossman’sMagicianstrilogy. Both works take a common fantasy narrative and subvert reader expectations, offering a more grounded — and at times, bleaker — approach to such stories.The Magiciansdelivers a more realistic takeon magic school settings and fantastical worlds, making it feel like a darker version ofHarry PotterorThe Chronicles of Narnia.The Bright Swordunravels Arthurian legend similarly, depicting what these tales of heroism would be like with more relatable characters.
Both works take a common fantasy narrative and subvert reader expectations, offering a more grounded — and at times, bleaker — approach to such stories.
It’s Grossman’s ability to upend expectations that keeps his stories fresh and exciting, and the readers aren’t the only ones left reeling from the results. Main characters like Callum and Quentin go on similar journeys to those reading their stories, as they start off with idealism and are thrown into more realistic and disappointing circumstances. In bothThe MagiciansandThe Bright Sword,Grossman masterfully answers the question of what would happen if the real world blended with the fantastical ones we so often read about.
This 2024 Fantasy Book Sounds Like The Magicians Replacement I’ve Been Waiting For
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians gave readers a spin on a classic fantasy series, and now, this new dark fantasy novel is doing the same thing.
How The Bright Sword Subverts The Typical Arthurian Legend Story
It Proves That Heroes Aren’t Always Valiant
The Bright Swordsubverts the typical Arthurian legend in a few key ways, but the biggest point it makes is that heroes aren’t always as valiant as they’re made out to be. By taking legendary figures with upstanding reputations and humanizing them,The Bright Swordhighlights that ordinary people are usually the ones making a difference— even if they’re later made out to be something “greater.” Grossman’s newfantasybook also modernizes the legends of King Arthur and makes them more relatable for the present day. This means exploring the darker elements of these tales that aren’t as commonly covered.
