In a Moroccan bazaar, amidst gunfire and chaos, a battered cup falls into a blind girl's hand, and her eyes are filled with light. But Beatrice is not alone in her appreciation of the Holy Grail, and her vision goes deeper than the surface. She meets Taliesin, who brings her to Arthur, and they join forces to protect the power of the Grail from abuse and to protect themselves from a soulless, amoral man who will stop at nothing to possess it.

The Broken Sword is almost too fast-paced, packed with agonizing cliffhangers as peril presses young Arthur, Beatrice, and Hal (Galahad, now a retired FBI agent) on all sides, though the lengthy recapitulations of Arthur's and Taliesin's previous lives detract from the real story in the 20th century. But The Broken Sword has a complete-feeling ending that puts Arthur, his recovered knights, Beatrice, and Merlin happily in place for future victories.


From School Library Journal
YA. This complex sequel to The Forever King (Tor, 1992) provides an unusual, creative blending of elements of reincarnation, witchcraft, magic, and Christianity without really being about any one of them. In it, King Arthur of Camelot and Merlin, reincarnated as a 20th-century teenager and an old man, rescue the Holy Grail from evil villains. Hal, the retired FBI agent of the first novel is also of assistance, as are the knights of the Round Table. An action-packed opening scene grabs readers' attention. However, this pace is not evenly maintained throughout. Although the difficult vocabulary can usually be understood in context, and the shifts in time back to the original Arthurian histories are usually clear, this novel will be most appreciated by more advanced readers. The increased amount of violence also necessitates a greater maturity level. The authors keep the silly scenes of the medieval knights confronting 20th-century culture (riding motorcycles, etc.) to a minimum.?Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
In this sequel to The Forever King (LJ 6/15/92), Cochran and Murphy continue the story of King Arthur reincarnated in 20th-century New York City. Blind Beatrice can see only when she holds the Holy Grail she found in a market in Marrakesh. She becomes Arthur's companion, and the two return to America with the grail, pursued by an evil sorcerer. Arthur must choose whether to break Excalibur to protect Beatrice or fail in his attempt to restore the Round Table. This rollicking good contemporary fantasy adventure belongs in all fantasy collections.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
More modern Arthurian galumphing: a sequel to The Forever King (1992). Arthur has been reincarnated as ten-year-old Chicagoan Arthur Blessing; his protector, once Galahad, is former FBI man Hal Woczniak. The evil sorcerer Saladin's successor, artist/assassin Aubrey Katsuleris (he's sold his soul to the old, dark gods), seeks immortality through the Holy Grail, formerly held by Saladin. Now, the Grail surfaces in Marrakesh, where it heals the congenital blindness of young Beatrice; she begins to recall a past life as the Innocent, a druidic high priestess, a life that also involves Taliesin (Merlin--yes, he's still around, too) and Aubrey (as the destroyer Thanatos). Excalibur lies smashed by Aubrey's black magic, but the pieces allow Arthur's knights to step through a time warp into the present and provide comic relief. Eventually, in New York, Beatrice magically defends Taliesin against Aubrey's magical assault, and Arthur--after Aubrey obligingly gives him the pieces- -wields a magically refurbished Excalibur to finish Aubrey off. Preposterous twaddle, what with the phony backdrops, ramshackle characters rushing aimlessly about, and threadbare doings strung together on a whim. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Review
"I read this first few pages and was hooked. Some time ago I promised myself that I would give no more blurbs unless i found a quite extraordinary book, one that I wishes had my own name on it. This is such a book. I recommend The Forever King wholeheartedly."--Morgan Llywelyn

"A rousing finale....Imaginative, creative, and downright hilarious as the Knights cope with twentieth-century reality, this exciting tale is snazzy indeed."--Romantic Times

"The narrative interweaves present-day events and flashbacks to Camelot, recasting many Arthurian elements into a mythology that appears new while managing to employ all the classic touchstones. With its high-minded themes and echoes of the metaphysical thrillers of Charles Williams, this satisfying sequel lives up to its popular predecessor."--Publishers Weekly



Review
"I read this first few pages and was hooked. Some time ago I promised myself that I would give no more blurbs unless i found a quite extraordinary book, one that I wishes had my own name on it. This is such a book. I recommend The Forever King wholeheartedly."--Morgan Llywelyn

"A rousing finale....Imaginative, creative, and downright hilarious as the Knights cope with twentieth-century reality, this exciting tale is snazzy indeed."--Romantic Times

"The narrative interweaves present-day events and flashbacks to Camelot, recasting many Arthurian elements into a mythology that appears new while managing to employ all the classic touchstones. With its high-minded themes and echoes of the metaphysical thrillers of Charles Williams, this satisfying sequel lives up to its popular predecessor."--Publishers Weekly



Book Description
Camelot in New York?

Not long ago, Arthur was an ordinary boy. Now he knows that he is the legendary King Arthur, returned to lead not just Britain but all mankind into a new era of justice, peace, and freedom. Accompanied by the wizard Merlin; Hal, an ex-FBI agent who is now Arthur's bodyguard; and a young girl who holds the powers of the ancient Druids, Arthur seeks the tools of his great work--the Holy Grail and the sword Excalibur.

The Grail's magic has attracted the attention of a powerful sorcerer who will do anything and kill anyone to claim its power. To protect Arthur, Hal summons the Knights of the Round Table from their enchanted slumber in the mists of Camelot. The Knights--now New York City's newest motorcycle club--find the 20th century a confusing time, but they know their mission--fight evil and save the King.

In the final battle, Arthur learns that having right on your side is not always enough. Sometimes there are sacrifices to be made. Will the Round Table never rise again? Will this Camelot, like the last, fade too soon into memory?



About the Author
Molly Cochran was written more than 25 books, both fiction and nonfiction, including the bestsellers Grandmaster, which won the Edgar Award, The Forever King, and Dressing Thin, a nonfiction work. Born in Tokyo, of Japanese and Irish-American extraction, Cochran graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, and has lived in many countries.

Cochran's other novels include World Without End and two sequels to The Forever King, The Broken Sword and The Third Magic. She has taught writing at numerous writers conferences. Cochran lives in Pennsylvania and is the mother of one.

ANNOTATION

The long-awaited sequel to The Forever King. When a teenage girl returns the Holy Grail to Arthur, the reincarnation of Camelot's High King, she joins him on a strange and perilous quest--strange because of the effects of Merlin's magic on the 20th century, and perilous because of a malevolent assassin who knows too much about the Grail and the young king. 384 pp. National ads & publicity. Online publicity. 50,000 print.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Beatrice, who is blind, has found the Holy Grail. When she touches it, her vision is restored - and she gains strange, mystical powers. Drawn to the young king by the Grail's magic, Beatrice becomes Arthur's companion as he returns from the Middle East to the United States. What should be a simple trip is instead fraught with peril. Even in the technological age, there are those who use magic - and not always for good. An evil sorcerer covets the Holy Grail and the power it conveys, and he'll do anything to get it. Meanwhile, the Knights of the Round Table are confused by the modern world. Chivalry as they knew it seems to be dead, and no one knows how to fight a good duel anymore. Led by Hal, who was once Galahad, the knights learn to ride motorcycles instead of horses and how to drink beer instead of mead. But they never forget their true mission - to protect and serve the High King. When Excalibur is shattered by an evil magician, Arthur seems defenseless, and the dream of the Round Table seems once again doomed. But the Round Table is a dream that never truly dies, and though still a teenager, Arthur is truly the High King, with all the power that title implies. Camelot will rise again.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly - Cahners\\Publishers_Weekly

In the authors' The Forever King (1992), King Arthur was reborn into our world. Now 13 years old, Arthur is guided and guarded by Hal Woczniak, an ex-FBI agent who regains memories of life as Galahad, and the ancient bard Taliesin, known as the Merlin. They are joined by Beatrice, a mysterious teenager who possesses the Holy Grail. Excalibur is broken, but the Round Table knights reassemble for battle. Most noteworthy here is the villain, celebrated painter and secret assassin Aubrey Katsuleris, who lays traps for Arthur and the others in Morocco, England and the U.S. The narrative interweaves present-day events and flashbacks to Camelot, recasting many Arthurian elements into a mythology that appears new while managing to employ all the classic touchstones. With its high-minded themes and echoes of the metaphysical thrillers of Charles Williams, this satisfying sequel lives up to its popular predecessor.

Romantic Times

"Imaginative, creative, and downright hilarious as the Knighs cope with 20th-century reality, this exciting tale is snazzy reading indeed."

Kirkus Reviews

More modern Arthurian galumphing: a sequel to The Forever King (1992). Arthur has been reincarnated as ten-year-old Chicagoan Arthur Blessing; his protector, once Galahad, is former FBI man Hal Woczniak. The evil sorcerer Saladin's successor, artist/assassin Aubrey Katsuleris (he's sold his soul to the old, dark gods), seeks immortality through the Holy Grail, formerly held by Saladin. Now, the Grail surfaces in Marrakesh, where it heals the congenital blindness of young Beatrice; she begins to recall a past life as the Innocent, a druidic high priestess, a life that also involves Taliesin (Merlin—yes, he's still around, too) and Aubrey (as the destroyer Thanatos). Excalibur lies smashed by Aubrey's black magic, but the pieces allow Arthur's knights to step through a time warp into the present and provide comic relief. Eventually, in New York, Beatrice magically defends Taliesin against Aubrey's magical assault, and Arthur—after Aubrey obligingly gives him the pieces—wields a magically refurbished Excalibur to finish Aubrey off.

Preposterous twaddle, what with the phony backdrops, ramshackle characters rushing aimlessly about, and threadbare doings strung together on a whim.