The Prince and the Pilgrim
Encyclopedia
The Prince and the Pilgrim is a 1995 fantasy
novel
by Mary Stewart
. Preceded by The Wicked Day
, it is the fifth installment in a number of novels of hers covering the Arthurian legend.
to seek justice from King Arthur
and avenge the death of his father.
The pilgrim is named Alice. Alice rescues a young French nobleman who has in his possession an enchanted silver cup. Many believe the chalice to be the mysterious and much-sought-after Holy Grail
.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart
Mary Florence Elinor Stewart is a popular English novelist, best known for her Merlin series, which straddles the boundary between the historical novel and the fantasy genre.-Career:...
. Preceded by The Wicked Day
The Wicked Day
The Wicked Day is a 1983 fantasy novel by Mary Stewart. The fourth in a quintet of novels covering the Arthurian legend, it is preceded by The Last Enchantment and succeeded by The Prince and the Pilgrim.-Plot introduction:...
, it is the fifth installment in a number of novels of hers covering the Arthurian legend.
Plot introduction
The Prince, the protagonist, is named Alexander. His father, Prince Baudouin, is murdered by the King of Cornwall, King March. When Alexander comes of age he sets out to CamelotCamelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
to seek justice from King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and avenge the death of his father.
The pilgrim is named Alice. Alice rescues a young French nobleman who has in his possession an enchanted silver cup. Many believe the chalice to be the mysterious and much-sought-after Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
.
Plot summary
Prince Alexander is diverted in his quest for justice by the enchantments of Morgan LeFay, the seductive but evil sorceress. She persuades him to attempt a theft of the Holy Grail so that she can own it and thus gain power over King Arthur and his court. Alexander's search for the mysterious cup leads him to Alice. Together the prince and the pilgrim find what they've really been seeking; love.Release details
- 1995, Great Britain Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN 0-340-64992-5) Pub date November 1995 Hardcover
- 1996, USA William Morrow and Company (ISBN 0-6881-4538-8) Pub date January 1996 Hardcover
- 1997, USA Ballantine/Fawcett Crest (ISBN 0-449-22443-0) Pub date April 1997 Paperback