10 h 59 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 10 h 59 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A king seeks justice, a warrior stands loyal, and an outlaw challenges power beneath the trees of Sherwood Forest.
The Book of Romance, edited by Andrew Lang, brings the hero tales of medieval Europe together in clear prose. King Arthur gathers his knights at the Round Table, where none sits above another. Merlin guides the young king, while Lancelot stands out through strength, deeds and devotion.
Beyond Arthur’s court, Roland and his wise friend Oliver serve among Charlemagne’s greatest warriors. In the English greenwood, Robin Hood defies a corrupt sheriff and helps the poor. These tales place loyalty, courage and justice side by side, inviting you to discover what joins a king, a knight and an outlaw.
What you’ll discover
- Arthur’s dream of justice Enter a court where the Round Table gives every knight an equal place.
- Merlin and Lancelot Meet the wizard who guides Arthur and the knight famed for strength and devotion.
- Roland and Oliver Discover brave loyalty beside careful judgment among the warriors who serve Charlemagne.
- Robin Hood’s greenwood Leave castles behind for Sherwood Forest, where an outlaw challenges a corrupt sheriff.
- Legends read side by side Explore what these old tales share through their kings, knights, outlaws and quests.
Who will love it
Readers who love knights and quests, outlaws in green, ghosts and ancient fairy tales will find a wide company here. It suits anyone curious where Arthur, Roland, and Robin Hood come from.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Arthur earns trust through an honest deed
- Arthur's court depends on wise counsel
- Courtesy reveals the kitchen boy's worth
- The Grail tests more than strength
- Pride makes Roland's danger greater
- Loyalty divides the hunters and hunted
- Closed gates and prisons test courage
- Outlaws carry different kinds of strength
- Honor can pull heroes into trouble
Who’s who
- King ArthurA boy who draws the sword from the stone and becomes king, he wants to rule with justice and keep his Round Table whole.
- Sir LancelotThe best knight of the Round Table, he is loyal to Arthur and bound by love to Queen Guenevere.
- Queen GuenevereArthur's wife, proud and quick to anger, she depends on Lancelot as her champion.
- RolandCharlemagne's brave nephew, he wants honor above all and guards the rear of the army with his sword Durendal.
- GanelonRoland's stepfather, he is sent as envoy against his will and plans revenge on the man who named him.
- DiarmidA handsome Fenian warrior, he is forced by Grania to run from Fionn and live as an outlaw.
- Robin HoodA courteous outlaw of Sherwood Forest, he wants to help the poor and outwit the Sheriff of Nottingham.
- Grettir the StrongA surly and powerful Icelander, he wants fame but is dogged by outlawry and a ghost's curse.
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- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
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- Large print hardcover
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The Book of Romance in 25 languages, side by side, paragraph by paragraph, once the book texts are online: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
The Book of Romance
by Andrew Lang · 1902
A kitchen boy at Arthur's court sets out to rescue a lady while a sharp-tongued damsel scolds him all the way.
Medium level5–10 hours to read2 languages
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In short
What if the kitchen boy at the king's court is the best fighter in the hall? In this book he is, and he rides out to prove it while a sharp-tongued damsel pours scorn on him at every mile.
The Book of Romance at a glance
- Reading time
- About 6 h 15 min4 h 55 min fast, 7 h 25 min slow
- Length
- 89,100 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1902by Andrew Lang
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A boy draws the sword from the stone
After Uther Pendragon dies, Britain has no king, and every knight hopes to seize the crown. Laws are broken and nobody brings evildoers to justice. Merlin and the Archbishop of Canterbury call all the lords to London for Christmas.
In the churchyard stands a stone with a bar of steel, and a bare sword is fixed in it. Golden letters say that whoever pulls it out is king by right of birth. The knights tug with all their might, and none can move it.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1902
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Lang, Andrew. The Book of Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-book-of-romance.
Lang, A. (2026). The book of romance. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-book-of-romance (Original work published 1902)
Lang, Andrew. The Book of Romance. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-book-of-romance.
@book{lang2026book,
author = {Lang, Andrew},
title = {The Book of Romance},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-book-of-romance},
note = {First published 1902}
}
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What is The Book of Romance about?
It retells medieval legends for young readers, including King Arthur and the Grail, Roland at Roncevalles, the Irish tale of Diarmid and Grania, William Short Nose, Wayland the Smith, Robin Hood, and Grettir the Strong of Iceland.
Who wrote The Book of Romance?
Andrew Lang edited the book and wrote its preface. According to him, his wife wrote the romances, except for the story of Grettir, which H. S. C. Everard adapted from a saga translated by William Morris.
What does Andrew Lang mean by romances being fairy tales grown up?
Lang means that the plots of romances were old folk tales known across the world. Later writers gave the deeds of nameless heroes to kings, knights, and saints, and added the charm of chivalry to the tales.
The author
Andrew Lang
1844–1912 · Scottish poet and folklorist
Andrew Lang was a Scottish writer born in Selkirk in 1844. He lived in London and died in Banchory in 1912. He wrote poetry, novels, literary criticism, and works on folklore. He edited The Blue Fairy Book, published in 1889, and other fairy-book collections, including The Violet Fairy Book in 1901.
More by Andrew Lang
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