Gustave Dore was one of the most prolific book illustrators of the late nineteenth century.

While this is a view into the great legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as seen through an ever tightening lens from The Mabinogion to Chretien De Troyes to Malory to Tennyson to Dore, it is not necessary to be familiar with any of the above to appreciate the greatness of not only the illustrations that make up the largest part of this book, but the conceptual structure of this book and the tales it illustrates.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the English poet laureate who wrote the Romantic epic poem called Idylls of the King gave us a luscious and emotional rendering of the King Arthur Saga and drew heavily upon older works of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, the Arthurian romances of Chretien De Troyes and the Welsh hero sagas of The Mabinogion. Here, his contemporary, Gustave Dore's (1832-1883) illustrations for Idylls focus on the romantic involvements of four lovely ladies from the pages of legend. This is a republication of all 36 plates from Enid, Elaine, Vivien and Guinevere published by Edward Moxon and Co., London, 1867-69.

Gustave Dore first published these intricate and beautiful wood-engraved book illustrations for Idylls in the 1860s. Although many, many fabulous illustrations have been created for the legends of King Arthur and his Court over the years these remain among the finest. This book contains black and white plates, each 7 1/2" x 10" and thus nicely sized for optimal viewing of the exquisite detail. A corresponding excerpt from Idylls of the King is printed on the facing page of each plate, as well as a brief synopsis to place the illustration in context.

Dore captured the grandeur and opulence of courtly life, the mystery and magic of the legendary times of Arthur and Merlin, the medieval costumes, furnishings and architecture, all with a brilliance and eye for detail that I find transporting. They are filled with drama and steeped in mood and atmosphere.

Several illustrations each tell the stories of the fair Elaine, the Lily Maid of Astolat, whose ill-fated love of Lancelot ultimately cost her life, the tragic and disloyal Queen Guinevere, Enid, the wife of Sir Geraint of the Round Table, and the beautiful sorceress Vivien who beguiled the great wizard Merlin. This subject matter makes the original title seem more accurate than the current one that leads us to believe the illustrations might cover all of Idylls of the King which they do not.

These works are filled with vistas as well as close-ups. They are set in the hoary forests, battle-fields and castle chambers of myth, peopled with kings, knights and ladies, magicians, sorceresses, peasants, ornately caparisoned chargers, hunting hounds, and even the denizens of the Land of the Fey.

I love it for its evocative power, for the way it beckons me deeper into the shadowy rooms of the past and transforms me into a participant. I highly recommend it.

On the back of this reasonably priced book the publishers have noted that the paper used is opaque with minimal show-through, that it will not discolor or become brittle with age, and that it is composed of bound signatures that will not drop out. Calling it a "permanent book", they say the binding will not crack or split. These are all impressive claims for a paperback book and ones to which I can, thus far, personally attest. The book opens flat for easy viewing and no parts of the plates are lost in the binding. ( )