What this book amounts to is a series of rambling, somewhat disconnected scenes with little overall plot or narrative thrust.  The overall feeling is very light, humorous, and whimsical, and it is, in spots, quite charming and amusing.  Alas, though, you find yourself about halfway through asking what the point, if any, is.  The characters just prattle on and on, sometimes in a funny way, sometimes in a tedious and annoying way.... Is it a decent read?  Yes.  Is it the fantasy epic by which all others should be judged (as the cover says)? Hardly.  This doesn't even belong on the same shelf as such classics as Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, or even The Black Cauldron series.  I think people's love for the whole Arthurian thing has seriously clouded their evaluation of this book.  Replace all the "Arthurian" character names with other names and you're left with what this book really is: a moderately charming, somewhat incoherent, light-weight breezy read.  Read it if you want, but there's much better out there.
What this book amounts to is a series of rambling, somewhat disconnected scenes with little overall plot or narrative thrust. The overall feeling is very light, humorous, and whimsical, and it is, in spots, quite charming and amusing. Alas, though, you find yourself about halfway through asking what the point, if any, is. The characters just prattle on and on, sometimes in a funny way, sometimes in a tedious and annoying way.... Is it a decent read? Yes. Is it the fantasy epic by which all others should be judged (as the cover says)? Hardly. This doesn't even belong on the same shelf as such classics as Tolkein, C. S. Lewis, or even The Black Cauldron series. I think people's love for the whole Arthurian thing has seriously clouded their evaluation of this book. Replace all the "Arthurian" character names with other names and you're left with what this book really is: a moderately charming, somewhat incoherent, light-weight breezy read. Read it if you want, but there's much better out there.