Lev Grossman’s Underrated 2024 Fantasy Book Is The Best King Arthur Adaptation You’ve Never Read

Published Oct 11, 2026, 12:48 PM EDT Mary Kassel is a Senior Writer & Critic who joined the Screen Rant team in 2023. After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Media Arts Production, Kassel started at Screen Rant with a focus on the critical analysis side of movies and television while continuing to work on set in film production. At Screen Rant, Kassel primarily writes for the Classic TV section, mining their encyclopedic knowledge of television history for content. However, they also contribute to the Books team and review both film and television as a critic. Some of the oldest stories ever told belong to the fantasy genre, and the influence of these myths and legends can be felt in modern works of speculative fiction. The tales of King Arthur and Camelot are classics for a reason, inspiring iconic works like T.H. White's The Once and Future King. However, Arthurian legend doesn't just belong to the past, as contemporary authors are putting their own spin on the familiar tales. One of these authors, Lev Grossman, is best known for his trilogy, The Magicians​​​​​. The series is a darker, more adult take on the magic school genre. In these books, Grossman paid tribute to the legacy of many fantasy favorites, like The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. The Magicians fantasy TV adaptation helped introduce a wider audience to Grossman's work, which expands far beyond the misadventures of the students at Brakebills University. In 2024, Grossman's The Bright Sword was released, marking a departure from the contemporary setting of his previous works. The medieval time period, Arthurian influences, and experimental structure found in The Bright Sword are hallmarks of Grossman's writing. These qualities thrive within the Arthurian canon, and Grossman's characteristic subversive style and boundary-pushing storytelling make The Bright Sword a sword-and-sorcery fantasy novel readers shouldn't overlook, with plenty of twists. The Bright Sword Is The Best Addition To Arthurian Legend Canon In Years The Bright Sword is far from the first King Arthur retelling to hit bookshelves, but Grossman's novel isn't a traditional tale of Arthur's rise and fall from grace. Arthur himself isn't the focal point of The Bright Sword​​​​​​. The story follows a young, obscure knight, Collum, who pledges himself to the Round Table following the deaths of Arthur and some of his most famous knights. Primarily highlighting characters typically on the periphery of a King Arthur story, The Bright Sword ensures the audience can't guess what's coming next. Contemporary King Arthur movies and TV shows like The Green Knight and Merlin also center on lesser-known facets of Arthurian legend to stay fresh and introduce audiences to something new. However, The Bright Sword distinguishes itself because it alternates between Collum's hero's journey and new backstories for the remaining knights who join him on his quest. This ambitious scale allows Grossman to create an Arthurian story all his own while still incorporating the magic of the original myths. It's a shame more people haven't read The Bright Sword, as it ushers in the next phase of King Arthur's place in the fantasy canon. Collum is an excellent protagonist because he's a stand-in for the reader. He, too, was raised on the thrilling tales of King Arthur's escapades, and uses these stories as an escape from the harsher aspects of his life. The novel is an epic, grappling with the fall of empires, focusing on themes that are as resonant today as in the medieval period. The Bright Sword is available for purchase on Amazon. Lev Grossman Knows How To Subvert Genre Expectations In The Bright Sword And His Magicians Series Image via MovieStillsDB When an author tackles a subject and characters as iconic as King Arthur's court, it's impossible to completely avoid the preconceptions that readers bring to a work like this. However, thanks to his experience writing The Magicians​​​​​, Grossman understands what parts of the story shouldn't be changed, and where he has room to play with the reader's expectations. There are parts of The Bright Sword when Grossman winks at the audience with his use of Arthurian names and places, but there's always a self-aware air in these moments. The Magicians has only gotten better with time, making it a great series to revisit. In both The Magicians and The Bright Sword, the reader is able to identify with the characters. They're fallible, confused, and trying to make the best of adventures that are far out of their control, with life-or-death stakes. While some works of fantasy feature protagonists who are overpowered from the beginning, Grossman subverts this trope, digging into grounded characterization within his fantastical worlds. It's unlikely that The Bright Sword will be the last addition to the King Arthur canon. As time progresses, there will be new ways the stories of King Arthur can be applied to the modern age. However, The Bright Sword will stand the test of time in the contemporary fantasy canon. Even readers who aren't well-versed in the tales of Camelot will enjoy the world of The Bright Sword, as it uses Arthurian legend as a jumping-off point for a universal tale that leaves a lasting emotional impact. The Magicians trilogy is available for purchase on Amazon.