The Blind Knight

The Blind Knight by Gail van Austen ****

Sadly, this book seems to be out of print, but it’s worth searching out. The book is based loosely on the legend of King Arthur, and set during the reign of Henry Plantagenet (1154-1189). The idea is that Merlin has become an old hermit, living in secrecy in an ancient forest. A cruel and abusive lord murders his wife, and in revenge Merlin curses the lord’s wife to give birth to a blind albino boy. The plot follows this boy, Mallory, from his tortured childhood until he grows to manhood, learns to fight and reclaim his estate. Oh yes, and he falls in love with Merlin’s daughter. All this may sound hopelessly corny, but trust me, it’s good. Van Austen describes Mallory in wonderfully sensitive detail, plus there are actual sex scenes--you can’t ask for much more. Devo Girl has read this book at least a dozen times.