Lev Grossman with M.T. Anderson: The Bright Sword

Live and in person with Brookline Booksmith, at Coolidge Corner Theatre! Celebrate the release of The Bright Sword with author Lev Grossman, in conversation with M.T. Anderson.

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This event is ticketed. Tickets include a general admission seat at the event AND a copy of The Bright Sword.

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Signed books!

This event will include a live book signing at the end of the talk, taking place across the street from the theater at Brookline Booksmith.

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The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur

A Today.com & Lit Hub Most Anticipated Book of 2024

“For anyone who’s ever craved a seat at the Round Table. Utterly enchanting.” —Rebecca Yarros, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame

“If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Magicians trilogy returns with a triumphant reimagining of the King Arthur legend for the new millennium

A gifted young knight named Collum arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he’s too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive.

They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Table, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.

But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords lay siege to Camelot and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell, and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past.

The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, The Bright Sword is steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It also sheds a fresh light on Arthur’s Britain, a diverse, complex nation struggling to come to terms with its bloody history. The Bright Sword is a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.

Lev Grossman is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician’s Land—which has been published in thirty countries and adapted as a TV show that ran for five seasons on SYFY. He is also a screenwriter and the author of two children’s books, The Golden Swift and The Silver Arrow, and his journalism has appeared in Time, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, among many other places. He lives with his wife and children in New York City.

New York Times bestseller M. T. Anderson is the author of books for children, teens, and adults. He has published novels, nonfiction, picture books, and graphic novels. His satirical science-fiction novel Feed won the L.A. Times Book Prize; his Gothic novel of the American Revolution, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, won the National Book Award. His most recent novel for kids, Elf Dog & Owl Head, won a Newbery Honor. Anderson's short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, Salon, and McSweeney's. His forthcoming novel, Nicked (Pantheon, July 2024) is an historical novel about the theft of the corpse of St. Nicholas from its tomb in southern Turkey. He lives in New England.

About Brookline Booksmith

We are one of New England’s premier independent bookstores, family-owned and locally run since 1961. We offer an extensive selection of new, used, and bargain books; unique, beautiful gifts; award-winning events series; and specialty foods. Every day, we strive to foster community through the written word, represent a diverse range of voices and histories, and inspire conversations that enrich our lives. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!

EVENT ACCESSIBILITY

This event will take place on the second floor of Coolidge Corner Theatre, accessible by stair or elevator. Wheelchair spaces are available in the theater. ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. Seats are general admission (first come, first served). Please email us at ticketing@brooklinebooksmith.com as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, a guaranteed seat location, a wheelchair space, or other accommodations. We will do our best to serve your needs!