Rabbit Room Press Set for November 9 Release of Second Volume in Heralded Merlin’s Isle Series
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Coming of Arthur, the second of four volumes in renowned British poet and priest Malcolm Guite’s masterwork, Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad, is set for release November 9 from Rabbit Room Press. Following the blockbuster success of series debut Galahad and the Grail—which reached the Top 50 on Amazon’s “Best Sellers in Books” chart—The Coming of Arthur has already hit #1 on Amazon’s “New Releases in Poetry” list, generating record-breaking presales for its Nashville-based publisher.
A 372-page hardcover volume showcasing more than 25 original illustrations from award-winning artist Stephen Crotts, The Coming of Arthur features a foreword by New York Times bestselling author and mythographer Martin Shaw. Chronicling the destiny of the heroic King Arthur—one of the most beloved characters in all of literature—Guite’s mastery of the ballad form is evident as he brings fresh clarity and thought-provoking relevance to this timeless coming-of-age tale.
The Coming of Arthur takes readers back to craggy Tintagel to discover how it all began. Raised by Sir Ector and tutored by the wizard Merlin, young Arthur must grow into his destiny as the foretold king. He will need the aid of the perilous elves, wisdom beyond his years, and a host of virtuous knights to weather the storms to come.
“I was well aware as I wrote this that we are living through a crisis of ‘masculinity’ for contemporary young men,” Guite shares. “How does one become a man? Who can you trust and follow? We hear so much, sometimes unhelpfully, of ’toxic masculinity.’ But what about healthy, vibrant, life-giving masculinity? The kind of manhood that not only leads but also serves. I hope the story of The Coming of Arthur, and his journey from youth to manhood, and especially his founding of the Round Table with its essential oath of chivalry and courtesy, will fill a gap and meet a need for positive examples of true manhood.”
“After falling head over heels in love with Malcolm’s work on Galahad and the Grail, I was astonished to discover that I loved The Coming of Arthur even more in many ways,” states Rabbit Room Press publisher Pete Peterson. “Malcolm, it seemed, was just getting warmed up, and I can’t wait to see where he takes us from here.”
Newly minted bestseller Galahad and the Grail and November’s The Coming of Arthur will be followed by 2027’s Days of the Round Table and Merlin’s Isle series finale The Passing of Arthur in 2028. Of the unfolding epic poem cycle—the first undertaking of its kind in nearly two centuries—Guite says, “My deepest hope is that Merlin’s Isle may be part of a cultural shift, a turning way from AI slop and the disconnected episodes and reels of the online world, and a return to the deep myths and stories that bind us to life and to one another and make better sense of the world we live in. But I also hope that this will happen not in some dull classroom but in the midst of families and friends discovering and enjoying a really exciting story.”
ABOUT MALCOLM GUITE
A poet, priest, and Girton College Life Fellow at Cambridge University, Malcolm Guite lectures widely in the United Kingdom and North America on theology and literature. Characterized by his deep engagement with the Christian faith, a love of traditional poetic forms, and the ability to make ancient wisdom accessible to contemporary readers, Guite is the bestselling author of numerous works of nonfiction and poetry, including Sounding the Seasons: 70 Sonnets for the Christian Year (Canterbury Press), which is now in its 10th printing; David’s Crown (Canterbury Press 2021); and Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Hodder 2017). His most ambitious undertaking yet—hailed “a magnum opus in the making”—the four-volume epic poem series Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad debuted earlier this year with bestseller Galahad and the Grail.
ABOUT RABBIT ROOM PRESS
Along with the bestselling series Merlin’s Isle: An Arthuriad by Malcolm Guite and Every Moment Holy by Douglas Kaine McKelvey, Rabbit Room Press is home to a diversity of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction titles, including Glad & Golden Hours by Lanier Ivester; Jonathan Rogers’ The Wilderking Trilogy; and Randall Goodgame’s Scripture Hymnal. The Nashville-based publishing house is part of The Rabbit Room, a multi-faceted creative community birthed in 2007 by award-winning singer/songwriter and author Andrew Peterson. Inspired by a visit to C. S. Lewis’ home in Oxford, England, Peterson launched The Rabbit Room with a mission to create and curate stories, music, and other expressions of art to nourish the life of Christ-centered communities. Since its inception nearly two decades ago The Rabbit Room’s scope has grown to include Rabbit Room Press, the Rabbit Room Podcast Network, Rabbit Room Theatre, a bookstore, and live events like the popular Hutchmoot conference held annually in both the U.S. and the U.K.
For further information, visit merlinsisle.com, malcolm
