Spear

By: Nicola Griffith

Narrated by: Nicola Griffith

This program is read by the author and includes a bonus PDF of detailed notes.

A spellbinding and subversive queer recasting of Arthurian myth by the legendary author of Hild

The girl knows she has a destiny before she even knows her name. She grows up in the wild, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake come to her on the spring breeze, and when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she knows that her future lies at his court.

And so, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and, with a broken hunting spear and mended armour, rides on a bony gelding to Caer Leon. On her adventures, she will meet great knights and steal the hearts of beautiful women. She will fight warriors and sorcerers. And she will find her love, and the lake, and her fate.

Nebula and Lambda Award-winning author Nicola Griffith returns with Spear, a glorious queer retelling of Arthurian legend, full of dazzling magic and intoxicating adventure.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Nicola Griffith (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

2022 Shelf Awareness Best Books of the Year, Long-listed

2023 Nebula Awards - Nominee, Short-listed

very very good

I'm just sorry it wasn't five hours longer. Nicola Griffith is an excellent narrator. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

Most Favorite

A joy to read, a gift—pure magic: all the things we want from Arthur and his knights. And the language? Like cold, clear, water. A book to treasure for my life.

a different slant on Arthurian story

loved listening, practiced Welsh adds to story. love new interpretations of old legends. well researched

Gorgeous Prose and a must-read Queer retelling

I loved this book! it's refreshing to see a new take on Arthurian Legend.

Good!

I had a hard time reading and comprehending this on my own, very grateful for the audio, it definitely helped with the pronunciation and writing style. The story was pretty good though, still felt original coming from a different perspective. I will say the narration makes this book for me. The author delivers it as she wants it to be read and you can hear it in her performance. Well done.

Poetry

Spear feels mythical with a sprinkles of realism here and there. The writing is amazingly poetic, which shines especially when protagonist preforms great feats or enter realms of magic. It’s a great story of discovery and knowing, with a simple plot.
And the author is quite talented when narrating it. They brought their own sensory and musical language to life.

A wonderful telling of the old old stories

I loved this book.
I loved listening to the author’s voice tell the story found within.
This book took me on my morning and evening commutes to a place of old, with a tale of love and discovery.
The language of the story is so marvelous, it’s poetic and brings you in to that world like nothing else I have listened to before.
This is a book of familiar and yet not familiar heroes and heroines seen in a new and refreshing light.
I highly recommend this book.

Beautiful, lyrical, absolutely perfect.

Like all Griffith’s books, this was absolutely stellar. The lilt of the language was transporting, and the characterization brilliant.

excellent

really enjoyed the heck out of this. an imaginative and unique take on the Arthurian legend - much more so than others I've read (and very much enjoyed). actually wished there was more! highly recommend reading the PDF beforehand. it's quick and very helpful for context.

Bland protagonist

The protagonist feels bland and flat. Most of the conflict feels empty or solved too simply.