Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor by Stefan Emunds is the kind of story that fans of King Arthur and the Round Table will adore, a retelling of the famous and mythical tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Written in very clear and lyrical prose, the story follows Sir Gawain in his quest for glory, seeking honor by freely choosing his own execution and following a very dangerous path to show his nobility.

Throughout the story, the Knight is presented as determined and courageous, but he will have to overcome the spiritual temptations of lust, power, and fame; he will fight battles he hasn’t been ready for, but the encounter with the Green Knight offers a powerful twist to the story and plunges readers into a fascinating world filled with mystery. What really is Sir Gawain’s destiny? This is the question readers ask as they watch him set out to find the green chapel; they wonder if he’ll finally unravel the mystery surrounding his mission.

There is a lot to look forward to in this tale. First off, the writing is very enticing and the reader gets quickly immersed in the story. Stefan Emunds does a wonderful job in leading readers into the consciousness of the protagonist, exploring the inner conflict in his aspirations, and how the conflict moves from being psychological to a physical one. I enjoyed the fact that the author made clear references to the original tale. This one is well fleshed out and hugely entertaining. Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor will be a great read for lovers of epic legendary tales.

Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor is an inspirational novella written by Stefan Emunds. Emunds based his story on the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Besides presenting it in prose, rather than in a poetic form, he also shares his more spiritual interpretation of the poem and its relevance to modern thought. Gawain was to be a priest -- it was his mother's dearest wish that her son enter the priesthood. She coached him thoroughly in the benefits of virtue and a strict moral code, but when she died of the Black Death, all she had to leave him was her medallion of the Virgin Mary. His uncle, King Arthur, took him to Camelot and adopted him as his heir. Gawain trained to be a knight of the realm, but his virtuousness led him to donate the spoils of battle rather than profit from the violence. He was concerned one Christmas that the festivities King Arthur and his knights were enjoying were somehow not appropriate for the religious holiday, but attended them anyway in deference to his king's wishes. Arthur was loudly decrying the lack of excitement and danger when suddenly a giant, green-skinned knight strode into the hall with a challenge no one seemed willing to accept -- except Gawain.

Stefan Emunds' inspirational novella, Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor, is a marvelous retelling of the classic tale of Sir Gawain that is made accessible through Emunds' use of prose and his scholarly inclusion of end notes as annotations from the original poem. While I was already familiar with Sir Gawain and the stories of King Arthur's Round Table, I particularly enjoyed Emunds' version of the tale and found the end notes answered a lot of questions I had always had when reading the earlier versions. I loved how the author merges the Christian and Celtic aspects of the tale and explores the concept of karma as it relates to Gawain's quest. Whether your knowledge of Gawain and Arthurian legend springs from a study of the older texts or a middling familiarity based on popular fiction and the parodies of Monty Python, Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor will add a refreshing, entertaining and enlightening dimension to the tale. I had a marvelous time reading Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor and most highly recommend it.

“This is my cross, to be virtuous in war and resist the temptations of fame, fortune, lust, and power.” Such are words spoken by the noble knight at the onset of the tale, and they are words that seem to define every aspect of his mission, his choices, and his actions. Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor by Stefan Emunds is a retelling of a legendary tale that has caught the attention of lovers of mythology and epic stories. Now retold by a gifted writer, it takes readers into the mystery of one of the knights of Arthur’s Round Table and his quest for immortality. Sir Gawain is ready to sacrifice himself willingly for glory, but is getting himself executed the only price he has to pay to be remembered as noble?

Told in lyrical, poetic language, this story has a music of its own, a spiritual depth that will have readers gazing beyond what they know. Stefan Emunds recreates the mystery of Camelot by gracefully and beautifully exploring the psychology of a knight and his highest purpose. The tone is so beautiful, reminiscent of some of the great masters in the genre, the language fraught with symbolism and a sacred music that will entice readers. Any reader who loves the stories of King Arthur and his knights will fall for Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor. It’s a tale that will entertain readers, remind them of the beauty of a mission, and make them dream of worlds of honor and chivalry.

I only knew about the classic tale of Gawain and the Green Knight after reading the warning at the beginning of this book, but I must say that Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor by Stefan Emunds is a great read. It was even more satisfying reading this as I have been watching the series Merlin, featuring King Arthur and his Knights. In Stefan Emunds’ work, the real personality of Sir Gawain comes out beautifully, a man who dreams of honor and who will go through anything to prove his worth. But he has a lot of inner demons to fight, including the cravings for power, lust, fame, and wealth. All he ever dreams of is to be a loyal and honorable servant to his king. The encounter with the Green Knight could change everything, and it could offer him the only chance to perform the one act that will make him be remembered for what he wants to be.

Stefan Emunds recreates the world of myth and mystery, bringing into the work a wealth of mastery, great symbolism, and a lyricism that is as delightful as it is creative. Readers will adore Sir Gawain, a knight who will remind them of the one thing they are called to do. Yes, the knight has strong values for which he is ready to sacrifice everything. In a world that advocates waywardness, this book will be a powerful reminder about the merits of discipline, dedication, and purpose. The story is very entertaining and Sir Gawain’s battles are symbolic of the spiritual battles that most of us are called upon to fight. Gawain and the Green Knight: Temptation Karma Honor is a great success.