On the back of the paperback edition of The Once and Future King there is a description that says, "It is the book of all things lost and wonderful and sad," what a beautiful, perfect way to describe the book. Although I am a neophyte at fantasy and Arthurian literature, this was one of the finest pieces of writing I have ever come across. It is similar, especially in the first book, The Sword and the Stone, to the Orwell Animal Farm in that it is simple, if you choose to look at it that way, but can be enjoyed on several levels. The best thing about White's writing is that nothing is simple and everything is simple. Read it and see