King Arthur in legend and history vs The History of the Kings of Britain: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Sources, Britons, Kings and rulers, Legends, Arthurian romances, Great Britain

Cover of King Arthur in legend and history

King Arthur in legend and history Richard White · 1997 ★★★★☆ 3.8 589 pages · ≈ 10 h 54 m · Challenging

Presenting selections from medieval Latin, Welsh, English, French and German literature, Richard White traces the Arthurian legend from the earliest mentions of Arthur in Latin chronicles to Thomas Malory's Le Morte…

Celtic Antiquities Medieval Literature Kings and rulers in literature Arthur

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Cover of The History of the Kings of Britain

The History of the Kings of Britain Geoffrey of Monmouth · 1973 ★★★★☆ 3.7 388 pages · ≈ 7 h 11 m · Moderate

The History of the Kings of Britain, by Geoffrey of Manmouth, with introduction by J. A. Giles. The Historia Regum Britanniae (English: The History of the Kings of Britain) is a pseudohistorical account of British…

Early works to 1800

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Side by side

The verdict

Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
The History of the Kings of Britain is the quickest read — about 7 hours vs 10 for King Arthur in legend and history.
The History of the Kings of Britain has the widest readership — 7026 ratings behind its score.
The History of the Kings of Britain reaches further in scholarship and criticism — cited 61 times.

King Arthur in legend and history: Check price →The History of the Kings of Britain: Check price →

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How to choose

Want a one-evening read? The History of the Kings of Britain ≈ 7h vs 10h for King Arthur in legend and history New to the genre? The History of the Kings of Britain Moderate vs Challenging for King Arthur in legend and history Want the literary heavyweight? The History of the Kings of Britain cited 61 times vs 11 for King Arthur in legend and history

Scores by source

	King Arthur in legend and history	The History of the Kings of Britain
Goodreads	3.9 (53)	3.7 (7026)
Hardcover	—	3.4 (7)
Apple Books	—	2.5 (6)
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Reception

	King Arthur in legend and history	The History of the Kings of Britain
Ratings	53	7026
Editions	7	6
Citations	11	61
Film adaptations	—	1
Want to read	173	12065
Reading it now	6	610
Written reviews	5	426
Wikipedia attention	—	7703
Pages	589	388
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Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: King Arthur in legend and history or The History of the Kings of Britain?

King Arthur in legend and history has the higher combined reader rating across sources (King Arthur in legend and history 3.8/5, The History of the Kings of Britain 3.7/5).

Which is shorter to read: King Arthur in legend and history or The History of the Kings of Britain?

The History of the Kings of Britain is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The History of the Kings of Britain (388 pages, ≈ 7 h 11 m); King Arthur in legend and history (589 pages, ≈ 10 h 54 m).

Which is harder to read: King Arthur in legend and history or The History of the Kings of Britain?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — King Arthur in legend and history: Challenging; The History of the Kings of Britain: Moderate.