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Mary Stewart was a British novelist that wrote romantic suspense and children’s fiction. Born in 1916 in Sunderland, County Durham, Stewart’s father was a vicar, her mother a primary school teacher.
Order of Arthurian Saga Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Crystal Cave | 1970 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Hollow Hills | 1973 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Last Enchantment | 1979 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Wicked Day | 1983 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | The Prince and the Pilgrim | 1995 | Description / Buy |
Order of Mary Stewart Standalone Novels
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madam, Will You Talk? | 1954 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Wildfire at Midnight | 1956 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Thunder on the Right | 1957 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Nine Coaches Waiting | 1958 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | My Brother Michael | 1959 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | The Ivy Tree | 1961 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | The Moon-Spinners | 1962 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | This Rough Magic | 1964 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | Airs Above the Ground | 1965 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | The Gabriel Hounds | 1967 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | Touch Not the Cat | 1976 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Thornyhold | 1988 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | Stormy Petrel | 1991 | Description / Buy | |
| 14 | Rose Cottage | 1997 | Description / Buy |
Order of Mary Stewart Children's Books
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Little Broomstick (Short Story) | 1971 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Ludo and the Star Horse | 1974 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | A Walk in Wolf Wood | 1980 | Description / Buy |
Order of Mary Stewart Poetry Collections
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frost on the Window and Other Poems (Short Story) | 1990 | Description / Buy |
Order of Mary Stewart Short Stories/Novellas
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Wind Off the Small Isles (Short Story) | 1968 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Wind Off the Small Isles and The Lost One | 2017 | Description / Buy |
Despite her intelligence, Stewart’s time at Eden Hall Boarding School (Penrith) was far from pleasant. The bullying she endured left a lasting impression on the author.
Fortunately, she landed a scholarship at the age of ten, making the transition to Skellfield School in Ripon, Yorkshire. Stewart had an opportunity to attend Oxford, Cambridge, but she chose Durham University because the bursary was much larger.
Even though she had first-class honors in English, finding a job was difficult because of the Second World War. Stewart survived all the same. Although, she kept jumping from teaching job to teaching job. At one point, she worked as a part-time lecturer at Durham University.
The author, who secured an honorary D.Litt., met Frederick Stewart during her stint at Durham. The Scottish fellow was a Geology lecturer. The pair got married and migrated to Edinburgh.
Stewart was just three years old when she started writing stories. But even though she was a born storyteller, it took the author a while to find her footing in the publishing arena. She began submitting her work to publishers after moving to Scotland.
She wrote and submitted ‘Madam, Will You Talk?’ to Hodder and Stoughton. Not only did they love it, but the book became an immediate hit that paved the way for additional bestsellers from Mary Stewart.
People responded to the author’s work because of her penchant for combining the mystery and romance genres. Her popularity during the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s was such that many critics elevated Stewart’s books over the works of acclaimed romance novelists like Victoria Holt.
Some of her most dedicated fans couldn’t understand how she could explore the romantic lives of her characters while simultaneously delivering a cohesive and engaging mystery.
Just when readers thought they understood her capabilities, the author shocked everyone by writing the fantasy novel ‘The Crystal Cave.’ This happened in the wake of a surge of interest in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Once and Future King’ by T.H. White. On the personal front, the author’s marriage to Frederick did not produce any children.
Stewart was 30 when she developed an ectopic pregnancy, an ailment where the embryo attaches to the exterior of the uterus. It took too long to diagnose the condition. As a result, the author couldn’t have children.
For the most part, her marriage to Frederick progressed without incident for the next few decades. He received a knighthood in 1974, giving the author the title of ‘Lady Stewart.’
Frederick was the first to die, passing away in 2001. The author followed him in 2014.
Mary Stewart Awards
Stewart won Frederick Niven Literary, Mythopoeic Fantasy, and Scottish Arts Council Awards.
Mary Stewart Books Into Movies
Disney turned ‘The Moon Spinners’ into a movie. ‘The Crystal Cave’ became a BBC TV series.
Best Mary Stewart Books into Movies
The author has been praised for her elegant prose and well-crafted settings. Mary Stewart’s best novels include:
The Crystal Cave: The Fifth Century was a difficult era for Britain. The Romans had withdrawn, leaving the country in a state of chaos. Young Merlin was special. His mother, a South Wales princess, wouldn’t reveal the father of her illegitimate child.
But it hardly mattered. Merlin had the sight, and he knew that his extraordinary ability would shape Britain’s future as the country waited for King Arthur to emerge.
The Hollow Hills: Merlin Ambrosius is back. He wants to protect Arthur Pendragon until the boy takes his place on Britain’s throne. But disturbing dreams continue to haunt him, visions of a magic sword that has remained hidden for generations.
Now that Uther has perished in battle, Arthur must act. He must claim the fabled sword.
‘The Hollow Hills’ is the second novel in the Arthurian saga series. In ‘The Crystal Cave,’ Merlin was just a boy. Readers followed the character as he came to understand his powers.
In the sequel, Merlin is a man, wiser and more confident. But he also knows that he serves at the whims of his God. He cannot twist destiny to fit his objectives.
When Does The Next Mary Stewart book come out?
Mary Stewart doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Wind Off the Small Isles and The Lost One and was released on June, 29th 2017. It is the newest book in the Mary Stewart Short Stories/Novellas.