Fans of Arthurian tales will definitely love Amadis of Gaul, which is a notable sight among medieval chivalric romances, written by the Portuguese writer Vasco de Lobeira.
Amadis of Gaul is the story of knight Amadis, who searches for his own identity. Being born in secret, from a forbidden love, he was abandoned but found and raised by a knight. When he reaches maturity, he starts feeling the desire to investigate his origins, so he leaves in a quest for finding more about his identity. But this is not an ordinary quest; it is full of fantastic adventures and characters that are very different than common people: sorcerers, monsters, wild animals, kings and queens, wise men, dwarves, giants and more.
The action is fast moving - there are pitched battles, combats and tournaments set in exotic places from England to Constantinople, which will certainly entertain all readers. The story has plenty of fantasy and magic - which turns Amadis into the ethos of medieval society (full of adventure non-related to the everyday life) and the embodiment of chivalric virtues: loyalty, justice, humility.
Oh, and there is also romance between Amadis and Oriana - which is, of course, the main thread of the book's plot. Amadis of Gaul is considered one of the best books of its kind, praised even by Miguel de Cervantes and definitely a significant part of the history of European literature.
An Author's Republic audio production.
