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<p>The King Arthur story has always been one of my favorites. As a child, I read Pyle's Illustrated "Boys' King Arthur" along with the "Robin Hood" story. My mind was filled with images of swords and damsels and magic. As I grew up, I found out that the King Arthur saga was really the Matter of Britain and that the historical evidence for a "real" King Arthur was either extensive or nonexistent, depending on how you wanted to look at it. I discovered that the Arthurian story had two focuses: historical and legendary. I love them both.</p> <p>That describes me as well. I am a student of history. (Indeed, I have a degree in history and am currently writing a world history book.) But I am also a student of Tolkien, of Terry Brooks, of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Mary Stewart. I read fantasy books just as readily as I read history books. Geoffrey Ashe? One of my favorites. I like to be entertained by flights of fancy and historical noteworthiness.</p> <p>I like others things as well, including several kinds of sports and hobbies. But the duality that defines me is this: the need to dream of a magical otherworld side-by-side with the need to understand the past.</p>