Audiobook on CD adapted for audio and read by Sir James Knowles The novel is about a young boy named Wart who befriends a magician named Merlin As is alluded to early on in the text, though not confirmed untабючъil later, Wart is actually the future King Arthur The title refers to a sword that was magically embedded in a stone so that only the future, true-born king of England would be able to remove it The premise is that Arthur's youth, not dealt with in Malory, was a timeавсцй when he was tutored by Merlin to prepare him for the use of power and royal life Merlin magically turns Wart into various animals at times He also has more human adventures, at one point meeting the outlaw Robin Hood, (who is referred to in the novel as Robin Wood) The setting is loosely based on medieval England, and in places it incorporates White's considerable knowledge of medieval culture (as in relation to hunting, falconry and jousting) However it makes no attempt at consiавчисstent historical accuracy, and incorporates some obvious anachronisms (aided by the concept that Merlin lives backwards in time rather than forwards, unlike everyone else).