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and made him part of the imperial past. The final chapter explores the narrative need to find a single Arthur that extended beyond the classical and medieval periods. There is an imperative to find a king narratively pliable enough to fit into whatever an era considers a good leader. Higham looks at Malory’s fifteenth-century Le Morte d’Arthur, John Rastell’s sixteenth century Pastyme of People, and other Arthurs, such as those depicted in the novels of Walter Scott and the poetry of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Higham concludes the chapter by saying that there is no “real” King Arthur. Yet therein lies his fascination and his value. He is a figure of smoke and highland mist. King Arthur: The Making of the Legend is the peak of what historical research should be: detailed, engaged with the pan-historical scholarly conversation on the matter, and with a level of research that should serve as an example to all other historians. The thirty-two color plates, seven maps, and complete bibliography make the book a comprehensive and impressive resource for the scholar and amateur historian alike. If the book has one flaw, it is that Higham proved his argument too well. There are multiple potential King Arthurs and no “once and future king” who can claim that identity.