King Arthur/Merlin fantasy

[Boneman]

I've googled until I'm square-eyed (and the answer is probably on page 384 but I never got that far...) but can anyone please help me find this book?

I picked it up in a bookstore within the last 5-10 years, and read the opening chapter; There's a quiz show (I'm pretty certain it's on television) and the questions are chosen randomly from some kind of machine and the guy in the chair keeps getting questions only on King Arthur/merlin which he can answer. I remember the host getting really annoyed as it just kept happening, and the guy is able to advance further. If I remember correctly, I 'm pretty certain the guy is going to time travel, and there may have been mention of a sword somewhere.

I didn't buy the book then, but thought I'd go back later. I just forgot about it, but it's been on my mind recently, and any help would be gratefully received!!

 

[Boneman]

Bumpety bump

 

[williamjm]

I remember reading that one (although I don't remember being hugely impressed by it). I couldn't remember the title, but searching on Amazon I think it is "The Forever King" by Molly Cochran and Walter Murphy.

If I remember correctly in the quiz show he keeps getting questions on Medieval English History and knows the answer to the first couple, when the third question is on the same topic he is actually glad that he doesn't know the answer because he was getting a bit embarrassed by it but then feels compelled to say something which turns out to be the correct answer.

I don't think there was any actual time travel in it, I think it is more that the protagonist is a reincarnation of one of the figures from Arthurian legend (I can't remember if he's actually a reincarnation of Arthur or one of the other knights).

 

[Boneman]

Thanks, William. That's definitely the quiz show aspect, but I was convinced it was the opening chapter of the book, rather than the Hal character. And (it was a long time ago) I'm convinced the questions were on Arthurian things - even the host of the show was annoyed they kept coming up. But the trilogy looks good anyway, so I might just buy it anyway!

 

[williamjm]

Thanks, William. That's definitely the quiz show aspect, but I was convinced it was the opening chapter of the book, rather than the Hal character. And (it was a long time ago) I'm convinced the questions were on Arthurian things - even the host of the show was annoyed they kept coming up.

My copy of the book is about 500 miles away so I can't check, but if I remember correctly Hal ends up taking part in the quiz show in one of the early chapters of the book. After the quiz show finishes I remember the host confronting Hal and pointing out that they'd gone through all the thousands of potential questions and he'd 'randomly' got three of the four question on Medieval English History (or whatever the topic was called).

 

[Boneman]

That's great, William, thanks so much. The memory of the host confronting the hero after the show is definitely true, so it must be it. Amazon, here I come...