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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
Enemy of God, sequel to The Winter King (see my review) and book 2 of The Warlord Chronicles trilogy, remains the best King Arthur retailing I’ve ever read. The series strips out all of the magical doings of the King Arthur legend, presenting a much more historically plausible tale centered in the real-life backdrop of encroaching Saxons within the kingdoms of Britain amidst the ruins of the fallen Roman Empire and the gradual replacement of pagan religion with Christianity. (The druids Merlin and Nimue are still present, with their actions suitably arcane and magical to the story's characters themselves, yet there is plausible deniability as to whether or not they actually practice effective magic.)
Full of action and political twists and turns, I’m able to appreciate the series even more after having read Malory’s Le Morte Arthur (see my review). Cornwell takes traditional Arthurian plot points like the quest for the Holy Grail and Guinevere and Lancelot’s affair but cleverly re-shapes the way they play out, as well as the reasons for their occurrence.
The characterizations in the book are especially well done, especially the narrator Derfel, with his unfailing loyalty to Arthur, and Arthur himself, who is portrayed as an honourable and pure-hearted idealist, at once a brilliant warrior and strategist and also almost simple-minded in his guileless desires and pursuit of peace and adherence to justice, vows, and a soldier's duty.
Arthur is Uther Pendragon’s illegitimate son in this series and thus not king, but he could be, and should be, and everyone knows it. But his lack of desire for power—his devotion to his oath to serve and protect the underage true king—ends up resulting in most of Britain’s disasters, as well as his own.
The series is truly masterful—and masterly narrated by Jonathan Keeble, the audiobook narrator too—and I can’t wait to read the third and final book in the series!
Full of action and political twists and turns, I’m able to appreciate the series even more after having read Malory’s Le Morte Arthur (see my review). Cornwell takes traditional Arthurian plot points like the quest for the Holy Grail and Guinevere and Lancelot’s affair but cleverly re-shapes the way they play out, as well as the reasons for their occurrence.
The characterizations in the book are especially well done, especially the narrator Derfel, with his unfailing loyalty to Arthur, and Arthur himself, who is portrayed as an honourable and pure-hearted idealist, at once a brilliant warrior and strategist and also almost simple-minded in his guileless desires and pursuit of peace and adherence to justice, vows, and a soldier's duty.
Arthur is Uther Pendragon’s illegitimate son in this series and thus not king, but he could be, and should be, and everyone knows it. But his lack of desire for power—his devotion to his oath to serve and protect the underage true king—ends up resulting in most of Britain’s disasters, as well as his own.
The series is truly masterful—and masterly narrated by Jonathan Keeble, the audiobook narrator too—and I can’t wait to read the third and final book in the series!
worthy and gripping second volume of Cornwell's Warlord trilogy.
Meno avvincente dei due precedenti. In alcuni tratti, per fortuna pochi, quasi noioso.
Una vez más, reconozco que si en mis años mozos este libro no me terminó de gustar es porque la sombra del Camelot de Tennyson y Malory pesaba fuerte en mi visión de la mitología artúrica. En este volumen los acontecimientos se precipitan. Asistimos a la busqueda del Grial caldero, a su pérdida, la traición de Mordred y la posterior de Lancelot y Ginebra. No terminan de encajar con la versión tradicional pero están muy bien hilados y se comprende en ellos la semilla del mito.
No sé qué va a dejar este hombre para el tercer tomo.
No sé qué va a dejar este hombre para el tercer tomo.
Enjoyment - 1 * 2 = 2
This was definitely enhanced by listening to the audiobook. Jonathan Keeble could read a dictionary and I would love it. I was along for the ride and listened to it ridiculously fast. Anything that can keep me gripped and listening constantly is a win in this department.
World - 1
This world is still wonderful. I love this setting and Cornwell is so good at creating a setting that is easy to visualize and doesn't quickly change from one environment to the next. So he often spends a bunch of time in the same setting and this allows the feel of the place to grow as the scene unfolds. Wonderful.
Characters - 1
These characters are just so good. Derfel is fantastic and the relationships that he has made over the course of the first two books are incredible and play such a key role in the plot. Everything is just so tight. Cornwell's ability to get you invested and feeling strongly about all the characters in such a small number of pages is remarkable.
Plot - 0.5
This is probably where I struggled the most. The first 3/4 of this book seemed to meander a bit for me. It didn't necessarily feel like it flowed naturally from the first book and felt tangential to the story we were following for the whole of the first book. I feel like it wasn't until the last 1/4 when things really started picking up and there were a bunch of twists and turns. At that point, I was fist pumping and excited about everything that was happening. Just wish it could've been through the whole of the book.
Final rating - 2 + 1 + 1 + 0.5 = 4.5
I always round up. Great second book. Excited to continue on to the conclusion.
This was definitely enhanced by listening to the audiobook. Jonathan Keeble could read a dictionary and I would love it. I was along for the ride and listened to it ridiculously fast. Anything that can keep me gripped and listening constantly is a win in this department.
World - 1
This world is still wonderful. I love this setting and Cornwell is so good at creating a setting that is easy to visualize and doesn't quickly change from one environment to the next. So he often spends a bunch of time in the same setting and this allows the feel of the place to grow as the scene unfolds. Wonderful.
Characters - 1
These characters are just so good. Derfel is fantastic and the relationships that he has made over the course of the first two books are incredible and play such a key role in the plot. Everything is just so tight. Cornwell's ability to get you invested and feeling strongly about all the characters in such a small number of pages is remarkable.
Plot - 0.5
This is probably where I struggled the most. The first 3/4 of this book seemed to meander a bit for me. It didn't necessarily feel like it flowed naturally from the first book and felt tangential to the story we were following for the whole of the first book. I feel like it wasn't until the last 1/4 when things really started picking up and there were a bunch of twists and turns. At that point, I was fist pumping and excited about everything that was happening. Just wish it could've been through the whole of the book.
Final rating - 2 + 1 + 1 + 0.5 = 4.5
I always round up. Great second book. Excited to continue on to the conclusion.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes