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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
slow-paced
The Winter King is a retelling of the Arthur/Merlin legend, and it came highly recommended by a work colleague. I’d love to say I owe them a drink for the rec, but in all honesty, I might owe them a mildly passive-aggressive slack msg instead.
While I appreciated the fresh take on the classic story, something about it just didn’t click for me. It’s like when you order a fancy cocktail that should be amazing based on the ingredients, but somehow, it’s just… fine? Not bad, not great, just there. I found myself slogging through it, and by the end, I was more excited about finishing than anything actually happening in the book.
Arthur and Merlin? Fantastic. Loved them. Would have gladly read a whole book about them. Unfortunately, they felt more like special guest stars rather than the main event. Instead, we get a first-person retrospective from Derfel, and while I usually love that format, this time it just wasn’t doing it for me. It felt like hearing an epic story from the guy who was kind of there, rather than from the people who actually made history happen.
That said, the book did have some great moments—surprising twists, solid tension, and a refreshingly different take on the legendary characters. Lancelot and Guinevere, in particular, were absolute delights (in the “wow, this is messy, but I love it” kind of way).
So, all in all? Not a bad read, but also not my cup of mead. If you’re into Arthurian retellings and don’t mind a focus shift away from the usual suspects, you might love it. Me? I’ll just be over here, waiting for a version where Merlin gets to do more than pop in for occasional wisdom drops
While I appreciated the fresh take on the classic story, something about it just didn’t click for me. It’s like when you order a fancy cocktail that should be amazing based on the ingredients, but somehow, it’s just… fine? Not bad, not great, just there. I found myself slogging through it, and by the end, I was more excited about finishing than anything actually happening in the book.
Arthur and Merlin? Fantastic. Loved them. Would have gladly read a whole book about them. Unfortunately, they felt more like special guest stars rather than the main event. Instead, we get a first-person retrospective from Derfel, and while I usually love that format, this time it just wasn’t doing it for me. It felt like hearing an epic story from the guy who was kind of there, rather than from the people who actually made history happen.
That said, the book did have some great moments—surprising twists, solid tension, and a refreshingly different take on the legendary characters. Lancelot and Guinevere, in particular, were absolute delights (in the “wow, this is messy, but I love it” kind of way).
So, all in all? Not a bad read, but also not my cup of mead. If you’re into Arthurian retellings and don’t mind a focus shift away from the usual suspects, you might love it. Me? I’ll just be over here, waiting for a version where Merlin gets to do more than pop in for occasional wisdom drops
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence
Still absolutely love this on reread. Also picked up on some cool foreshadowing this time around.
It is truly a testament to this work that, even when knights, courtly romance, holy grails, jousts, and magic swords are removed, it still reinvents Arthurian legend into a story that rings true to established previous tellings. This is the Arthur that may have been, in the time when the Celtic peoples of Britain were left fighting for their survival against the eclipsing Saxons in the 5th century. Arthur is not a king here but a warlord who fights to preserve Britannic freedom and is sworn to protect the infirm child king Mordred. Merlin is a druid who is cold, fickle, and obsessed with the old gods and returning to them a land where Christianity is ascendant and seeks to destroy other gods and religions in it's way. This, of course,hasn't changed. Nimue is a pagan priestess, and Lancelot a spiteful and vainglorious coward. The story is bloody, dark, and filled with love, violence, and prejudice.
And yet, it is still the story we know. Arthur dreams of a better, more just world and strives to create it while being undone by his mortal imperfections. One of the great retellings of Arthurian legend and highly recommended
It is truly a testament to this work that, even when knights, courtly romance, holy grails, jousts, and magic swords are removed, it still reinvents Arthurian legend into a story that rings true to established previous tellings. This is the Arthur that may have been, in the time when the Celtic peoples of Britain were left fighting for their survival against the eclipsing Saxons in the 5th century. Arthur is not a king here but a warlord who fights to preserve Britannic freedom and is sworn to protect the infirm child king Mordred. Merlin is a druid who is cold, fickle, and obsessed with the old gods and returning to them a land where Christianity is ascendant and seeks to destroy other gods and religions in it's way. This, of course,hasn't changed. Nimue is a pagan priestess, and Lancelot a spiteful and vainglorious coward. The story is bloody, dark, and filled with love, violence, and prejudice.
And yet, it is still the story we know. Arthur dreams of a better, more just world and strives to create it while being undone by his mortal imperfections. One of the great retellings of Arthurian legend and highly recommended
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwall is the first book in The Warlord Chronicles, and it is yet another take on the Arthurian legend — though arguably the most exciting and realistic take on the story yet.
All the characters you are familiar with are here, including Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, Merlin, etc. But what makes this take different is that, because it’s by Bernard Cornwall, The Winter King is devoid of magic. Yes, some characters do practice magic, and religion is a big part of this world, but Cornwall never once shows that the magic actually does anything — a point that I greatly appreciated. I really didn’t want to read another Arthurian legend dipped in fantasy, so this book is just perfect.
Cornwall came to me highly recommended by George RR Martin, who once wrote that no one else writes action and epic battles better — and it’s true! Cornwall masterfully takes you through every swing of the blade, every punctured gut, every freed arrow, and every facet of victory and defeat. In fact, he’s especially good at setting up the battle, letting the readers in on the action, and you never lose your sense of place amid the scale of things. I’ve read many writers and their attempts at creating epic battle scenes and, while they are large in scale to say the least, you never quite feel like you are THERE. Cornwall, on the other hand, describes everything to such detail that you can feel just how heavy the armour is, or how fast the horse is galloping, or how much that slice of the blade is hurting your cheek. I’ve never read fights and battles described with such realism, and THIS is the bar to beat when it comes to describing action.
But The Winter King is not all action, action, action.
Between the fights and battles, you have the political mechanisms in place, which I love. This is Game of Thrones without the dragons, essentially, and the same politicking rules apply here. Hell, Arthur’s arc in this book even resembles Robb Stark’s arc in A Storm of Swords. Although, spoiler alert, no Red Wedding type event here, but the root of war remains the same.
If you are wondering, hey, Arthur is supposed to be the gleaning example of righteousness and chivalry, right? So how can he be like Robb Stark? You mean he promised to marry someone, only to fall in love with someone else and, as a result, cause the war to breakout?
Well, yes, and that’s the brilliance of Cornwall’s take. The characters we’ve come to know are not fantastical caricatures. Instead, they are flawed, and that’s refreshing. Arthur is righteous to a fault and is a weakness to Guinevere; Lancelot is not really THE knight in shining armour, but a paper general who’s better at making up stories about his heroics; Guinevere, well, Guinevere’s a bitch. So there.
Cornwall has mentioned that The Warlord Chronicles are his favourite books, and maybe I shouldn’t have started with this series. I mean, what if it is all downhill from here? Nonetheless, that’s all in the future. For now, I am enjoying the hell out of this series, and I cannot wait for the second book to arrive at my doorstep.
PS Even though I knew Merlin’s going to appear, his reveal in the book took me completely by surprise.
All the characters you are familiar with are here, including Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, Merlin, etc. But what makes this take different is that, because it’s by Bernard Cornwall, The Winter King is devoid of magic. Yes, some characters do practice magic, and religion is a big part of this world, but Cornwall never once shows that the magic actually does anything — a point that I greatly appreciated. I really didn’t want to read another Arthurian legend dipped in fantasy, so this book is just perfect.
Cornwall came to me highly recommended by George RR Martin, who once wrote that no one else writes action and epic battles better — and it’s true! Cornwall masterfully takes you through every swing of the blade, every punctured gut, every freed arrow, and every facet of victory and defeat. In fact, he’s especially good at setting up the battle, letting the readers in on the action, and you never lose your sense of place amid the scale of things. I’ve read many writers and their attempts at creating epic battle scenes and, while they are large in scale to say the least, you never quite feel like you are THERE. Cornwall, on the other hand, describes everything to such detail that you can feel just how heavy the armour is, or how fast the horse is galloping, or how much that slice of the blade is hurting your cheek. I’ve never read fights and battles described with such realism, and THIS is the bar to beat when it comes to describing action.
But The Winter King is not all action, action, action.
Between the fights and battles, you have the political mechanisms in place, which I love. This is Game of Thrones without the dragons, essentially, and the same politicking rules apply here. Hell, Arthur’s arc in this book even resembles Robb Stark’s arc in A Storm of Swords. Although, spoiler alert, no Red Wedding type event here, but the root of war remains the same.
If you are wondering, hey, Arthur is supposed to be the gleaning example of righteousness and chivalry, right? So how can he be like Robb Stark? You mean he promised to marry someone, only to fall in love with someone else and, as a result, cause the war to breakout?
Well, yes, and that’s the brilliance of Cornwall’s take. The characters we’ve come to know are not fantastical caricatures. Instead, they are flawed, and that’s refreshing. Arthur is righteous to a fault and is a weakness to Guinevere; Lancelot is not really THE knight in shining armour, but a paper general who’s better at making up stories about his heroics; Guinevere, well, Guinevere’s a bitch. So there.
Cornwall has mentioned that The Warlord Chronicles are his favourite books, and maybe I shouldn’t have started with this series. I mean, what if it is all downhill from here? Nonetheless, that’s all in the future. For now, I am enjoying the hell out of this series, and I cannot wait for the second book to arrive at my doorstep.
PS Even though I knew Merlin’s going to appear, his reveal in the book took me completely by surprise.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
Wonderful read. Truly brought to life the times and a great rendition of the King Arthur myth. Cornwell's depiction of a shield wall and its implications in war were so intriguing that I signed up for a shield and sword fighting class just to see for myself. The class was considered the most up to date in terms of research and methodology and it fell right in line with Cornwell's description. I encourage everyone who read this book to sign up for a shield and sword fighting class. Time to live the adventure. Plus it will make the book really come alive!
Wanted more magic, got more war. I guess the subtitle - The Warlord Trilogy - should have given me a clue...