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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-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
It's actually quite funny reading this after Brexit because you think wow. We've voted to go back to the dark ages. Lines like '[fight] not for Mordred, she said. But for a Britain shorn of foreigners and of foreign ideas' really made me chuckle.
I can imagine Ukippers reading this and seeing it as a ultra realistic book about getting rid of all the immigrants. All we Britain's want to to do is to sacrifice animals and prisoners to the gods and be wealthy enough to own slaves, that's all.
This is a great book. A real page turner. I've never read any Cornwell before and he really knows what he's doing. What a terrifying picture he paints of these times. Kill or be killed. Infighting and fear of foreigners torching the villages raping and pillaging. And for goodness sake don't be a woman under any circumstances.
Great characters, engaging plot and world building. I'm looking forward to reading the next books and I'll certainly be looking into his other work
I can imagine Ukippers reading this and seeing it as a ultra realistic book about getting rid of all the immigrants. All we Britain's want to to do is to sacrifice animals and prisoners to the gods and be wealthy enough to own slaves, that's all.
This is a great book. A real page turner. I've never read any Cornwell before and he really knows what he's doing. What a terrifying picture he paints of these times. Kill or be killed. Infighting and fear of foreigners torching the villages raping and pillaging. And for goodness sake don't be a woman under any circumstances.
Great characters, engaging plot and world building. I'm looking forward to reading the next books and I'll certainly be looking into his other work
Took me a while to get into the writing style, and it's definitely on the more sadistic side of grim dark. But by the end, I wanted to know what happens next, and I will read the rest of the series over time.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enyojable depiction of the Arthurian legend with this being very dark though. The character of Derfel was great and other than him Arthur was as lovable as always. Merlin was much more gray but still with his mystery and presence and this one having a lot of wit and charm. Guinevere was much more selfish in this tale but the character most changed is Lancelot who in Cornwell’s take turned out to have the greatest PR of all time.
As I had heard before, the start was rather slow but it got going soon and ended on a great note, setting the much more important and enjoyable Arthurian moments to come. The fights and battles were also very well written.
As I had heard before, the start was rather slow but it got going soon and ended on a great note, setting the much more important and enjoyable Arthurian moments to come. The fights and battles were also very well written.
I am grateful this is finally over! It's not a bad book as such, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I took a bit long to realize this, unfortunately, which is why I finished rather than left it. "The Winter King" is a take on the Arthurian legends. Here Arthur isn't king, but upon Uther's death, he swears to protect the latters infant son Mordred. Arthur wants peace with all the little British kingdoms. There is enough fighting coming from the invading Saxons lone. However, when Arthur is at the brink of succeeding he tosses it all away to marry a fickle redhead rather than the princess he was betrothed to. Very romantic and supremely stupid - paid for in endless bloodshed.
The narrator is the Saxon orphan Derfel, who grows up with Merlin and later becomes one of Arthur's warriors. He is writing his story in a monestary in his old age. There is a woman involved - older, no romantic involvement with Derfel - who wants to hear all about Arthur because of all the legends and songs. Derfel's version doesn't really satisfy her. There is no magic in his tale. There is also very little forward-tension and it's not easy to see where the author wants to go. This is the first of a trilogy and many plotlines are left open. I don't think I'm curious enough to continue - at least not at this point. This is the least inspired and enjoyable take on the Arthurian legends that I have so far come across.
The narrator is the Saxon orphan Derfel, who grows up with Merlin and later becomes one of Arthur's warriors. He is writing his story in a monestary in his old age. There is a woman involved - older, no romantic involvement with Derfel - who wants to hear all about Arthur because of all the legends and songs. Derfel's version doesn't really satisfy her. There is no magic in his tale. There is also very little forward-tension and it's not easy to see where the author wants to go. This is the first of a trilogy and many plotlines are left open. I don't think I'm curious enough to continue - at least not at this point. This is the least inspired and enjoyable take on the Arthurian legends that I have so far come across.
Too long. Can't pronounce most of the names of people or places. The Arthurian legend is told much better elsewhere. See Lawhead's work.
Adequate historical fictional novel. It was an interesting twist on the Arthur-Camelot story. I don't think I will continue on with the remaining two books in the series; it fell flat in parts. Arthur comes off as too good to be true and in part, he is portrayed as just plain stupid. Some of the plot parts just did not work (too much Merlin or where is in the world is Merlin story that continued throughout the book. No thank you).
Incrível. Um livro bastante denso, porém com uma narrativa intrigante e personagens muito bem construídos. Minha personagem favorita sem dúvidas é a Nimue, uma jovem sacerdotisa de Merlim que ultrapassa as barreiras de sua própria época, sendo uma mulher presente nas batalhas e desafiando os homens ao seu redor. O narrador, Derfel, também possui grande destaque, com sua força interna e externa.
Um livro épico que todos deveriam ler.
Um livro épico que todos deveriam ler.
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this is an even better novel on retrospect as I am now currently nearly finished with Enemy Of God It makes me think back on how well Cornwell got it on the first try. I think character like "Nimue" & "Derfel" even Arthur really just bring some life into this dark world. And I think it's a great read with some amazing fights, great moments, heartbreaking tragedies, interesting historical views and is just a great entry point into historical fiction for me. Just an amazing novel, have nothing else to say.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape
Minor: Violence
The scenes with nimue are honestly fantastic and it really saddens me they don't continue with her amazing character depth in the next novel.
For me, this reads a little too closer to historical fiction than fantasy and only skirts the Arthurian legacy through names.
The book itself, though, is well-written with a fluidity to the writing that makes reading it enjoyable. I don't think I'll look into the rest of the series, though, but again that's more because I lean more toward epic/high fantasy than I do historical fantasy.
Happy reading!
The book itself, though, is well-written with a fluidity to the writing that makes reading it enjoyable. I don't think I'll look into the rest of the series, though, but again that's more because I lean more toward epic/high fantasy than I do historical fantasy.
Happy reading!