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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
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
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As historical fiction that takes the legend and grounds it in reality, this semi-military fantasy novel takes a while to really build up to serious battles of consequence. It's really quite difficult to express what kind of story it is, aside from being the diaries of a person who is entirely too kind-hearted to live in a post-Roman Britain. Seriously, if you're a reader that doesn't like to read about people who are selfish assholes, or politicians who are clearly warping the system to get their way, then I would stay far away from this novel. Pretty much all major characters of note are selfish pricks, with Lancelot's characterization earning a special place in my heart because I truly hated everything about him and detested the parts of the story where he played a role.
That said, with its mix of nasty backstabbing politics, a realistic approach to magic that makes you wonder if it's all superstition the entire time, small scale conflicts and a setting of a world falling apart after the fall of (Roman) civilization, I did find Winter King to be an engrossing read. There's nothing particularly great about the story or characters -- and the entire story is centred around an everyman archetype who occasionally interacts with characters of legend -- but the effort spent to flesh out this 5th century world makes it stand out from the crowd and is worth the effort spent.
Throughout this time, we get to follow Dervel's tale of his rise -- from his humble roots to a Captain in Arthur's service. This is fun, but we are purposely removed from any actual battles (particularly in Benoic) because the author wanted to keep all the fighting for the final chapters. As such... I found the story meandering and underwhelming. It doesn't provide an effective arc, and even the actual enemy is non-obvious until the last half of the book after Dervel returns from Benoic. Even then, I thought Lancelot might be more of an antagonist than the annoying distraction he ended up being.
Seriously, while the story and characterization is mediocre, the problem is that I hate everyone; even Arthur is a complete prick. There's really a lack of exploration of what it meant for him to choose Guinevere. Yes, we get the political consequences. However, Arthur barely acknowledges the moral contradiction, forsakes an oath to King Ban that might have even prevented the Briton Civil War, and even at the end only demands peace if his enemy recants their "lies" about his wife. Given that he (and Dervel) are the only characters that are meant to have a noble character, I find myself rooting for everyone's death.
The setting is what makes this interesting, and I pray that the supporting characters become more likeable. It is very difficult to read a book where I hate everyone.
That said, with its mix of nasty backstabbing politics, a realistic approach to magic that makes you wonder if it's all superstition the entire time, small scale conflicts and a setting of a world falling apart after the fall of (Roman) civilization, I did find Winter King to be an engrossing read. There's nothing particularly great about the story or characters -- and the entire story is centred around an everyman archetype who occasionally interacts with characters of legend -- but the effort spent to flesh out this 5th century world makes it stand out from the crowd and is worth the effort spent.
Spoiler
I would say that the pacing of the book is its greatest flaw, with Arthur barely present for 50% of the book and entirely too much time spent on detailing how Uther tried to set up a system to constrain successors after his death. All the effort spent by Uther was rendered irrelevant within two scenes of Arthur showing up, and that was what, 33% of the way through the book? What was the point of all those scenes?Throughout this time, we get to follow Dervel's tale of his rise -- from his humble roots to a Captain in Arthur's service. This is fun, but we are purposely removed from any actual battles (particularly in Benoic) because the author wanted to keep all the fighting for the final chapters. As such... I found the story meandering and underwhelming. It doesn't provide an effective arc, and even the actual enemy is non-obvious until the last half of the book after Dervel returns from Benoic. Even then, I thought Lancelot might be more of an antagonist than the annoying distraction he ended up being.
Seriously, while the story and characterization is mediocre, the problem is that I hate everyone; even Arthur is a complete prick. There's really a lack of exploration of what it meant for him to choose Guinevere. Yes, we get the political consequences. However, Arthur barely acknowledges the moral contradiction, forsakes an oath to King Ban that might have even prevented the Briton Civil War, and even at the end only demands peace if his enemy recants their "lies" about his wife. Given that he (and Dervel) are the only characters that are meant to have a noble character, I find myself rooting for everyone's death.
The setting is what makes this interesting, and I pray that the supporting characters become more likeable. It is very difficult to read a book where I hate everyone.
I had to think long and hard about how I wanted to rate this. I'm putting it at 4, though at times I felt maybe it should go higher or lower. Why? This book is great and while the first act is rather slow the final battle is cinematic in its grandeur. A battle any warrior would dream to be apart of and win and thus exciting as hell to be frank. Not to mention the actual encounters with the Frank's that are almost equally as exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Derfel at some instances more than I enjoy Uhtred in the Saxon Stories, and it did not feel like simply episode 1 or 2 of a series like the Saxon Stories have. This felt like it's own tale that COULD be continued but doesn't force itself to be and that's what makes it greater than others.
Started out awesome, slowed down in the middle, and I liked the end. Will be interesting to see where the rest of the series goes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The war scenes were kind of repetitive, but the setting of the story itself was very interesting (reminded me of “Astur”, with the mix of Christian and Pagan beliefs), and it had an interesting, perhaps more realistic take on the whole Arthurian legend
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
High King Uther has died, leaving his infant grandson as heir and his bastard son and gifted warlord Arthur as his protector in a country that has fallen into chaos, with threats from both within and without. Told in the first person from the flawed perspective of one of Arthur’s sworn soldiers, Derfel, in his old age, The Winter King humanizes many of the characters from the legendary tale of Arthur, bringing both perspective and realism to the story.
I picked this up on the recommendation of some of the readers of /r/Fantasy, who suggested it as an Arthurian tale that might not drive me nuts. Unfortunately, I really just do not click with ye olde Arthur of the Britons, and I was honestly glad to be finished with this story, even though it was really written very well.
I did kind of get a kick out of some of the locales of this book, though, as on one of my trips to England I went to Glastonbury and got to see the holy thorn and the tor, and see some of the locales legend has associated with the story, and this is the first Arthurian tale I’ve picked up since that visit.
Either way, very good historical fiction; I’d have loved it more if they’d changed all the names to protect the guilty.
I picked this up on the recommendation of some of the readers of /r/Fantasy, who suggested it as an Arthurian tale that might not drive me nuts. Unfortunately, I really just do not click with ye olde Arthur of the Britons, and I was honestly glad to be finished with this story, even though it was really written very well.
I did kind of get a kick out of some of the locales of this book, though, as on one of my trips to England I went to Glastonbury and got to see the holy thorn and the tor, and see some of the locales legend has associated with the story, and this is the first Arthurian tale I’ve picked up since that visit.
Either way, very good historical fiction; I’d have loved it more if they’d changed all the names to protect the guilty.