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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
The Winter King is quite a delightfully realistic portrayal of Arthur's quest to unite the Britons. Gone is the romance of the classical Arthurian tales, lost in favor of a much more nuanced and grounded story that feels far more likely to have actually happened. The depiction from the point of view of Derfel is especially welcome, and his character is given a much broader depth than what we've come to experience from previous incarnations. His emotions and external perspective to the events unfolding make this novel very compelling, and the interplay he has with well-known heroes like Lancelot and Galahad breathe fresh air into the age old tales. His journey, from his humble beginnings as one of Merlin's pupils, to his rise in Arthur's war band, as well as a few thrilling detours on his own, make The Winter King a very fun and engaging read. The politics and various marriages evoke a very ASOIAF-esque feeling (I knew I would have to compare the two in some way), which only helps to enhance the tale as we get to see Arthur finally triumph over his enemies thanks to his helpful allies, ingenuity, and a few well-timed arrivals. Overall I'd highly recommend this if you have any interest in Arthurian legend, and I'm looking forward to reading Cornwell's next installments.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
The Winter King is the best historical fiction I've read in quite some time. I loved it! Cornwell's historical detail and living, breathing characters combine to make you feel as though you're right there, in that ancient time, watching the events. I listened to it on audio, and the narrator is perfect for this series, you feel like you're listening to a first-person witness from those long-ago, terrible days. If I could pick one word for this book it would be "transportive", which is exactly what you want a novel to be. Bravo, Bernard Cornwell! So glad to have "discovered" this author, I now have a lot of reading to do!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, War
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual assault
Minor: Child death
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
This was great. Was a bit surprised how interesting all the characters were and how well they were portrayed. Looking forward to ready the rest in the series
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
I must admit now that I listened to this book on Audible. It is the first audio book I have ever listened to and I enjoyed every minute. In fact, I’ve never looked forward to my commute so much!
My reason for wanting to start this series is that my dad (who is always reading) has told me for years that it is the best series he has read in all time. It was only a few weeks ago when he stated that he was going to “treat himself” by reading the series again and I thought to myself, I’m gonna do this.
Cornwell’s story telling is magnificent. Again, a first for me, I have not read any books concerning Arthur before so I was really stepping out of my comfort zone.
I have read some other reviews that marked it down a star due to lack of battle content or that the chapters were too long or the paragraphs too dense (the latter I cannot comment on). When I am rating a book I like to rate it on how much it has captured my imagination, or how enthralled I have been, or how much I have felt at one with the characters - and for this, I could not fault anything.
Jonathan Keeble narrated the version I listened to - as brilliant as he was, I have purchased the trilogy in true book form and I intend to read the following two. Call me old fashioned, but you cannot beat the moments when you have a book in one hand and a coffee in the other.
My reason for wanting to start this series is that my dad (who is always reading) has told me for years that it is the best series he has read in all time. It was only a few weeks ago when he stated that he was going to “treat himself” by reading the series again and I thought to myself, I’m gonna do this.
Cornwell’s story telling is magnificent. Again, a first for me, I have not read any books concerning Arthur before so I was really stepping out of my comfort zone.
I have read some other reviews that marked it down a star due to lack of battle content or that the chapters were too long or the paragraphs too dense (the latter I cannot comment on). When I am rating a book I like to rate it on how much it has captured my imagination, or how enthralled I have been, or how much I have felt at one with the characters - and for this, I could not fault anything.
Jonathan Keeble narrated the version I listened to - as brilliant as he was, I have purchased the trilogy in true book form and I intend to read the following two. Call me old fashioned, but you cannot beat the moments when you have a book in one hand and a coffee in the other.