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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
Mixed feelings about this one. It's very well written and feels completely authentic but there are so many characters and I never felt like I spent enough time with any of them. Every time there is a change of scene another round of introductions is required to establish the complex political and family inter-relationships. It's the first of a trilogy but I'm not sure whether, now the characters have been introduced, the story will flow more fluidly or whether it will continue in the same vein.
This was a great start to this trilogy, and it was a real treat to experience Cornwell writing in a completely different mode than in his Sharpe books. The setting feels so distinct, and I absolutely felt transported to Dark Ages Britain. The tensions everyone is under due to being invaded on all sides along with having religious factions in conflict just makes this time and place such an unappealing setting to have lived in (but a fascinating one to read about!).
I enjoyed the frame narrative with the older Derfal telling his story, and I'm pretty attached to his character at this point. The side characters are all so vivid, and I either love them or hate them or am frightened to death of them.
I mostly did this on audio, and kudos to Jonathan Keeble for the tremendous narration, whether he's hamming it up with colorful voices or delivering so much gravitas with the default narration or Arthur's voicing.
I had to take it pretty slowly in the first hundred pages and do some re-reading since the onslaught of new place and character names was quite a bit disorienting (I'm completely new to this timer period and myth), and it took a while for me to understand the political situation and everyone's place vis-a-vis each other -- but somewhere not too far in, it all started to click and was smooth sailing from there. The ending was fantastic, and I can't wait to see where it goes -- a solid 4.5 stars for this one with high hopes overall for the trilogy!
I enjoyed the frame narrative with the older Derfal telling his story, and I'm pretty attached to his character at this point. The side characters are all so vivid, and I either love them or hate them or am frightened to death of them.
I mostly did this on audio, and kudos to Jonathan Keeble for the tremendous narration, whether he's hamming it up with colorful voices or delivering so much gravitas with the default narration or Arthur's voicing.
I had to take it pretty slowly in the first hundred pages and do some re-reading since the onslaught of new place and character names was quite a bit disorienting (I'm completely new to this timer period and myth), and it took a while for me to understand the political situation and everyone's place vis-a-vis each other -- but somewhere not too far in, it all started to click and was smooth sailing from there. The ending was fantastic, and I can't wait to see where it goes -- a solid 4.5 stars for this one with high hopes overall for the trilogy!
I enjoyed this book and loved the retelling of Arthur and his companions. It was original and the story was great. However, never have I read a book with such consistently long sentences! There were sentences that spanned 6, 7, and once even 8 lines! I also found Cornwell over explaining himself on several occasions, with a significant amount of purple prose. Overall, I enjoyed this but I have no desire to read the rest of this series.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
It's well-written and fun, when it's not being an Arthurian Romance.
The narrator prating on about how kind Arthur is and emotional (as though that was a positive attribute at any point in history before modern times) or Cornwell putting endless pleas for peace into Arthur's mouth or making the narrating warrior a practitioner of courtly love is pretty intolerable.
Also, there's barely any attention paid to character development and we don't even get to know the names of most of the narrator's friends and comrades. It makes some sense as this is meant to be a retrospective chronicle of Arthur's glory but lines like "they cut down one of my best men", who doesn't even get a name at the moment he dies, makes it glaringly obvious how unnatural this style is.
The narrator prating on about how kind Arthur is and emotional (as though that was a positive attribute at any point in history before modern times) or Cornwell putting endless pleas for peace into Arthur's mouth or making the narrating warrior a practitioner of courtly love is pretty intolerable.
Also, there's barely any attention paid to character development and we don't even get to know the names of most of the narrator's friends and comrades. It makes some sense as this is meant to be a retrospective chronicle of Arthur's glory but lines like "they cut down one of my best men", who doesn't even get a name at the moment he dies, makes it glaringly obvious how unnatural this style is.
So bored and the writing style was just blah. To much boring description that I didn’t want to read because it had no flavor. Everything just got described and in the most boring way possible.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In an ancient England torn apart by invading Saxon forces and its own internal struggles - Arthur rises to prominence as a warlord protecting the kingdom Dumnonia and ensuring that King Uther's heir, a crippled child named Mordred, would live to take his throne. The Winter King begins the mythical tale of Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, and others in a novel that weaves fantastic scenes of battle into the background hum of ancient gods amidst the Druids' dying religion. In the last days of native Britons, before they are eventually overran by the persistent Saxons, a handful of heroes arise in one last struggle against inevitable fate.
The narrator, Derfel, is an orphan turned solider turned lord under the tutelage of Arthur and Merlin. His perspective of events will cause the reader's heart to sink and soar throughout a novel that is turbid with action, violence, and the brutality of the dark middle ages. The characters are strong and enchanting, each given its own life in the care of Cornwell's measured prose. Merlin is a cocky and enigmatic wizard who leads an audacious quest to find the lost treasures of Britain, Arthur is a man torn hopelessly between various oaths that he inevitably spoils in fits of impulsiveness, and Derfel is the practical yet romantic narrator whose personal story may seem small compared to the activities of the greater heroes - yet his story is touching, more familiar, for Derfel is the small person tossed into turmoil in a time when violence seeks all.
I always find myself so hopelessly in love with everything Cornwell writes. The intense struggles, the vicious and brutal battles, the stories of empathy and hope against the background of a world that is surely dying - Cornwell stirs the reader's emotions into a frenzy that will enable you to be carried away by your own sense of wonder.
The narrator, Derfel, is an orphan turned solider turned lord under the tutelage of Arthur and Merlin. His perspective of events will cause the reader's heart to sink and soar throughout a novel that is turbid with action, violence, and the brutality of the dark middle ages. The characters are strong and enchanting, each given its own life in the care of Cornwell's measured prose. Merlin is a cocky and enigmatic wizard who leads an audacious quest to find the lost treasures of Britain, Arthur is a man torn hopelessly between various oaths that he inevitably spoils in fits of impulsiveness, and Derfel is the practical yet romantic narrator whose personal story may seem small compared to the activities of the greater heroes - yet his story is touching, more familiar, for Derfel is the small person tossed into turmoil in a time when violence seeks all.
I always find myself so hopelessly in love with everything Cornwell writes. The intense struggles, the vicious and brutal battles, the stories of empathy and hope against the background of a world that is surely dying - Cornwell stirs the reader's emotions into a frenzy that will enable you to be carried away by your own sense of wonder.
Extremely enjoyable retelling of the legend of King Arthur. Full review coming soon...
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes