Scan barcode
A review by takumo_n
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
5.0
A wonderful retelling of King Arthur, with all the narrative freedom that the lack of information of the Dark Ages can give you. In this case it brings the story without actual magic, but with the bottomless superstition of those times, and because they believed in magic, it feels that it exists. Even though the rituals and spells are completely ridiculous. There's complex politics and a deep sense of honor between the most powerful characters. The personalities are all well fleshed out, and nobody is lost in the epic of it all, even the smallest ones. The story is told by an old Derfel telling the story to his Queen Igraine.
Some quotes that I liked:
"There was something about the hopelessness of our plight that eroded normal behaviour and so we crammed as much living as we could into those hours before our expected deaths."
"I learned that the joy and the fear are the exact same things, the one merely transformed into the other by action."
"I do understand that you can look into someone's eyes,' I heard myself saying, 'and suddenly know that life will be impossible without them. Know that their voice can make your heart miss a beat and that their company is all your happiness can ever desire and that their absence will leave your soul alone, bereft and lost."
Some quotes that I liked:
"There was something about the hopelessness of our plight that eroded normal behaviour and so we crammed as much living as we could into those hours before our expected deaths."
"I learned that the joy and the fear are the exact same things, the one merely transformed into the other by action."
"I do understand that you can look into someone's eyes,' I heard myself saying, 'and suddenly know that life will be impossible without them. Know that their voice can make your heart miss a beat and that their company is all your happiness can ever desire and that their absence will leave your soul alone, bereft and lost."