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Title: The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur (The Warlord Chronicles: I) by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0-312-15696-0 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 21 April, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.58 (105 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: At Last, a Believable Arthur
Comment: Having suffered through tale after tale of magical events, I'm glad someone has taken the time to create a believable story of how it might have happened.
Maybe it is my aging cynicism that welcomed Cornwell's story so much. Suffice it to say that Cornwell makes you want to still believe that there were men and women who lived their lives adventurously and passionately enough to set the myth in motion.
Cornwell takes some liberties with the normal Arthurian precepts. Whether he does it as part of his own plot or to create a more historically genuine story it is hard to tell. Either way, it makes for a good read.
Cornwell has honed his skills over the years on his Sharpe and Starbuck series, set in the Napoleonic and American Civil wars, respectively. He delved into pre-medieval English history with his novel, Stonehenge. In The Winter King he brings his skills and insights together and serves the reader well. For intricate military writing, historical drama, or another look at the classic Arthur, this book is a must read.
Rating: 5
Summary: A new way to look at a classic tale
Comment: Most of us have read at least one story of King Arthur in our lifetimes. Many of us have read quite a few versions of this classic tale. So it was with some trepidation that I began this trilogy. I have not read Cornwell's well-received Sharpe novels but know of them, and so thought it a bit presumptious of him to tackle the story of Arthur. In fact, Cornwell, himself, says much the same thing. Afterall, hasn't it all been said?
Not at all! We catch a quick glimpse of Cornwell's approach, right from the start, with the title. This is "The Warlord Chronicles". And, indeed, it is. Arthur is the son of uther and therefore not in line to become King. Instead, he is a warlord, assigned as Mordred's protector. His main goal, however, is to unite all of Briton's divisive tribes against the common enemy: the soon-to-invade saxons.
If you are looking for a traditional approach to the telling of the tale of Arthur, look elsewhere. This rendition is brutal, realistic, and fascinating. As Cornwell, himself, says, "There is a sword and there is a stone, but one is not in the other." In fact many of the popular elements that we have come to expect are simply not there. In fact, most of the familial relationships are different than I had expected. i.e. Mordered, Uther, Morgan, Igraine, Guinivere, Arthur, etc. Cornwell takes them all and comes up with a plausible course for his characters to take.
The story is told from the point of view of a young warrior who moves from Merlin's protection to serve with Arthur's Army. He tells the story from a down-to-earth blood and guts perspective. While Arthur is a warlord, (not the King), don't expect Lancelot to ride in on a shining horse to save the day.
Cornwell uses the plausible and traditional Welsh names for his places and characters which may make it a bit more difficult for some readers to "get into" the story. I found myself often referring to the lists provided at the beginning of the books, to keep places and people straight in my head. By the way, don't look for Camelot here, either.
Small portions of the story, I felt, dragged just a little. Not enough to bring down my rating though. And there is a lot of realistic up close and authentic fighting to wade through. But always, it leads to a better understanding of the numerous character interactions that take place.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. I have since read the other two volumes in the Warlord Chronicles and firmly believe that they are even better than this one. If you come to this one with an open mind, then I think you'll be happy you did.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent way to revive the tale of Arthur!
Comment: This was a very surprising book. The author not only drags you to Medieval England but also retells the tale of Arthur with such passion and accuracy that indeed one questions if the story is, after all, true.
The story is recounted through Derfel Cadarn's eyes, the perfect protagonist for the difficult task of "reinventing" such classics like Merlin and Lancelot, and blend their "mythical" attributes to the mundane and realistic, throughout his personal experiences and dedication to Arthur and Brittain.
Definitely a must-read if you like "realism" in fantasy stories, and even more if you want to believe King Arthur indeed existed. You just can't stop reading it.
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Title: Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur (The Warlord Chronicles: III) by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0312206488 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 July, 1999 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Heretic by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060530499 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 07 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Vagabond by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060532688 Publisher: HarperTorch Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060505257 Publisher: HarperTorch Pub. Date: 01 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0061091944 Publisher: HarperTorch Pub. Date: 01 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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