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Title: Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell, Tim Pigott-Smith ISBN: 1-55927-499-9 Publisher: Audio Renaissance Pub. Date: 15 April, 1998 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 4 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.72 (54 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Cornwell Rex
Comment: Excalibur is the best telling of the Arthurian legend since Mallory. Cornwell makes Arthur his own, and in finishing this third book of Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy, I wished for a fourth.
Cornwell tells his tale through Lord Derfel Cadarn, a monk and Arthur's retired warlord. Cadarn's version mocks the flighty tales of magic and pagentry passed down in ballads and (implicitly) in other authors' tellings. Cadarn was there. He was saved from death as a child by Merlin. He fought alongside Arthur at his greatest battles. He was there at Guinevere's downfall, and helped Guinevere on her course of reuniting with Arthur.
And you believe him. Every word. Much of this belief is due to Cornwell's excellent crafting of the time and place. The tensions between Christians, pagans, druids, and just plain folk create a powerful cross-grain in this trilogy. Layers of Roman and druid and pagan architecture straddle the landscape.
But it is not just historical veracity that lends Derfel his charm. Derfel is one of the warmest, most competent characters to emerge from my fiction reading in a long time. You just like him. You love being in his confidence. You accept his judgments. And you certainly live his fears and defeats and victories.
What a read. Start at the beginning with The Winter King and read straight through.
Rating: 4
Summary: Cornwell Redeems Himself
Comment: I began this trilogy HATING book number one. Book two changed my opinion and drew me into book three. With this last installment, Cornwell has completely redeemed himself in my eyes. Characters I had found dull and poorly developed in book one are now characters I miss since I've finished the series.
While I still found occassional glimpses of Cornwall's overly- flowery scenic descriptions and while the stroke by stroke battle descriptions were still quite long - I stayed enthralled. This book is by FAR not the traditional story of Arthur - the characters are there along with new ones, but the tale of Lancelot really threw me for a loop. I liked the twist! I also liked the inclusion of Arthur's children - nice to know that the family line was not as doomed as in other renditions. It is also a tale that is VERY military based. The descriptions of the battles are detailed, detailed, detailed. A student of military strategy would find particular interest in this book over any of the other Arthurian tales I've read. Looking for romance - there is a bit- but not the love triangles and romantic liasons that so many authors dwell upon when writing about Arthur. Come to think of it, I don't recall ever seeing the word Camelot in these books. I would encourage Cornwell to continue the saga - what was Derfel's life like at the monestary, what happened to Arthur's son, what did Nemue do next? There are still so many unanswered questions!
Overall - a fast read, interesting story line, enough twists to be very fascinating despite what you think you know about the Arthurian legend.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excalibur
Comment: Excalibur Griffin July 1999
Pp.436 ...
Bernard Cornwell ISBN:0312206488
Have you ever wanted to experience war and how it was fought hundreds of years ago? Not with guns and bombs, but with swords and shields. Bernard Cornwell takes to back to the medieval times when kings ruled the lands and alliances are formed and broken. In this book, the story of the legendary Arthur is brought back to life. Once you get started reading this book it is almost impossible to put it down.
The book is told from one of Arthur's warlords Defrel. Who is now an old monk rewriting of his days when he battled in war and was among one of Arthur's greatest warriors. But now he is just waiting to be taken to the otherwold. Defrel who was once a Saxon boy was brought up and raised by Merlin, and learned the ways of Britain and its cultures. The Saxons are at war with all of Britain fighting for their land. The Saxons have been waiting for over five years to advance on Britain and now after five long years they attack. Though it seems they are outnumbered and do not have enough spearmen to hold up, they come together and fight the battle of a lifetime.
If you are interested in a novel that keeps you at the edge of your seat and always keeps you wondering, then the book Excalibur is right for you.
-Kevin Sossaman
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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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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: Heretic by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060530499 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 07 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Rebel : The Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles: Book One by Bernard Cornwell ISBN: 0060934611 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 18 September, 2001 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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