Rating: 
Summary: Slow and disappointing
Review: (To be honest - I am only half way through, but I felt strongly enough to write this)After reading the first 4 books in this series, I was expecting a book with the same gripping story, intense action with very descriptive narration, complex and memorable characters, and better story development. I have been disappointed. Although the story does progress, it is at a snail's pace. Although description is good, I prefer to not read for 4 pages about how to make a sword in a smith. That's when I realized the book had been moving very slowly. I see the main problem being that they are basically hidden away in this abandoned fort, and they really don't venture out much. In the other books, they were always travelling to other towns or countries which made the story more interesting. There is no strife in this one. The main problem right now is teaching Arthur. Whyte isn't even making Merlyn's fight for celibacy a real struggle, although he is hinting at it, he is also missing the mark. It's hard to believe that this is the same man that enjoyed women with Uther by the hundreds. I am not going to give up on this series, however. I am still intrigued by the idea that legends have classified Merlyn as a Sorcerer, and this series is slowly working up to that. I would also like to see what he does with Uther past the age of 9. Right now, I am just hoping that the characters travel somewhere by the end of this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Jack Whyte- The Fort at River's Bend
Review: About six years ago I got Jack Whyte's "The Fort at River's Bend" as a gift along two other books in the Camulod series, recently I decided to reread this one, the fifth book in the series. This was actually the first book I read in the series, and for me it really took me too another place, another age, another time. On rereading this I found that there are some dry areas, where there is far too much description for the average reader, for example maybe somebody with real intrest of swords would like all the description, but pages of description on the same topic can be too much. For those sections I found myself scanning them, till I came to other areas of more intrest. I really like the characters in this book, they really grow on you like Connor Mac Athol, Derek of Ravenglass, Ambrose and of course the main character Caius Meryln Brittanicus who we get to follow intimately in the narrative. We also get to follow a young Arthur, I find this particularly intresting as I think its important to follow characters as they grow, and once you have read the follow up book to this the second in the Sorcerers series "Metamorphsis" there is much more continuity. I Also like the settings of Ravenglass and Mediobogdum, there is something that appeals to me in the idea of a very small community up in the hills in an old roman fortress living in temporary peaceful isolation. I guess some readers also thrive on continous action, and this book has less then others in the series, however I found the limited battle scenes in this book captivating. I have noticed some other reviewers have felt differently about this book, I guess it all depends on how familar you are with the genre and the series, being relatively new to it, I thorougly enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Jack Whyte- The Fort at River's Bend
Review: About six years ago I got Jack Whyte's "The Fort at River's Bend" as a gift along two other books in the Camulod series, recently I decided to reread this one, the fifth book in the series. This was actually the first book I read in the series, and for me it really took me too another place, another age, another time. On rereading this I found that there are some dry areas, where there is far too much description for the average reader, for example maybe somebody with real intrest of swords would like all the description, but pages of description on the same topic can be too much. For those sections I found myself scanning them, till I came to other areas of more intrest. I really like the characters in this book, they really grow on you like Connor Mac Athol, Derek of Ravenglass, Ambrose and of course the main character Caius Meryln Brittanicus who we get to follow intimately in the narrative. We also get to follow a young Arthur, I find this particularly intresting as I think its important to follow characters as they grow, and once you have read the follow up book to this the second in the Sorcerers series "Metamorphsis" there is much more continuity. I Also like the settings of Ravenglass and Mediobogdum, there is something that appeals to me in the idea of a very small community up in the hills in an old roman fortress living in temporary peaceful isolation. I guess some readers also thrive on continous action, and this book has less then others in the series, however I found the limited battle scenes in this book captivating. I have noticed some other reviewers have felt differently about this book, I guess it all depends on how familar you are with the genre and the series, being relatively new to it, I thorougly enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: deep historical piece within Arthurian saga
Review: Caius Merlyn Brittanicus fears that the next assassin sent by his family's enemy Ironhair might prove successful and kill his nephew, eight-year-old Arthur Pendragon. He decides the future leader of his beloved Camulod must be kept safe until he is ready to rule. Merlyn takes Arthur north to Ravenglass, a haven across the sea from Eire where he can expect sanctuary from King Derek and several friends. Still even with Merlyn ready for seemingly any contingency in what should be a haven, another attack is averted by the sorceress Shelagh.
Derek provides the Camulodians an abandoned Roman fort that they can easily defend from assault. Inside the fort over the next few years, Arthur learns how to be a warrior- soldier using a blade made from the Skystone with an Excalibur symbol etched on it, a military strategist and tactician, and a nurturing but firm ruler of all the people.
The trade paperback version of the fifth Camulod Chronicles, THE FORT AT RIVER'S BEND, is a deep historical piece that showcases in incredible layers the post Roman ancient world of British Cambria. The story line has plenty of intrigue, but the action is on a smaller scale as there is no epic battle, but more a coming of age tale. The secondary cast is an interesting group though Arthur seems a bit too perfect during the years in training for a preadolescent teen. Still fans of the series will appreciate Jack Whyte's intense look at a bygone era.
Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful continuation of the series.
Review: I have been enthrauwled by these books and have trouble waiting for the next one to come out. He writes in a way that makes you almost believe that this is not fictional but an actual historical novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Unputdownable!!
Review: I loved The Fort at Rivers Bend and read late into the night to finish it.After several attempts on Arthurs life,Merlyn and his close friends and supporters relocate to a secure fort to enable Arthur to be raised and educated safely.Accompanied by 3 other boys,he is taught the lessons that he will need to become a wise,just and noble king.He is also given intense training in all the martial arts that he will need to gain,keep and maintain his throne and kingdom in the future.The boy is growing into the man under the wise and loving tutelege of his friends and the country is about to be made aware of his existence in book 6 The Sorcerer(which is sitting on my bedside table!)
Rating:
Summary: I really WANT to like it, BUT.....
Review: I wanted to like this book. I really did. I have had this book for almost two years now, and I am barely half-way through. I am NOT a slow reader -- I average two 500-page books per month, sometimes more than that. In the time I have owned this book, I have finished fantasy books, several history books, numerous alternate history books, and a lot of theology/church history. This book continues to sit there -- much like the plot. The book drags in so many places that I found myself skimming to find some action. Not hard to do in this book -- you can skip over pages of text and never miss an important plot development. Unfortunately, there is so little plot development that it becomes quite clear that (as another reviewer has noted) you could skip this book almost altogether and move on to The Sorceror: Metamorphosis and not miss much. I love this series. I enjoy the idea of putting Arthur into cultural context, but there are scholarly works on that subject that are more enjoyable to read than this book has been. I finished Metzger's Canon of the New Testament quicker.
Rating:
Summary: I really WANT to like it, BUT.....
Review: I wanted to like this book. I really did. I have had this book for almost two years now, and I am barely half-way through. I am NOT a slow reader -- I average two 500-page books per month, sometimes more than that. In the time I have owned this book, I have finished fantasy books, several history books, numerous alternate history books, and a lot of theology/church history. This book continues to sit there -- much like the plot. The book drags in so many places that I found myself skimming to find some action. Not hard to do in this book -- you can skip over pages of text and never miss an important plot development. Unfortunately, there is so little plot development that it becomes quite clear that (as another reviewer has noted) you could skip this book almost altogether and move on to The Sorceror: Metamorphosis and not miss much. I love this series. I enjoy the idea of putting Arthur into cultural context, but there are scholarly works on that subject that are more enjoyable to read than this book has been. I finished Metzger's Canon of the New Testament quicker.
Rating:
Summary: A Vital Link
Review: I was quite surprised to see so many negative comments in the reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book, finding it a vital link in the chain that is the series. Yes, there was not so much action, but there was important thoughtful background to the business of becoming a king in those turbulent times. What helped to bring it alive for me was my many visits to Mediobogdum, the Fort at River's Bend and as I read I was able to develop a very clear mental picture of the scene as I believe Jack Whyte intended it. Incidentally the picture on the cover of the Canadian edition almost exactly portrays the the view from the west wall of Mediobogdum while the castle on the cover of the US edition is in the wrong side of the valley and resembles a construction from an entirely different era. It does however capture the way the fort is perched on a mountainside.
This is not a book to read alone, it should be read in the series in the order that was intended. I highly recommend it to readers of the entire series.
Rating:
Summary: A Vital Link
Review: I was quite surprised to see so many negative comments in the reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book, finding it a vital link in the chain that is the series. Yes, there was not so much action, but there was important thoughtful background to the business of becoming a king in those turbulent times. What helped to bring it alive for me was my many visits to Mediobogdum, the Fort at River's Bend and as I read I was able to develop a very clear mental picture of the scene as I believe Jack Whyte intended it. Incidentally the picture on the cover of the Canadian edition almost exactly portrays the the view from the west wall of Mediobogdum while the castle on the cover of the US edition is in the wrong side of the valley and resembles a construction from an entirely different era. It does however capture the way the fort is perched on a mountainside.
This is not a book to read alone, it should be read in the series in the order that was intended. I highly recommend it to readers of the entire series.
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