Rating: 
Summary: brilliant
Review: Admittedly i know next to nothing of the arthurian legends, or the facts or lack thereof behind them. I bought this and the first book in the series after a recommendation from a forum, and the series has me absolutely spellbound. Cornwell completely blows away any conceptions one might have previously held of the popualr characters from the legends. His character development is excellent, as Lancelot plays an excellent cowardly villain (i was so pleased to see derfel get ceinwyn instead of him) and arthur is shown in altogether more human form than what little i had previously known of him. It is interesting that it is not a first person tale from the point of arthur, nor an omnipresent view, but a first person tale from the viewpoint of one of arthur's captains, the lovable saxon Derfel. The magic of merlin and nimue often provides comic relief, and at least it is interesting to note the differences between cornwell's interpretations of merlin's 'magic' and the overblown myths. A brilliant book, though it shouldnt be taken as historical fact, merely an excellent interpretation. I have yet to read the last in the series, but i look forward to it greatly. Buy these books today, you will not regret it.
Rating:
Summary: A worthy sequel to one of the best Arthurian novels.
Review: At first I thought that The Warlord Chronicles, of which Enemy of God is the middle chapter, would not appeal to me as much as other Arthurian tales that had more fantasy elements in the story, I was wrong. It's true that author Bernard Cornwell is hell bent on demystifying every aspect of the arthurian legend such as Camelot (never existed), the sword in the stone (never happened), the round table (a small thing), not to mention that Arthur himself is not even a king, however it is is Cornwell's adherence to a more realistic telling of the events that separates this tale from many others. Enemy of God explores many themes but chief among them is the validity of oaths, laws and the allegiance to a king, however unworthy that king may be. Religion and its hold on people is another aspect of the story, three different beliefs are presented here, the Christian, the pagan and, oddly enough, the cult of the egyptian goddess Isis.
There is not as much warfare as in The Winter King, but still much blood is shed as a result of betrayals and much political intrigue. Upon reading, I found myself immersed in a story that is as joyous as it is tragic, full of nobility and acts of pure evil, but most of all it is the characters of Arthur and Derfel, the story's narrator, that fascinate the most. Both men are as different as can be, yet they share a friendship and loyalty that is inspiring.
Enemy of God is a book that is more than just the middle chapter in a trilogy, there is an evolution of the characters from the first book to this one, the story moves forward and introduces new protagonists and storylines. A deeply enthralling novel to say the very least... Onward to Excalibur!
Rating: 
Summary: Clash of Pagans Versus Christians Roils Britain
Review: Bernard Cornwell continues his wonderful "Warlord Chronicles" trilogy -- Cornwell's take on King Arthur -- with the "Enemy of God." While Cornwell tells a vastly different tale than the classic Arthurian legends, his Arthur nevertheless rises to mythic heights.
At the close of "The Winter King," Arthur has established himself as the mightiest warrior in England following his shocking victory at Lugg Vale. But to the frustration of many, Arthur's main goal is to support the divine right of kings, and the High King is Mordred, a petulant, vile young man. Nobody but Arthur will support him, but since Arthur hopes against hope that Mordred will grow into his noble position, everyone reluctantly lets Mordred sit on the throne.
But even though Mordred is the High King, other kings abound. Lancelot is also a king, and Arthur also feels great pangs of guilt for failing to come to Lancelot's aid as his kingdom was sacked in "The Winter King." Blinded by his guilt to Lancelot's various faults -- including raging vanity -- Arthur continues to support Lancelot against all reason.
Of course, neither Mordred nor Lancelot are particularly grateful for Arthur's support, and Arthur will soon learn to his great horror that loyalty and self-sacrifice are not always rewarded.
This being Cornwell, these political conflicts are often resolved by spear and sword, and "Enemy of God" is replete with numerous battle scenes, and nobody writes a better battle scene than Mr. Cornwell. Fans of his other works will not be disappointed!
The title for the novel comes as a bit of a shock for those familiar with the Arthur legend. In most tales, Arthur is a Christian king, and his Knights of the Round Table are examplars of Christian might. Cornwell's Arthur, however, is a pagan . . . although his religious convictions are lukewarm at best. This Arthur puts his faith in men rather than gods (or God). Unfortunately for Arthur, the Christians of his time (we're rapidly approaching 500 A.D.) are convinced that the Rapture is on the horizon, and they must scour the land and cleanse it of all pagans -- whether through conversion or through slaughter.
At times like this, Arthur's policy of benign tolerance is completely out of step, and it leads Arthur into several errors of judgment that have catastrophic consequences.
Most of the major elements of the classic Arthur tales are present. Tristan and Isolde's famous tragic tale of lost love occupies several pages. Fans of Merlin will see their favorite Druid swing from triumph to despair and back again. And Queen Guinevere's betrayal of Arthur with Lancelot may be different than one expects, but it is no less shocking or heartbreaking.
All in all, "Enemy of God" is a thought-provoking, historically informed take on the Arthur legend, and is a worthy read for fans of historical fiction or the Arthur legends. Check it out, but only after reading "The Winter King" first so you can have Cornwell's backstory for all the characters, rather than working from your presuppositions taken from other works.
Rating:
Summary: The same Cornwell???
Review: Can this be the same author who wrote the horridly disappointing "The Winter King"??? I was so incredibly unhappy with the first installment of this trilogy that I think I even had the author's name wrong in my review - it made NO impression.
HOWEVER - I trudged forward and started Enemy of God and within the first few pages, I was amazed at the difference in Cornwell's writing. Gone were the endless attempts at flowery scenic descriptions. The book was still very visually fulfilling, but not over-done this time. Gone were the scattered introductions of unimportant characters. In their place were truly well-developed portraits of the key players in this tale. It was two different people had written these two novels.
Only at the very end of the book - within the last 50 pages - did a small trace of the long-winded Cornwall reappear and it was relatively painless since this time as I actually CARED what happened next. If you are thinking of this trilogy - skip the first one. He offers enough information in the second book that you can pick up the characters without difficulty and start with an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: excellent and plausible retelling
Review: Cornwell's interpretation of the Arthurian mythos is compelling and superbly written. He breathes new life into the legends by presenting the well-known characters as realistic figures, neither saints nor demons. Few of his villains are without some kind of redeeming feature, and none of his heroes are without flaw. Arthur, a bastard by birth, is generous and kind but ruthless and vain; Gorfyddyd, a tyrannical ruler bent on overlordship of all Britain, is a loving and doting father and Merlin, the inveterate trickster, is never without some surprise up his sleeve but is ultimately human and filled with doubt in the gods and in himself.
Many of the integral parts of the mythos (the Grail quest, Merlin's magical prowess, the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere) are retold in an utterly plausible manner.
Cornwell's Britain is not a utopian Camelot but a patchwork quilt of loosely affiliated kingdoms warring with one another and fighting off Saxon marauders who themselves are divided into different warlords' followings. His description of religious conflict is one of two faiths, Christianity and Celtic paganism, at times vying for supremacy, at times seeking to co-exist, and always plagued by internacine rivalries and differences of doctrine and ideology.
We view all these people and conflicts through the eyes of Derfel, a Saxon-born slave who fights his way to the top of Post-Roman British society, allowing us to see the legend from a unique and rarely-explored perspective. The result is a spellbinding journey through war and peace, faith and folly, in a three volume work that, but for its recent publication, would no doubt be regarded as a great classic of Western literature.
Rating:
Summary: A "timely" book
Review: Given recent world-wide events, this is a fascinating book. It works well on several levels... a well-paced page-turner... a look at the corrupting force of power... a literary work of historical fiction. But what is perhaps most interesting is Cornwell's depiction of religious fanaticism. The historical time depicted in "Enemy of God" is that transition between the polytheist world of paganism and the monotheist world of Christianity. Traditions which, at this point, are second nature to Christians were quite new in AD 400 - 500. Also, as Cornwell points out, Christianity was oftentimes embraced by those who had little to lose in their life. Therefore, their desperation made them willing to sacrifice their lives for the promise of better things in the afterlife. This mindset -- as it does today among religious fanatics of whatever ilk -- led to unnecessarily desperate acts during times of war. After all, what did they have to lose? Cornwell blends all of these facts together with a wonderful story. He diverges from the more traditional Arthur/Lancelot relationship known through the current renditions of Camelot. I look forward to the third -- and concluding -- volume of this trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: A "timely" book
Review: Given recent world-wide events, this is a fascinating book. It works well on several levels... a well-paced page-turner... a look at the corrupting force of power... a literary work of historical fiction. But what is perhaps most interesting is Cornwell's depiction of religious fanaticism. The historical time depicted in "Enemy of God" is that transition between the polytheist world of paganism and the monotheist world of Christianity. Traditions which, at this point, are second nature to Christians were quite new in AD 400 - 500. Also, as Cornwell points out, Christianity was oftentimes embraced by those who had little to lose in their life. Therefore, their desperation made them willing to sacrifice their lives for the promise of better things in the afterlife. This mindset -- as it does today among religious fanatics of whatever ilk -- led to unnecessarily desperate acts during times of war. After all, what did they have to lose? Cornwell blends all of these facts together with a wonderful story. He diverges from the more traditional Arthur/Lancelot relationship known through the current renditions of Camelot. I look forward to the third -- and concluding -- volume of this trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding and Original Retelling or the Arthurian Tales
Review: Having read Caxton's Mallory's Morte d'Arthur, and a fair number of Middle English scraps of Arthurian lore, I had been looking forward to finding a good modern retelling for quite some time. Frankly, the originals are striking conceptually, but relatively unrewarding as literature -- one keeps thinking, while reading them, that they would make a good book. But it seemed to much to hope for -- too difficult a task for nearly any author to achieve an even partial success. Cornwell has succeeded fully. The characters are full and real and strikingly well conceived, even while being a fair reflection (in a broad sense) of the original texts with which I am familiar. The actions of the characters make perfect sense in context, and their actions are complex and difficult to foresee, as they should be. The story is firmly grounded in the realities 5th Century Britain, which gives it a feeling of, well, realism. The author clearly not only knows his history, but his strategy and his philosophy, yet he never comes across to the reader as overbearing or heavyhanded -- these essential items for an epic like this are kept in the background, where they should be. You get the idea. Cornwell has done it, and really done it right. It's a big story, and it hasn't been told very well for a long, long time -- and now Cornwell has retold it best of all. Please direct comment or flames to heliwotdabny@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: Political thriller? Not really
Review: Like much of Bernard Cornwell's work, Enemy of God combines solid historical research and thought with some decent character development and an exciting political and military story. It's very interesting to learn about the state of Britain in the early post-Roman period: the various kingdoms and their relations; the encroachment of the Saxons; the rise of Christianity and the eclipsing of druidism. The characters are generally believable and well developed, and so is the presentation of their culture and way of life among the remnants of the Roman occupation. The political intrigue is also absorbing, and clearly exposed. And as always with Cornwell, the military aspect is gripping and clear. The idea of taking all the Arthurian characters and making them into realistic actors in a credible story of political, personal, and military intrigue is an excellent one, and is well executed. The book ends up creating a very convincing and believable imagining of late-fifth-century Britain that is both informative and entertaining. If my enthusiasm for this novel sounds just a tad restrained, it's because the book suffers from that small nagging flaw that seems to plague so much of Cornwell's work. For all its care and realism, the different aspects of the story - the characters, the history, the intrigue, the battles - never quite gel into a single seamless whole; it has just a very slight feeling of having been put together very carefully according to a plan, and it ends up being something more than your average paperback thriller, but less than a fine historical novel. It's neither fish nor fowl, too good to be mere airport pulp, but not quite "literary" either. It's irredeemably middlebrow. I don't mean to overstate the problem here; it's still a very worthwhile book, and I will certainly be reading the third volume in the trilogy. But while I keep reading Cornwell, I always come away both feeling satisfied and wishing the book were just a little bit better.
Rating:
Summary: Don't stop
Review: OK, not as exciting as Winter King, perhaps because I was so thrilled with it. This book is necessary to really feel what the characters are feeling, and that is what this second book in the series brings. I still could not put it down, but the excitement was slightly less that Winter King, like the middle child, but I was rewarded for my time with Excalibur. You cannot miss this step in the story, and still by far this is the best historical fiction series I have ever read.
|
