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Summary: Mud and blood encrusted Arthur
Review: This novel eschews the "special effects" magic, fairies and dragons of virtually all other tellings of the legend. Instead, we get a wonderfully atmospheric, dark and foreboding world where the power of human emotions becomes the real "magic." This "Arthur" is unforgettable. Cornwell has a talent for putting the reader right into the look and feel of an authentic era -- you can almost smell the sweat and blood on the dirty leather breast plates of Arthur's soldiers. I eagerly await the second installment of this planned trilogy
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Summary: The Arthurian legend is reincarnated.
Review: Bernard Cornwell brings a cast of legendary characters to life with his wonderful and ironic writing style. Guinevere and Lancelot add a twist to an already enriched plot. If you love the ledgend of King Arthur, or just a great story, don't pass this one up
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Summary: I haven't enoyed a book so much in years!
Review: This truly was a terrific read - good characters, a terrific story
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Summary: a new classic
Review: I've read my share of Arthurian themed books. The first ones I read, and the ones I still maintain are the best, were those by Mary Stewart. Since reading those I really haven't found any series that I liked. Until I read this. My freind recommended this to me, saying "The Druids hop around on one foot in this book!" And that got me. (They actually do, in parts) This book is highly imaginative. And while it does use parts of the later legends that irritate me in books that are marketed for their historical accuracy (yeah right), there is so much creative imagination in this book. The author sticks to the legends, but not so artificially that it's the same as any other series you've read. Example one that I love:
We know very little about the Druids. But many authors take this fact and either 1)don't include a worthwile description of them or 2)just use a few simple facts that we do know over and over.
Instead, the author uses his knowledge as a scholar to invent some really strange but wonderful things, still managing to keep it realistic. Another thing I loved in this book was the portrayal of the main three characters: Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenievere. So often you see them as these beautiful, shiny happy people. Not so in this book. They are dynamic individuals. Arthur is still his down to earth self, but he is selfish and rash. Lancelot is beautiful but a total flake and a jerk (the way I always thought he was). And Guenievere. The most dynamic of all. All she wants is to see the world at it's most beautiful, but you can tell that underneath it all is a layer of cold intelligence, a hard iron will. Anyway, this book was unlike any other I've read. It was completely compelling.. I read it in 3 days.
I'll definetly recommend it over Steven Lawhead, Jack Whyte, Marrion Zimmer Bradley, and most of the others.
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Summary: A whole new Arthur
Review: I love Cornwell. His novels are realistic and make you feel as you are in the book. He does just this with "The Warlord Chronicles". This is not the Arthur that we have hear about all of our lives, but a very different take on him. All of the famous names appear in this book, and in the next two, but they serve different takes than what we have grown to know and love. As said before in a review for this book, if you are looking for an Arthur novel that is all fairytale like, dont read this book.
Cornwell makes this book, to me, the most real rendition of Arthurian legend. I am a Medieval studies major, and although I dont study Arthur much, I know the tales, and I also know there was a real Arthur, exagerated by a thousand years of word of mouth.
Through my eyes, I believe Cornwell knew this also, and so he wrote these books based on the "real" Arthur". Rather than having faries and magic, we have a realistic look into the dark ages (the time after the roman empire fell, and the coming of Charles the Great). If you love this time period and love battles, get this book. You will love it.
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Summary: Cornwell's Take on Arthur -- Predictably Entertaining
Review: For fans of Bernard Cornwell (such as myself), "The Winter King" is a joy. Fans of the Grail Quest series, or "Stonehenge," will instantly recognize Cornwell's trademark style -- clear, concise prose, spare-yet-functional dialouge, and an unflinching eye for both the joys (rare) and terrors (common) of medieval life.
Narrated by Derfel, "The Winter King" kicks off the tale of Arthur's ascendancy to become King of the Britons. Set in the Dark Ages, Britain is a raging cauldron of conflicts. Followers of the pagan gods clash with the annoyingly resilient new crowd, the Christians. Saxons fight Britons, Irish fight Britons, and Britons fight Britons. Uther, the dying king, has no son and his grandson, Mordred, is born a cripple and is at the mercy of vicious warlords who want nothing more than to assume the throne.
Into this maelstrom strides Arthur, an amiable colossus who harbors an almost Clinton-like need to be loved. That is, unless he's tossing Excalibur around, which Arthur does with unbridled ferocity. Through Derfel's eyes, we see that Arthur is a man truly capable of inspiring adoration among those around him.
But nevertheless, this Arthur is a man, not a myth, not a legend. Cornwell's style is perfect for his aim, which is to humanize the man who has inspired so many myths, tales, and songs. Cornwell does this both by giving Arthur some very human failings (the aforementioned need to be loved is one, and an impulsive streak a mile wide is another) and by skewering some of Arthur's mythical comrades. Rather than the honorable, indomitable warrior of legend, Cornwell's Lancelot is a handsome coward who knows the value of good p.r. -- if you value your legacy, befriend the poets!
Throughout the novel, Arthur's ascendancy is much in doubt. Not only has he sworn a mighty oath to see Mordred king, virtually every other monarch in the tale is out to get Arthur and put him in his place. This makes for a rollicking read, particularly since Cornwell -- true to form -- is capable of killing off anybody, anywhere, at any time in this book.
Cornwell has created one truly magnificent character in "The Winter King," namely, Merlin. Merlin is the mightiest Druid in the land -- so powerful that even Christians bow to him. A schemer, a huckster, yet dangerous as hell, Merlin commands the stage like no other Cornwell character I've read, and one can easily imagine Cornwell smiling as he wrote Merlin's scenes.
Here's looking forward to the rest of the trilogy!
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Summary: Great book, brief review...
Review: This is not Richard Harris singing of Camelot. Read the series. You will never think about the legend of Arthur in the same way again.
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Summary: Enter the time of Arthur
Review: This book ROCKS! This book is the 1st in the Warlord Chronicles. Winter King begins with the story of Derfel, a young Saxon boy who is enlisted in Lord Merlin's services. Derfel trains to use the sword, shield and spear while the other characters and story unfold. Merlin, Arthur, apprentices, family relations, and armies face issues of loyalties, exile, survival, and war. The Winter King is about the return of Arthur. It has vivid and suspenseful battles. If you read this, you will get a taste of life during Arthur's time. I couldn't put this book down and read it cover-to-cover non-stop. I enjoyed the Warlord Chronicles even more than the excellent Grail Quest series, also authored by Bernard Cornwell. Read it!
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Summary: Once you open it You will not close it before finishing!
Review: After some hundreds books about King Arthur here is THE book! Just one advice - begin to read it friday evening, because You will not sleep much. I red it all during one night, without being able to stop - and it didn't happen to me since years! Other than that I am not saying You anything, because You will be surprised every ten pages or something.
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Summary: One of the best!!!!
Review: I am not going to rehash the plot during this review. If you have a sense that you may find the Arthurian period intriguing, PICK UP THIS BOOK!!
I absolutely loved this series. The main character Derfel was absolutely loveable. Even more so than Arthur. I would absolutely love to see Cornwell do another book with Derfel.
I couldn't put this book down. This book was one of the best books I have ever read. I do not consider myself to be a highly intellectual reader, I merely read for entertainment.
Please buy it or check it out. I don't think you will be disappointed.
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