Rating: 
Summary: The third in the Camulod Chronicles series
Review: This is the third in the series of novels called the Camulod Chronicles. If this is your introduction to the series, you will benefit from taking them in order, beginning with 'The Skystone,' although the books will stand alone. This book introduces us to a young Caius Merlyn Britannicus and the adventures he has growing up. The plot is complex, one adventure leading to another. The characterization is excellent, and the book held me enthralled. In the end, of course, since this is the story of Merlyn and Arthur, he meets his ward. Jack Whyte, like Mary Stewart and Bernard Cornwell, has done his research well--such research as is available. Each wrote a fascinating series, and each approached their subjects from a different viewpoint, of course. It is, after all, fiction. John Steinbeck also wrote a book on the subject: The 'Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights,' deriving his material from one of the earliest sources, Thomas Mallory. All are worthy and entertaining. My advice would be to read and enjoy all of them, which I have. Joseph Pierre,
Author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity
Rating:
Summary: The third in the Camulod Chronicles series
Review:
This is the third in the series of novels called the Camulod Chronicles. If this is your introduction to the series, you will benefit from taking them in order, beginning with 'The Skystone,' although the books will stand alone. This book introduces us to a young Caius Merlyn Britannicus and the adventures he has growing up. The plot is complex, one adventure leading to another. The characterization is excellent, and the book held me enthralled. In the end, of course, since this is the story of Merlyn and Arthur, he meets his ward. Jack Whyte, like Mary Stewart and Bernard Cornwell, has done his research well--such research as is available. Each wrote a fascinating series, and each approached their subjects from a different viewpoint, of course. It is, after all, fiction. John Steinbeck also wrote a book on the subject: The 'Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights,' deriving his material from one of the earliest sources, Thomas Mallory. All are worthy and entertaining. My advice would be to read and enjoy all of them, which I have. Joseph Pierre,
Author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity
Rating: 
Summary: A good series gone bad
Review: A wonderful series with outstanding military and historical foundation and detail, gone bad. The writer doesn't even seem to know his own characters anymore. The sex scenes seem like they were written by a 14 year old kid. When I began to get the distinct impression that the author had lost his way, I put the book down. As a historian, I'm disappointed that Whyte has chosen to sell out with this drivel.
Rating:
Summary: Another superbly written novel.
Review: Another fast paced thrill ride from a writer that knows how to re-tell history. Jack Whyte pulls everthing together to yet again create a fascinating story. The series has been a page turner from the beginning. Jack Whyte creates a depth of characters that is unparalled by any other author. He excellently portrays the family and the lives that they live. With every page you feel like you are living your life beside Merlyn and his associates. If there was anything more going on in the story it would be too much.
Rating: 
Summary: Fresh retelling of the history of Camelot
Review: Enjoyable reading. Made me wonder where fact stopped and fantasy began. I thought the balance between tender romance, gory battle, and perperual tragedy was wonderful.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: Good book, but as with rest of series, characters have a plastic, comic-book superhero machismo about them that comes across as...well, comic-book-like. However, this series does satisfy urges for Arthurian/dark age historical fiction. Parke Godwin and Bernard Cornwell do *much* better jobs of re-telling the Arthurian tales from a quasi-historical perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Good book! Good series!
Review: However, one big problem does prevent it from deserving a 5 star rating.
The problem has to do with the ending and Merlyn's "illness" which causes the ending to seem somewhat... intangible? Merlyn's "illness" causes him and the reader to miss out on alot of important and major happenings that we learn later. Fans and readers of this series (I have read the first 3 books, including "Eagles Brood") may feel disoriented by a sudden lack of knowledge of what is going on in the world of Camulod, especially concerning Uther. Up until the point of the "illness", the main character of the stories/series has always been a vocal point of major events. Simply put, the reader feels left out, not knowing what to believe or think. I believe that what happened with Merlyn's "illness" hurt the story in a way that could have been avoided. I also felt bothered by Merlyn's apparent lack of faith in this cousin and best friend, Uther. I feel that Uther was innocent of the crime stated on the book's back cover. Fortunately, the author's next book "Uther" is looking to cast away these problems by focusing on the events that took place away from Merlyn's eyes. That book should definitely be read WITH "Eagles Brood" for the whole story. All said, this is still a good book and a great series. I'm certainly looking forward to new books in the series. The author has a way of making the story feel very real. Immersion
Rating:
Summary: One step closer to Arthur!!
Review: I enjoyed the third book in the Camulod series slightly less than the previous two.I felt that the author got bogged down with detail in both the battle scenes and the theological discussions.Merlyn comes through as very human rather than the complete mystic that he's been portrayed in other stories,being brought out of his rather pompous attitude towards right and wrong by his cousin,Uther. If you are planning to read the entire series,this is an important bridge between the earlier times of the Roman occupation and the first emergence of Arthur,as a baby.Now for number four-The Saxon Shore.
Rating:
Summary: Difficult to put down
Review: I forget how I came upon this series of books but I can tell you that once you start you will not be able to put the books down. This Canadian author must have travelled back in time to be able to write so discriptively and knowledgeably. The series begins just shortly after the Romans leave Great Britain and continues on through the life of Merlin and on through the early years of young Arthur. I cannot begin to tell you how enjoyable this series of books are....a must read.
Rating: 
Summary: Diminishing Returns - Sequelitus
Review: I read the second book first, not realizing this was a series, and liked it enough to purchase the others. Reading them one after another, I see a marked dropoff in quality with this installment. Never strong on character, the plotting gets weaker and a lot reads like filler. If I didn't have the remaining volumes already I would not buy them. I recommend the Skystone and Singing Sword and stop there.
| 
