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: Another great story by Jack Whyte
Review: This is the fifth in the Camulod Chronicles series by Whyte. They are all superlative, beginning with The Skystone. Whyte has done his research on pre-Arthurian England, drawing his chief characters from the Roman Legions who occupied England, and from their descendants. In this book, Caius Merlyn Britannicus (Merlin), who has young Arthur in his charge and is intent upon protecting him, removes him and a small party to the Northeast coast of Britain. The story is well developed, and the characterizations are excellent. If you have enjoyed the Camulod Chronicles 'til now, you will not be disappointed. Joseph Pierre,
Author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity
Rating: 
Summary: Not the Greatest
Review: A reviewer from a former novel of Mr. Whyte's asks why people read this series of books if they don't like them. I pondered that after I finished the latest paperback version, this book. I know why I picked up the first in the series: I read all fictional accounts of the mythic King Arthur and I enjoy fantasy. Fortunately for me, the field is fertile for stories of that particular warleader, so my appetite for herioc fiction is usually satisfied quite adequately. So why read these novels when they fall so far short of the mark? The only reason I can give is that once started, I must finish, despite the glaringly obvious flaws of the series.
Indeed, I do not consider this to be one of the best of the Arthurian genre. I would recommend Mary Stewart, T.H. White, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Parker Godwin to any who asked me for a good, modern story of Arthur. I find Whyte to have a different spin on the tale, but a very sanitized, bare one. The Lady of the Lake is not a mythical recreation of the great goddess but a statue made by a Roman soldier-blacksmith of metal that fell from the sky, and then was converted to three swords, one of which was Excaliber. Merlyn is not a druid but another Roman soldier, with the Celtic "sight" or dreams. Quite the potential for conflict between Roman sensibilities and Celtic mysticism, but the opportunity is missed, with the exception of Merlyn's rare and contrived prophetic dreams. The story does not flow smoothly, but is pockmarked with contrivances and artifice, especially Arthur's demonstrations of his brilliance, as when he alone of the centuries of strategists and historians find the one flaw in Alexander's techniques. The characters are hadly memorable once the book is read. I find them two dimensional, including the main characters of Merlyn, the narrator, and Arthur, the ultimate subject of the novels. Especially flat are the women; I could not recall the existence of Shelagh from the most previous novels, she was so unmemorable to me. It is obvious that Mr. Whyte is male and it is good that his narrators have so far been male. I suspect that the most ardent fans of the series are male as well. Read the novels if you must, and if like me, you want to finish what you've started, but beware, this is not the best, either in style or plot.
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: Great saga!
Review: All five books have been well written! The amount of detail from a historical fiction point of view is impressive.
Rating:
Summary: TO TELL A GOOD STORY
Review: An adventurous saga well told and fluid in its unravelling. The whole series is exciting and satisfying: you don't look for literary elegance here, you look for story substance... and you get it! The Chronicles are an enticing version of the Camelot myth, providing the reader with hours of dreaming in a world long gone. On opening the book, any one of the six so far available, you suspend reality and dive into the dimension of fantasy with pleasure and expectation: Whyte transforms you into the main character and you ride along, ready to do battle.
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: Enough already...
Review: I agree with the person below that Bernard Cornwell did a lot more in fewer books. I enjoyed the first few books with Publius Varrus, but these books have gone downhill since Merlyn became the focus. Whyte is repeating himself. I mean, the set-up of a Utopian community was done with Camulod so why does Whyte have to do it again at this fort? Whyte has never been good with female characters, and Shelagh the Celtic Wonder Woman is one of the most annoying characters ever. And Whyte's endless dscriptions of Merlyn ogling "high, full breasts" and "firm buttocks" is laughable. I'm through with this series. Back to my medieval Arthuriana...
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.
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