The Winter King (The Arthur Books #1) Reviews

• A historical novel not a fantasy novel!

  
  By A1F68F25W7SI1E on 2003-11-03
  I have read most of the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. I have mostly found them a good read being a fan of historical fiction. I was hesitant to read a book on "Aurthurian England" for I have found the hackneyed legends sorrounding Aurthur's myth tiresome. But WOW this is an incredible novel that brings to life a possible historical basis of this sparsely documented time in British history. It is a rich and exciting portrayal of Arthur and plausible explanations of the people and events that brought about the legend of Excalibur. I must say it is the best of his novels I have read so far and am excited about continueing with the series. I have found that those who have not enjoyed this book have been looking for a fantasy novel of a traditional sense about Avalon etc. This is not it.
  
  

• Pagan Place

  
  By A1SKNS2DGG46XM on 2006-12-16
  Forget knights in shining armor performing chivalrous deeds for damsels in distress; forget Camelot and massive castles with gleaming stone turrets and round tables. Bernard Cornwell's "The Winter King" rips a bleak and gritty tale of the legendary Arthur, a realistic rendering of life in Briton's 5th Century, a period of history described as "The Dark Ages" for good reason.
  
  As always, Cornwell's fiction based-in-history is well researched and fast moving. And while the evidence of Arthur is inconclusive, his faithful depiction of Briton's warlords fighting each other, even while the dreaded Saxon's occupy the eastern half of the island, is fact. The ancient Pagan religion vies with the emerging Christianity for mind share of the populace, while Druids and Christian Priests intermingle with no love lost. It's been a couple of generations since the Roman's packed up and left, taking with them, it seems, any semblance of civilization, leaving the natives in awe of their knowledge. The once great Roman roads and cities have drifted into disrepair, and rival tribes raising armies and taxes to battle their brethren drain the land. In this war torn land, Cornwell's Arthur returns from service across the sea in Armorica (France). Arthur is not a king, but a noble and loyal leader sworn to protect the infant and crippled King Mordred, heir to the recently deceased Uther Pendragon, Briton's high king. While admittedly anachronisms, the author includes familiar figures from the legend: Merlin, Galahad, and Excalibur, but Lancelot is a cowardly fraud and Guinevere is a shallow and witchy seductress who inadvertently leads the courageous but naive Arthur into war that never should have been.
  
  While it may take a few chapters to get into the swing of medieval people and place names, this is soon a rousing and bloody tale of politics and war told from the horror of hand-to-hand combat across a shield wall, of sorcerers, witches, priests, and wizards offering sacrifices, curses, and prayers to whichever Gods may be listening at the time. In short, a realistic first chapter in Cornwell's trilogy of a truly tragic hero and the legend that, nearly fifteen centuries later, continues to captivate and fascinate.
  
  
  

• Arthur meets Braveheart

  
  By A1IU7S4HCK1XK0 on 2001-04-21
  This version of Arthur probably appeals more to men than women. Bernard Cornwell, reknown for the Sharpe series, loves battles and military history. His research is always thorough. His books pull no punches describing battles and acts of violence (how Nimue gets her wisdom is a graphic scene, for example.)

  If you loved Braveheart, this novel reads a bit like it in style. No flowery prose here, instead, we have a gritty description of life as it must have been in Arthur's time, nasty, brutish and short as Hobbes accurately described times when man is enemy to man.
  
  

• Incredibly believable!

  
  By A3H355G0RFEYZU on 1999-11-17
  My favourite Arthurian novel was TH Whites 'The Once and Future King'. Having read The Winter King I'm not sure which I prefer now.

  The Winter King is a captivatingly well written book that makes the (possible) truth behind the legends come alive in my minds eye. I found the characters to be richly described and believably human.

  It was a cruel and unforgiving period in Britains history and the Mallorified view of the period is incredibly distorted. The standard Hollywood image of knights in plate armour is laughable (its about 1000 years too late). This book portrays Post-Romano Britain how it must have been. The early Christian church pushing aside the many pagan religions (or absorbing aspects of their belief). The struggle of Celtic Britons against Saxon and Angle invasion from the east.

  This book was thrilling!

  Once you've read this you'll HAVE to read the sequels.
  
  

• A More Realistic Arthur

  
  By A13H2JJ3GEMJN1 on 2000-08-25
  This is not your traditional King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur isn't a king, there are no knights and there is no round table. On the other hand, this is a well-written tale of late 5th century Britain. The Romans have gone and chaos reigns politically, socially, and religiously. What real historical record actually exists suggests that a warlord actually lived who led the fight of the celtic Britons against the invading Angles and Saxons. Was this Arthur? We'll probably never know, but Cornwell has taken elements of the traditional Arthur and combined it with what little is known of the period to produce an engrossing and plausible story. Some aspects may disappoint fans of the traditional Arthur. For example, Lancelot is not exactly the great warrior of legend. The book is a page-turner, though. It will hold your interest all the way through. It held mine, anyway. As historical fiction, this is some of the best I have come across. I recommend it highly: 5 stars.
  
  
• a new classic
  By A2E1UTM4FK61L0 on 2004-07-08
  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.
  
  

• Fairly interesting and entertaining.
  By A2UNZU69OZRRJX on 2000-01-28
  It's hard for me to decide between giving this audio-book three stars or four. I mean the writing is pretty good; Cornwell is a pretty good story teller. This 6 hour audio version is abridged, though thankfully not so much as the butchered audio version of Marion Zimmer Bradley's _Mists of Avalon_ which amounted to less than two hours. I have yet to read the hardcover version of _Winter King_, but since it contains passages missing from this audio version, maybe I'll save my four-star rating for that.

  Piggot-Smith is a pretty good presenter of Cornwell's story. It's a tough job though -- one actor having to come up with various accents and voices for so many different characters. When quoting characters of Irish origin, his accents are great. When doing the Welsh and English characters, however, I'm not as convinced. Piggot-Smith gives many of the Welsh & Breton characters modern English accents, while his Saxons sound like something odd from... well, I don't know where, but not like what I think an Old English accent might sound like (to hear what I mean, listen to an expert recite _Beowulf_ in it's 11th-century form sometime).

  The characters are varied and interesting. The character who tells the story, Derfel, has a remarkable life. He is born English but raised Welsh. This makes him useful as an interpreter, as when Arthur of Dumnonia negotiates with Aelle of Susex. Derfel is raised in the Druidic faith, but is later initiated into the Cult of Mithras; finally, in old age, he becomes a Catholic monk. His adventures take him to various kingdoms and introduce him to many prominent figures. His remarkable life is the story-telling device Cornwell uses to give us someone's first-hand account of diverse but interrelated persons and situations.

  Through Derfel, Cornwell does a good job of showing us why Arthur is beloved by many, but not all. Arthur is portrayed as exceptionally charismatic and moral, but human enough make some key foolish judgements. While some may say that a historical Arthur figure could not have been so moral, the fifth-century Gallo-Roman nobleman Sidonius Appolinaris complimented Riothamus, king of the Britons, in a letter for being exceedingly conciencious; Riothamus, which means "Royalest," appears to be the title by which some folks knew Arthur.

  My main complaint about the story is that it is not nearly as historical as it appears to be. That, of course, need not bar it from being an interesting and entertaining story. It's just that I would prefer either total fantasy or scrupulous history. I mean a movie like _Excalibur_, which I loved, doesn't even pretend to be historical. This story, however, like so many I've come across, makes mention of much that is historical, but then presents much of it in a way that is not really very accurate. For example, the politics in this story concern the relationships of several kingdoms which really did exist (e.g. Dumnonia, Gwynedd, Elmet, etc.). However, I've noticed that a lot of folks think that this book is very historically accurate when much of it is quite misleading.

  Another book of which I have this same complaint is _Mists of Avalon_. Even though I noticed that one person called this book antithetical to that one, they are very similar in that they both portray Arthurian Britain as if it were a country caught in the midst of a grand struggle between Druidic and other pagan religions on the one hand, and Christianity on the other. There are so many people who think that this was the case at the time, but it's actually a very misleading picture. Cornwell's Merlin is much like Bradley's Morgaine. His Guinevere, however, is quite the opposite of Bradley's; Bradley's Guinevere is a Christian zealot, while Cornwell's is passionately anti-Christian. In reality, though, Christianity had already triumphed in Roman Britain by the fifth century. The main pagan threat to it in the fifth and sixth centuries came not from within, but from the invading English, who had not yet been evangelized.
  
  

• Believable Arthurian legend
  By A3BSRR9AAPRDQX on 2005-05-10
  I enjoy watching "The Sword in the Stone" and stories about the Round Table and Camelot and Merlin casing magical spells and noble Sir Lancelot as much as the next person. But if you're looking for a believable and historically plausible telling of the Arthurian legend, this is the book to read. Don't get me wrong, Merlin is still here, only he's presented as the most powerful druid left in Britain. Lancelot is here, but isn't nearly as noble as the Lancelot presented in other versions of the tale.
  
  Rather than a story focused solely on Arthur pulling a sword out of a stone, becoming King, and traveling around with Lancelot and Galahad crusading and looking for the holy grail, we're presented with a much more plausible and bleak version of the tale.
  
  The story begins in late 5th century Britain. A land divided into squabbling kingdoms, threatened by multiple forms of invasion (the Irish to the West, the Saxons to the East). Uther, the "High King" is more or less doing his best to keep the kingdoms somewhat united and hoping for an heir. That heir, Mordred, is born at the beginning of the novel. He is born maimed and a council of the kingdoms is called to swear allegiance to Mordred. Following the death of Uther, his bastard son Arthur returns from Armorica (France) to protect Mordred's kingdom until Mordred is old enough to rule it himself.
  
  The focus of this book is war, plain and simple. The Arthur in this book is very noble, wise, kind, and good, but far from perfect. Shrugging off an alliance betrothal in order to marry Guinevere, he all but condemns the kingdoms of Britain to fall apart and fall to the invading Saxons.
  
  The story is narrated by Derfel Cadarn many many years after the fact. Derfel, a monk, was formerly a friend and sort of "lieutenant" to Arthur. There is action, but the story doesn't rely completely on it. The visual descriptions of Britain are very good. Fair warning: There are a lot of names that are hard to pronounce and keep track of at first. I found myself flipping back to the list of names/places at the begining, as well as the map (both extremely handy additions to the book) many times during the first 100 or so pages of the book. The chapters are pretty long, but it's not too hard to find a good stopping point. The book definitely isn't a quick or easy read, but nevertheless a rewarding read.
  
  
• Arthur Revisited
  By A3AXN8QO3M0JTE on 2002-06-14
  If you are a devotee of Arthurian Legend, be prepared to be surprised. Cromwell weaves a fascinating and highly detailed tale that blows the fairy tale of traditional Arthur to pieces. Arthur will not pull a sword from a stone. Guinevere seduces Arthur away from his betrothed in a sudden elopement. Lancelot is a selfish, narcissistic, spoiled prince. And don't be flipping through the pages looking for Camelot, it doesn't exist. But don't despair! The story unfolds as told through the eyes Derfel, a Saxson slave who rises to the rank of Lord through his service as a warrior. Derfel's telling is earthy and detailed, bringing to life for the reader the gritty realities of day-to-day life as it must have been in this period of history, and this is the most engaging factor of this book. The struggle between the newly emerging Christian religion and the established Druids is a fascinating sub-current throughout the book. Cornwell includes a map of Ancient Britian at the back of the book, which I referred to often and was very helpful in keeping track of "where" the story is taking place, since the names are not familiar to modern day Britain. I found this book to be a slightly dark but enjoyable read.
  
  
• Hoping it gets better... Won't hold my breath
  By on 2002-08-21
  First off, me being an Arthurian fan, I found that Uther still being alive and rejecting Arthur and banishing him a little curious. I know many people have a different spin or view on the Arthurian legend, but I like the traditional view of the legend and not all the different spins. Also, the writer seems to have a rape fetish. I am almost done with the first part of the book and already the author speaks of rape several times. Kind of disturbing if you are a kid reading about your favorite king of legend (sorry, no ratings like on video games and movies). The reading is rather dull in many parts, although it is picking up somewhat (gosh, I hope I didn't jinx it). There is very little dialogue and you feel like you are reading a documentary on the dark ages rather than a novel. I'm sorry, but I have read many fantasy and Arthurian novels so I feel qualified to rate this book. I don't think I will be reading the sequels if this one doesn't get any better. The author really knows how to build a scene and a character regardless of its dull flavor. He is very intelligent, although most of the names in the book leave me scratching my head on pronunciation! Well, that's my take on it.
  
  
• Arthur - The Real Story
  By A3RT6NDXV90DQ4 on 2001-07-20
  If you honestly believe that there is truth to the Arthur legends, then this book is a must read. After you finish it (and read the other books in the series) you will be amazed at how true to life the story sounds, and wonder if the author found a time machine and went back to see what really happened. We all know that history is written (and distorted by) the winner. This tale is narrated by Derfel, who started out life as a Saxon, escaped death at the hands of a really nasty Druid, became Merlin's slave and later... well, you'll have to read the book to see what happens next. No spoilers here! I always thought that Arthur was a bit dimwitted, Guinevere completely unlikable, and Lancelot was a real hero until I read this book. Now, I think that Arthur is wonderfully misunderstood, Guinevere is not so bad, and Lancelot... well, as I said, no spoilers here! Read this book and you'll become addicted to Cornwell's stories. I just finished "Stonehenge" (another must-read) and all of his stories leave you with the same feeling: where is that time machine that he's using to see what really happened, and would he let me borrow it for just a little while?!
  
  
• A Fresh Approach to the Arthurian Legends
  By APRY1W9VFEFQ6 on 2006-09-02
  Bernard Cornwell is one of that rare breed of authors who are able to write convincingly on a broad range of subjects. Present day thrillers, the Sharpe novels about riflemen in the days of the Duke of Wellington, even an ancient historical novel about Stonehenge and it doesn't come much more ancient than that. His more recent novels have been about the Saxons and very good they are too. But I think that the trilogy he has written about the Arthurian legends are certainly among the best, if not the best of his novels.
  
  The legends of King Arthur hold a magical attraction for many people, myself included and I enjoy reading about them very much. The tales of Arthur and his knights of the round table riding about in full and shining armour are of course a total nonsense and a more or less modern day depiction of Arthur. Suits of armour were not even invented until several hundred years after Arthur's death, if indeed he existed at all. But if he did it would be more around the time in which the Winter King is set.
  
  Mr. Cornwell puts a more realistic slant on the existence of Arthur in or around the sixth century, and the author himself believes that Arthur was some sort of war chief rather than a king.
  
  The book begins after the death of Uther Pendragon, an event that has left Britain in turmoil. Britain needs a strong hand to keep the squabbling tribes of Britain from one another's throats. Can he hold Uther's throne for the infant heir . . .
  
  
• Painful Read - Poor Investment
  By A1CD0HMQGHY1VX on 2003-04-25
  You know a book is bad when you have to FORCE yourself to read at least 100 pages before deciding whether or not to shelve it. The only thing that prevented me from puting this book away for good is the fact that I stupidly invested in the entire trilogy before reading this first installment.
  In the first several pages Cromwell introduces such an amount and variety of characters that I neither understod or identified with any of them. Page after page, I suffered through drawn out descriptions of scenery when all I truly wanted to understand was WHO THE CHARACTERS WERE!! Finally, I found Derfel to hold a modest amount of interst and so I plugged away hoping for the best.
  While I agree that Cromwell found a new approach to an old tale, I disagree with anyone who says he did it well. The second star in my rating is a gift simply because he chose a subject I find hard to hate.
  Cromwell's writing is long-winded. I literally skipped PAGES ahead, passing over his drawn out descriptions on scenery, armor, and "who's who" lists at counsel gatherings. Each time I was able to pick up the story without missing a beat.
  Cromwell also repeats himself incesently! Time and time again I heard the detailed description of Sagramore's black skin, the fact that Derfel survived a Druid death pit, and the purpose of a ghost wall. I am not certain if Cromwell feels his readers are not savy enough to remember these tid bits of information or if he wasn't smart enough to know he already told us this information a few pages ago... and a few pages before that...and before that...and before that! Perhpas he was just trying to fill pages? I can't imagine why this story had to overlap into multiple volumes - many better writers have captured it in far less space - and in better form.
  I highly recommend that this fall to the bottom of your "to read" Arthurian ledgends. I found Queen of Camelot and Grail Prince to be FAR better written! Start with those. Cromwell will drag you along - there are periodic points of interest. But if you want a book that pulls you into the story - this isn't it.
  
  
• Cannot say enough good about this book!
  By A1VXG0LIXJFD9U on 2006-04-30
  This was my first step into Cornwell and, since, I have read this whole series plus Last Kingdom. This book was wonderful! At times it seems like you are reading a fantastical about characters you know well and at other times it seems like you are reading a history book because the detail is so great. But whatever it is it seems you are reading, it is ALL enjoyable.
  
  If you think you know Arthur - you don't! This novel has a way of making him human as opposed to something sacred. In spite of my knowledge of the Grail and related stories, I still found myself heavily involved in the story. Read the first page, I can promise you you will want to read more.
  
  
• CORNWELL AT HIS BEST
  By A2OCJ5RJO13R5X on 2006-06-24
  I was a BIG fan of Cornwell's Grail series. Sorry, but in my opinion, the Grail series was his best, not this one. I'm somewhat less of a fan of this series because they seemed harder to get through than the Grail books. Never the less, I gave this book a 5 star, because it was only after I listened to the other books in the series that I realized just how masterfully Cornwell created his characters in this book.... and the artful way in which he "lived" through them throughout the series. As always, Cornwell sticks to the original story and his research is unsurpassed, but his story telling ability shines here (just as in the Grail series) by choosing a unique point of view for the story teller (a Archer in the Grail series) but I won't ruin the books for you by telling it to you exactly here ... who is "watching" the story unfold and telling it to you... an excellent twist by this Author which makes his stories WONDERFUL. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of Cornwell books out there that I don't like (the Sharp books for one) ... but I LOVE his books set during early English history. This is another SUPERIOR and excellent series about those early times... Also recommend Stonehenge ... very early english history ... an excellent listen.
  
  
• The definative telling of the Arthurian Tale
  By on 1999-06-26
  I have waited 20 years for someone to write this book. Thank goodness Cornwell decided to turn his skilled pen to King Arthur. This book is more than a plausibly real account of Arthur in the 400s when the Roman influence was over, but is a soaring saga of a conflict of beliefs. It is the story of the end of one religion and the rise of another, a battle between druidism and Christianity. It is a world where turmoil and fate change men's lives. Of course, the characters, action, and motivation are the highest quality. Cornwell is brilliant as usual. His Lancelot is amazingly insightful. It changed my way of thinking. Read this, then "Enemy of God" and "Excalibur" now!
  
  
• At Last, A Believable Arthur
  By A1QGDMR4XJOA6N on 2002-12-10
  Some of my earliest memories of the world of fiction and story telling involve tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Most have read at least one such story in their childhood while many of us have consumed many versions of this classic and continue to do so to this day. So it was with a mixture of anticipation and some trepidation that I began this trilogy. Not having read Cornwell's well-received "Sharpe" novels, but having been inundated with praise for them, I wondered at how he would tackle this tale. Isn't it a bit presumptuous to re-tell such an oft-told tale? In fact, Cornwell, himself, says much the same thing. After all, hasn't it all been said?

  Not at all! We catch a quick glimpse of Cornwell's approach, right from the start, with the title. This is "The Warlord Chronicles". And, indeed, it is. Arthur is the son of Uther and therefore not in line to become King. Instead, he is a warlord, assigned as Mordred's protector. His main goal, however, is to unite all of Briton's divisive tribes against the common enemy: the soon-to-invade Saxons.

  If you are looking for a traditional approach to the telling of the tale of Arthur, look elsewhere. This rendition is brutal, realistic, and fascinating. As Cornwell, himself, says, "There is a sword and there is a stone, but one is not in the other." In fact, many of the popular elements that we have come to expect are simply not there. Most of the familial relationships are different than I had assumed, i.e. Mordred, Uther, Morgan, Igraine, Guinivere, Arthur, etc. Cornwell takes them all and comes up with a plausible course for his characters to take.

  The story is told from the point of view of a young warrior, Derfel, who moves from being under Merlin's protection, to serve with Arthur's army and eventually become friend, confidant, and advisor to Arthur. He tells the story from a down-to-earth blood and guts perspective. Cornwell is well known for the historical research that he conducts for his novels and even though the "facts" are elusive for Arthur's tale, the time period and settings are well detailed. The resulting tapestry is a credible playground for Cornwell's characters to interact upon. Cornwell uses the plausible and traditional Welsh names for his places and characters, a technique which may make it a bit more difficult for some readers to follow. I found myself referring often to the lists provided at the beginning of the book, to keep places and people straight in my head. By the way, don't look for Camelot here, either. Small portions of the story, I felt, dragged just a little. And there is a lot of realistic, up close and authentic fighting to wade through. But there is another battle waging here, as well. The battle between the old Pagan ways and the burgeoning Christianity frequently takes center stage.

  All in all, I quite enjoyed this novel. I have since read the other two volumes in the Warlord Chronicles and believe that they are even slightly better than this one. This is a true trilogy where one must read all three novels to appreciate the epic. If you come to this one with an open mind, then I think you'll be happy you did.
  
  

• My Second Favorite Arthurian Series Of All!
  By A3PMZU6KGAZYYV on 2006-05-10
  I stopped counting the number of Arthurian series I've read when I reached the number sixteen and I have to say that next to Dame Mary Stewart's masterful series, this is my favorite. The story of Arthur is told from the viewpoint of a new character, Derfel Cardarn, who is an inspired spearman that fights with Arthur through all his battles and becomes a close friend. But don't worry, all the usual faces are in this story, as well. Cornwall develops his characters so well that you find yourself caring deeply for most and passionately hating others.
  
  As other reviewers have said, his battle scenes are vivid, energetic and exciting. Interestingly, he draws not only on Celtic myth, but also on Egyptian, yet still manages to stay true to the legend and keep all the main scenes you'd expect to find.
  
  This is definately a refreshing retelling, yet a very faithful rendition. Exactly what I love!
  
  
• Unique Portrayal Of The Legend Of Arthur
  By on 1998-12-22
  An incredible read for anyone even remotely interested in Arthurian legend. Cornwell combines a well-researched background with a captivating story. Told by a common warrior in the service of Arthur, the book provides a "down in the trenches" look at life and especially war in the Dark Ages.

  I found Cornwell's portrayal of Merlin both refreshing and fascinating. Other familiar characters of the legend given a new portrayal include Guinevere, who is given a manipulative, scheming side and is portrayed as a powerful woman in Cornwell's rendition of the tale and Lancelot, who in this book is shown to be both a lout and a coward.

  This book is a wonderful, captivating piece of (semi)-historical fiction and I would recomend anyone with an interest in this sort of thing read it.
  
  

• A new way to look at a classic tale
  By A1QGDMR4XJOA6N on 2001-06-01
  Most of us have read at least one story of King Arthur in our lifetimes. Many of us have read quite a few versions of this classic tale. So it was with some trepidation that I began this trilogy. I have not read Cornwell's well-received Sharpe novels but know of them, and so thought it a bit presumptious of him to tackle the story of Arthur. In fact, Cornwell, himself, says much the same thing. Afterall, hasn't it all been said?

  Not at all! We catch a quick glimpse of Cornwell's approach, right from the start, with the title. This is "The Warlord Chronicles". And, indeed, it is. Arthur is the son of uther and therefore not in line to become King. Instead, he is a warlord, assigned as Mordred's protector. His main goal, however, is to unite all of Briton's divisive tribes against the common enemy: the soon-to-invade saxons.

  If you are looking for a traditional approach to the telling of the tale of Arthur, look elsewhere. This rendition is brutal, realistic, and fascinating. As Cornwell, himself, says, "There is a sword and there is a stone, but one is not in the other." In fact many of the popular elements that we have come to expect are simply not there. In fact, most of the familial relationships are different than I had expected. i.e. Mordered, Uther, Morgan, Igraine, Guinivere, Arthur, etc. Cornwell takes them all and comes up with a plausible course for his characters to take.

  The story is told from the point of view of a young warrior who moves from Merlin's protection to serve with Arthur's Army. He tells the story from a down-to-earth blood and guts perspective. While Arthur is a warlord, (not the King), don't expect Lancelot to ride in on a shining horse to save the day.

  Cornwell uses the plausible and traditional Welsh names for his places and characters which may make it a bit more difficult for some readers to "get into" the story. I found myself often referring to the lists provided at the beginning of the books, to keep places and people straight in my head. By the way, don't look for Camelot here, either.

  Small portions of the story, I felt, dragged just a little. Not enough to bring down my rating though. And there is a lot of realistic up close and authentic fighting to wade through. But always, it leads to a better understanding of the numerous character interactions that take place.

  All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. I have since read the other two volumes in the Warlord Chronicles and firmly believe that they are even better than this one. If you come to this one with an open mind, then I think you'll be happy you did.
  
  

• Excellent history but wanting story teller
  By A16723ZETJAWIS on 2001-08-28
  Mr. Cornwell obviously does his homework. Rather than being an obscure time in an obscure part of Britain, Cornwell does an excellent job of weaving a believable place in history. Moreover, the politics involved are much more intricate and realistic than most books on this subject. It is clear that Cornwell is trying to tell a story as it might have arisen out of actual history - that the sword IN the stone was the sword ON the stone, except that the story got changed over time. Or that Lancelot was known far and wide as a fearless and triumphant warrior mainly because of a public relations campaign. I also liked the narrating character, Derfel. It was fun to follow his progress. However, this book lacks the detail that would have made it truly great. Rather than detailing characters and relationships, they are thrown into the book with broad strokes. I was interested to see Cornwell's interpretation of Arthur and Guiniverre, but disappointed that it came down to (paraphrasing) "Arthur looked upon Guiniverre and fell in love. They married the next week. We went back to the palace." Without that detail, it was hard to develop a connection with the characters.
  
  
• A Promise Unkept
  By A3TEH90X39WC8F on 2002-07-14
  I love medieval adventures and the Arthurian tales have long been rich in these. And yet this one didn't work for me as well as it might have.

  Actually, it started off rather nicely (lots of books which get published these days seem to) but it didn't really carry through. In the end it was a rather pedestrian tale, with little staying power once I'd closed the covers . . . though it was readable enough.

  I think it suffered from the decision to make it a trilogy since you don't really see that in the beginning and when the story finally winds down to its climactic battle (and "winds down" is not a poor way of putting it), it leaves the reader rather cold . . . as though the book just ground to a halt, mid-stream, with everything still to be determined! The story, itself, while workmanlike, was also quite uninspired. Not much insight here into the times portrayed or the people who filled those times.

  In fact, the only real character of interest was Merlin, portayed as a quick change artist, although his presence is telegraphed well before he reveals himself to the seeking Arthur. Who Arthur really was and what he did remains something of a mystery . . . but he sure wasn't much, or worth all those legends, if this was him.

  I hate it when the promise of the first few pages gets broken and scattered between the covers of a book. But that's what happened here. Based on the first volume, I decided to forego the next two installments, for better or worse. But others, plainly, do not share my disappointment so perhaps I am being unduly harsh. The book is readable, though it did not meet my expectations! Give it a try if Arthurian tales are your thing. In light of all the positive reviews here, I may just have been the wrong reader for this one.

  SWM
  
  

• Cornwell's Take on Arthur -- Predictably Entertaining
  By A2PNTEDGMOLMOY on 2005-01-27
  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!
  
  
• Simply amazing...
  By A2YK7J2DYJW55K on 2006-01-26
  Having read the synopsis of this book, my first thought was, "Great, another rehash of an oft told story!" I was reminded of the terrible-beyond-words movie "First Knight" rather than one of my all time favorites, "Excalibur."
  
  But hold on to your helmets! This is not your father's Arthur! Cornwell has managed to retell this story in a manner which manages to focus on both Arthur and the main character, Derfel. You can read the other reviews for spoilers and whatnot, but I am writing this simply to say that if you like historical fiction, you should read this book. Not since Mcammon have I read a book where characters I read of were hated (Lancelot) and loved (Derfer and Galahad) with such passion. Cornwell has a way of taking things in the story to a univeral level that everyone can relate to. Beyond that, his battle scenes are wonderful. And he goes beyond that, explaining why a shield wall is effective and why its better to stab with a sword than hack. Just minor things of course, but this book was great. Do yourself a favor, buy it.
  
  
• Historical, maybe; compelling, yes
  By A1J26EX3XIL5DB on 2006-02-21
  The Winter King is my favorite Arthurian novel next to The Mists of Avalon. It is certainly the most action-packed, featuring gory, grimy battle scenes, which are Cornwell's forte. Gone is the usual romanticism, replaced by grit and realism. Arthur is not a king but a warlord, and his men are not knights but warriors. As a writer, Cornwell is capable. His prose is clean and crisp, although he has a tendency to forecast what is about to happen. For example, he writes something like, "That's the day I killed my first man" before he describes the event. In my opinion, he breaks the first sin of bad writing: Telling, not showing. He is most adept at writing one and two-sentence character descriptions that perfectly sum up the person. I recommend The Winter King to anyone who likes Arthurian novels, military adventure, and fantasy.
  
  
• Bernard Cornwell Rises to the Ocassion Again!
  By A2JZ309HSQ7N1T on 2006-04-07
  I couldnt wait to read the next book from this trilogy! A terrific re-telling of the legend of King Arthur. From the point of view of Derfel Cadarn, a warrior who fought alongside Arthur from beginnings to glory, from peace to hardship and war.
  
  
• Great dark ages fun
  By A13GO14SOSR10C on 2000-03-22
  This book is a very good start. As yet I have not read the other two in series Enemy Of God and Excalibur, but the series has started well and I'm interested in seeing how the characters will develop.

  The action is furious and vivid, the characters are complex and inglamorous. This is hard reality and much closer to how the story of King Arthur would have happened. The research into the clash of Christian and pagan beliefs is enlightening too.

  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the dark ages, King Arthur or good historical stories.
  
  

• This is not the legend you think you know.
  By on 1999-01-28
  Mr. Cornwell takes away all the magic, fantasy and glamour from the Aurthur legends, and leaves a story of wholey unlikeable characters. The story is more realistic to the time it portrays, and the meathod of storytelling is done well, but there are no characters to root for in the book. Arthur, what little there is of him in the book, is wishy washy, and introspective, Lancelot is a vain coward, Gweniviere has her own agenda, and when Merlin pops in, he is ineffective. The battle scenes are written well, and were the only segments that transported me to another place. I will read the other installments only because I've come this far and The Winter King doesn't end. It's continues with the next book, and to stop now would be like walking out 20 minutes into a movie.
  
  
• on the other hand. . .
  By A1WOMXP1TMIX7O on 2000-08-25
  I'm of two minds about this book and its sequel (I haven't read the third yet). It's very well-written--Cornwell has a graceful style in both description and dialogue. I love retellings of the Arthur legend. But perhaps this is just one too many. While I admire the book, I put it down easily and don't really look forward to resuming the story, as I do with my favorites. I definitely recommend the series--it just doesn't make the hair stand up on the back of my neck, I guess.
  
  
• Good, But Not For Those Who Like Quality Writing
  By on 2001-04-04
  Cornwell's King Arthur books have the same strengths and weaknesses as do his Sharpe's books. These can be a fun read, the action is good, and the research is good. But what eventually causes me to grind to a halt with Cornwell is his prose. His writing is like reading hurried jornalism -- flat, undistinguished, and monotonous. The editorial review suggests that this is American diction, but Cornwell is, in fact, English. It's just language without music. For myself, I need better prose to stick with someone, and for popular ficton that means someone such as P.D. James or John Le Carre, who have the ability both to engage you with their style and to entertain you with the story. Cornwell is okay reading, but eventually I just look elsewhere.
  
  

• Enemy of God (The Arthur Books #2)
• Excalibur (The Arthur Books #3)
• Sword Song: The Battle for London
• Lords of the North: A Novel (Saxon Chronicles #3)
• The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1)