The third novel in the Warlords Chronicle, Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur immerses the reader in the Britain of the Dark Ages. Merlin, the greatest of the Druids, believes that the ancient gods are deserting Britain, and that the invading Saxons can't be defeated without the gods' help. Mordred reigns with a brutal hand, and Arthur sees his dreams of peace evaporate. The author provides exciting descriptions of swordplay and battles, interspersed with somewhat gruesome depictions of ordinary life in those days--greasy, waist-length beards serving as napkins, lambs bloodily sacrificed before festivals, and rampant lice.
But at the heart of Excalibur--what makes the Arthurian legends eternally fascinating--is the larger-than-life company of heroes, from Sagramor the warrior to Taliesin the bard, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Arturus Rex himself. Cornwell treats them all with warmth and dignity, revealing their human qualities without unnecessarily reinventing them. This three-part saga of magic and bloodshed will grip readers from the first page of The Winter King, through Enemy of God, to the last page of Excalibur.
From Publishers Weekly
Readers of Mallory and other sources of Arthurian lore may be struck by their conflation of bloody savagery and Christian pieties. In his new Arthurian novel, Cornwell (The Winter King) dramatizes the confrontation of Christianity?here depicted as the political tool of self-righteous brutes, opportunists and hypocrites?with the old religion of the Druids. Chief among the Druids are Merlin and his nemesis, Nimue, who cast spells and preside over rituals of fire and human sacrifice in order to bring about a return of the old gods, saving Britain from the Saxons. Priestess Nimue wants to sacrifice Arthur's son Gwydre to this end, but Merlin resists, as do Arthur and his warrior friend Derfel: for this they suffer terribly. The tale is told by Derfel, now an old monk in the service of an illiterate and sadistic bishop who would punish Derfel if he knew what he were writing. This frame works well to flavor and deepen the whole. The book is a military tale?alliances, strategies, battles, betrayals?and is stirringly told as Arthur routs the treacherous Lancelot and his Saxon backers. It is also the tale of the reconciliation of Arthur, honest to a fault and tortured by his wife's betrayal, with Guinevere, extraordinary in her bravery, wisdom and forthrightness. Equally central is Derfel's devotion to his mate, Ceinwyn, for whose life he sacrifices his shield hand, averting Nimue's curse. The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time. Ways of ancient ritual, battle and daily life are laid out in surprising detail. One feels the element of fantasy only in the incredible integrity of Derfel and Arthur, men who sacrifice all for a vow?but our reluctance to believe may be only a sign of our times. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In a compelling finale, historical novelist Cornwell concludes his three-part retelling of the Arthurian legend (The Winter King, LJ 5/15/96; Enemy of God, LJ 7/97). Despite the rather misleading idealized jacket cover, Excalibur portrays not romantic Camelot but a nasty, brutal fifth-century Britain in which heads and other body parts literally pile up. Indeed, this novel is even more graphic than its predecessors in its depictions of gore and violence. Although Arthur temporarily halts the invading Saxons at the battle of Mynydd Baddon (during which Lancelot meets a coward's death and Guinevere is reconciled with her husband), his dream of a unified Celtic kingdom is doomed. Thwarting him is the vicious Mordred who makes a pact with Nimue to bring back the old Druid gods and destroy the new Christian deity. Cornwell's attention to historical detail, his penchant for lively storytelling, and his vivid characters make this a good choice for all collections.?Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From AudioFile
This final installment of Cornwell's trilogy of the epic of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a monumental story of love and war. Pigott-Smith, a British actor, is up to the task. His baritone voice thunders when necessay and is dramatic, intense and legendary! He is outstanding when reading Merlin. Merlin, derisive of mere mortals, has formed a terrible pact with Mordred to bring the Druidic gods down on Arthur. He can be foiled only if Arthur is baptised into Christianity. Pigott-Smith and Cornwell transport the listener to Camelot as deftly as a motion picture. S.C.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
From Kirkus Reviews
This completes Cornwell's well-received Warlord Chronicles, an Arthurian trilogy (The Winter King, 1996, and Enemy of God, 1997). And, yes, this is the same author who wrote the wonderfully entertaining Sharpe series of 18th-century military adventure. Here, a revisionist Cornwell moves away smartly from Malory's Morte dArtur (not to mention John Boorman's magnificent film Excalibur), which is all Frenchified romance and not sixth-century British history, which itself is very sketchy. Cornwell's Guinevere has betrayed and left Arthur, while Lancelot too departs as both coward and traitor. In this last of the series, Arthur strives to unite Britain under one throne, while Merlin and Mordred bring down upon him the Druidic gods, who can be stopped only by Arthur's baptism into Christianity. Splendid, white-hot storytelling. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
"Medieval times burst to life in Cornwell's canny retelling of the King Arthur myth." --People
"The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time." --Publishers Weekly on Excalibur (starred review)
"The best Arthurian since Gillian Bradshaw, if not Mary Stewart herself." --The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction on Enemy of God
"The strength of the tale lies in the way Cornwellflesh-and-blood tells it through the creation of fesh-and-blood players who make a historical period come magically alive." --The Washington Post on The Winter King
Review
"Medieval times burst to life in Cornwell's canny retelling of the King Arthur myth." --People
"The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time." --Publishers Weekly on Excalibur (starred review)
"The best Arthurian since Gillian Bradshaw, if not Mary Stewart herself." --The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction on Enemy of God
"The strength of the tale lies in the way Cornwellflesh-and-blood tells it through the creation of fesh-and-blood players who make a historical period come magically alive." --The Washington Post on The Winter King
Review
"Medieval times burst to life in Cornwell's canny retelling of the King Arthur myth." --People
"The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time." --Publishers Weekly on Excalibur (starred review)
"The best Arthurian since Gillian Bradshaw, if not Mary Stewart herself." --The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction on Enemy of God
"The strength of the tale lies in the way Cornwellflesh-and-blood tells it through the creation of fesh-and-blood players who make a historical period come magically alive." --The Washington Post on The Winter King
Book Description
In The Winter King and Enemy of God Bernard Cornwell demonstrated his astonishing ability to make the oft-told legend of King Arthur fresh and new for our time. Now, in this riveting final volume of The Warlord Chronicles, Cornwell tells the unforgettable tale of Arthur's final struggles against the Saxons and his last attempts to triumph over a ruined marriage and ravaged dreams.
This is the tale not only of a broken love remade, but also of forces both earthly and unearthly that threaten everything Arthur stands for. Peopled by princesses and bards, by warriors and magicians, Excalibur is the story of love, war, loyalty, and betrayal-the work of a magnificent storyteller at the height of his powers.
From the Publisher
Praise for Bernard Cornwell's King Arthur series: "Medieval times burst to life in Cornwell's canny retelling of the King Arthur myth." --People "The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time." --Publishers Weekly on Excalibur (starred review) "The best Arthurian fiction since Gillian Bradshaw, if not Mary Stewart herself." --The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction on Enemy of God "The strength of the tale lies in the way Cornwell tells it through the creation of flesh-and-blood players who make a historical period come magically alive." --The Washington Post on The Winter King
About the Author
Bernard Cornwell, who was born in Britain, is also the author of numerous international bestsellers, including the Sharpe series. He lives with his wife in Cape Cod.
Excalibur
FROM THE PUBLISHER
In this final volume of The Warlord Chronicles, Cornwell tells the story of Arthur's desperate attempt to triumph over a ruined marriage and the Saxons' determination to destroy him. When Merlin and Nimue embark on a dangerous quest to summon the Gods back to Britain, they unleash forces that will lead to a last desperate battle on the sands of Camlann, where it seems that Arthur must fail unless Merlin's final enchantment can avert the horror.
SYNOPSIS
From T. H. White's The Once And Future King to Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists Of Avalon, the legend of King Arthur has haunted and inspired generations of writers to reinvent the ancient story. In The Winter King and Enemy Of God, Bernard Cornwell demonstrated his astonishing ability to make the oft-told legend of King Arthur fresh and new for our time. Now, in this riveting final volume of the Warlord Chronicles, Cornwell tells the story of Arthur's desperate attempt to triumph over a ruined marriage and the Saxons' determination to destroy him.
Set against the backdrop of the Dark Ages, this brilliant saga continues as seen through the eyes of Derfel, an orphan brought up by Merlin and one of Arthur's warriors. In this book, the aging Arthur has been betrayed by, among others, his beloved Guinevere; but although he is alone and deeply saddened, he still embraces his dreams of a world in which civilization triumphs over brute force. Arthur and his warriors must face the dreaded Saxons -- now allied with Arthur's betrayer Lancelot -- for the throne of Britain.
This is the tale not only of a broken love remade but also of enemies more subtle than any Saxon spearman -- of forces both earthly and unearthly that threaten everything Arthur stands for. When Merlin and Nimue embark on a dangerous quest to summon the Gods back to Britain, they unleash forces that will lead to a last desperate battle on the sands of Camlann, where it seems that Arthur must fail unless Merlin's final enchantment can avert the horror.
Peopled by princesses and bards, warriors and magicians, Excalibur is a story of love, war, loyalty, and betrayal, the unforgettable conclusion to a brilliant retelling of one of the most powerful legends of all time.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Readers of Mallory and other sources of Arthurian lore may be struck by their conflation of bloody savagery and Christian pieties. In his new Arthurian novel, Cornwell (The Winter King) dramatizes the confrontation of Christianity--here depicted as the political tool of self-righteous brutes, opportunists and hypocrites--with the old religion of the Druids. Chief among the Druids are Merlin and his nemesis, Nimue, who cast spells and preside over rituals of fire and human sacrifice in order to bring about a return of the old gods, saving Britain from the Saxons. Priestess Nimue wants to sacrifice Arthur's son Gwydre to this end, but Merlin resists, as do Arthur and his warrior friend Derfel: for this they suffer terribly. The tale is told by Derfel, now an old monk in the service of an illiterate and sadistic bishop who would punish Derfel if he knew what he were writing. This frame works well to flavor and deepen the whole. The book is a military tale--alliances, strategies, battles, betrayals--and is stirringly told as Arthur routs the treacherous Lancelot and his Saxon backers. It is also the tale of the reconciliation of Arthur, honest to a fault and tortured by his wife's betrayal, with Guinevere, extraordinary in her bravery, wisdom and forthrightness. Equally central is Derfel's devotion to his mate, Ceinwyn, for whose life he sacrifices his shield hand, averting Nimue's curse. The action is gripping and skillfully paced, cadenced by passages in which the characters reveal themselves in conversation and thought, convincingly evoking the spirit of the time. Ways of ancient ritual, battle and daily life are laid out in surprising detail. One feels the element of fantasy only in the incredible integrity of Derfel and Arthur, men who sacrifice all for a vow--but our reluctance to believe may be only a sign of our times. (July)
Library Journal
In a compelling finale, historical novelist Cornwell concludes his three-part retelling of the Arthurian legend (The Winter King, LJ 5/15/96; Enemy of God, LJ 7/97). Despite the rather misleading idealized jacket cover, Excalibur portrays not romantic Camelot but a nasty, brutal fifth-century Britain in which heads and other body parts literally pile up. Indeed, this novel is even more graphic than its predecessors in its depictions of gore and violence. Although Arthur temporarily halts the invading Saxons at the battle of Mynydd Baddon (during which Lancelot meets a coward's death and Guinevere is reconciled with her husband), his dream of a unified Celtic kingdom is doomed. Thwarting him is the vicious Mordred who makes a pact with Nimue to bring back the old Druid gods and destroy the new Christian deity. Cornwell's attention to historical detail, his penchant for lively storytelling, and his vivid characters make this a good choice for all collections.--Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"
Kirkus Reviews
This completes Cornwell's well-received Warlord Chronicles, an Arthurian trilogy (The Winter King, 1996, and Enemy of God, 1997). And, yes, this is the same author who wrote the wonderfully entertaining Sharpe series of 18th-century military adventure. Here, a revisionist Cornwell moves away smartly from Malory's Morte d'Artur (not to mention John Boorman's magnificent film Excalibur), which is all Frenchified romance and not sixth-century British history, which itself is very sketchy. Cornwell's Guinevere has betrayed and left Arthur, while Lancelot too departs as both coward and traitor. In this last of the series, Arthur strives to unite Britain under one throne, while Merlin and Mordred bring down upon him the Druidic gods, who can be stopped only by Arthur's baptism into Christianity. Splendid, white-hot storytelling.
Art & Photography
Book Info
