Uther, the High King of Britain, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as caretaker for a country which has fallen into chaos - threats emerge from within the British kingdoms while vicious Saxon armies stand ready to invade. As he struggles to unite Britain and hold back the Saxon enemy, Arthur is embroiled in a doomed romance with beautiful Guinevere.
The Winter King
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Product Description
About the Author
Bernard Cornwell is the author of many historical thrillers, including the SHARPE series which was a highly successful television drama. He was born in London but now lives in America.
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First Sentence
ONCE UPON A TIME, in a land that was called Britain, these things happened. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
ONCE UPON A TIME, in a land that was called Britain, these things happened. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
71 of 72 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Nobody knows the truth about King Arthur. What Cornwell presents here is an historically plausible version of the familiar tales. He's stripped away all the romanticised, magical, mediaeval nonsense. In its place he's given us the story of a warlord struggling to unite the British kingdoms in the wake of the collapse of Roman rule in the face of invasion by the English and the Saxons, and the growing influence of a middle-eastern cult called Christianity. The charactersisation is well-rounded and the evocation of time and place is stunning. Many of the characters and battles refer to real people and events documented in Dark Ages history. Most of the usual Arthurian characters and episodes are present, but re-told within this pre-English British context, e.g. there is no hunt for the Holy Grail, but there is a search for a mystical, Druidic cauldron. Good quality writing, great adventures and a great study of leadership and national identity. The other two books in the series are equally strong, and are highly recommended too.
45 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The Romans have left Britain, and the long dark night begins to cover the land... this is historical fiction as it should be written...dark, bloody, funny at times, with characters that you actually care about. Arthurian novels really are ten a penny these days and Bernard Cornwell must have been very aware of this fact when he opted to write a trilogy based upon the legends. What he has done is to go back to the original Dark Age and craft a Britain set during the twilight days of paganism, as the Christians begin to make themselves heard, as the warring tribes strive to hold back the Saxons from their lands, as the Roman technology begins to crumble, rust, and be forgotten. In doing so, he has written the only Arthurian books worth reading, outside of Robert Nye's classic 'Merlin'. The subtleties within this book, and the trilogy overall, are marvellous... is this a fantasy novel? Well, there's plenty of magick, but it's of a psychological nature... you're never quite sure whether magick actually works... certainly the characters believe it does, but there's always a rational explanation for any effect, in addition to a supernatural one. The first book of the series sets the scene, introduces the characters and allows Arthur to make his initial mistakes, the repercussions of which will dog him until the bitter end. The key to the series is realism. Battles are fought with shield walls of frightened men who need to get drunk before they have the courage to charge. There is mud, and there is rain, and there is the slight glimmer of hope that Arthur's plans really will build a better Britain.... And then it all goes horribly wrong... These are real people, with real emotions, not the stock, cardboard clichés of nearly all Fantasy novels these days. The Winter King is an exhilarating start to a classic series. If you have any interest in Fantasy and/or the Dark Age period, this really is about as good as it gets.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
"The Winter King" is the high point of Cornwell's writing. From the gruesome battle scenes at Benoic to the spirit-strewn Isle of the Dead, the book is vivid in detail and leaves the reader feeling as though they have lived the myth. In my opinion the characters are the most compelling factor of the novel. Arthur, the noble warlord with visions of a united Britain. Derfel, a Pagan spearman who narrates. Nimue, the fiery and, at times, slightly disturbing priestess. Lancelot, the conceited, self-appointed 'warrior'. Guninevere, the strong-willed wife of Arthur who must be surrounded by beautiful things. Mordred, the maimed babe edling who has Dumnonia's future on his tiny shoulders. And the enemies are just as intriguing. The bloody Saxons; the evil Gundleus; the viscious Franks. The battle scenes are truly terrifying and prayed on my mind for days afterwards. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I heard about the next books in the trilogy - "Enemy of God" and then "Excalibur". I have great faith in them both.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Arthur Legend Stripped Bare
Be warned the trilogy strips the legend of Arthur to it's bare essentials, removing everything that makes it a legend. Read more
Published 23 hours ago by Mr. Pjk Patching
5.0 out of 5 stars
arthur and merlin
This is a more gritty version of a classic tale, told by one of Arthur's closest friend and Champion Derfel, if you are expecting a handsome prince and magical tale I wouldn't... Read more
Published 1 month ago by chris
5.0 out of 5 stars
The winter king
Have long been a fan of bernard Cromwell . This was the first of his books I bought .Have just 're-read it after ten years. It's a joy to pick up again. Read more
Published 1 month ago by simon abbott
5.0 out of 5 stars
First book in series
Cracking book can't wait to read the rest of the story and follow Arthur's tale...well worth the time to read
Published 1 month ago by chris hale
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not an easy flow to the tale
I love these tales but found this did not flow well but with persistence you struggle through .
It does get better towards the end although I feel you could leave the... Read more
It does get better towards the end although I feel you could leave the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ridisc
5.0 out of 5 stars
Typical Bernard Cornwell tale-telling at its best
From the Winter King to the Sharpe series, Bernard Cornwell never fails to impress. I especially enjoy his synopsis at the end of each book cataloging the real events and the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by S Hanstock
4.0 out of 5 stars
alternative version of arthurs legend keeps you absorbed and...
a must read for fans of historical myth novels cornwells usual discriptive tales of battles and life makes a great read
Published 2 months ago by mr keith garland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
As always you can depend on a story that will hook you into it, provide a plausible perspective on a period in history and just be a damn good read.
Published 2 months ago by Pr Overend
5.0 out of 5 stars
Welcome to the Dark Ages
Bernard Cornwell's "The Winter King" is yet another attempt at a King Arthur story. While that has been seen before, and the story is certainly something we have heard before, this... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Stålfors
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-buy
THE BEST King Arthur adaptation I've ever read.
Cornwell tells the tale through the eyes of a half-Saxon warrior, called Derfel, who fights alongside Arthur and is... Read more
Cornwell tells the tale through the eyes of a half-Saxon warrior, called Derfel, who fights alongside Arthur and is... Read more
Published 3 months ago by David Wistow
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