The audiobooks by Edmund Dane are the best! The voices of Merlin and Nimue and Lancelot are all amazing and add so much depth to them. The pace and tone of the narration really gives a sense of foreboding and tension as the story builds. They are so good. These are the best works Bernard has ever written
I recently started The Winter King because of your high praise for the trilogy, and I'm thoroughly enjoying Cornwell's storytelling style. The feeling of reading almost a "Reverse Mythology" where we see the more realistic heroes in a plausible history and can see how that was exaggerated over time into something fantastical. Will definitely read the trilogy and other Cornwell works, as well as watching The Last Kingdom TV adaptation.
The Arthurian Legend is fluid. Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, Layamon, Chretien de Troyes and others built the legend that Sir Thomas Malory wrote down. Throughout the centuries storytellers added and refined characters and invented new deeds for them to perform. Bernard Cornwell is no different. The Warlord Chronicles tells a new story that I think can easily stand beside the older works. I passed the 100 page mark last night in Excalibur and I'm anxious for the end. No matter how it ends, I know I will be sad it's over. I love this series so much.
I love this series and no one, no one, can write a shield wall battle, as good as Bernard Cornwell. You are in that shield wall when he is describing it. Then go and watch The Last Kingdom (he wrote this series as well) and see how those shield wall battles look on screen. So much tension in those battles.
I absolutely adored this series, it truly is fantastic. I read the Saxon stories first and this was perfect for me to fill the void after I finished the series.
My favorite version of Arthur. I came to Cornwell from his Sharpe books, and i was blown away. I have revisited his vision of the 6th century many times. Derfel Cadarn is written so powerfully, it is hard to turn away. The scene you alluded to in Enemy of God is one of those scenes that reverberates in your consciousness forever. It felt genuine. So genuine. The Saxon Chronicles hearken to the Warlord Chronicle. The protagonist is an outsider on the inside. What insights that kind of character can bring! The action really makes you feel like you are in the shieldwall. I may just read it again very soon.
I read these books about 15 years ago and yet I still feel emotionally connected to characters like Derfel. Great historical fiction just has something that secondary world fantasy is missing. It's hard to do well. Cornwell does it well.
Without a doubt, three of the best books I've ever read. I bought the wither king when it first came out and ordered Enemy of God and Excalibur the minute they were available. I have read lots of Bernard Cornwell books, all are amazing, these are three of his best. great review, I stumbled on it as I am re reading the trilogy at the moment and decided to look it up see if anyone felt the same. Read the Saxon stories too they are amazing.
I love the magic in this series. I never believed it was magic, but the characters did, so, in a way, it was actually magic since Merlin used people's belief and his own to shape reality.
@@mikesbookreviews Exactly. It's made even better because some of the customs surrounding "black" magic and voodoo actually had some similar cases of people feeling the curses put on them because they believed they were. The placebo effect is powerful like that.
What an awesome review. You know, I agree with everything you said, and I've only read the first book so I'm thrilled to hear the positives carry through the whole package. I agree with the writing and the passages. There was a piece about Derfel and Galahad being best buds, sharing everything but women, and just understanding each other without a word that almost made me tear up, making me think about an old best friend I had for about 15 years. Man, great book! Can't wait to read Enemy of God this month! Thanks for this!
I read this trilogy during my summer holiday while at university. The books give me a powerful nostalgia. I've since re-read the entire trilogy. Derfel of Cadarn is one of the greatest characters in fiction that I have read.
So glad that you enjoyed The Warlord Chronicles! Derfel is one of my favourite protagonists, and this is one of the best trilogies I have read. Historical fiction that often feels like fantasy. Cannot ask for much more than that! Will
He is the best action writer, not so much huge battle scenes but the localized brutality surrounding specific characters…GRRM is amongst those who have clearly tried to emulate BC’s grunts and guts depiction of combat.
It's good to see you bringing positive attention to this trilogy, its always been a favourite of mine from when it was first published. Your enthusiasm for this has made me want to reread it. When I get moved I'll have to dig it out of my boxes of books.
I absolutely loved everything about the Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles! Even his historical notes were interesting to read because it gives you an idea of what was going on (historically) during that period. Probably my favorite part of the whole trilogy was the battle at Mynydd Baddon. Cornwell is so good at describing the shield walls and all the different units in the battles that I just didn’t want it to end. Like you said, he is so good at describing the action that it’s equal to Abercrombie. If you want brutality, historical fiction, and great action…..THIS is the trilogy for you!
First read these about 20 years ago and loved them, just jumped on the re-read train when Mike/Allen/Sarah/Jimmy started talking about them recently, and they're even better than I remembered. I'm a huge Sharpe fan, and my next reading quest is Saxon Chronicles, for sure! Hope you get a chance to read more Cornwell in the future Mike!
I really like the passage in excalibur where derfel and sagramor are chatting and relaxing at aquaes silus ( not book dialogue, i read in my language translation) Sagramor says -i heard you broke a shieldwall. Derfel - it was thin and full of young warriors. Sagramor - i also broke one, it was thick and only had veteran warriors Derfel - angry pikachu face
great video Mike! I read this trilogy 100% because you put it on your TBR and only stayed maybe 100 pages ahead of you! Excellent Recommendation and it was nothing like I expected. Cheers! - Brian, aka, Senor Pineapple in the discord.
Just started reading this book and came across your review. You're so right about the slow start and it took me a while to get into, but know I can't put it down!
I love this trilogy. I got them all as they came out back in the 90s, and loved how they are set in the "real world" dark-ages of what is now South-West England and Wales (so in locations right on my doorstep). I've heard there is a BBC adaptation in the works, so may have to read them again before that comes out. I just hope they can do it justice.
What a great and accurate review!! I am reading the trilogy again as I've been spending time in England and visiting the places mentioned in the book! Quite an experience!!!
I picked up this trilogy recently and now I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for your review. Other people have also enjoyed this series. Hopefully I will get to the Winter King soon.
After listening to Allen and you talk about this trilogy I definitely gotta pick it up. Sounds amazing and right up my alley. Congrats again on 70k Mike
Cornwell is fantastic. The Warlord Chronicles was my gateway drug into his works as well - I read them 5 years ago and it's still in my top 5 book series of all time. If you want some more Cornwell that's not the huge Saxon Tales, check out the trilogy that begins with The Archer's Tale - it's set before the 100 years war and focuses on an English archer looking for the holy grail. It's really great. Thanks for another great video - it's nice to see more people talking about and loving Cornwell on book tube!
I think you'll love his Agincourt standalone book a great next step into Bernard Cornwell. Also I put Conn Iggulden up there with Cornwell when it comes to historical fiction.
My introduction to Bernard Cornwell was through the Saxon Chronicles and I love those. Then I read the Warlord Chronicles this year and I love them even more. I read somewhere that they're the author's favourites too. I agree with everything you said in this video. Abercrombie's First Law is also one of my favourites.
First read this series sitting in the Kuwaiti desert back in 03. Hands down the best series I’ve ever read. Starts off slow, and the names will get on your nerves, but WELL worth the read.
Great review! I’ll be putting this on my TBR. I also figure out easier “names” for characters when I have no idea how to pronounce them. Helps me keep a steady pace when I am reading instead of stumbling through proper pronunciation.
I read this trilogy as soon as you advised you were reading it. I read The Last Kingdom books so I knew I loved Bernard Cornwall. I loved this trilogy, I thought it was fantastic! Thanks for this great review! I saw an interview with John Gwynne and he loves this trilogy! I am now going to read my first Gynne book!
I recommend reading the Sharpe books by this author, as a sample, read Sharpe's Eagle, not just the first Sharpe book he wrote (and imo, still the best), but the first book he ever wrote. There are over twenty Sharpe books and still counting, he still writing them now. I read them as they were published, but he has since gone back to, in effect, write a prequel series plus gap fillers, all good, so if you are going to read them, read in chronological order, with Sharpe's Tiger, set in India.
Thanks for the review, Mike! I really enjoyed this trilogy which I read following your schedule. I will say I did audio book for 1&3 and read 2 on kindle. The spelling vs pronunciation is wild. I really enjoyed the audiobook experience…even though I think Enemy of God was my favorite in the trilogy with how it unfolds. Heartbreaking but compelling stuff!
Thanks for the review, definitely makes me want to read them now. If you want to try another historical fiction telling of the Arthurian Legends, try Jack Whyte's The Camulod Chronicles. Another retelling from people around Arthur. It's not action packed though, but it is fascinating.
These books were also my introduction to Cornwell. I love the realism, all his book have it. The Grial Quest books are even better. After reading any Cornwell book I always think to myself, thank God I am alive now and not back then. One thing I also love about Cornwells books is the historical notes at the end where he tells what is true and what is fiction in the book.
Great review Mike, I'm definitely interested in the Warlord Chronicles now. I've only read one book by Cornwell, which was Azincourt about 10 years ago. It was a standalong and quite good as far as my remember. Perhaps you can pick it up if you next want a standalone from this author?
This is one of my favorite series of all time. I last read it when I was like 17 and am 30 now. Reading it again as an adult I have a new appreciation for what the story portrayed. Arthur was an idealistic leader, he was honorable to his oaths to a fault. Many problems that came up in the story could have been negated if he had done what was best for the kingdom rather than doing what he felt his oaths dictated. He was an honorable man in a world that had very little honor in it. He tended to put band-aid solutions in place but left the real wounds festering beneath. He had every opportunity to enact his grand vision for Britain, but always stopped one step short due to the restrictions of his honor/oaths. At the end of it all though he always found a way through it and continued to prove why he should have been the rightful king, even if the journey there was not as straightforward as he could have made it.
I discovered Bernard Cornwell writing with Sharpe's Rifles, this is historical Napoleonic era. BBC also did a tv series in the '90. He also touch the US North /South war with the Starbuck Chronicles. If you like historical, Cornwell is great.
Nice review Mike, I'm glad you liked the Warlord trilogy it's one of my favourites too. Just a note on the names in the book they are I believe historically accurate and a lot of them are from an early form of Welsh and if you can't get on the pronunciation you should try travelling around Wales/Cymru were even the road signs are in Welsh! But before you jump into the Lost Kingdom checkout the Grail Trilogy that strangely has nothing to do with Arthur and everything to do with an English archer in the 100years war it's really good. Another book I'd recommend as you're American is Cornwell's The Fort. It tells the amazing true story of the British failed attempt to set up a base to hassle American shipping on America's East coast after the Boston Tea Party. It's an epic tale and like much of his historical fiction at the end he tells you what was fact and what he a had to make up to fill in the gaps, and it's true what they say the truth is often stranger than fiction!
I have had Cornwell in my reading radar for years now and for some reason have never picked them up, but i did a couple of months ago with the Sharpe series and i am really enjoying them. I do have this series as one i want to get around too.
I find it so difficult to find an author or book that I enjoy reading and stick with, but Bernard Cornwell and Iain Banks are pretty much the only one's that work for me so far. I haven't found anything that comes close for the past 20 years.
Hi Mike! Great review and what a great trilogy this was, i really loved like you. Great characters, especially the way that Merlin was written, like a mad genius and not that traditional ''white wizard'' it's fabulous. If you would like to read more historical fiction, althought this one don't have any kind of fantastic world, i highly recommend to you the quartet ''Napoleon and Wellington'', written by Simon Scarrow. Greetings from Portugal!!
If you want to continue with Bernard Cornwall I highly recommend his sharpe series (which is actually what made him a well known writer to begin with). They are stories about British soldiers during the Napoleonic wars. The best part is that they are all basically self contained adventures so you can just pick one up and not feel too compelled to read the next. The TV series with Sean Bean is also pretty good too.
I just bought this trilogy and the will of the many and I was going to wait until jan to start these but i think i'll have to read them as soon as im done with 11/22/63
Love Bernard Cornwell. Read all his books and the Warlord trilogy is still my favourite. If you never read Cornwell please start with these, it's the best introduction to his style. He basically covered all the major events in english history in his novels. Best way to learn history really. Most authors write some version of Mallory's; To this day I only read two different versions of Arthur, this one and the Pendragon trilogy by Helen Hollick which is mainly based on the welsh stories of Arthur in which he's a bit more of a shady warlord, with no Merlin and the shiny knights of the Round Table, more realistic and full of intrigue (Game of Thrones like).
Hi Mike, I enjoyed this trilogy tremendously, can you do your favorite top 10 moments. I found that listening to the audiobooks I knew I should go to sleep but something exciting was going to happen, i.e the isle of the dead or the dark road to find the cauldron. There are so many exciting events! I also just read Dune and would love a deep dive maybe with one of your literature professor friends/ fellow booktuber.
If you like Arthurian stories, an Australian writer named M.K Hume has two trilogies for Merlin called the Prophecy trilogy and one for Arthur I think simply called the King Arthur trilogy, I am absolutely obsessed with these books and think it’ll be worth checking out.
I am definitely getting myself a copy of this trilogy and love the covers you had, I think you said you got them on Ebay or something? Great video, really makes you think how people lives in the past and how hard that shi..stufff was :P
I finished the whole series about a month ago. Such a whirlwind, I read it in like 2-3 months but it felt like I'd gone through ten years. I agree with the slow start but I really reccomend the audio book to get started. I have a lot going on rn so audio works better in my daily life and the narrator is great. Just so much to think about and such a world to get immersed in and it still has that mystical aura of the Arthurian legends. Side note: a lot of the names are Welsh or Gaelic and thats why they look impossible to pronounce. I think you were talking about cwlch ( pronunced more or less keel-uch) and nimue is pronounced nim-weh. Of course I understand being annoyed by the hard names but as a language nerd I find it quite interesting
Bernard Cornwall is a fabulous author and nothing beats a good Arthurian saga. Can I also suggest you look at Jack Whyte's 9 book series the Camulod Chronicles. Perhaps another gold standard for this legend with the story developing from the point of a Roman family led by a retired general who foresaw the chaos of the dark ages and the need to protect themselves and fellow Britains from the emerging Saxon threat. Beautifully ties together this Roman family, the native Britains and of course Excalibur to bring all of the well known and loved Arthurian characters to life. There is no magic in this tale, Merlin's legend was founded off the superstitions of the time. Whyte set out to weave the legend into fictional but beleivable history and in my view did it masterfully.
I agree. Cornwell is my favorite author, but my favorite Arthurian story is jack White's Dream of Eagles. I remember starting it and not even knowing it was about Arthur. It can be a bit slow at points but once you get into it, the story sucks you in. And I agree with the recommendations coming for the Sharpe stories, which I love, but if someone enjoyed this story they should perhaps read Harlequin by Cornwell next.
I have been looking for a great retelling of the Arthurian Legend, I'm not really familiar with it at all. Maybe I'll set this one back and read Lancelot first? I can't decide, but I definitely want to get to this one eventually!
my good friend recomemded wlc to scratch my Asoiaf itch. omg its sooooo good.i say this very respecfully im not big on Arthurian its great but as you said i figured i knew what happened in the story so i wasnt interested in the genre, but i wasnt ready for this . she actually got me to read it saying it was a very dunk hedge knight story like😂. i absolutely loved derfil hes nothing like Dunk but oh how i cried and cheered with him along the way. i love how crude and raw nimue and merlin were , so dirty and grim this are my favorite kind of druids now. and Arthur as a torn person as gwen often described him. Very very grimdark in a way , and i absolutely agree with you Wlc is now one of my favorites. i was so excited for you to read it , its very underrrated, i hope the show its amazing. you know how some lines in the books stay with you a few words can make you feel soooo much.( i do audio 😅) for me it was... derfil screaming DEANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!! and " but....i am a warrior" prior to cuneglass fighting. omg the pain😢
I definitely enjoyed this series thoroughly. I had never read any Arthurian legend before so I didn’t have any storyline expectations going in, which I think was a good thing. It’s funny, looking back I don’t remember having felt like ‘Winter King’ began slow. Gundleus shows up at the castle and sh*t hits the fan - that happened rather early if I remember correctly. Anyhow, Mike’s absolutely right, Cornwell is a phenomenal writer. I never felt like one scene was unnecessary or rushed in any way. I look forward to reading more of him in the future, if anyone has any suggestions on what I should read next let me know.
I really like the warlord chronicles. As sometimes mentioned among readers I was not bothered by the first half of book 1. SPOILER WARNING The only objection I might have is the sudden ending. I somehow imagined that the last chapter would be a one with Derfel as monk and his thoughts on the end of Arthurs journey. Or maybe an ending with Derfel dying and meeting all the ones lost on the way under the great tree although this would probably not qualify as "historical". However, since it is not written otherwise I can still imagine ... 😉
Man, these are great books, as everything by Bernard Cornwell. At least everything I ever read from him. I just read Azincourt. Damn, it was a quick read for me.
Mike, congratulations on very nice review. I was completely unaware that Cornwall had written about Arthur or Arthurian times. I believe he wrote novels about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and because that subject does not interest me, I avoided his work. I read several works about Arthur, but not La Morte D'Arthur. One book I read was called The Vulgate Death of Arthur from a French poem. It was published by Penguin, I think, in the 70's or 80's. Not only was it excellent, it read like a very modern novel, or what was then the idea of a model novel. Very compact and no nonsense. It focused, as I recall, on Arthur's marriage and friendship with Lancelot, which ends in tragedy. The original was inverse but this was a prose translation.
For me I felt that it finished abruptly, maybe that was me but I thought there was a fourth book, so it may have just been a conscious thing from me expecting more?
I own most the novels. Would you say Sharpes Tiger is the best starting point. Also if you have read them all, would you recommend reading thru the entire series?
This is one of the rare occasions where I would recommend the audiobook more than reading. Jonathan Keebles narration is outstanding.
I was told this a lot on my Discord.
The audiobooks by Edmund Dane are the best! The voices of Merlin and Nimue and Lancelot are all amazing and add so much depth to them. The pace and tone of the narration really gives a sense of foreboding and tension as the story builds. They are so good. These are the best works Bernard has ever written
Absolutely
I agree! The narration was amazing.
I am listening to the audiobooks of the Sharpe series and i agree, the narration is excellent on them.
I recently started The Winter King because of your high praise for the trilogy, and I'm thoroughly enjoying Cornwell's storytelling style. The feeling of reading almost a "Reverse Mythology" where we see the more realistic heroes in a plausible history and can see how that was exaggerated over time into something fantastical. Will definitely read the trilogy and other Cornwell works, as well as watching The Last Kingdom TV adaptation.
The Arthurian Legend is fluid. Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, Layamon, Chretien de Troyes and others built the legend that Sir Thomas Malory wrote down. Throughout the centuries storytellers added and refined characters and invented new deeds for them to perform. Bernard Cornwell is no different. The Warlord Chronicles tells a new story that I think can easily stand beside the older works. I passed the 100 page mark last night in Excalibur and I'm anxious for the end. No matter how it ends, I know I will be sad it's over. I love this series so much.
I love this series and no one, no one, can write a shield wall battle, as good as Bernard Cornwell. You are in that shield wall when he is describing it. Then go and watch The Last Kingdom (he wrote this series as well) and see how those shield wall battles look on screen. So much tension in those battles.
Yeah, his duels and battles are top notch.
One of my favorite trilogies out there! Derfel is a very interesting POV character. I also love Cornwell's versions of the characters we all know.
I absolutely adored this series, it truly is fantastic. I read the Saxon stories first and this was perfect for me to fill the void after I finished the series.
I grew up reading Mary Stewart’s “Merlin Trilogy”, which were fantastic. Look forward to reading these based on your recommendation.
Same! 😃
Mikey K got me into First Law, now he's going to get me into the Warlord Chronicles! Where would my life be without him?
My favorite version of Arthur. I came to Cornwell from his Sharpe books, and i was blown away. I have revisited his vision of the 6th century many times. Derfel Cadarn is written so powerfully, it is hard to turn away. The scene you alluded to in Enemy of God is one of those scenes that reverberates in your consciousness forever. It felt genuine. So genuine. The Saxon Chronicles hearken to the Warlord Chronicle. The protagonist is an outsider on the inside. What insights that kind of character can bring! The action really makes you feel like you are in the shieldwall. I may just read it again very soon.
I read these books about 15 years ago and yet I still feel emotionally connected to characters like Derfel. Great historical fiction just has something that secondary world fantasy is missing. It's hard to do well. Cornwell does it well.
These books are absolutely fantastic. Bernard Cornwall is an incredible writer. Nothing else to add.
Yes
Keep doing what you're doing, my man!
Wow, thank you so much!
Without a doubt, three of the best books I've ever read. I bought the wither king when it first came out and ordered Enemy of God and Excalibur the minute they were available. I have read lots of Bernard Cornwell books, all are amazing, these are three of his best. great review, I stumbled on it as I am re reading the trilogy at the moment and decided to look it up see if anyone felt the same. Read the Saxon stories too they are amazing.
These books blew me away. Gripping story with a real emotional punch in places.
100 percent.
I love the magic in this series. I never believed it was magic, but the characters did, so, in a way, it was actually magic since Merlin used people's belief and his own to shape reality.
Inception.
@@mikesbookreviews Exactly. It's made even better because some of the customs surrounding "black" magic and voodoo actually had some similar cases of people feeling the curses put on them because they believed they were.
The placebo effect is powerful like that.
What an awesome review. You know, I agree with everything you said, and I've only read the first book so I'm thrilled to hear the positives carry through the whole package. I agree with the writing and the passages. There was a piece about Derfel and Galahad being best buds, sharing everything but women, and just understanding each other without a word that almost made me tear up, making me think about an old best friend I had for about 15 years. Man, great book! Can't wait to read Enemy of God this month! Thanks for this!
I read this trilogy during my summer holiday while at university. The books give me a powerful nostalgia. I've since re-read the entire trilogy. Derfel of Cadarn is one of the greatest characters in fiction that I have read.
So glad that you enjoyed The Warlord Chronicles! Derfel is one of my favourite protagonists, and this is one of the best trilogies I have read. Historical fiction that often feels like fantasy. Cannot ask for much more than that!
Will
Yeah it’s so good. Definitely can see why your dad recommended it to me a couple years back.
He is the best action writer, not so much huge battle scenes but the localized brutality surrounding specific characters…GRRM is amongst those who have clearly tried to emulate BC’s grunts and guts depiction of combat.
sooooooo excited for this review❤❤❤
It's good to see you bringing positive attention to this trilogy, its always been a favourite of mine from when it was first published. Your enthusiasm for this has made me want to reread it. When I get moved I'll have to dig it out of my boxes of books.
I absolutely loved everything about the Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles! Even his historical notes were interesting to read because it gives you an idea of what was going on (historically) during that period. Probably my favorite part of the whole trilogy was the battle at Mynydd Baddon. Cornwell is so good at describing the shield walls and all the different units in the battles that I just didn’t want it to end. Like you said, he is so good at describing the action that it’s equal to Abercrombie. If you want brutality, historical fiction, and great action…..THIS is the trilogy for you!
I read these when they first came out. I loved them, and I must reread them. You should also try his 'Grail Quest" series set in the 100 years war.
Those are on my radar, for sure.
First read these about 20 years ago and loved them, just jumped on the re-read train when Mike/Allen/Sarah/Jimmy started talking about them recently, and they're even better than I remembered. I'm a huge Sharpe fan, and my next reading quest is Saxon Chronicles, for sure! Hope you get a chance to read more Cornwell in the future Mike!
I certainly will.
I really like the passage in excalibur where derfel and sagramor are chatting and relaxing at aquaes silus ( not book dialogue, i read in my language translation)
Sagramor says -i heard you broke a shieldwall. Derfel - it was thin and full of young warriors. Sagramor - i also broke one, it was thick and only had veteran warriors
Derfel - angry pikachu face
great video Mike! I read this trilogy 100% because you put it on your TBR and only stayed maybe 100 pages ahead of you! Excellent Recommendation and it was nothing like I expected. Cheers! - Brian, aka, Senor Pineapple in the discord.
Glad you liked it!
Just started reading this book and came across your review. You're so right about the slow start and it took me a while to get into, but know I can't put it down!
I love this trilogy. I got them all as they came out back in the 90s, and loved how they are set in the "real world" dark-ages of what is now South-West England and Wales (so in locations right on my doorstep). I've heard there is a BBC adaptation in the works, so may have to read them again before that comes out. I just hope they can do it justice.
What a great and accurate review!!
I am reading the trilogy again as I've been spending time in England and visiting the places mentioned in the book! Quite an experience!!!
My birthday is coming up next weekend. I might have to treat myself to this. Sounds great!
I picked up this trilogy recently and now I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for your review. Other people have also enjoyed this series. Hopefully I will get to the Winter King soon.
I read these young and they sealed my fate as a reader and Cornwallian.
One of my favorites. I read this when I just started my reading journey and his battles and duels are still the best written out of any I've read.
Very much looking forward to reading this series!
It's so good!
Great review Mike. I just picked this trilogy up, having heard good things. Your comments have got me even more excited to read this!
Hope you enjoy it!
After listening to Allen and you talk about this trilogy I definitely gotta pick it up. Sounds amazing and right up my alley.
Congrats again on 70k Mike
Great review, Mike. I own most everything from Cornwell but have yet to read him. Hope to see you cover more of his series.
Cornwell is fantastic. The Warlord Chronicles was my gateway drug into his works as well - I read them 5 years ago and it's still in my top 5 book series of all time. If you want some more Cornwell that's not the huge Saxon Tales, check out the trilogy that begins with The Archer's Tale - it's set before the 100 years war and focuses on an English archer looking for the holy grail. It's really great. Thanks for another great video - it's nice to see more people talking about and loving Cornwell on book tube!
I think you'll love his Agincourt standalone book a great next step into Bernard Cornwell. Also I put Conn Iggulden up there with Cornwell when it comes to historical fiction.
Sounds great! Winter King is coming up very soon in my TBR.
Hope you love it!
Just started reading 📖 love it! thanks for another fab recommendation 🎉
My introduction to Bernard Cornwell was through the Saxon Chronicles and I love those. Then I read the Warlord Chronicles this year and I love them even more. I read somewhere that they're the author's favourites too. I agree with everything you said in this video. Abercrombie's First Law is also one of my favourites.
First read this series sitting in the Kuwaiti desert back in 03.
Hands down the best series I’ve ever read. Starts off slow, and the names will get on your nerves, but WELL worth the read.
This series is definitely going to the top of my TBR
Enjoy!
Aargh! I love this series so much! It’s permanently on my recommend list.
Great review! I’ll be putting this on my TBR. I also figure out easier “names” for characters when I have no idea how to pronounce them. Helps me keep a steady pace when I am reading instead of stumbling through proper pronunciation.
I read this trilogy as soon as you advised you were reading it. I read The Last Kingdom books so I knew I loved Bernard Cornwall. I loved this trilogy, I thought it was fantastic! Thanks for this great review! I saw an interview with John Gwynne and he loves this trilogy! I am now going to read my first Gynne book!
I recommend reading the Sharpe books by this author, as a sample, read Sharpe's Eagle, not just the first Sharpe book he wrote (and imo, still the best), but the first book he ever wrote. There are over twenty Sharpe books and still counting, he still writing them now. I read them as they were published, but he has since gone back to, in effect, write a prequel series plus gap fillers, all good, so if you are going to read them, read in chronological order, with Sharpe's Tiger, set in India.
Thanks for the review, Mike! I really enjoyed this trilogy which I read following your schedule. I will say I did audio book for 1&3 and read 2 on kindle. The spelling vs pronunciation is wild. I really enjoyed the audiobook experience…even though I think Enemy of God was my favorite in the trilogy with how it unfolds. Heartbreaking but compelling stuff!
I'm sure I said every single name wrong except for Arthur and Merlin ha ha
Great review! This is definitely going on my TBR
Thanks for the review, definitely makes me want to read them now.
If you want to try another historical fiction telling of the Arthurian Legends, try Jack Whyte's The Camulod Chronicles. Another retelling from people around Arthur. It's not action packed though, but it is fascinating.
Just picked up this series! Looking forward to it
These books were also my introduction to Cornwell. I love the realism, all his book have it. The Grial Quest books are even better. After reading any Cornwell book I always think to myself, thank God I am alive now and not back then. One thing I also love about Cornwells books is the historical notes at the end where he tells what is true and what is fiction in the book.
Great review! I’m looking forward to starting it.
Great review Mike, I'm definitely interested in the Warlord Chronicles now.
I've only read one book by Cornwell, which was Azincourt about 10 years ago. It was a standalong and quite good as far as my remember.
Perhaps you can pick it up if you next want a standalone from this author?
Great review. Entertaining as well as informative
👏👏👏 I definitely have plans to read this at some point.
Great series, great review. Bernard Cornwell is amazing with battle scenes. I also loved TH White the once and future king
That one has been on my TBR for years.
A gem of a trilogy that more people should seek out.
This is one of my favorite series of all time. I last read it when I was like 17 and am 30 now. Reading it again as an adult I have a new appreciation for what the story portrayed.
Arthur was an idealistic leader, he was honorable to his oaths to a fault. Many problems that came up in the story could have been negated if he had done what was best for the kingdom rather than doing what he felt his oaths dictated. He was an honorable man in a world that had very little honor in it. He tended to put band-aid solutions in place but left the real wounds festering beneath. He had every opportunity to enact his grand vision for Britain, but always stopped one step short due to the restrictions of his honor/oaths. At the end of it all though he always found a way through it and continued to prove why he should have been the rightful king, even if the journey there was not as straightforward as he could have made it.
Just this morning I bought The Last Kingdom on Pango Books. I haven't read Cornwell's stuff or watched the show, bit I'm excited to get into it
The show is really great 😉
I discovered Bernard Cornwell writing with Sharpe's Rifles, this is historical Napoleonic era. BBC also did a tv series in the '90. He also touch the US North /South war with the Starbuck Chronicles. If you like historical, Cornwell is great.
Mike, can you do a review of Fire and Blood? Would be a great video ahead of show. Thank you. Love the channel by the way
Nice review Mike, I'm glad you liked the Warlord trilogy it's one of my favourites too. Just a note on the names in the book they are I believe historically accurate and a lot of them are from an early form of Welsh and if you can't get on the pronunciation you should try travelling around Wales/Cymru were even the road signs are in Welsh!
But before you jump into the Lost Kingdom checkout the Grail Trilogy that strangely has nothing to do with Arthur and everything to do with an English archer in the 100years war it's really good.
Another book I'd recommend as you're American is Cornwell's The Fort. It tells the amazing true story of the British failed attempt to set up a base to hassle American shipping on America's East coast after the Boston Tea Party. It's an epic tale and like much of his historical fiction at the end he tells you what was fact and what he a had to make up to fill in the gaps, and it's true what they say the truth is often stranger than fiction!
Yeah I figured Mr. Cornwell did his homework.
I have had Cornwell in my reading radar for years now and for some reason have never picked them up, but i did a couple of months ago with the Sharpe series and i am really enjoying them. I do have this series as one i want to get around too.
I find it so difficult to find an author or book that I enjoy reading and stick with, but Bernard Cornwell and Iain Banks are pretty much the only one's that work for me so far.
I haven't found anything that comes close for the past 20 years.
Hi Mike! Great review and what a great trilogy this was, i really loved like you. Great characters, especially the way that Merlin was written, like a mad genius and not that traditional ''white wizard'' it's fabulous. If you would like to read more historical fiction, althought this one don't have any kind of fantastic world, i highly recommend to you the quartet ''Napoleon and Wellington'', written by Simon Scarrow. Greetings from Portugal!!
If you want to continue with Bernard Cornwall I highly recommend his sharpe series (which is actually what made him a well known writer to begin with). They are stories about British soldiers during the Napoleonic wars. The best part is that they are all basically self contained adventures so you can just pick one up and not feel too compelled to read the next. The TV series with Sean Bean is also pretty good too.
Absolutely agree. Don’t stop with the Warlord Chronicles. Bernard Cornwell is amazing. My favorite author without a doubt.
I just bought this trilogy and the will of the many and I was going to wait until jan to start these but i think i'll have to read them as soon as im done with 11/22/63
Love Bernard Cornwell. Read all his books and the Warlord trilogy is still my favourite. If you never read Cornwell please start with these, it's the best introduction to his style. He basically covered all the major events in english history in his novels. Best way to learn history really. Most authors write some version of Mallory's; To this day I only read two different versions of Arthur, this one and the Pendragon trilogy by Helen Hollick which is mainly based on the welsh stories of Arthur in which he's a bit more of a shady warlord, with no Merlin and the shiny knights of the Round Table, more realistic and full of intrigue (Game of Thrones like).
Just popped by to drop a like on your review. Not enough reviews about.
Gracias!
Hi Mike,
I enjoyed this trilogy tremendously, can you do your favorite top 10 moments. I found that listening to the audiobooks I knew I should go to sleep but something exciting was going to happen, i.e the isle of the dead or the dark road to find the cauldron. There are so many exciting events!
I also just read Dune and would love a deep dive maybe with one of your literature professor friends/ fellow booktuber.
If you like Arthurian stories, an Australian writer named M.K Hume has two trilogies for Merlin called the Prophecy trilogy and one for Arthur I think simply called the King Arthur trilogy, I am absolutely obsessed with these books and think it’ll be worth checking out.
I am definitely getting myself a copy of this trilogy and love the covers you had, I think you said you got them on Ebay or something? Great video, really makes you think how people lives in the past and how hard that shi..stufff was :P
Yes, it was $29 for the whole set new on eBay back last Christmas.
@@mikesbookreviews Such a great deal!
I finished the whole series about a month ago. Such a whirlwind, I read it in like 2-3 months but it felt like I'd gone through ten years. I agree with the slow start but I really reccomend the audio book to get started. I have a lot going on rn so audio works better in my daily life and the narrator is great. Just so much to think about and such a world to get immersed in and it still has that mystical aura of the Arthurian legends. Side note: a lot of the names are Welsh or Gaelic and thats why they look impossible to pronounce. I think you were talking about cwlch ( pronunced more or less keel-uch) and nimue is pronounced nim-weh. Of course I understand being annoyed by the hard names but as a language nerd I find it quite interesting
Yes, I'm sure I said all the names wrong.
Bernard Cornwall is a fabulous author and nothing beats a good Arthurian saga. Can I also suggest you look at Jack Whyte's 9 book series the Camulod Chronicles. Perhaps another gold standard for this legend with the story developing from the point of a Roman family led by a retired general who foresaw the chaos of the dark ages and the need to protect themselves and fellow Britains from the emerging Saxon threat. Beautifully ties together this Roman family, the native Britains and of course Excalibur to bring all of the well known and loved Arthurian characters to life. There is no magic in this tale, Merlin's legend was founded off the superstitions of the time. Whyte set out to weave the legend into fictional but beleivable history and in my view did it masterfully.
I agree. Cornwell is my favorite author, but my favorite Arthurian story is jack White's Dream of Eagles. I remember starting it and not even knowing it was about Arthur. It can be a bit slow at points but once you get into it, the story sucks you in. And I agree with the recommendations coming for the Sharpe stories, which I love, but if someone enjoyed this story they should perhaps read Harlequin by Cornwell next.
Once and future king is my favorite Arthurian book but this series sounds great
I loved Once and Future King too..I’m planning on reading this series as soon as I finish Malazan.
My favourite trilogy. Derfel is a badass. I loved towards the end of Excalibur when they're at sea with Merlin behind them. Super cryptic, I thought.
Ya know that scene as well as a couple more are why I really believe there is actually magic in the story
I intend to read that trilogy after I’m done with the Saxon chronicles/Last Kingdom series (which I’d definitely recommend too).
You won't be disappointed, mate. Just get past the first hundred pages or so, which are a bit daunting with the names and convoluted backstory.
All books are great, but the best battle is in the first, the vale of ludd battle was magnificent written and the tatics employed are very clever
The audiobook performance by Tim Pigott-Smith has become one of my all-time favorites.
i love his azincourt standalone book. great author.
I have been looking for a great retelling of the Arthurian Legend, I'm not really familiar with it at all. Maybe I'll set this one back and read Lancelot first? I can't decide, but I definitely want to get to this one eventually!
I hope you start the Saxon Stories soon!
my good friend recomemded wlc to scratch my Asoiaf itch. omg its sooooo good.i say this very respecfully im not big on Arthurian its great but as you said i figured i knew what happened in the story so i wasnt interested in the genre, but i wasnt ready for this . she actually got me to read it saying it was a very dunk hedge knight story like😂.
i absolutely loved derfil hes nothing like Dunk but oh how i cried and cheered with him along the way.
i love how crude and raw nimue and merlin were , so dirty and grim this are my favorite kind of druids now.
and Arthur as a torn person as gwen often described him.
Very very grimdark in a way , and i absolutely agree with you Wlc is now one of my favorites.
i was so excited for you to read it , its very underrrated, i hope the show its amazing.
you know how some lines in the books stay with you a few words can make you feel soooo much.( i do audio 😅)
for me it was...
derfil screaming DEANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!!
and
" but....i am a warrior" prior to cuneglass fighting.
omg the pain😢
I definitely enjoyed this series thoroughly. I had never read any Arthurian legend before so I didn’t have any storyline expectations going in, which I think was a good thing. It’s funny, looking back I don’t remember having felt like ‘Winter King’ began slow. Gundleus shows up at the castle and sh*t hits the fan - that happened rather early if I remember correctly. Anyhow, Mike’s absolutely right, Cornwell is a phenomenal writer. I never felt like one scene was unnecessary or rushed in any way. I look forward to reading more of him in the future, if anyone has any suggestions on what I should read next let me know.
I haven't read the books but I have watched the tv show I absolutely love the last kingdom I'm on season 4 right now 🙂🤗🥰💯
Have you ever read the Second Apocalypse books by R. Scott Baker. If so would love to see your opinion. Keep being awesome Mike
I really like the warlord chronicles. As sometimes mentioned among readers I was not bothered by the first half of book 1.
SPOILER WARNING
The only objection I might have is the sudden ending. I somehow imagined that the last chapter would be a one with Derfel as monk and his thoughts on the end of Arthurs journey. Or maybe an ending with Derfel dying and meeting all the ones lost on the way under the great tree although this would probably not qualify as "historical". However, since it is not written otherwise I can still imagine ... 😉
Man, these are great books, as everything by Bernard Cornwell.
At least everything I ever read from him.
I just read Azincourt. Damn, it was a quick read for me.
I love, love, love the series. They are not perfect, but damn they are good.
I really enjoyed his Grail Quest novels as well as Agincourt.
sounds so intresting. I gotta find more reading time :P
It's excellent.
Damn Mike, nailed all three of those first names.
Have you read the other two books after pillars of the earth? I forgot what the middle one is called, but the third one is called a column of fire
I never did, no.
Mike, congratulations on very nice review. I was completely unaware that Cornwall had written about Arthur or Arthurian times. I believe he wrote novels about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and because that subject does not interest me, I avoided his work. I read several works about Arthur, but not La Morte D'Arthur. One book I read was
called The Vulgate Death of Arthur from a French poem. It was published by Penguin, I think, in the 70's or 80's. Not only was it excellent, it read like a very modern novel, or what was then the idea of a model novel. Very compact and no nonsense. It focused, as I recall, on Arthur's marriage and friendship with Lancelot, which ends in tragedy. The original was inverse but this was a prose translation.
For me I felt that it finished abruptly, maybe that was me but I thought there was a fourth book, so it may have just been a conscious thing from me expecting more?
I realise it's a bit out of the remit of this channel but Cornwell's Sharpe novels are brilliant.
I own most the novels. Would you say Sharpes Tiger is the best starting point. Also if you have read them all, would you recommend reading thru the entire series?
@@Roondawg_Valhalla I'm a completest so I say start at the beginning and go with it.
Great review. Considering the historical accuracy, how are the fantastical elements (especially the magic) addressed ?
It was mentioned in the review when talking about Merlin. It could be magic or it could all be a coincidence. He leaves it up to the reader
His civil war and Napoleon war series are some of the best historical fiction series ever