Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
10th out of 300 books
—
894 voters
The Skystone (Camulod Chronicles #1)
by
Jack Whyte
How do you find a new way to approach a story as familiar as any in the English language? If you're Jack Whyte, you begin your retelling of the Arthurian saga by taking one giant step backward to the latter days of the Roman Empire in Britain, sometime between the first breaching of Hadrian's Wall and the legendary days of King Arthur. Publius Varrus is the last legionnair...more
Paperback, 494 pages
Published
August 1st 2004
by Tor Books
(first published 1993)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
This is one of the best historical fiction novels I've ever read, and trust me, I've read a lot. I first heard about Jack Whyte's series through another favorite author of mine, Diana Gabaldon. She spoke so highly of his works that I figured I'd investigate further, and if not for her recommendation, I never would have given him a second thought. There were several factors going against it: a) the premise is yet another take on Arthurian legend, which leads me to b) the fact that I despise Arthu...more
16 likes · like · see review
view 1 comment
I can only rate this one a mediocre 3 star read. The storytelling was very descriptive and meandering, and while I could settle down for the easy, slow pace, I wanted more. There were some pretty good action scenes where I felt like we were getting rolling and then it would slow down again to a descriptive, slow pace. I don't generally mind a slower pace and felt like I could settle in and continue on with some extra patience on my part. Then we would hit a sex scene and man did it feel self-ind...more
4 likes · like · see review
I really did not care for the beginning section of the book. It was boring. Once it got past the initial stage, I really enjoyed it. The story is told as the memories of Publius Varrus, a former Roman soldier of noble blood who is also a blacksmith. Much of it concerns his relationship with Caius Brittanicus, an even higher noble who is his military commander for years and becomes a very close friend. The title comes from a rock which fell to earth thirty years prior from which Varrus' grandfath...more
The best description I can conjure of my experience with Jack Whyte's The Skystone is "languid." I don't want to describe his inaugural Camulod novel as "boring" or "slow" because neither is quite accurate and both carry far too many negative connotations, but Whyte does love to take his time.
And damn!...does he ever take his time. It took nine novels and thirteen years to complete his retelling of the Arthurian legend. This series is not for the impatient. Nor is the first book.
Whyte plods an...more
And damn!...does he ever take his time. It took nine novels and thirteen years to complete his retelling of the Arthurian legend. This series is not for the impatient. Nor is the first book.
Whyte plods an...more
18 likes · like · see review
I have had a fascination with the King Arthur legend ever since high school when I wrote my senior paper on it. One reviewer complained that this story has been told a million times, why would we read yet another version. I would argue that the the reason this story has been told over and over again is that we love the whole idea, that for one bright shining moment there was a real prince and princess who defeated the Saxon horde and granted peace and prosperity to their kingdom. The reason that...more
Skystone by Jack Whyte is an interesting take on the King Arthur legend. Most of the tales of King Arthur focus on the mystical aspect. What Whyte attempts to do in this the first book of the Camulod Chronicles is to tell the tale from a straight-forward historical perspective. He weaves a realistic story about what could have actually taken place if the story were stripped of its magical elements. The story is told through the eyes of Roman army officer Publius Varrus and his commander in battl...more
Most of my friends have long since determined that if it were possible, I would much rather live in the time of King Arthur than any other. This book is the beginning of yet another Arthurian fiction series, but it begins generations before our beloved figure appears. I won't spoil the ending, but I can tell you that the very, very end of the book is the very, very beginning of the author's delving into Arthurian history.
The main character, Publius Varrus, is an ordinary military man whose life...more
The main character, Publius Varrus, is an ordinary military man whose life...more
Sep 06, 2012
Aaron Althuizen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
jack-whyte-dream-of-eagles
Another amazing series by Jack Whyte. If you enjoy being immersed into the story, these tales will certainly provide you with the right tools.
From Wikipedia:
'The novels are a rendition of the Arthurian legend that attempt to propose a possible explanation for the foundation of Camulod (an alternate spelling of Camelot), Arthur's heritage and the political situation surrounding his existence. The setting series begins during the Roman departure from Britain and continues for 150 years ending duri...more
From Wikipedia:
'The novels are a rendition of the Arthurian legend that attempt to propose a possible explanation for the foundation of Camulod (an alternate spelling of Camelot), Arthur's heritage and the political situation surrounding his existence. The setting series begins during the Roman departure from Britain and continues for 150 years ending duri...more
La storicizzazione di un mito
Un punto va chiarito subito: sebbene questo libro sia il primo de Le cronache di Camelot, non ci troverete né re Artù né Excalibur né il mago Merlino. Arriveranno, ma ben più avanti nel corso della saga. Completamente assente da tutti gli otto libri della serie, invece, la tipica ambientazione che ormai siamo abituati ad associare alle gesta arturiane. Non aspettatevi dunque castelli e cavalieri dall'armatura lucente, né tanto meno elementi magici o, in generale, fan...more
Un punto va chiarito subito: sebbene questo libro sia il primo de Le cronache di Camelot, non ci troverete né re Artù né Excalibur né il mago Merlino. Arriveranno, ma ben più avanti nel corso della saga. Completamente assente da tutti gli otto libri della serie, invece, la tipica ambientazione che ormai siamo abituati ad associare alle gesta arturiane. Non aspettatevi dunque castelli e cavalieri dall'armatura lucente, né tanto meno elementi magici o, in generale, fan...more
WOW!
This "historical" novel set in Britain towards the end of the Roman Empire is utterly FANTASTIC! It is full of action, tough Roman soldiers, druidic and Christian priests, despicable villains, and a rousing plot.
Publius Varras is close friends with Caius Brittanicus (his former commanding officer). Varras is a former legionaire with a old war wound that left him with a limp. In addition, Varras was once a Smith. His grandfather created a special sword and a special dagger from the metal sme...more
This "historical" novel set in Britain towards the end of the Roman Empire is utterly FANTASTIC! It is full of action, tough Roman soldiers, druidic and Christian priests, despicable villains, and a rousing plot.
Publius Varras is close friends with Caius Brittanicus (his former commanding officer). Varras is a former legionaire with a old war wound that left him with a limp. In addition, Varras was once a Smith. His grandfather created a special sword and a special dagger from the metal sme...more
The Skystone deposits the reader in pre-Arthurian Great Britain smack dab during the time of the waning Roman occupation. The account of Roman warfare, rule and order is impressive. In addition, I felt like an observer during the descriptions of iron-smelting and smith-ing. I liked this book for the historical angle and the story was good. Its probably getting a bigger knock than it should with my giving it 3 stars because it is following a couple of books that were exceptional. However, my best...more
2 likes · like · see review
An amazing take on the Arthurian legends! Starting about 3 generations BEFORE Arthur the writer sets the stage for the downfall of the Roman Empire and the withdrawl from England of all support from Rome.
The author does a wonderful job of stitching together various aspects of the Arthur legend's iconic pieces: Excalibur, The Lady of the Lake, Uther Pendragon, Merlyn, etc... in such a way as to make them utterly believable and almost scientific.
You will not think about the legend of King Arthur t...more
The author does a wonderful job of stitching together various aspects of the Arthur legend's iconic pieces: Excalibur, The Lady of the Lake, Uther Pendragon, Merlyn, etc... in such a way as to make them utterly believable and almost scientific.
You will not think about the legend of King Arthur t...more
Sep 09, 2012
Jennifer
added it
Before I tell you anything else, allow me to say that there are 9 books in this series and I read ALL 9 of them in just under one month! This series brilliantly takes on the Arthur Legend via the end of Roman Empire's presence in Britain. The story begins with the Roman soldiers and settlers who were essentially abandoned by the Empire and builds from there. Again, this is another series that tends to appeal to more men than women. Jack Whyte, like Bernard Cornwell, is another one of those ficti...more
2 likes · like · see review
Whyte's Camulod Chronicles are the third I've read about the Arthurian legends (Mary Shelley's being one of the others), and by far the best. Rather than getting sucked into Merlin's magic and supernatural abilities, Whyte uses his deep knowledge of what is known about the Roman Empire, and the history of the various peoples who inhabited Britain at the time, to build a believable (albeit fictional) account of what might have led to the formation of the legends.
Who knows, maybe there was a Publi...more
Who knows, maybe there was a Publi...more
Sep 21, 2009
Brian Maicke
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
britain,
historical
A realistic historical fiction retelling of the Arthurian legend. This is the first book of Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles. This installment begins well before even the birth of Arthur and details the decay of the Roman empire in Britain and the formation of the colony determined to persevere through the dark times on the way.
The book starts out a bit slow, detailing the main character's life in the Roman legions before he is mustered out via injury to return to his life as a blacksmith. If you...more
The book starts out a bit slow, detailing the main character's life in the Roman legions before he is mustered out via injury to return to his life as a blacksmith. If you...more
I can't remember reading a more entertaining and interesting work of historical fiction than The Camulod Chronicles. The depiction of life in post-Roman Britain is fascinating and frequently horrifying. The chaos that resulted from the withdraw of the Roman legions from Britain as the Roman Empire collapsed was horrific. The romanized Britons left behind were beset by invasions on their coasts of the barbaric tribes of Angles, Jutes, Danes and others. The interior of the land became lawless and...more
The characters are endearing, and the front story is interesting and engaging. I enjoyed the read, but did not find it too terribly involved. I enjoyed watching the story unfold, but I didn't utter, "Oh, I didn't see that coming" under my breath too many times.
The more engaging part of the book for me was the back story. The story takes place during the 4th century, at the height of the Roman occupation of Britain. This is a piece of history I'm not terribly familiar with (I feel like blushing a...more
The more engaging part of the book for me was the back story. The story takes place during the 4th century, at the height of the Roman occupation of Britain. This is a piece of history I'm not terribly familiar with (I feel like blushing a...more
Great piece of historical fiction, one of the most interesting and fun to read I've ever come across. The major drawback is that every once in a while Whyte starts to think he's a romance writer, and the lasciviousness interrupts the prose. Other than that, it's well-researched, thoughtful, and raises great questions from different perspectives- how do nations collapse? do the people in a nation collapsing know what's going on, or do they not see the signs? if they do see them, what do they do a...more
Although this review is placed with The Skystone, It's really a review of all the Camulod Chronicles books, which I've positively devoured.
Whyte's portrayal of the possible history and politics of Britain after the withdrawal of the Romans is some of the best historical fiction I've read. Whyte manages to add fantastic character and plot development to something that all the history teachers I've ever had made boring and dry. If there were more great historical fiction writers like Whyte teachin...more
Whyte's portrayal of the possible history and politics of Britain after the withdrawal of the Romans is some of the best historical fiction I've read. Whyte manages to add fantastic character and plot development to something that all the history teachers I've ever had made boring and dry. If there were more great historical fiction writers like Whyte teachin...more
In The Skystone Jack Whyte begins a very fascinating and innovative version of the Legend of King Arthur. The book begins as the Romans are leaving England. A small group of people see that with the withdrawal of the Romans England revert to its tribal roots and there will be a period of chaos. In order to mitigate the results of the chaos they begin to build their own community based on roman discipline yet holding more democratic ideas.
I found the good fascinating and enjoyable to read and re...more
I found the good fascinating and enjoyable to read and re...more
I started this book with interest. I was hooked! I called the bookstore and ordered the rest of the set that had been so far released, and I couldn't put them down. The story is a genuine "how it truly could have happened" version of the Camelot tale, with no magic and sorcery, only percieved magic and sorcery. It does a fantastic job of explaining where the "lady of the Lake" comes from, and how the sword came to be, and how Camelot came to stand. All in an historical context. When I was readin...more
I really enjoyed this. It's not a classic but I found it easy to read and always wanting to turn the page to find out what happens next. Here's a quick summary of like/dislikes:
Characters - mostly believable, with good and bad sides. The bad guy's family are all 100% evil, which is seldom true, but maybe i've just been lucky enough not to have ever met anyone like that.
Sex - with the hero this is always explosive/amazing, life is not really like that.
Plot - kept me interested although sometimes...more
Characters - mostly believable, with good and bad sides. The bad guy's family are all 100% evil, which is seldom true, but maybe i've just been lucky enough not to have ever met anyone like that.
Sex - with the hero this is always explosive/amazing, life is not really like that.
Plot - kept me interested although sometimes...more
Over all I enjoyed this book. For a 640-page book it was very fast paced with excellent characters and wonderful descriptions of Roman Britain. The historical content of the book was perfectly researched (with the exception of some of the pronunciations in the glossary, most notably Caesar not being listed as a soft c versus the hard C in Latin) and I felt that the author really captured the mentality of Roman Legionaries and reinforced those attributes in the military characters.
That being said...more
That being said...more
Mar 22, 2009
Shane
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Shane by:
Jakob Barnard
Shelves:
2009-books-read
This is one of those books where you really must struggle through the first 100 or so pages of back story to get to the real meat of the story. Truthfully, I'm not sure how much of that back story is really necessary, but it does give some exposition on the characters and fleshes them out.
After you get through the build-up, the rest of the novel is an excellent adaptation of the Arthurian legend. It's interesting to see how Whyte integrates the legend into his story and gives some "historical" f...more
After you get through the build-up, the rest of the novel is an excellent adaptation of the Arthurian legend. It's interesting to see how Whyte integrates the legend into his story and gives some "historical" f...more
A well-crafted piece of historical fantasy that has established a good foundation for the series and Whyte's spin on the legend of Arthur...The main character is annoying in his penchant of for violence. As is often the case with many fantasy authors, Whyte succumbs to the temptation to excuse extreme violence in the name of the greater good or some perceived moral high ground. The pivotal moment in the novel sees the protagonist engage in a brutal fist fight with one of the novel's villians (na...more
The series is a rather good effort at retelling the Arthurian story as historically plausible, and this first book in the series is possibly the best of the bunch. The historical flavour is well accomplished, giving an excellent sense of what it was to live at the edge of the Roman Empire at the very moment it was collapsing. The failing of later books is an over-reliance on the notion of "we invented that", whatever that may be, and in this initial installment that failing has yet to grow into...more
Very good novel about Britain in the days before the Dark Ages cast the shadow of oblivion over the island. Completely loved the hero(s) Caius Britannicus and Gaius Publius Varrus. This novel is great that the narration comes from a Roman point of view. Sure a point of view that is sadly out of date for the times (Roman empire on the verge of collapse), but nice to see things from the Roman's view point (they did conquer the known world!) Thinking of going on to book two: the Singing Sword. Jack...more
Book 1 of a King Arthur retelling for those who like their legends with hearty dollops of sex & violence. Fascinating conjecture on the possible historical roots of Arthurian romances. Fun, quick read. Dreadful literature. Rosemary Sutcliff's YA historical novels are much superior.
"Early on in our association, Britannicus and I [the two protagonists - 'I' being the Roman soldier and iron worker, Publius Varrus:] had discovered that we had both been born in Colchester, the oldest Roman settle...more
"Early on in our association, Britannicus and I [the two protagonists - 'I' being the Roman soldier and iron worker, Publius Varrus:] had discovered that we had both been born in Colchester, the oldest Roman settle...more
Re-reading this book has reminded me not only why I enjoyed it so much my first time through it but also what I love about both historical fiction & historical fantasy genres.
The imagination needed to be able to believably re-create a world that is already very well detailed in history books while still crafting an effective and evocative story takes a great deal of still, arguably more skill than to create a world entirely of your own making.
Jack Whyte achieves this with The Skystone. He d...more
The imagination needed to be able to believably re-create a world that is already very well detailed in history books while still crafting an effective and evocative story takes a great deal of still, arguably more skill than to create a world entirely of your own making.
Jack Whyte achieves this with The Skystone. He d...more
I bought this as a blind stab at a book fair one day and found this book to be my favorite interpretation of the Arthurian legend I have ever read. Jack Whyte tells this story as a very believable historical possibility. Beginning with Skystone, Whyte tells the story of Camulot's origins. Furthermore, we hear of the ancestors of Arthur and Merlin and how they were brought together. Whyte's vivid description in his storytelling makes me feel as if I am actually living it. A must read for anyone l...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient & Med...: OCTOBER 2012 (Group Read 1): The Skystone by Jack Whyte | 221 | 123 | Apr 04, 2013 03:09am | |
| You'll love this ...: November 2011 - The Skystone | 56 | 38 | Nov 17, 2011 06:57am |
Jack Whyte is an author and writer born and raised in Scotland, but has been living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada since 1967.
Whyte's major work to date is the A Dream of Eagles series (as it is titled in Canada, but known as The Camulod Chronicles in the United States and elsewhere). This series of historical novels presents the tale of King Arthur set against the backdrop of Roman Britain....more
More about Jack Whyte...
Whyte's major work to date is the A Dream of Eagles series (as it is titled in Canada, but known as The Camulod Chronicles in the United States and elsewhere). This series of historical novels presents the tale of King Arthur set against the backdrop of Roman Britain....more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Square wheels are hard to sell”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
