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The Skystone

(Camulod Chronicles #1)

Jack Whyte

4.18 · Rating details · 8,875 ratings · 477 reviews

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 ...more

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Paperback, 494 pages

Published August 1st 2004 by Tor Books (first published 1992)

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· 8,875 ratings · 477 reviews

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Start your review of The Skystone (Camulod Chronicles, #1)

Jan 21, 2015 Markus rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016, historical-fiction, arthurian-legend

The Roman Empire is on the verge of total collapse. For the thousands of Romans and other peoples spread out across the known world, the cornerstone of civilisation is crumbling. And in the colony of Britannia, two ageing soldiers plan for the future in the event of the withdrawal of the legions and what they perceive as the end of the world.

The Skystone is the first book in a series that’s much more historical fiction than fantasy, even though I found it on the fantasy shelves of a Washington ...more

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Dec 04, 2007 Colleen Martin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction

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 ...more

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Mar 26, 2008 Brad rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, arthurian, fantasy, canadian-lit

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 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 and winds his way through the telling of the story of Publius Varrus and Caius Brittanicus. A pair of Roman soldiers stationed in Britain in the dying days of the Roman Empire. They are the men who give birth to the Arthur legend, both literally and figuratively, and it is Varrus who creates the Lady of the Lake -- a statue cast out of the eponymous Skystone -- and eventually, Excalibur.

Jack Whyte is nowhere near the finest writer of his generation, nor even a contender for the finest writer of fantasy-historical fiction, but there is something compelling about his Camulod books, perhaps because they feel possible, and part of that possibility is the languid pace. Nothing happens fast. This is a story of generations. It is a story of time and patience and potential, not a Hollywood action film of the bang-pow here-and-now. A plan like Caius Brittanicus' would take time, and it would take the loyalty of a man like Publius Varrus and the skill of them both to pull it off, but it couldn't happen overnight, and Whyte never lets it.

What The Skystone does well is to make a beginning, to set the stage, to get us ready for everything that is to come so very slowly. Whyte sets himself the task of a beginning, and here, he succeeds very well. By the end of the series the languid pace may be a little too slow; it may actually be a little bit boring, but in The Skystone it is simply languid, and that is the perfect pace to set for a tale the author intends to drag out over a decade of writing.

Don't be afraid to read the books now. They are all there, all ready to be read. But when you are finished make sure you imagine what it was like to be a faithful reader way back in 1996. Languid they may be, but languid must have been excruciating. ...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Artemas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: roman-historical-fiction, favorites, historical-fiction

*review for the entire Camulod Chronicles

If you asked me what my favorite series was as a 6th grader my answer would have been the original Shannara trilogy. The answer to the same question asked in 2005 would have undoubtedly been A Song of Ice and Fire. *notice how I was a fan BEFORE the TV show. ;) After reading over 900 books, hundreds of thousands of pages, and countless series spanning multiple genres, I can now say with certainty that Jack Whyte’s Camulod Chronicles stands above all ...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Tasha rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

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 ...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Terri rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: britain-fiction, historical-fiction

I always try and say something semi constructive in a review, but there really isn't anything I can say that hasn't already been said by fellow Goodreads member, Tasha (who read Skystone at the same time as me).
So, I am going to take the cop out option and direct you there as I echo her sentiments... http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...... and if you do not want to read her review, then here you go.
The sex and the timing of the sex was a big joke, the flow was uninspiring, the writing for me ...more

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Jul 09, 2016 Mark Halse rated it it was amazing

This is one of my favorite series however I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Most highly I recommend it to those who like an in depth and meandering plot. A story that pulls you in and isn't in a rush to let you go.

THE SKYSTONE, like the rest of this series, takes it's time and this style isn't for everyone. For instance, this series is a historical take on the legend of King Arthur and this book takes place three generations before Arthur is born. Three. And if you enjoy being completely ...more

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Mar 11, 2008 Brandy rated it it was amazing

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

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Nov 25, 2017 Ozymandias rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-arthurian, fiction-british, fiction-dark-ages, fiction-roman, historical-fiction, fiction-late-antique, fiction-roman-empire

Plot: 2 (strong opening leads nowhere)
Characters: 4 (generic and interchangeable)
Accuracy: 0 (gets almost every fact wrong)

I thought this book started out well. The gloomy, nostalgic tone and visceral writing style did a good job establishing a welcoming world. The battle scenes were particularly vivid and confusing in a fog of war kind of way. But after a while the overbearing narration starts to seem rather, well, overbearing. Where hearing every event described as if it was the Most ...more

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May 04, 2010 David rated it really liked it

Shelves: completed

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 ...more

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May 01, 2011 Denae rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: challenge-1010-by-2020, nook, read-in-2011, challenge-2011-osga-read, recommended-by-a-friend

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' ...more

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Jan 12, 2018 Brad added it · review of another edition

Shelves: abandoned

I think I gave this three stars back when I first started on goodreads, and I remembered it fondly enough to go ahead and download it from audible, thinking it would be a nice way to pass the time on my long commute. White's story is compelling, and he does many cool things with his Arthurian retelling. I forgot how homophobic it is, however.

For some reason I could cope with homophobia better a decade or more ago, but not today. All the homophobia did, and it is an underlying current throughout ...more

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Jan 28, 2015 Deborah Pickstone rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-faves, geocaching, history-of-all-things, favourite-authors, arfur, roman, dark-ages, top-ten-2015, reinterpretation

I dithered around with this and almost didn't read it - and it was a wonderful story, fast moving and exciting. Several more volumes to go.....that makes me a very happy bunny!

In fact, I liked it so much that I was surprised to see comments in reviews about this being a slow-moving story (I have come back to add this). Isn't it fascinating how very differently people experience the same writer? Is that down to what a person's expectations are - especially in view of this being a retelling of a ...more

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Feb 27, 2015 Benjamin Thomas rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-arthurian, favorites, historical-fiction, historical-fiction-britain

This book is the first novel in the “Camulod” series, a nine book set that encompasses the Arthurian mythos from a historical perspective rather than a “fantasy” perspective. I had been reluctant to begin, even though I had heard plenty of good things about the entire series. This was mostly due to the fact that I have read numerous Arthurian accounts, many of them relatively recently, and was unsure of starting yet another one.

So glad I did give it a try though! Right from the beginning it This book is the first novel in the “Camulod” series, a nine book set that encompasses the Arthurian mythos from a historical perspective rather than a “fantasy” perspective. I had been reluctant to begin, even though I had heard plenty of good things about the entire series. This was mostly due to the fact that I have read numerous Arthurian accounts, many of them relatively recently, and was unsure of starting yet another one.

So glad I did give it a try though! Right from the beginning it reminded me of perhaps my favorite Arthurian series, Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. That is to say, this book started out with gritty warfare told from the perspective of the Roman warriors on the front lines, down in the dirt and mud, fighting for their legates, their legionnaires, and for the glory of Rome. The story begins in the final days of the Roman Empire in Briton (~375 AD – 425 AD) and involves several flashback sequences that help establish the two major characters for the novel, Publius Varrus and Caius Brittanicus, both solid Roman soldiers. A career-ending injury to Publius leads to major changes and we quickly pull back from the day-to-day soldiering and begin to see the larger picture of what everyday life was like for citizens in Roman Briton during that era. By the end of the book we get to experience even larger issues as we live through what amounts to the abandonment of Briton by the Roman Empire, just after the overrunning of Hadrian’s Wall and the final shake-up of emperors.

The story is told from Publius’ first person POV as he transforms his life from soldier to blacksmith. There is not a clue that we are in the Arthurian world throughout the first half of the book…it’s pure historical fiction. And excellent historical fiction it is. Well-rounded characters I came to care about and worthy goals I hoped they could achieve. Publius’ quest for Skystones (meteor rocks) is the central driving force but it is not until the second half of the book that we get some clues that this is taking place several generations before Arthur and the gang’s appearance. It is fascinating to read how terms such as dragon's nests, the Lady of the Lake and the Pendragon clan are introduced via perfectly natural non-fantasy methods. No magic what-so-ever in this book.

I suspect this entire series will be a fascinating read. I expect we will see Whyte continue to incorporate traditional Arthurian names, places and events as well as the names of various historical figures that have been suggested as being the possible basis for the original King Arthur legend. This implies, of course, that Whyte's version of history is the true story that has become distorted over time to become the legend and stories of magic that we know today. It should be a great ride.
...more

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Jul 20, 2014 Beorn rated it liked it · review of another edition

For the first half to two-thirds of this book, I was treading water and anticipating writing withering comments and put downs about it when I came to this review, but, even though it is a remarkably sedate pace, it gradually grows on you a little. Kind of like moss. Or the gradual build up of dust.

I suppose for the opening book in a series, the pace is bound to be slow and aim to set the scene, but the thing that most strikes you about this book is just how sedate and pedestrian the story goes For the first half to two-thirds of this book, I was treading water and anticipating writing withering comments and put downs about it when I came to this review, but, even though it is a remarkably sedate pace, it gradually grows on you a little. Kind of like moss. Or the gradual build up of dust.

I suppose for the opening book in a series, the pace is bound to be slow and aim to set the scene, but the thing that most strikes you about this book is just how sedate and pedestrian the story goes as it winds and wanes its way to a conclusion it could easily have reached at least a hundred pages earlier. I know there is the argument of giving yourself a feel for the characters and laying the plotlines down but those key elements are already pretty much laid down in the first half of the book, making most of the latter half rather self-redundant.

What I liked about this book - and probably a fair amount of why I decided to be generous and give it three stars instead of two - is that rather than the usual 'Arthurian' tactic of writing the story as a fantasy novel with dragons, wizards, magic and all that guff, Whyte actively sets out to set this book very much firmly in historical fiction, even scoffing at the idea of "magic" and "dragons" at a few points in the story.

The dialogue and word structure is less pompous and pretentious than in his previous books that I've read but still a little OTT at times but no more than some other historical fiction writers can be guilty of. Also the narrative structure can be a little half-baked at times because at one stage you're given the impression he is writing his memoirs as an old man, at other times he zips back, forward and all over the place in time and expects you to keep up.
There are a couple of anachronisms and errors that irk me, as a history lover, such as using the name 'Franks' for the people the later period Romans would have referred to as 'Germans', wrongly claiming that Deva was still occupied and going strong in 365AD when it's long been the consensus that the fortress had been abandoned by then and a few other niggles. Also, from a purely selfish point of view, the characters visit and spend a little time in Deva (modern day Chester, my hometown) yet for no reason, it is left off the illustrative map at the front, even though the Isle Of Man and countless other places the characters don't visit are clearly marked...

Overall, an okay, adequate start to a series that at least hasn't put me off a casual interest in seeing where the next book takes us. Not the most riveting, addictive start to a series making you want to run out and get the next book but an okay, relatively enjoyable time. ...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Judy rated it liked it

Recommends it for: lovers of historical fiction

Shelves: 2011-reads, fiction, uk

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

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Sep 25, 2009 Mike rated it it was amazing

Shelves: misc-fiction

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

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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 ...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Chris Sherwood rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Joe S rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, fantasy

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 ...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Bobby rated it really liked it

My likes of

The Skystone (Camulod Chronicles, #1) by Jack Whyte

were varied. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and action segments but found several of the everyday events and locations over-descriptive and tedious. Still an above average tale and a worthy addition to anyone's Historical Fiction library. Also loved the ending!

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Apr 17, 2014 Chuck Slack rated it it was amazing

I've always been a fan of historical fiction. Authors like Wilbur Smith entertain while providing a historical narrative. Jack Whyte is really good at this craft. I read his William Wallace, Robert the Bruce series which was excellent. This book tells the story of the end of the Roman rule in Britain.

It is told quickly, yet descriptively. A great read and for people that enjoy historic fiction, fantastic!

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Dec 09, 2015 Hassan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own

If you're not paying attention, this book reads as just another possible chapter in the history of Roman Britain. If you read closely though, you can see hints of the Arthurian legend in the shadows, waiting and growing, biding its time, until it is called forth to center stage. A wonderful read.

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May 04, 2012 Wanda rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fantasy, when-words-collide, canadian-eh, arthurian-celtic

Interesting twists on the Arthur legend are being set up in this first book of the series. I liked the Roman characters and look forward to reading the next book.

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May 15, 2018 Ritz ☾ rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, garbage-fiction

This is the driest thing I've read in ages. Ages. A complete and utter chore to trudge through. It has a very vague semblance of plot that is soooo drawn out and slow; nearly absent to the point where you're questioning if any of this is leading anywhere.

Whyte has a habit of unnecessary-info dumping quite often. As a result, a great deal of scenes are skipable since they don't add anything to the meager plot. They're tangents that tend to lead nowhere. The writing itself is super dull, except ...more

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Aug 29, 2018 Molly Graf rated it really liked it

Book one of a fascinating series that begins prior to the time of King Arthur. With vivid scenes of everything from home life to battle and many things in between it's a great look at what life must've been like in early Britain.

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Apr 02, 2018 Tina Hileman rated it really liked it

An interesting portrayal of Roman Britian and the great grandfathers of King Arthur.

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Jan 03, 2019 Kathy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, my-ebooks, read-in-2019

The Skystone is the first in a series by Jack Whyte which details how the legend of King Arthur could have begun. It is an entirely historic perspective with no fantasy elements so far. It begins as the Roman Empire is losing power and Britain will be left to stand on its own. Except for one scene at the end of the novel which makes references to the Lady of the Lake, there is absolutely no mention or hint of Arthur. So I am curious to see how this story and legend unfolds in the other books of ...more

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Oct 06, 2019 Robert Richards rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Did not finish this book. I found it to be misogynistic and homophobic.

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Jun 15, 2019 Deirdre rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: can-lit, historical-fiction

Ok, so this book was a thorough mix of good and bad for me.

Good points: I do love me some end-of-the-Roman-Empire speculation. Some of my favourite books growing up (especially The Eagle of the Ninth) are in this exact time period, I took Classical Studies in university, and I'm fascinated by the story of empires rising and falling. How would people behave as their world fell around them? What would you feel and what would it be like? I thought Whyte made a good stab at it.

I thought the pace was Ok, so this book was a thorough mix of good and bad for me.

Good points: I do love me some end-of-the-Roman-Empire speculation. Some of my favourite books growing up (especially The Eagle of the Ninth) are in this exact time period, I took Classical Studies in university, and I'm fascinated by the story of empires rising and falling. How would people behave as their world fell around them? What would you feel and what would it be like? I thought Whyte made a good stab at it.

I thought the pace was refreshing, given my recent forays into YA in which you generally catapult from harrowing circumstance to near-death experience without time to catch your breath and with much deus-ex-machina deliverance and contrivance.

I appreciated the relatively healthy portrayal of male friendship, with emotions and affection and all those great things.

Whyte's writing is solid. Not excellent, but solid.

Negative points: There are only two women in this entire book with speaking roles and both of them exist for the sexual gratification of the main character. When we met Lucaella I was like, oh, maybe something more will come of this, but no. (view spoiler) Whyte is careful to work in that the sex is mutually enjoyable, consensual, etc etc, but in the overarching narrative that small favour fades to nil. And I agree with other reviewers that found the sex scenes too much. Do they move the plot forward? No. Do they contribute to anyone's character development? Also no. I skipped them.

Also, for a man as measured and full of character and thoughtful as Publius Varrus, I find his actions toward the end of the book regarding the Senecas less and less believable.

And the violence palls after a while, too.

Mostly I think Jack Whyte is a dude bro. Like, a nice dude bro with good intentions, but a dude bro nonetheless.

I'm pretty committed to continuing the series because a good friend of mine gave it to me to read for Christmas and I want to give it a good chance. We'll see how book two turns out! ...more

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Goodreads Librari...: things pt 2	2	20	Jul 04, 2014 09:00AM
Ancient & Medieva...: OCTOBER 2012 (Group Read 1): The Skystone by Jack Whyte	221	144	Apr 04, 2013 03:09AM
You'll love this ...: November 2011 - The Skystone	56	42	Nov 17, 2011 06:57AM

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About Jack Whyte

Jack Whyte

620 followers

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