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The Arthurian Tales #1
Lancelot
The legions of Rome are a fading memory. Enemies stalk the fringes of Britain. And Uther Pendragon is dying. Into this fractured and uncertain world the boy is cast, a refugee from fire, murder and betrayal. An outsider whose only companions are a hateful hawk and memories of the lost.
Yet he is gifted, and under the watchful eyes of Merlin and the Lady Nimue he will hone his talents and begin his journey to manhood. He will meet Guinevere, a wild, proud and beautiful girl, herself outcast because of her gift. And he will be dazzled by Arthur, a warrior who carries the hopes of a people like fire in the dark. But these are times of struggle and blood, when even friendship and love seem doomed to fail.
The gods are vanishing beyond the reach of dreams. Treachery and jealousy rule men’s hearts and the fate of Britain itself rests on a sword’s edge.
But the young renegade who left his home in Benoic with just a hunting bird and dreams of revenge is now a lord of war. He is a man loved and hated, admired and feared. A man forsaken but not forgotten. He is Lancelot.
Set in a 5th century Britain besieged by invading bands of Saxons and Franks, Irish and Picts, Giles Kristian's epic new novel tells - through the warrior's own words - the story of Lancelot, that most celebrated of all King Arthur's knights. It is a story ready to be re-imagined for our times.
Yet he is gifted, and under the watchful eyes of Merlin and the Lady Nimue he will hone his talents and begin his journey to manhood. He will meet Guinevere, a wild, proud and beautiful girl, herself outcast because of her gift. And he will be dazzled by Arthur, a warrior who carries the hopes of a people like fire in the dark. But these are times of struggle and blood, when even friendship and love seem doomed to fail.
The gods are vanishing beyond the reach of dreams. Treachery and jealousy rule men’s hearts and the fate of Britain itself rests on a sword’s edge.
But the young renegade who left his home in Benoic with just a hunting bird and dreams of revenge is now a lord of war. He is a man loved and hated, admired and feared. A man forsaken but not forgotten. He is Lancelot.
Set in a 5th century Britain besieged by invading bands of Saxons and Franks, Irish and Picts, Giles Kristian's epic new novel tells - through the warrior's own words - the story of Lancelot, that most celebrated of all King Arthur's knights. It is a story ready to be re-imagined for our times.
635 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2018
492 people are currently reading
17251 people want to read
About the author
Giles Kristian
18 books1,612 followersGiles Kristian's first historical novels were the acclaimed and bestselling RAVEN Viking trilogy – Blood Eye, Sons of Thunder and Odin’s Wolves. For his next series, he drew on a long-held fascination with the English Civil War to chart the fortunes of a family divided by this brutal conflict in The Bleeding Land and Brothers’ Fury. Giles also co-wrote Wilbur Smith’s No.1 bestseller, Golden Lion. In God of Vengeance (a TIMES Book of the Year), Winter’s Fire, and the Historical Writers’ Association Gold Crown shortlisted Wings of the Storm, he returned to the world of the Vikings to tell the story of Sigurd and his celebrated fictional fellowship. Lancelot was published to great acclaim and hit The Times bestseller charts at No. 3. It was also a Sunday Times bestseller. He followed Lancelot with Camelot, and his next novel, a thriller called Where Blood Runs Cold, was the Times' Thriller of the Month, and won the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2022. His next novel, Arthur, will be the final book in his Arthurian Tales. It will be published June 6th. Pre-order links here: https://linktr.ee/arthur_by_giles_kri...
To find out more about Giles: www.gileskristian.com
Follow Giles on Facebook and Twitter: @GilesKristian
To find out more about Giles: www.gileskristian.com
Follow Giles on Facebook and Twitter: @GilesKristian
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 667 reviews
December 12, 2022
I firmly believed that I would never experience another Arthurian novel as magnificent as Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles trilogy. I was wrong.
I’ll start my review by saying thank you to Robin Carter from Parmenion Books for recommending this book to me. Without him, I wouldn’t have known about this book at all. Seriously, other than his one-time recommendation, I literally never heard of or saw anything about this book anywhere else, and that’s seriously a sin because this is a brilliant book. If you’re into Arthurian Tale or historical fiction, this is a must-read.
The Arthurian legend, as most of you know, has been reenacted countless times. It’s honestly one of my favorite tales out there but although I’ve experienced tons of stories inspired from this, they’re almost always in another medium besides novels. It wasn’t until last year after I finished reading The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne that I found out about The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell; suffice it to say that I was completely mesmerized and it became the best Arthurian retelling I’ve ever experienced in any medium. Why am I saying all this? Lancelot is a book that’s as good as Cornwell’s take on the Arthurian tale.
However, please do know that this is a very different book from Cornwell’s trilogy. Unlike Warlord Chronicles, Lancelot is a highly character driven book with minimum action sequences; it’s a character study about… well… Lancelot. No surprises there. Now, I don’t know about you but I can only speak from my experience. I have experienced a lot of Arthurian retellings and they’re all unique in their own way, but there’s one thing that stays the same: the story is always told from Arthur’s or his faction’s side. If this was another retelling about Arthur, there’s a chance I wouldn’t have picked this up. However, this is about Lancelot.
Kristian brings a huge level of depth and characterization to Lancelot within this book. Telling the story exclusively from Lancelot’s POV, beginning from his childhood, makes him much more of a flawed and empathetic character. Here we see him not only as a betrayer but a true friend that is faced with the toughest of choices: friendship, loyalty, or love. I’ll admit that I was quite shocked by the prologue because the writing in that section is really not for me; I still have no idea what the prologue was supposed to mean, and the prose was too poetic for me. Luckily, once I’ve reached the 11% mark of the book, the flame of empathy inside my soul was lit. Lancelot became a character in whom I was fully invested; his love towards Guinevere, the friendship he formed with Arthur and many more aspects were all precious. Just take a look at this simple passage for example. Those of you who are familiar with the Arthurian tale will know just how much pain and complexity of feelings are imbued.
This line alone summed up precisely how complicated Lancelot’s feelings are in between choosing loyalty for Arthur or love for Guinevere. Kristian’s prose flows like a clear river with no obstructions. It was beautiful, enchanting, and lyrical. I have no idea if the fact that the author used to be in a boyband helps his prose or not, but I do know that every word was worth savoring.
There are usually two kinds of books: one that fly by quickly and others that you have to savor. Both can and are amazing in their own way, but Lancelot is a book that fell in the latter category. Take your time with this scintillating piece of art. The grief, the agony, the tragedy, the love, let all of these seeps into your blood through the words. Savor them. In the end, you’ll be just as grateful as I’m feeling now.
Thank you, Giles Kristian, for not giving up on writing this book despite the harsh circumstances you had to deal with during the time of writing. This is my first time reading your book, it certainly won’t be the last. May you rise like a hawk through all the difficult times ahead.
Side note: Please read the author’s note at the end of the book. It may be short but it shows just how much heart and soul were poured into this book. Speaking of author’s notes, maybe it was destiny for me to read this book because it was written on my birthday this year. :p
You can order the book HERE!
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
I’ll start my review by saying thank you to Robin Carter from Parmenion Books for recommending this book to me. Without him, I wouldn’t have known about this book at all. Seriously, other than his one-time recommendation, I literally never heard of or saw anything about this book anywhere else, and that’s seriously a sin because this is a brilliant book. If you’re into Arthurian Tale or historical fiction, this is a must-read.
The Arthurian legend, as most of you know, has been reenacted countless times. It’s honestly one of my favorite tales out there but although I’ve experienced tons of stories inspired from this, they’re almost always in another medium besides novels. It wasn’t until last year after I finished reading The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne that I found out about The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell; suffice it to say that I was completely mesmerized and it became the best Arthurian retelling I’ve ever experienced in any medium. Why am I saying all this? Lancelot is a book that’s as good as Cornwell’s take on the Arthurian tale.
However, please do know that this is a very different book from Cornwell’s trilogy. Unlike Warlord Chronicles, Lancelot is a highly character driven book with minimum action sequences; it’s a character study about… well… Lancelot. No surprises there. Now, I don’t know about you but I can only speak from my experience. I have experienced a lot of Arthurian retellings and they’re all unique in their own way, but there’s one thing that stays the same: the story is always told from Arthur’s or his faction’s side. If this was another retelling about Arthur, there’s a chance I wouldn’t have picked this up. However, this is about Lancelot.
Kristian brings a huge level of depth and characterization to Lancelot within this book. Telling the story exclusively from Lancelot’s POV, beginning from his childhood, makes him much more of a flawed and empathetic character. Here we see him not only as a betrayer but a true friend that is faced with the toughest of choices: friendship, loyalty, or love. I’ll admit that I was quite shocked by the prologue because the writing in that section is really not for me; I still have no idea what the prologue was supposed to mean, and the prose was too poetic for me. Luckily, once I’ve reached the 11% mark of the book, the flame of empathy inside my soul was lit. Lancelot became a character in whom I was fully invested; his love towards Guinevere, the friendship he formed with Arthur and many more aspects were all precious. Just take a look at this simple passage for example. Those of you who are familiar with the Arthurian tale will know just how much pain and complexity of feelings are imbued.
“Arthur would fight for Britain. I would fight for Arthur. And Guinevere would always own my soul. The gods are cruel.”
This line alone summed up precisely how complicated Lancelot’s feelings are in between choosing loyalty for Arthur or love for Guinevere. Kristian’s prose flows like a clear river with no obstructions. It was beautiful, enchanting, and lyrical. I have no idea if the fact that the author used to be in a boyband helps his prose or not, but I do know that every word was worth savoring.
There are usually two kinds of books: one that fly by quickly and others that you have to savor. Both can and are amazing in their own way, but Lancelot is a book that fell in the latter category. Take your time with this scintillating piece of art. The grief, the agony, the tragedy, the love, let all of these seeps into your blood through the words. Savor them. In the end, you’ll be just as grateful as I’m feeling now.
Thank you, Giles Kristian, for not giving up on writing this book despite the harsh circumstances you had to deal with during the time of writing. This is my first time reading your book, it certainly won’t be the last. May you rise like a hawk through all the difficult times ahead.
Side note: Please read the author’s note at the end of the book. It may be short but it shows just how much heart and soul were poured into this book. Speaking of author’s notes, maybe it was destiny for me to read this book because it was written on my birthday this year. :p
You can order the book HERE!
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
April 11, 2025
Kristian is a really good writer. The prose in the prologue is breathtaking and the standard is high throughout the book.
This is a new imagining of the Arthurian legend set very firmly in Dark Ages Britain with (what seems to the layman) a great deal of historical accuracy. It's basically historical fiction with the smallest elements of largely non-consequential magic.
The historical accuracy extends from the big picture (many warring kingdoms, pagan faiths, and a relentless Saxon migration) to the small picture with realistic-feeling descriptions of the very primitive technology in housing, weapons, armour, clothing etc, and the sense that all of them are dirty, smelly, and louse-ridden.
The book opens with battle, betrayal, death and escape. It is not, however, what I would call a fast moving novel. We learn far more about hawking than I ever wanted to, and Kristian has a Tolkienesque love of the landscape, along with its flora and fauna, rivaling the old man in both verbosity and talent. This is a book about characters. It's told by the eponymous Lancelot in the first person. We all know the broadest strokes of the story and it's interesting to see how they appear in this non-fantasy no-frills world. It's a story about friendship, betrayal, love and all the threads that bind that triad so tightly together.
Lancelot is a peerless warrior and we get to see him swing his sword quite a bit. The fight scenes and battle scenes are well done.
I enjoyed the book a lot. It did feel somewhat constrained by the legend within whose boundaries it had to play out. In the end - like real life often can - it felt like a rather pointless struggle. All those deaths and all that effort for ...? But that in itself is a symptom/consequence of viewing all this through a realistic historical lens. There's no shining plate mail here, no jousting, no chivalry. Carmina Burana's O Fortuna is not going to swell from the background as in the 1981 film Excalibur. And as a fantasy fan I both appreciated that and suffered it too.
A fine book.
My 5 stars are for a combination of the excellent writing and the exciting story. If either element were slightly less good, we'd be at a 4.
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This is a new imagining of the Arthurian legend set very firmly in Dark Ages Britain with (what seems to the layman) a great deal of historical accuracy. It's basically historical fiction with the smallest elements of largely non-consequential magic.
The historical accuracy extends from the big picture (many warring kingdoms, pagan faiths, and a relentless Saxon migration) to the small picture with realistic-feeling descriptions of the very primitive technology in housing, weapons, armour, clothing etc, and the sense that all of them are dirty, smelly, and louse-ridden.
The book opens with battle, betrayal, death and escape. It is not, however, what I would call a fast moving novel. We learn far more about hawking than I ever wanted to, and Kristian has a Tolkienesque love of the landscape, along with its flora and fauna, rivaling the old man in both verbosity and talent. This is a book about characters. It's told by the eponymous Lancelot in the first person. We all know the broadest strokes of the story and it's interesting to see how they appear in this non-fantasy no-frills world. It's a story about friendship, betrayal, love and all the threads that bind that triad so tightly together.
Lancelot is a peerless warrior and we get to see him swing his sword quite a bit. The fight scenes and battle scenes are well done.
I enjoyed the book a lot. It did feel somewhat constrained by the legend within whose boundaries it had to play out. In the end - like real life often can - it felt like a rather pointless struggle. All those deaths and all that effort for ...? But that in itself is a symptom/consequence of viewing all this through a realistic historical lens. There's no shining plate mail here, no jousting, no chivalry. Carmina Burana's O Fortuna is not going to swell from the background as in the 1981 film Excalibur. And as a fantasy fan I both appreciated that and suffered it too.
A fine book.
My 5 stars are for a combination of the excellent writing and the exciting story. If either element were slightly less good, we'd be at a 4.
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Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
...
August 26, 2022
this feels more historically based rather than rooted in arthurian mythology, but still such an epic tale!
although there are some liberties taken when it comes to lancelot and his life, i actually like how the changes fit inside this story. rather than focusing on his big achievements, especially his famous search for the holy grail, this spends a lot of time exploring lancelots adolescence. and his coming-of-age is such a rewarding thing to see.
from being orphaned at age 7 to raised under the tutelage of lady nimue, saving and befriending guinevere, to finally being summoned by merlin to swear an oath to serve arthur at age 18, lancelot becomes a character who is easy to empathise with and someone you cant help but root for.
this is perfect for readers who enjoy ancient british rulers and war, yet enjoy the subtle nod to magic and myth.
↠ 5 stars
although there are some liberties taken when it comes to lancelot and his life, i actually like how the changes fit inside this story. rather than focusing on his big achievements, especially his famous search for the holy grail, this spends a lot of time exploring lancelots adolescence. and his coming-of-age is such a rewarding thing to see.
from being orphaned at age 7 to raised under the tutelage of lady nimue, saving and befriending guinevere, to finally being summoned by merlin to swear an oath to serve arthur at age 18, lancelot becomes a character who is easy to empathise with and someone you cant help but root for.
this is perfect for readers who enjoy ancient british rulers and war, yet enjoy the subtle nod to magic and myth.
↠ 5 stars
May 26, 2020
Bernard Cornwell is the king of historical fiction. That’s not my opinion: it’s an actual fact. His Arthur trilogy (The Warlord Chronicles) is a great piece of writing; yet, for all that, I much prefer Lancelot. There’s just something captivating about the way Giles Kristian has told this story.
For a start, the Arthurian myth is something that has been adapted many times into fiction, movies and television shows. So what’s new about this version? Well, it’s told solely from the perspective of Lancelot from beginning to end and it is driven by his experience of the events. We see his side of the story. We see how he fell in love with Guinevere when he was very young and we see how he was forced into an impossible love triangle that threatened everything he had become. He didn't want this: it just happened.
You see, Lancelot had been training his entire life to become a warrior. After his entire family was betrayed, he has been under the tutelage of Lady Nimue and her personal warrior guard. He has become a skilled fighter and an honourable man. He saves Arthur’s life and pledges him his service. He becomes the best of his men. This version of Lancelot is not a conniving wife stealing snake as I’ve seen before, but a man caught between the two people he loves most in the world; thus, the novel becomes a compelling character study. And it was fantastic!
One of the greatest difficulties in writing historical fiction is balance. Some authors stretch their stories out too far even after the plot has dried up. Others do not give their characters enough substance and prioritise contextual details and timelines. Giles Kristian gets it just right. This is a big book, with a huge story, though it keeps moving forward and does not get stuck in the mud. Even though the events are dramatic and swift, I feel like the characters are depicted perfectly.
Arthur reminded me very much of Cornwell’s version. However, this is Lancelot’s novel and seeing him as a child added so much depth to his character. And it also made it very easy to sympathise with him. Although his love for Guinevere, arguably, was the downfall of Arthur’s dream of Britain, I can’t blame Lancelot. I can only understand him and feel for him. Lancelot never stops growing until the end. He learns about himself, and how far he is willing to go for who he loves. His was an impossible situation.
I also like the sense of realism that ran through the story; it showed how historical details or events can easily become exaggerated and turned into myth. Merlin’s antics, for example, and the finding of Excalibur are both very ordinary things but infused with just enough mystery to make the very real seem magic. It's all very well done and the last scene must have been terribly hard to write and, I must say, it’s easily one of the best closers I’ve ever read.
This is an explosive book, the pinnacle of the genre- Go read it!
__________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
For a start, the Arthurian myth is something that has been adapted many times into fiction, movies and television shows. So what’s new about this version? Well, it’s told solely from the perspective of Lancelot from beginning to end and it is driven by his experience of the events. We see his side of the story. We see how he fell in love with Guinevere when he was very young and we see how he was forced into an impossible love triangle that threatened everything he had become. He didn't want this: it just happened.
You see, Lancelot had been training his entire life to become a warrior. After his entire family was betrayed, he has been under the tutelage of Lady Nimue and her personal warrior guard. He has become a skilled fighter and an honourable man. He saves Arthur’s life and pledges him his service. He becomes the best of his men. This version of Lancelot is not a conniving wife stealing snake as I’ve seen before, but a man caught between the two people he loves most in the world; thus, the novel becomes a compelling character study. And it was fantastic!
One of the greatest difficulties in writing historical fiction is balance. Some authors stretch their stories out too far even after the plot has dried up. Others do not give their characters enough substance and prioritise contextual details and timelines. Giles Kristian gets it just right. This is a big book, with a huge story, though it keeps moving forward and does not get stuck in the mud. Even though the events are dramatic and swift, I feel like the characters are depicted perfectly.
Arthur reminded me very much of Cornwell’s version. However, this is Lancelot’s novel and seeing him as a child added so much depth to his character. And it also made it very easy to sympathise with him. Although his love for Guinevere, arguably, was the downfall of Arthur’s dream of Britain, I can’t blame Lancelot. I can only understand him and feel for him. Lancelot never stops growing until the end. He learns about himself, and how far he is willing to go for who he loves. His was an impossible situation.
I also like the sense of realism that ran through the story; it showed how historical details or events can easily become exaggerated and turned into myth. Merlin’s antics, for example, and the finding of Excalibur are both very ordinary things but infused with just enough mystery to make the very real seem magic. It's all very well done and the last scene must have been terribly hard to write and, I must say, it’s easily one of the best closers I’ve ever read.
This is an explosive book, the pinnacle of the genre- Go read it!
__________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via My Linktree.
__________________________________
November 20, 2018
What a great re-telling of the Arthurian mythos. Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles is one of my favourite series of all time, and I don't think I'm alone there, so for me Giles Kristian's decision to step into the same mist-shrouded land is a brave and bold step. Especially when he's writing about Lancelot, who Cornwell masterfully turned into one of the most loathed and despised characters I've ever had the pleasure of hating.
And yet Giles Kristian did it. He turned Lancelot into a character I felt for, cared about and dared to dream for, even though I knew there was not going to be a happy ending. He crafts a beautiful, tragic tale with exceptional heart, punctuated by visceral, blood-spattered battle scenes. A must read.
And yet Giles Kristian did it. He turned Lancelot into a character I felt for, cared about and dared to dream for, even though I knew there was not going to be a happy ending. He crafts a beautiful, tragic tale with exceptional heart, punctuated by visceral, blood-spattered battle scenes. A must read.
August 15, 2018
4.75⭐️
I’m distraught. Never never never did I imagine it to be this heart rending.
WHAT. A. RIDE!
I’m distraught. Never never never did I imagine it to be this heart rending.
WHAT. A. RIDE!
August 29, 2021
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
Simply, one of the best books I have ever read. Pure brilliance! Incredible prose, amazing characters, immersive world-building.
“And yet Arthur had Merlin. And Merlin had an idea. And so Arthur listened”
Lancelot is a historical version of the Arthurian tales that was refreshing and special. Wow, it was phenomenal!
The Arthurian legends have undoubtedly consisted of some of my favourite tales of all time. From the film adaptations to Tolkien’s epic poem The Fall of Arthur and Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. These are some of my favourite books ever, hence why I am currently writing a 6,000 word essay on the evolution of the legends. Lancelot now enters this bracket, and goes right up near the top.
This was a wonderful retelling of well-known stories, from a unique and wonderful perspective, including an entirely new coming of age story, and giving such a brilliant depth to the story of Lancelot.
Giles Kristian's prose is smooth, clear and alluring. The reading was made even better by the great audio narration of Philip Stevens, the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to.
“Arthur would fight for Britain. I would fight for Arthur. And Guinevere would always own my soul. The gods are cruel.”
The characters are masterful! New characters were brilliant and memorable, Pelias and Melwas being two such people. I fell in love with some. I absolutely despised others. They will linger on my mind for a long time to come.
This is my first reading of a book by Giles Kristian, a crime really. And oh was I so happy to discover he creates amazing action sequences. You are immersed into the conflict, whether it be a duel, or a skirmish, or a large scale battle. Whatever it is, you will feel as if you are there, participating in the crush of battle, experiencing the claustrophobic adrenaline rush of the shieldwall. Yet another aspect of this book to praise!
Lancelot is a story of heroism and tragedy. Of love and loyalty. Of a heart-wrenching decision between friendship and love. An impossible decision. I hate certain decisions Lancelot makes, but I could not stop myself sympathising with him and agreeing with his course. Kristian framed the story in the perfect way.
Overall, I cannot express the joy I found in this novel. It was utterly brilliant! Never a dull moment. Characterisation, plot and pace was all spot on. Nothing to fault in this magnificent tale. The sequel matches this in craft step by step.
5/5 STARS - READ THIS BOOK
My full review on BookNest!
BookNest-Lancelot
Simply, one of the best books I have ever read. Pure brilliance! Incredible prose, amazing characters, immersive world-building.
“And yet Arthur had Merlin. And Merlin had an idea. And so Arthur listened”
Lancelot is a historical version of the Arthurian tales that was refreshing and special. Wow, it was phenomenal!
The Arthurian legends have undoubtedly consisted of some of my favourite tales of all time. From the film adaptations to Tolkien’s epic poem The Fall of Arthur and Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. These are some of my favourite books ever, hence why I am currently writing a 6,000 word essay on the evolution of the legends. Lancelot now enters this bracket, and goes right up near the top.
This was a wonderful retelling of well-known stories, from a unique and wonderful perspective, including an entirely new coming of age story, and giving such a brilliant depth to the story of Lancelot.
Giles Kristian's prose is smooth, clear and alluring. The reading was made even better by the great audio narration of Philip Stevens, the first audiobook I’ve ever listened to.
“Arthur would fight for Britain. I would fight for Arthur. And Guinevere would always own my soul. The gods are cruel.”
The characters are masterful! New characters were brilliant and memorable, Pelias and Melwas being two such people. I fell in love with some. I absolutely despised others. They will linger on my mind for a long time to come.
This is my first reading of a book by Giles Kristian, a crime really. And oh was I so happy to discover he creates amazing action sequences. You are immersed into the conflict, whether it be a duel, or a skirmish, or a large scale battle. Whatever it is, you will feel as if you are there, participating in the crush of battle, experiencing the claustrophobic adrenaline rush of the shieldwall. Yet another aspect of this book to praise!
Lancelot is a story of heroism and tragedy. Of love and loyalty. Of a heart-wrenching decision between friendship and love. An impossible decision. I hate certain decisions Lancelot makes, but I could not stop myself sympathising with him and agreeing with his course. Kristian framed the story in the perfect way.
Overall, I cannot express the joy I found in this novel. It was utterly brilliant! Never a dull moment. Characterisation, plot and pace was all spot on. Nothing to fault in this magnificent tale. The sequel matches this in craft step by step.
5/5 STARS - READ THIS BOOK
My full review on BookNest!
BookNest-Lancelot
February 17, 2020
Incredible. I can't remember the last time I cried so hard.
July 21, 2020
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This currently has a rating of 4.25 stars on GR and it totally deserves that but it only has like ~1600 ratings which means it is a criminally underrated book. I should mention that it is not the type of books I usually read. I am someone who is not a fantasy of history in general and find it boring but my friend Petrik chose it for me for my 10 readers, 10 recommendations challenge and as usual the recommendation ended up being a favorite.
My mix for the perfect novel is simple, a balance of everything with a focus on characters and this was just that. A book with an eloquent prose, realistic characters that I rooted for and mourned. Great atmospheric world-building and many twists along the way.
I usually avoid these kind of books because they are slow-paced, very dense and have complicated writing. I thought this was the opposite with an average pacing, very available yet very alluring prose and I didn’t feel that it was a dense novel. The book is a long one for sure (more than 600 pages) but I found myself lost in the world and suddenly I was finishing it. The author has such a way with words that made me push through the beginning easily and then fall for the rest of the story after that.
I am not someone who is an expert when it comes to historical fiction either from movies or books. I have never read an Arthurian tale so I can’t say that I was familiar with the characters. At the acknowledgment part, I read that mostly these kind of stories are told from the POV of Arthur or Uthred but I thought that author was aiming for something different and fresh. He wanted to show the character of Lancelot and I think he did an outstanding job at that. The book has a characters list at the end of the book and a map at the beginning which is something I love very much. The magical thing is that I ended up following everything without needing to check those which is very magical for someone who usually have difficulties with that kind of stuff. I just thought that the author polished the characters very much and made them three dimensional that you were obliged to care about them as a reader whether they are a main or a secondary character. Even the characters that I didn’t like as a person, I enjoyed as a reader because they were just so well executed, the druid for example was a character that I had so many strong emotions toward and I think that’s brilliant!
Another thing I did not expect but liked that the story goes through the life of Lancelot as a young character and has a few time jumps which showed how he grows as a character . Guinevere too was a character that grew a lot through the story and I think the romance between them was just effing cute and great. I think it was one of my favorite bookish relationships that I read about this year.
I found the pacing to be average leaning toward the slower side of things although I have seen some readers describing it as slow-paced or fast-paced in their reviews so I think it is very subjective. As someone who is not familiar with the tale, there were many twists along the way that just were surprising and gave me goosebumps. I won’t mention much but if you read the book then you probably know which are those. The plot is kind of the only thing I wanted to criticize initially because it was not clear where the book was going. It starts as a revenge story but soon after, it deviates from there and we have kind of subplots and then the story ended up kind of fast but after thinking about it, it is a retelling and the author has to preserve the historical facts so there is not much he could do about that and that’s why I am less annoyed with the plot now. Add to that many action-packed scenes and I am going to pass over the things that irritated me a bit.
Summary: This is a character based Arthurian retelling that just maintained perfect mix of everything else. If you are a history of historical fiction then this is a must read and if you are not but willing to try something then I recommend this too. I am definitely getting the HC of Camelot and reading it soon.
You can get more books from Book Depository
“‘My sons!’ said the King of Benoic, thrusting his sword into an open mouth and hauling it back. ‘Don’t be afraid, boys,’ he growled. ‘It is only death.’”
This currently has a rating of 4.25 stars on GR and it totally deserves that but it only has like ~1600 ratings which means it is a criminally underrated book. I should mention that it is not the type of books I usually read. I am someone who is not a fantasy of history in general and find it boring but my friend Petrik chose it for me for my 10 readers, 10 recommendations challenge and as usual the recommendation ended up being a favorite.
My mix for the perfect novel is simple, a balance of everything with a focus on characters and this was just that. A book with an eloquent prose, realistic characters that I rooted for and mourned. Great atmospheric world-building and many twists along the way.
I usually avoid these kind of books because they are slow-paced, very dense and have complicated writing. I thought this was the opposite with an average pacing, very available yet very alluring prose and I didn’t feel that it was a dense novel. The book is a long one for sure (more than 600 pages) but I found myself lost in the world and suddenly I was finishing it. The author has such a way with words that made me push through the beginning easily and then fall for the rest of the story after that.
“No glory now. Just two men hacking at each other with sharp steel. Each craving the other’s death. Both desperate to live.”
I am not someone who is an expert when it comes to historical fiction either from movies or books. I have never read an Arthurian tale so I can’t say that I was familiar with the characters. At the acknowledgment part, I read that mostly these kind of stories are told from the POV of Arthur or Uthred but I thought that author was aiming for something different and fresh. He wanted to show the character of Lancelot and I think he did an outstanding job at that. The book has a characters list at the end of the book and a map at the beginning which is something I love very much. The magical thing is that I ended up following everything without needing to check those which is very magical for someone who usually have difficulties with that kind of stuff. I just thought that the author polished the characters very much and made them three dimensional that you were obliged to care about them as a reader whether they are a main or a secondary character. Even the characters that I didn’t like as a person, I enjoyed as a reader because they were just so well executed, the druid for example was a character that I had so many strong emotions toward and I think that’s brilliant!
Another thing I did not expect but liked that the story goes through the life of Lancelot as a young character and has a few time jumps which showed how he grows as a character . Guinevere too was a character that grew a lot through the story and I think the romance between them was just effing cute and great. I think it was one of my favorite bookish relationships that I read about this year.
“What is the worst they can do to us?” Perhaps I was a fool but I felt neither fear nor regret. And as for Guinevere, I loved her and she loved me; I believed that was enough.”
I found the pacing to be average leaning toward the slower side of things although I have seen some readers describing it as slow-paced or fast-paced in their reviews so I think it is very subjective. As someone who is not familiar with the tale, there were many twists along the way that just were surprising and gave me goosebumps. I won’t mention much but if you read the book then you probably know which are those. The plot is kind of the only thing I wanted to criticize initially because it was not clear where the book was going. It starts as a revenge story but soon after, it deviates from there and we have kind of subplots and then the story ended up kind of fast but after thinking about it, it is a retelling and the author has to preserve the historical facts so there is not much he could do about that and that’s why I am less annoyed with the plot now. Add to that many action-packed scenes and I am going to pass over the things that irritated me a bit.
Summary: This is a character based Arthurian retelling that just maintained perfect mix of everything else. If you are a history of historical fiction then this is a must read and if you are not but willing to try something then I recommend this too. I am definitely getting the HC of Camelot and reading it soon.
You can get more books from Book Depository
February 19, 2020
Lancelot is an epic and thrilling take on the Arthurian legend that is presented in the first-person perspective through the eyes of Lancelot - the prince and the warrior who becomes Lord Arthur's best friend and a God of War.
"And the first I knew of the attack that night which would change my life forever, was the scream."
Lancelot is only eight-years-old when we first start his journey here. King Ban's castle is attacked by King Claudas and Lancelot is forced to flee the region with his family and other survivors. Bedraggled and vulnerable they venture North to the land of the Beggar King where they hope for respite. An excess of hardship and negative events including the deaths of loved ones pollute Lancelot's early times. His formative years take place under the watchful eye of the beautiful yet mysterious Lady Nimue at Karrek Loos yn Koos where he trains as a warrior and meets Guinevere. Later on in the narrative when he is in his late teens, Lancelot becomes acquainted with Arthur and falls for his ideals of a united Britain under his banner and to push back the Saxon's from their shores for good. Lancelot becomes oathbound to Arthur and alongside the other members of the Lord's Warband, they really are a force to be feared.
Apart from the names of a few of the characters such as Merlin, Gwaine, Guinevere, Mordred, etc... I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I knew little about the stories of the legend of Arthur. In hindsight that is probably a positive as I could just embrace Lancelot as a work of fiction and enjoy the events as they hit the pages without the distractions of thinking, "that's not how it happened," "that isn't how I pictured that guy," "I don't agree with how that was retold" etc... What I did enjoy doing throughout was Googling the characters featured and reading their Wikipedia pages to find out about their real-life counterparts.
Kristian's characters, seen through the eyes of Lancelot, are an excellent asset for the tale. There is a wide range of players who influence Lancelot's life including his family, father-figures, rivals, sword brothers, enemies, and a couple of animal companions. Standout relationships were those of Lancelot with Pelleas, Guinevere, Arthur, Mordred, Merlin and also his very moody sparhawk. Animals seem important throughout in certain imagery and presented omens. This is a world where most still honour the old Gods and a simple sign could be read to mean that the Gods are on your side or that doom is impending.
Excluding a few events, the first two hundred or so pages are pretty slow going mainly focused on presenting the foundation of Lancelot's character including his training, his need for revenge and his options/ place in this world. After that, the novel is predominantly a thrilling action-packed war-focused drama. The novel features honour among allies, some fantastic battle-segments, a couple of amazing one on one duels, and distrust of individuals whose motives seem uncertain. It can be analysed too that love can be a burden that can be more dangerous than war. I liked some of Kristian's lexical choices that really get you into the mind of a warrior such as "arrow's shot" or "spear's length" to define distance. It is probably of no surprise that this is a pretty gory book at certain points. Quite often people will get stabbed in the throat, the groin, have an arm lobbed off, throat slit, etc... but as many of you will be reading this on Grimdark Magazine I doubt that this will put you off.
Lancelot is a fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed war drama presented through the eyes of one of Britain's most legendary warriors. It has a great flow, is well-written, brimming with lore and I cannot wait to pick up the follow-up Camelot! Highly recommended.
"And the first I knew of the attack that night which would change my life forever, was the scream."
Lancelot is only eight-years-old when we first start his journey here. King Ban's castle is attacked by King Claudas and Lancelot is forced to flee the region with his family and other survivors. Bedraggled and vulnerable they venture North to the land of the Beggar King where they hope for respite. An excess of hardship and negative events including the deaths of loved ones pollute Lancelot's early times. His formative years take place under the watchful eye of the beautiful yet mysterious Lady Nimue at Karrek Loos yn Koos where he trains as a warrior and meets Guinevere. Later on in the narrative when he is in his late teens, Lancelot becomes acquainted with Arthur and falls for his ideals of a united Britain under his banner and to push back the Saxon's from their shores for good. Lancelot becomes oathbound to Arthur and alongside the other members of the Lord's Warband, they really are a force to be feared.
Apart from the names of a few of the characters such as Merlin, Gwaine, Guinevere, Mordred, etc... I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I knew little about the stories of the legend of Arthur. In hindsight that is probably a positive as I could just embrace Lancelot as a work of fiction and enjoy the events as they hit the pages without the distractions of thinking, "that's not how it happened," "that isn't how I pictured that guy," "I don't agree with how that was retold" etc... What I did enjoy doing throughout was Googling the characters featured and reading their Wikipedia pages to find out about their real-life counterparts.
Kristian's characters, seen through the eyes of Lancelot, are an excellent asset for the tale. There is a wide range of players who influence Lancelot's life including his family, father-figures, rivals, sword brothers, enemies, and a couple of animal companions. Standout relationships were those of Lancelot with Pelleas, Guinevere, Arthur, Mordred, Merlin and also his very moody sparhawk. Animals seem important throughout in certain imagery and presented omens. This is a world where most still honour the old Gods and a simple sign could be read to mean that the Gods are on your side or that doom is impending.
Excluding a few events, the first two hundred or so pages are pretty slow going mainly focused on presenting the foundation of Lancelot's character including his training, his need for revenge and his options/ place in this world. After that, the novel is predominantly a thrilling action-packed war-focused drama. The novel features honour among allies, some fantastic battle-segments, a couple of amazing one on one duels, and distrust of individuals whose motives seem uncertain. It can be analysed too that love can be a burden that can be more dangerous than war. I liked some of Kristian's lexical choices that really get you into the mind of a warrior such as "arrow's shot" or "spear's length" to define distance. It is probably of no surprise that this is a pretty gory book at certain points. Quite often people will get stabbed in the throat, the groin, have an arm lobbed off, throat slit, etc... but as many of you will be reading this on Grimdark Magazine I doubt that this will put you off.
Lancelot is a fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed war drama presented through the eyes of one of Britain's most legendary warriors. It has a great flow, is well-written, brimming with lore and I cannot wait to pick up the follow-up Camelot! Highly recommended.
March 3, 2020
Lancelot, an epic that traverses Arthurian Britain, an epic that is as captivating as it is breathtaking. Prepare for heart-wrenching destruction and a whole new portrayal of the legend of Arthur. Thank you to my brother Will and some of my favourite bloggers for recommending it!
“What is the worst they can do to us?" Perhaps I was a fool but I felt neither fear nor regret. And as for Guinevere, I loved her and she loved me; I believed that was enough.”
Giles Kristian is a renowned historical fiction writer, writing fantastic viking-age novels. Lancelot is very different to his pervious books, 672 pages focusing on character development rather than the break-neck pacing and action of the Raven Saga and Sigurd’s Saga. I loved it!
I know that whenever anyone mentions Arthur I immediately think of Bernard Cornwell and his fantastic Warlord Chronicles. It is so iconic and brilliantly told it is difficult to not think of it. Lancelot is an entirely different beast, and one that Giles Kristian acknowledges to be inspired by Cornwell’s telling. There are not many novelisations that explore who Lancelot really is, not many that stray away from Lancelot just being some terribly disloyal man. However, this Lancelot really showed how a book can go completely against the grain and be utterly brilliant.
“No glory now. Just two men hacking at each other with sharp steel. Each craving the other's death. Both desperate to live.”
Kristian’s Lancelot comes to life slowly, gradually rising from the embers and ashes, beautifully crafted and emotionally driven from the early chapters. This book begins with a young Lancelot and follows his life in the dark world of the 5th Century. Britain is full of squabbling kingdoms, truly the dark ages after the Roman’s have left Britain to the formidable Saxons. There is little hope for the Briton’s.
This re-telling includes many well known characters - for those who have read some Arthurian fantasy. I really enjoyed these characters who I have read about previously as they were brought to life in different ways than I predicted. Some had their staple personalities - Merlin is witty and Bors is stoic, and of course, our main character is completely likeable and loveable. Compared to Cornwell’s trilogy it wad refreshing to see the story from Lancelot’s perspective and he is a fantastic main character - kind-hearted, loyal, a fighter and someone who felt all too real - which really enhanced every emotional scene (there are many).
“And yet Arthur had Merlin. And Merlin had an idea. And so Arthur listened”
It is a slow build up, and I felt myself longing for some quick progression of Lancelot’s early years, however I found the more I read the more I had appreciated the beginning and the gradual build up, as it really is a character driven book and it meant I was already completely invested by the time scenes packed a punch. The final third was brutal and emotional, and I felt every high and low Lancelot felt. Hats off the Giles.
“The beacon flames leapt high into the night sky, the crack and pop of the fire-ravaged wood carrying across the water which was dark but for the copper gloss which those flames cast a spear-throw distance out into the bay. And beside that ember-spewing fire, illuminated so that their spear blades and helmets and shield bosses glinted, stood a line of warriors.”
5/5 - This is a fantastic book, a wonderful re-telling of the Arthurian Knight - Lancelot. It is refreshing and so enjoyable, with Kristian’s staple intense shield-walls, but with added character depth that I did not see coming and scenes that will bring tears to your eyes. I loved it and I cannot wait for the sequel Camelot to be in clutches.
“What is the worst they can do to us?" Perhaps I was a fool but I felt neither fear nor regret. And as for Guinevere, I loved her and she loved me; I believed that was enough.”
Giles Kristian is a renowned historical fiction writer, writing fantastic viking-age novels. Lancelot is very different to his pervious books, 672 pages focusing on character development rather than the break-neck pacing and action of the Raven Saga and Sigurd’s Saga. I loved it!
I know that whenever anyone mentions Arthur I immediately think of Bernard Cornwell and his fantastic Warlord Chronicles. It is so iconic and brilliantly told it is difficult to not think of it. Lancelot is an entirely different beast, and one that Giles Kristian acknowledges to be inspired by Cornwell’s telling. There are not many novelisations that explore who Lancelot really is, not many that stray away from Lancelot just being some terribly disloyal man. However, this Lancelot really showed how a book can go completely against the grain and be utterly brilliant.
“No glory now. Just two men hacking at each other with sharp steel. Each craving the other's death. Both desperate to live.”
Kristian’s Lancelot comes to life slowly, gradually rising from the embers and ashes, beautifully crafted and emotionally driven from the early chapters. This book begins with a young Lancelot and follows his life in the dark world of the 5th Century. Britain is full of squabbling kingdoms, truly the dark ages after the Roman’s have left Britain to the formidable Saxons. There is little hope for the Briton’s.
This re-telling includes many well known characters - for those who have read some Arthurian fantasy. I really enjoyed these characters who I have read about previously as they were brought to life in different ways than I predicted. Some had their staple personalities - Merlin is witty and Bors is stoic, and of course, our main character is completely likeable and loveable. Compared to Cornwell’s trilogy it wad refreshing to see the story from Lancelot’s perspective and he is a fantastic main character - kind-hearted, loyal, a fighter and someone who felt all too real - which really enhanced every emotional scene (there are many).
“And yet Arthur had Merlin. And Merlin had an idea. And so Arthur listened”
It is a slow build up, and I felt myself longing for some quick progression of Lancelot’s early years, however I found the more I read the more I had appreciated the beginning and the gradual build up, as it really is a character driven book and it meant I was already completely invested by the time scenes packed a punch. The final third was brutal and emotional, and I felt every high and low Lancelot felt. Hats off the Giles.
“The beacon flames leapt high into the night sky, the crack and pop of the fire-ravaged wood carrying across the water which was dark but for the copper gloss which those flames cast a spear-throw distance out into the bay. And beside that ember-spewing fire, illuminated so that their spear blades and helmets and shield bosses glinted, stood a line of warriors.”
5/5 - This is a fantastic book, a wonderful re-telling of the Arthurian Knight - Lancelot. It is refreshing and so enjoyable, with Kristian’s staple intense shield-walls, but with added character depth that I did not see coming and scenes that will bring tears to your eyes. I loved it and I cannot wait for the sequel Camelot to be in clutches.
November 27, 2020
Il Cavaliere del Lago è una meravigliosa rilettura storica dei miti arturiani raccontata per la prima volta dal punto di vista di Lancillotto.
Un racconto avvincente ed intenso con una variante inedita: Lancillotto e Ginevra si sono amati fin da bambini, prima che gli eventi li separassero e lei andasse in sposa ad Artù.
Lancillotto non è quindi più il solito amico traditore e seduttore di mogli altrui, ma un guerriero tragico e tormentato, sopravvissuto al massacro della sua famiglia, e combattuto tra l'amore per le due persone che più ama al mondo, ad entrambe delle quali ha salvato la vita.
Bernard Cornwell è il maestro del romanzo storico-avventuroso e la sua trilogia arturiana ha avuto una notevole influenza sull'autore, ma questo Lancelot di Giles Kristian non ha davvero nulla da invidiargli.
Si tratta di un libro lungo con una storia immensa e familiare, dove agli elementi fantastici subentra un realismo eccezionale, e spade nella roccia e dame del lago cedono il passo a druidi machiavellici e sacerdotesse pitte assetate di sacrifici umani.
Un libro appassionante che mi ha fatto amare i suoi personaggi perfettamente caratterizzati, il rapido susseguirsi di tragiche vicende, quelle improvvise ed adrenaliniche esplosioni di violenza, mai fini a se stesse ma perfettamente integrate nel racconto, ed il suo protagonista che Cornwell mi aveva fatto precedentemente tanto disprezzare ed odiare.
Un libro lungo, ma che volevo non finisse mai.
Un libro emozionante, che non dimenticherò mai.
E quella battaglia finale, dove il lettore si trova a soffrire insieme a Lancillotto, all'amato Artù, ed all'autore, che dopo così tante pagine in cui è cresciuto insieme ai suoi e ormai nostri personaggi, e che deve aver sofferto non poco nello scriverla, complice la recente scomparsa del padre, è semplicemente uno dei migliori finali mai realizzati.
Se vi piacciono romanzi storici e miti arturiani leggetelo, non vi deluderà.
Un racconto avvincente ed intenso con una variante inedita: Lancillotto e Ginevra si sono amati fin da bambini, prima che gli eventi li separassero e lei andasse in sposa ad Artù.
Lancillotto non è quindi più il solito amico traditore e seduttore di mogli altrui, ma un guerriero tragico e tormentato, sopravvissuto al massacro della sua famiglia, e combattuto tra l'amore per le due persone che più ama al mondo, ad entrambe delle quali ha salvato la vita.
Bernard Cornwell è il maestro del romanzo storico-avventuroso e la sua trilogia arturiana ha avuto una notevole influenza sull'autore, ma questo Lancelot di Giles Kristian non ha davvero nulla da invidiargli.
Si tratta di un libro lungo con una storia immensa e familiare, dove agli elementi fantastici subentra un realismo eccezionale, e spade nella roccia e dame del lago cedono il passo a druidi machiavellici e sacerdotesse pitte assetate di sacrifici umani.
Un libro appassionante che mi ha fatto amare i suoi personaggi perfettamente caratterizzati, il rapido susseguirsi di tragiche vicende, quelle improvvise ed adrenaliniche esplosioni di violenza, mai fini a se stesse ma perfettamente integrate nel racconto, ed il suo protagonista che Cornwell mi aveva fatto precedentemente tanto disprezzare ed odiare.
Un libro lungo, ma che volevo non finisse mai.
Un libro emozionante, che non dimenticherò mai.
E quella battaglia finale, dove il lettore si trova a soffrire insieme a Lancillotto, all'amato Artù, ed all'autore, che dopo così tante pagine in cui è cresciuto insieme ai suoi e ormai nostri personaggi, e che deve aver sofferto non poco nello scriverla, complice la recente scomparsa del padre, è semplicemente uno dei migliori finali mai realizzati.
Se vi piacciono romanzi storici e miti arturiani leggetelo, non vi deluderà.
November 20, 2022
An incredibly well written story about love, loss, friendship, betrayal, revenge and war. "Lancelot" is a masterpiece, a brilliant work of fiction. I regret not reading it earlier. It shattered my heart into thousand pieces and I loved that!
Deeply moving, poignant, profoundly emotional and heart breaking, "Lancelot" is the most vivid retelling I've ever read. It's a 5th century Arthurian retelling where the lord of war Lancelot is our protagonist.
"Lancelot" is a coming of age story. We follow Lancelot since he was seven years old and till adulthood. We witness him growing up. Becoming the legend he was destined to be with each passing day. Witnessing his journey and seeing his gradual character development was a marvellous journey! It reminded me why I love reading books. Lancelot's journey, swept me away from the real world. I got immersed in the book. Giles Kristian's mesmerising writing style played a great role in this respect. His prose is lyrical, alluring and intimate. It immediately lured me in and made it impossible to detach myself from this masterpiece of a book.
"Lancelot" is more historical than I expected. And I thought it was a amazing. Historical fiction isn't my usual genre. But this book made me realise how much I love a good historical fantasy. I shall forever be indebted.
"Lancelot" was my very first historical fantasy retelling. It surely wouldn't be the last though. I can't wait to read more from this author. I'm very very excited to read the sequel to this book, "Camelot". I believe that's going to be Lancelot's son's story...
Deeply moving, poignant, profoundly emotional and heart breaking, "Lancelot" is the most vivid retelling I've ever read. It's a 5th century Arthurian retelling where the lord of war Lancelot is our protagonist.
"Lancelot" is a coming of age story. We follow Lancelot since he was seven years old and till adulthood. We witness him growing up. Becoming the legend he was destined to be with each passing day. Witnessing his journey and seeing his gradual character development was a marvellous journey! It reminded me why I love reading books. Lancelot's journey, swept me away from the real world. I got immersed in the book. Giles Kristian's mesmerising writing style played a great role in this respect. His prose is lyrical, alluring and intimate. It immediately lured me in and made it impossible to detach myself from this masterpiece of a book.
"Lancelot" is more historical than I expected. And I thought it was a amazing. Historical fiction isn't my usual genre. But this book made me realise how much I love a good historical fantasy. I shall forever be indebted.
"Lancelot" was my very first historical fantasy retelling. It surely wouldn't be the last though. I can't wait to read more from this author. I'm very very excited to read the sequel to this book, "Camelot". I believe that's going to be Lancelot's son's story...
February 2, 2020
I saw this book with its beautiful cover at a supermarket in London and it grabbed my attention immediately, I don't normally go for these types of books, historical/legendary fiction, don't ask me why, I love TV shows like Vikings, The Last Kingdom, and Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series starring Sean Bean, as well as many other films, but books, not so much, but after reading this fantastic story of Lancelot, I will definitely look into more of these stories.
Not knowing a great deal about Lancelot (knowing of him but more of King Arthur), I couldn't wait to delve into this, the story of him from a young boy right the way to a battle hardened old warrior, I absolutely gorged through this book In probably less than a fortnight, I wanted to saviour this, and I was gutted to have finished it.
Lancelot starts his journey as a boy with his brother Hector, his Mother and Father, King Ban of Benoic, after a retreat of a battle, they are then betrayed in a horrific fashion, Lancelot lucky to escape, thanks to the Lady Nimue and the warrior Pelleas.
Lancelot spends his time on the Island as a boy, learning his skills, and finds despite being the youngest of the boys, he more than holds his own, he admires the Lady, respects and looks up to Pelleas, he also has a strong bond with his Cousin, Bors, they are close as brothers, then via an accident, he meets the beautiful Guinevere, this changes his life forever.
Fate eventually sets him up for what he was always destined for, a legendary warrior and right hand man of Arthur, the man who would be King of Britain, and throw the Saxons back into the sea, but what about Guinevere? Who is now Arthur's wife, how must Lancelot deal with such a blow, as Lancelot himself says, "The Gods are cruel".
A fantastic re-telling of Lancelot and the Arthurian legend, and what a ride it was, the characters he meets along his journey, all he loves, Bors, Pelleas, Benesek, Britain, The Lady, Arthur, and Guinevere herself, as well as those he hates, Melwas, Mordred his Uncle, and those he has conflicted feelings for, such as the strange druid Merlin, this is an epic voyage of one man's journey, and I will certainly look into more of Giles Kristian's work, as well as the Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell, by which Kristian was influenced by.
Even if your not particularly interested in this genre usually, I would highly recommend this just as an excellent, epic tale.
Essential reading. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not knowing a great deal about Lancelot (knowing of him but more of King Arthur), I couldn't wait to delve into this, the story of him from a young boy right the way to a battle hardened old warrior, I absolutely gorged through this book In probably less than a fortnight, I wanted to saviour this, and I was gutted to have finished it.
Lancelot starts his journey as a boy with his brother Hector, his Mother and Father, King Ban of Benoic, after a retreat of a battle, they are then betrayed in a horrific fashion, Lancelot lucky to escape, thanks to the Lady Nimue and the warrior Pelleas.
Lancelot spends his time on the Island as a boy, learning his skills, and finds despite being the youngest of the boys, he more than holds his own, he admires the Lady, respects and looks up to Pelleas, he also has a strong bond with his Cousin, Bors, they are close as brothers, then via an accident, he meets the beautiful Guinevere, this changes his life forever.
Fate eventually sets him up for what he was always destined for, a legendary warrior and right hand man of Arthur, the man who would be King of Britain, and throw the Saxons back into the sea, but what about Guinevere? Who is now Arthur's wife, how must Lancelot deal with such a blow, as Lancelot himself says, "The Gods are cruel".
A fantastic re-telling of Lancelot and the Arthurian legend, and what a ride it was, the characters he meets along his journey, all he loves, Bors, Pelleas, Benesek, Britain, The Lady, Arthur, and Guinevere herself, as well as those he hates, Melwas, Mordred his Uncle, and those he has conflicted feelings for, such as the strange druid Merlin, this is an epic voyage of one man's journey, and I will certainly look into more of Giles Kristian's work, as well as the Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell, by which Kristian was influenced by.
Even if your not particularly interested in this genre usually, I would highly recommend this just as an excellent, epic tale.
Essential reading. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 3, 2025
This formidable standalone book by Giles Kristian about Lancelot, legendary Knight of Arthur the Warlord (King or Prince) of the Celts in Britain, is a fantastic read, and at the end of the book you'll find within the Author's Note well explained details concerning this book and a list of Dramatis Personae.
This Fifth/Sixth Century myth about the life and time of Arthur and here thus also about our hero Lancelot, reminds me a lot of the books I've read before as such are, Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles Trilogy, and also M.K. Hume's King Arthur Trilogy.
This book can certainly compare itself with the aforementioned books by Bernard Cornwell and M.K. Hume concerning time, events and characters, but Giles Kristian has his own kind of way in telling his own version about the events that took place during this Arthurian time and place.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality by the author, and all the characters come splendidly to life within this wonderful historical Celtic myth.
Our main character, that's of course Lancelot, is also acting as narrator of this great personal story of love, hate, loyalty and betrayal.
The book starts with Lancelot fleeing with his family from a sudden attack by King Claudas of Armorica, and due to treachery by his uncle Balsant, King Ban of Benoic's brother, while being at the court of the Beggar King after seeking refuge, he's is rescued by the Lady with the Golden Hair (Nimue) and her warrior Pelleas, and taken to the Island of Karrek Loos yn Koos, to be trained there in the art of war.
What will follow after that experience is Lancelot's life journey, that will start at Lady Nimue's fortress at Karrek, and it's from there that he will be shaped and formed into the charismatic lovable formidable fighting man that he will become as one of the great Legends of the Arthurian Myth.
Highly recommended, for this is a gripping eventful tale, which a lot of action, love and hate, and believable characters with Lancelot at the heart of it, that makes this book such an enjoyable read, and one that I simply like to call as: "A Very Impressive Arthurian Legend"!
This Fifth/Sixth Century myth about the life and time of Arthur and here thus also about our hero Lancelot, reminds me a lot of the books I've read before as such are, Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles Trilogy, and also M.K. Hume's King Arthur Trilogy.
This book can certainly compare itself with the aforementioned books by Bernard Cornwell and M.K. Hume concerning time, events and characters, but Giles Kristian has his own kind of way in telling his own version about the events that took place during this Arthurian time and place.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality by the author, and all the characters come splendidly to life within this wonderful historical Celtic myth.
Our main character, that's of course Lancelot, is also acting as narrator of this great personal story of love, hate, loyalty and betrayal.
The book starts with Lancelot fleeing with his family from a sudden attack by King Claudas of Armorica, and due to treachery by his uncle Balsant, King Ban of Benoic's brother, while being at the court of the Beggar King after seeking refuge, he's is rescued by the Lady with the Golden Hair (Nimue) and her warrior Pelleas, and taken to the Island of Karrek Loos yn Koos, to be trained there in the art of war.
What will follow after that experience is Lancelot's life journey, that will start at Lady Nimue's fortress at Karrek, and it's from there that he will be shaped and formed into the charismatic lovable formidable fighting man that he will become as one of the great Legends of the Arthurian Myth.
Highly recommended, for this is a gripping eventful tale, which a lot of action, love and hate, and believable characters with Lancelot at the heart of it, that makes this book such an enjoyable read, and one that I simply like to call as: "A Very Impressive Arthurian Legend"!
November 5, 2019
A version of the legend of Lancelot. I enjoyed the story, but it's a slowburner, which is not my favourite style. In his afterword the author states that this is entirely his own version of events which made it a little more difficult to read for me. The same persons were involved, Uther, Arthur, Gawain, Guinevere, Merlin, Igraine, but the stories were different from the legend.
February 6, 2022
I was drawn to this book mainly because I thought it an interesting concept to have this mythical well-known story told from Lancelot's point of view. I have always personally found Lancelot one of the more intriguing characters from Arthurian legend just for the conflicting symbolism of his character. On the one hand he is the greatest and noblest of knights, and yet he is also a traitor. Giles Kristian takes that premise and plays with it, to make Lancelot completely his own character, and give us an intimate insight into the man behind the legend. The result is breath-taking.
My first book from Giles, I suppose it would be classed as historical fantasy, though the magical elements to it are limited and it takes more of a realistic and gritty approach, which I was surprised to say that I actually enjoyed, as generally I tend to be a fan of the magic in Arthurian lore. The book is set in 5th century Britain, with the Romans having left and the constant threat of Saxon invasions, not to mention the bickering Kings and warlords of Britain itself. Giles really succeeds in bringing this harsh landscape to life, creating a very vivid re-imagining of Britain at the time which really drew me into the story. Whilst magic plays a limited role in the book, Giles does capture a sense of mysticism that I enjoyed. There are references to the old Gods and to superstitions, even as Christianity is taking more of a hold. I enjoyed Merlin's character as a druid, and found certain aspects of the story cleverly handled such as how Arthur obtains Excalibur.
I was surprised to find how much of the book is spent on Lancelot's childhood and adolescent years, and much of the book feels like a coming of age story. Some readers might find the pacing of the book too slow in this regards, as we don't really get to much of the 'proper action' till much later; and certainly we spend less time with the Lancelot of legend than we do with the warrior in the making. I did find aspects of the pacing a little odd myself, as the latter parts do seem rather rushed in comparison to the earlier parts of the story. The last few chapters seem to cover a lot of ground and span over Lancelot's later years much more quickly.
That being said, I do understand Giles' approach. This book really is a character study of Lancelot, where Giles is already expecting the reader to know the Lancelot of legend, with this book more about exploring his earlier years and what shaped him to become the man that he did. I suppose the only reason why I wanted more is because I loved Lancelot so much as a character by this point, as well as the general way in which Giles was telling the story, and thought it a pity we seemed to skim over periods of his life that I actually would have been interested in seeing play out in more detail, for instance his relationship with Helaine, and certainly I wanted more of his relationship with Galahad at the end, as the glimpses we got of their father-son relationship were so touching.
I would say that because the first half of the book is much more fleshed out than the second half, I probably ended up enjoying this section more. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy the later parts, just that perhaps it didn't feel quite as rich or satisfying, though the later parts certainly did pack an emotional punch, with all the prior character building really paying off.
Lancelot himself I fell in love with in the first few chapters of the novel, and from there on, no matter what happened, I was firmly on his side. Giles presents us with this endearing young boy, who has a love for animals, and who is desperate to impress his father, and who burns in his intensity and determination. We witness him early on in the novel lose his family and as such one almost can't help but feel protective of him. On the Island of Karrek Loos yn Koos, where he is taken in by Lady Nimueh, he is at first an outsider, shunned by the other boys and has only his sparhawk for company. Yet we see how he endears himself to the formidable warrior Pelleas, (whose friendship with Lancelot I really enjoyed and made for a touching arc in the book), and we admire him for his determination, such as when he wins the race against the older boys, or later when he won't give up looking for Benesek's sword. Then of course he rescues Guinevere, and suddenly he is no longer alone but has found his soul-mate. Furthermore, the qualities that Giles presents in Lancelot as a young boy, stay with him throughout the book, and more than anything as a reader we feel everything he feels, and can understand the weight of his every decision.
Of course the two relationships that are integral to Lancelot's overall story, are those with Guinevere and Arthur, and I liked how both were handled in the book. As already mentioned, Lancelot and Guinevere meet here as children, which is a deviation from Arthurian lore, however, Giles is quite clear that this is his take on the Arthurian stories and not necessarily a faithful re-telling, and I certainly had no issue with this. I thought that having Lancelot and Guinevere meet long before either meet Arthur made sense in this story, which paints their relationship in a much more tragic way, rather than the classic betrayal of legend, and really helps build a meaningful connection between them. They are both outsiders on the island, drawn to each other, and the bond formed between them in those early years never fades. Lancelot's love for Guinevere reads as very 'pure', even though it later becomes a matter of great personal torment for him.
That brings us to the friendship between Lancelot and Arthur. Arthur, though he does not feature till around the half way mark, makes a very strong impression when he does enter the story. Giles paints him as a very charismatic figure and leader of men, who is probably ten years or so older than Lancelot. As such it is easy to see why Lancelot, only eighteen or so at the time, is so in awe of Arthur and so eager to pledge his allegiance to him. A strong bond is established between the two very quickly, from Arthur's point of view I suppose spurred by Lancelot's bravery and loyalty to him and the potential he sees in this young warrior. Within a few chapters, Giles is able to convincingly portray a genuine brotherhood between the two, which then sets things up for Guinevere to be re-introduced as Arthur's wife, and as a reader it was so easy to feel Lancelot's anguish as his heart is essentially torn in two.
This builds to the inevitable conclusion of the story, which I was almost in dread of at this stage because I was so attached to the principal characters, especially Lancelot, and didn't want everything to come crashing down or to be disappointed by Lancelot's actions. The betrayal does happen, however, not in the way I had expected it to, and I personally liked the way Giles handled this and thought it the right take for this particular re-telling of the story. At the same time I fully appreciate that some might see it as a 'cop out', and that it possibly takes away from some of the complexities of the traditional story, as rather than being a conscious betrayal, it is an unconscious one. However, I thought it made everything just all the more tragic, and fitted the depictions of the characters set out in this story, whilst still allowing the story to play out in a manner similar to the way it usually would.
Whilst it did mean that Lancelot and Guinevere, certainly to my eyes, were absolved of the usual treachery they are associated with, I think overall the handling of this love-triangle still highlighted flaws in all three characters. From Lancelot and Guinevere's part for instance, perhaps if they had been honest with Arthur from the start about their past relationship, he might have been more trusting of them. Arthur, as it is, once he discovers their history on the Island, has seeds of doubt sown in his mind that does in particular impact his relationship with Lancelot. I did personally think this was more due to his own insecurity and jealousy than anything else, and certainly his later actions towards Guinevere were for me rather unforgivable, no matter the hurt he felt.
This book does features a host of other well known Arthurian characters, and amongst those deserving a mention are Merlin, Gwain, Bors, Pelleas, Nimueh, Melwas and Mordred (whose arc whilst succinctly told, is well-told I thought).
There is so much more I could say about the book, however, I'm aware this is already a long review. In short, I absolutely loved this bold and powerful re-telling of the Arthurian myth, which Giles succeeds in completely making his own. Whilst it wasn't necessarily what I had been expecting, and whilst I can also objectively say does have it's flaws, it still ended up being a five star read for me, just because of the emotions it evoked. The ending was heart-breaking, and whilst a part of me wished that Lancelot hadn't joined the battle, and hated that he left Galahad on that hillside, it also felt like absolutely the right ending for the character, fighting by Arthur's side.
It is a story filled with loss and love, of friendship and honour, an intimate character driven story, though it does have some glorious battle scenes within it as well. I should also say that Giles' prose was beautiful, and that this book was, for me at least, one to really savour. Certainly it is a story that will stay with me for a long while, and which has me eager to pick up the sequel, which focuses on Galahad.
My first book from Giles, I suppose it would be classed as historical fantasy, though the magical elements to it are limited and it takes more of a realistic and gritty approach, which I was surprised to say that I actually enjoyed, as generally I tend to be a fan of the magic in Arthurian lore. The book is set in 5th century Britain, with the Romans having left and the constant threat of Saxon invasions, not to mention the bickering Kings and warlords of Britain itself. Giles really succeeds in bringing this harsh landscape to life, creating a very vivid re-imagining of Britain at the time which really drew me into the story. Whilst magic plays a limited role in the book, Giles does capture a sense of mysticism that I enjoyed. There are references to the old Gods and to superstitions, even as Christianity is taking more of a hold. I enjoyed Merlin's character as a druid, and found certain aspects of the story cleverly handled such as how Arthur obtains Excalibur.
I was surprised to find how much of the book is spent on Lancelot's childhood and adolescent years, and much of the book feels like a coming of age story. Some readers might find the pacing of the book too slow in this regards, as we don't really get to much of the 'proper action' till much later; and certainly we spend less time with the Lancelot of legend than we do with the warrior in the making. I did find aspects of the pacing a little odd myself, as the latter parts do seem rather rushed in comparison to the earlier parts of the story. The last few chapters seem to cover a lot of ground and span over Lancelot's later years much more quickly.
That being said, I do understand Giles' approach. This book really is a character study of Lancelot, where Giles is already expecting the reader to know the Lancelot of legend, with this book more about exploring his earlier years and what shaped him to become the man that he did. I suppose the only reason why I wanted more is because I loved Lancelot so much as a character by this point, as well as the general way in which Giles was telling the story, and thought it a pity we seemed to skim over periods of his life that I actually would have been interested in seeing play out in more detail, for instance his relationship with Helaine, and certainly I wanted more of his relationship with Galahad at the end, as the glimpses we got of their father-son relationship were so touching.
I would say that because the first half of the book is much more fleshed out than the second half, I probably ended up enjoying this section more. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy the later parts, just that perhaps it didn't feel quite as rich or satisfying, though the later parts certainly did pack an emotional punch, with all the prior character building really paying off.
Lancelot himself I fell in love with in the first few chapters of the novel, and from there on, no matter what happened, I was firmly on his side. Giles presents us with this endearing young boy, who has a love for animals, and who is desperate to impress his father, and who burns in his intensity and determination. We witness him early on in the novel lose his family and as such one almost can't help but feel protective of him. On the Island of Karrek Loos yn Koos, where he is taken in by Lady Nimueh, he is at first an outsider, shunned by the other boys and has only his sparhawk for company. Yet we see how he endears himself to the formidable warrior Pelleas, (whose friendship with Lancelot I really enjoyed and made for a touching arc in the book), and we admire him for his determination, such as when he wins the race against the older boys, or later when he won't give up looking for Benesek's sword. Then of course he rescues Guinevere, and suddenly he is no longer alone but has found his soul-mate. Furthermore, the qualities that Giles presents in Lancelot as a young boy, stay with him throughout the book, and more than anything as a reader we feel everything he feels, and can understand the weight of his every decision.
Of course the two relationships that are integral to Lancelot's overall story, are those with Guinevere and Arthur, and I liked how both were handled in the book. As already mentioned, Lancelot and Guinevere meet here as children, which is a deviation from Arthurian lore, however, Giles is quite clear that this is his take on the Arthurian stories and not necessarily a faithful re-telling, and I certainly had no issue with this. I thought that having Lancelot and Guinevere meet long before either meet Arthur made sense in this story, which paints their relationship in a much more tragic way, rather than the classic betrayal of legend, and really helps build a meaningful connection between them. They are both outsiders on the island, drawn to each other, and the bond formed between them in those early years never fades. Lancelot's love for Guinevere reads as very 'pure', even though it later becomes a matter of great personal torment for him.
That brings us to the friendship between Lancelot and Arthur. Arthur, though he does not feature till around the half way mark, makes a very strong impression when he does enter the story. Giles paints him as a very charismatic figure and leader of men, who is probably ten years or so older than Lancelot. As such it is easy to see why Lancelot, only eighteen or so at the time, is so in awe of Arthur and so eager to pledge his allegiance to him. A strong bond is established between the two very quickly, from Arthur's point of view I suppose spurred by Lancelot's bravery and loyalty to him and the potential he sees in this young warrior. Within a few chapters, Giles is able to convincingly portray a genuine brotherhood between the two, which then sets things up for Guinevere to be re-introduced as Arthur's wife, and as a reader it was so easy to feel Lancelot's anguish as his heart is essentially torn in two.
This builds to the inevitable conclusion of the story, which I was almost in dread of at this stage because I was so attached to the principal characters, especially Lancelot, and didn't want everything to come crashing down or to be disappointed by Lancelot's actions. The betrayal does happen, however, not in the way I had expected it to, and I personally liked the way Giles handled this and thought it the right take for this particular re-telling of the story. At the same time I fully appreciate that some might see it as a 'cop out', and that it possibly takes away from some of the complexities of the traditional story, as rather than being a conscious betrayal, it is an unconscious one. However, I thought it made everything just all the more tragic, and fitted the depictions of the characters set out in this story, whilst still allowing the story to play out in a manner similar to the way it usually would.
Whilst it did mean that Lancelot and Guinevere, certainly to my eyes, were absolved of the usual treachery they are associated with, I think overall the handling of this love-triangle still highlighted flaws in all three characters. From Lancelot and Guinevere's part for instance, perhaps if they had been honest with Arthur from the start about their past relationship, he might have been more trusting of them. Arthur, as it is, once he discovers their history on the Island, has seeds of doubt sown in his mind that does in particular impact his relationship with Lancelot. I did personally think this was more due to his own insecurity and jealousy than anything else, and certainly his later actions towards Guinevere were for me rather unforgivable, no matter the hurt he felt.
This book does features a host of other well known Arthurian characters, and amongst those deserving a mention are Merlin, Gwain, Bors, Pelleas, Nimueh, Melwas and Mordred (whose arc whilst succinctly told, is well-told I thought).
There is so much more I could say about the book, however, I'm aware this is already a long review. In short, I absolutely loved this bold and powerful re-telling of the Arthurian myth, which Giles succeeds in completely making his own. Whilst it wasn't necessarily what I had been expecting, and whilst I can also objectively say does have it's flaws, it still ended up being a five star read for me, just because of the emotions it evoked. The ending was heart-breaking, and whilst a part of me wished that Lancelot hadn't joined the battle, and hated that he left Galahad on that hillside, it also felt like absolutely the right ending for the character, fighting by Arthur's side.
It is a story filled with loss and love, of friendship and honour, an intimate character driven story, though it does have some glorious battle scenes within it as well. I should also say that Giles' prose was beautiful, and that this book was, for me at least, one to really savour. Certainly it is a story that will stay with me for a long while, and which has me eager to pick up the sequel, which focuses on Galahad.
January 31, 2019
Well, that was a wonderfully entertaining, exciting and highly emotional read! Easily 5/5 stars for me. This one will not soon be forgotten.
It’s amazing, I can remember as a kid all those many years ago hearing the Aurthurian legend for the first time, and being overwhelmed by the world of knights, round tables, druids, legendary swords, castles like Camelot and great battles. The ideals of chivalry, loyalty, honor, family and love, and believing in/fighting for those ideals not just when it’s easy, but when it means making the ultimate of sacrifices. I was drawn to that tale back then and this helped to create my love of heroic fantasy.
Now, as an adult and reading a more realistic and gritty telling of the legend, I find myself caught up again falling in love with the story and those same ideals. The telling of this tale from the perspective of Lancelot is terrific, adding a broader view to the classic story and even adding a refreshing take on it. And these characters! They felt so real to me. I think I liked that the best.
If you like heroic fantasy and/or historical fiction, I would recommend giving this a shot. An emotional roller coaster well worth the ride!
It’s amazing, I can remember as a kid all those many years ago hearing the Aurthurian legend for the first time, and being overwhelmed by the world of knights, round tables, druids, legendary swords, castles like Camelot and great battles. The ideals of chivalry, loyalty, honor, family and love, and believing in/fighting for those ideals not just when it’s easy, but when it means making the ultimate of sacrifices. I was drawn to that tale back then and this helped to create my love of heroic fantasy.
Now, as an adult and reading a more realistic and gritty telling of the legend, I find myself caught up again falling in love with the story and those same ideals. The telling of this tale from the perspective of Lancelot is terrific, adding a broader view to the classic story and even adding a refreshing take on it. And these characters! They felt so real to me. I think I liked that the best.
If you like heroic fantasy and/or historical fiction, I would recommend giving this a shot. An emotional roller coaster well worth the ride!
November 11, 2024
📖
Every once in a while, i like to challenge myself to read a genre i'm not especially passionate about. Historical Fiction falls squarely into this category. Sometimes it's a win other times it's not.
This book was a win in some ways, in other ways not so much.
What tipped this book for me as a winning book was
a. the writing
b. having a refreshing different perspective of Lancelot, an oft vilified character to Arthur's shinning knight character.
c. Giles Kristian is a bloody good writer.
Seriously. No jokes!!! The prose is sublime and you really get to see a fleshed out character from Arthurian legend that is often cast, as i said in a negative light. You might say, of course you get to see Lancelot, he tells the story afterall. But i have to say that first person PoV's are notorious for giving you characters without soul. Characters that are divorced from emotions in their story so that the narration feels mechanic.
Not so in this book.
📖 📖"You think life will be so simple?"
If only.
I find that this quote was perhaps the bane of Lancelot's life. Would that falling in love with a girl would be so simple, or friendship, loyalty, love for country.
📖 📖 📖
I wish i could write that i'll go out and perhaps read all Bernard Cornwell's books until i'm seeing medieval England when i sleep but honestly, i think Kristain's work (amazing writing aside) has shown me that i have dangerously low patience or interest for these medieval characters. Especially with their insistence on having tragic love stories. Like was there something in the water then?
Anyways if you absolutely love historical fiction especially one's that deal with Arthurian Legend, or you're looking for a well written historical fiction that isn't too crazy on the wars, you can't go wrong with this book.
June 5, 2018
You guys, I just finished reading the most amazing book and I have a massive book hang over! I stayed up super late last night to finish up Lancelot and if there is ever a good reason to be completely knackered all day, it's this one.
I'd been hearing wonderful things about Lancelot on Twitter and Goodreads so when Anne at Random Things Book Tours emailed me about the blog tour, you can bet that I wrote her back within seconds. I've never been a huge reader of Arthurian novels but Lancelot has changed that. Though I don't think any other book will compare with Kristian's now.
Giles Kristian is a true story-teller. His writing is absolutely gorgeous and I immediately fell in love with the book within the first page. It's one of those books that you never want to put down. I was reading while cooking, while giving my kids a bath, and made my husband drive so that I could read while running errands. I just wanted to stay in Lancelot's world.
I know I'll be picking up the hardcover copy of Lancelot, because just look at that cover! Agh, it's stunning! I need this book on my shelf so that I can go back and read it again and again.
I have a new author crush, so excuse me while I go out and pick up the rest of Giles' books to devour.
I'd been hearing wonderful things about Lancelot on Twitter and Goodreads so when Anne at Random Things Book Tours emailed me about the blog tour, you can bet that I wrote her back within seconds. I've never been a huge reader of Arthurian novels but Lancelot has changed that. Though I don't think any other book will compare with Kristian's now.
Giles Kristian is a true story-teller. His writing is absolutely gorgeous and I immediately fell in love with the book within the first page. It's one of those books that you never want to put down. I was reading while cooking, while giving my kids a bath, and made my husband drive so that I could read while running errands. I just wanted to stay in Lancelot's world.
I know I'll be picking up the hardcover copy of Lancelot, because just look at that cover! Agh, it's stunning! I need this book on my shelf so that I can go back and read it again and again.
I have a new author crush, so excuse me while I go out and pick up the rest of Giles' books to devour.
April 26, 2018
I loved LOVED this book. From the very first words I knew I was going to adore it and I did. It’s a beautifully written, highly immersive, wonderfully evocative novel that retells the legend of Arthur from the point of view of Lancelot and it is addictive as heck – even though I kept putting it down because it was one of those books I just didn’t want to finish because then it would be over.
The writing is sublime and the storytelling is genuinely magical, you get all caught up in 5th century Britain with all it’s warring factions, superstitions and rough living – into this world comes Lancelot, whose life will become intertwined with Arthur’s in a friendship divided by their love for Guinevere. Before he even meets Arthur though, Lancelot has lived a life less than ordinary…
Lancelot broke my heart, had me on the edge of my seat, it was one of those books where, when reading it, you let out little exclamations (sometimes embarrassing if you are sat on a bus) where you absolutely live every minute of it with the characters and sink into their world coming out slightly dazed the other side.
It was wonderful. Is all I’m saying. The ending made me sob a bit, not sure whether it was due to the events of the ending or the fact of it, but either way I was distraught that I was leaving them all behind – Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, yes even Mordred but especially Lancelot who will stay with me – and Giles Christian has gone straight to the top of my must read list.
I long for more. Please do it again!
Highly HIGHLY recommended.
The writing is sublime and the storytelling is genuinely magical, you get all caught up in 5th century Britain with all it’s warring factions, superstitions and rough living – into this world comes Lancelot, whose life will become intertwined with Arthur’s in a friendship divided by their love for Guinevere. Before he even meets Arthur though, Lancelot has lived a life less than ordinary…
Lancelot broke my heart, had me on the edge of my seat, it was one of those books where, when reading it, you let out little exclamations (sometimes embarrassing if you are sat on a bus) where you absolutely live every minute of it with the characters and sink into their world coming out slightly dazed the other side.
It was wonderful. Is all I’m saying. The ending made me sob a bit, not sure whether it was due to the events of the ending or the fact of it, but either way I was distraught that I was leaving them all behind – Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, yes even Mordred but especially Lancelot who will stay with me – and Giles Christian has gone straight to the top of my must read list.
I long for more. Please do it again!
Highly HIGHLY recommended.
April 17, 2019
I always love Arthurian story but i think i never read any book with Arthurian retelling story so im glad i found this book
It was a spellbinding tale about Lancelot the legend we knew as the best Arthur's Knight and bestfriend who had an affair with his wife Guinevere
The story told by one person perspective and woven with poetic writing style (which kinda a surprised for me), we followed Lancelot since he was a child to manhood
I love this book is more into character development rather than action and wars and i grew to love and rooting for Lancelot.. how ever this book was such a slow book and i couldnt connected with any other character on this book other than Lancelot, not even Guinevere nor Arthur and the romance frustated me 🙃🙃
I absolutely recommending this book if youre looking for character driven Arthurian story and love lyrical writing style
3.8⭐️
It was a spellbinding tale about Lancelot the legend we knew as the best Arthur's Knight and bestfriend who had an affair with his wife Guinevere
The story told by one person perspective and woven with poetic writing style (which kinda a surprised for me), we followed Lancelot since he was a child to manhood
I love this book is more into character development rather than action and wars and i grew to love and rooting for Lancelot.. how ever this book was such a slow book and i couldnt connected with any other character on this book other than Lancelot, not even Guinevere nor Arthur and the romance frustated me 🙃🙃
I absolutely recommending this book if youre looking for character driven Arthurian story and love lyrical writing style
3.8⭐️
December 29, 2025
I added this book to my tbr around 5 years ago and for some reason, I continued pushing reading it. Not because I assumed I wasn't going to like it. In fact, I was confident it was going to be at least a 4-star read, and it didn't disappoint.
I finished it fairly quickly. The writing was pretty and the pace was fast enough most of the time. I would highly recommend it to any fantasy fan looking for a new perspective on Lancelot's character.
A few things could've been improved in this novel. For example, we had several quick briefings of event that happened in this book (the reader didn't get the chance to forget yet, it is after all, in the same novel). I also felt that something was missing from Lancelot's character. Not to say he is badly written but he could've been given more depth because although the story was told from the first perspective, it was more like he was telling events happening to him without much introspection (which is fine usually but here it us distant from the character). His relationship with Guinevere could have also been more fleshed out instead of relying on the same characteristics.
I finished it fairly quickly. The writing was pretty and the pace was fast enough most of the time. I would highly recommend it to any fantasy fan looking for a new perspective on Lancelot's character.
A few things could've been improved in this novel. For example, we had several quick briefings of event that happened in this book (the reader didn't get the chance to forget yet, it is after all, in the same novel). I also felt that something was missing from Lancelot's character. Not to say he is badly written but he could've been given more depth because although the story was told from the first perspective, it was more like he was telling events happening to him without much introspection (which is fine usually but here it us distant from the character). His relationship with Guinevere could have also been more fleshed out instead of relying on the same characteristics.
May 18, 2025
Solid tale of loneliness, romance, betrayal and redemption.
This book has been on my radar for years but it just couldn’t get to the top of my TBR until recently and I got to say WOW I wish I had read this sooner. This book is a first person POV of Lancelot in the Arthurian myth and it is full of so much fleshed out characterization and arcs that it sucked me in from almost page one. I found a coming of age book along with the progression of a warrior who becomes a hero and then myth. It was amazing watching the progression of Lancelot and how this story turned out. The storytelling was phenomenal and I loved how it ended. I also loved the nod the author makes in the Acknowledgments to Cornwell’s fabulous Warlord Chronicles which is one of my favorite series ever.
SPOILIES and summary below:
This book started out very slow with Lancelot as an eight year old. He was a prince whose kingdom was destroyed and then whose mother and father were murdered by conspiracy from his uncle. The boy Lancelot is rescued by Lady Nimue where he lives his adolescence and formative years at her Keep. During his time, he discovers young love in Guinevere along with the mysticism of Merlin. While learning the craft of war, he shows true bravery by compassionately killing his older friend, Pelleas who seems to be dying of liver cirrhosis. All this happens in the first half and it sets up for quite a different second half.
Arthur would fight for Britain. I would fight for Arthur. And Guinevere would always own my soul. The gods are cruel.
The second half has Lancelot as a 15 year old, bereft of his adolescent love after Guinevere returns to her father. Lancelot unwittingly makes an oath to serve Arthur, an upstart to the kingdom of Britain. They have some adventures looking for Excalibur and then start a war campaign against the Saxons. These chapters were fun and exciting and flew by. Lancelot learns that Arthuer marries Guinevere and thus rolls out a tragic love triangle that ends very poorly with Arthur going psycho and almost burning Guinevere at a stake for being a witch. My only complaint is that the last quarter of this book was too fast. Too many things happened and the pacing was a little off. Eventually, Lancelot and Guinevere escape but she leaves him, knowing that Arthur would hunt them both down. Lancelot then has a boy with another woman and, at the behest of an older Guinevere, is convinced to return and fight for Arthur to unite Britain. I just loved this arc so much and look forward to reading the next.
This book has been on my radar for years but it just couldn’t get to the top of my TBR until recently and I got to say WOW I wish I had read this sooner. This book is a first person POV of Lancelot in the Arthurian myth and it is full of so much fleshed out characterization and arcs that it sucked me in from almost page one. I found a coming of age book along with the progression of a warrior who becomes a hero and then myth. It was amazing watching the progression of Lancelot and how this story turned out. The storytelling was phenomenal and I loved how it ended. I also loved the nod the author makes in the Acknowledgments to Cornwell’s fabulous Warlord Chronicles which is one of my favorite series ever.
SPOILIES and summary below:
This book started out very slow with Lancelot as an eight year old. He was a prince whose kingdom was destroyed and then whose mother and father were murdered by conspiracy from his uncle. The boy Lancelot is rescued by Lady Nimue where he lives his adolescence and formative years at her Keep. During his time, he discovers young love in Guinevere along with the mysticism of Merlin. While learning the craft of war, he shows true bravery by compassionately killing his older friend, Pelleas who seems to be dying of liver cirrhosis. All this happens in the first half and it sets up for quite a different second half.
Arthur would fight for Britain. I would fight for Arthur. And Guinevere would always own my soul. The gods are cruel.
The second half has Lancelot as a 15 year old, bereft of his adolescent love after Guinevere returns to her father. Lancelot unwittingly makes an oath to serve Arthur, an upstart to the kingdom of Britain. They have some adventures looking for Excalibur and then start a war campaign against the Saxons. These chapters were fun and exciting and flew by. Lancelot learns that Arthuer marries Guinevere and thus rolls out a tragic love triangle that ends very poorly with Arthur going psycho and almost burning Guinevere at a stake for being a witch. My only complaint is that the last quarter of this book was too fast. Too many things happened and the pacing was a little off. Eventually, Lancelot and Guinevere escape but she leaves him, knowing that Arthur would hunt them both down. Lancelot then has a boy with another woman and, at the behest of an older Guinevere, is convinced to return and fight for Arthur to unite Britain. I just loved this arc so much and look forward to reading the next.
May 14, 2018
A truly magical book from the first person perspective of Lancelot, Arthur's greatest friend and biggest rival.
The story follows Lancelot from a boy in Brittany through to his training and then his time as Arthur's right hand.
While belief in the gods and magic is prevalent, there are no dragons and precious few swords in stones or ladies in lakes - and the novel is the better for it. It gives us the biggest elements of the story in such a compelling way that the line between historical fiction and fantasy is so blurred as to be non-existent.
Lancelot reads with the authority and gravitas of Manda Scott's Boudicca books, such that I found it utterly believable throughout.
Lancelot himself is by turns the grief-stricken boy, the arrogant youth and the killer of men. His world revolves around two suns - Arthur and Guinevere - and the central agony of his life is his inability to reconcile these competing loves and demands.
It was a stroke of genius to retell this legend through Lancelot's POV, the betrayer rather than the betrayed.
I must now immediately buy all of Giles Kristian's back catalogue and I am very much hoping for a sequel following the lives of other characters in the legend.
The story follows Lancelot from a boy in Brittany through to his training and then his time as Arthur's right hand.
While belief in the gods and magic is prevalent, there are no dragons and precious few swords in stones or ladies in lakes - and the novel is the better for it. It gives us the biggest elements of the story in such a compelling way that the line between historical fiction and fantasy is so blurred as to be non-existent.
Lancelot reads with the authority and gravitas of Manda Scott's Boudicca books, such that I found it utterly believable throughout.
Lancelot himself is by turns the grief-stricken boy, the arrogant youth and the killer of men. His world revolves around two suns - Arthur and Guinevere - and the central agony of his life is his inability to reconcile these competing loves and demands.
It was a stroke of genius to retell this legend through Lancelot's POV, the betrayer rather than the betrayed.
I must now immediately buy all of Giles Kristian's back catalogue and I am very much hoping for a sequel following the lives of other characters in the legend.
February 18, 2020
4.5 stars
‘I feel like a ghost myself. A soul lingering long after the body has been given to the flame or earth. Seeking all that it has lost. A spirit full of envy for things that never were but which might have been.’
~
I haven’t read many books based on Arthurian legends; I know of the popular ones such as Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles and The Once and Future King by T.H. White, but as of yet it is still on my mountain of to-be-read books. So although I’ve watched many on screen adaptations of Arthurian tales, Lancelot by Giles Kristian is my first delve into a literary retelling, and it is one that is filled with such beauty, that I’m so pleased I picked it up. What sets this novel apart from other retellings is the depiction of Lancelot, rather than the more well known characters such as Arthur or Merlin.
To further make this book particularly refreshing, Kristian reflects the notion of Lancelot not being a solely villainous character who merely betrays his best friend, Arthur. You see, what if in fact Lancelot and Guinevere have a history? What if Lancelot is just a man who faces a difficult choice? A man who tries his best not to betray a brotherly friendship, but ultimately has to follow his heart beyond all reason? In this achingly tragic tale, I guarantee your heart will break for Lancelot and Guinevere.
Lancelot has a truly beautiful blend of historical fiction and fantasy, but with a sense of realism running throughout the whole story. This is not just another precise retelling though, there are deviations from the Arthurian legends that I grew up knowing, but for the most part I felt within these changes, Kristian added so much more depth and plausibility to the characters and narrative. You see, Kristian delivers a fresh perspective and much needed backstory to well known characters such our main protagonist Lancelot, and also to Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere, and Modred. He then skilfully weaves them into a bold and atmospheric tale of love, loss and heroism.
This is not a fast paced story, it is more in the nature of a character study, and Lancelot is certainly a fascinating character to be inside the mind of. In the first half of the book we are presented with a coming of age tale, as we see young Lancelot during his early years training to be a warrior, his meeting with Guinevere and eventual separation. Then the story moves on in time and chronicles the later years Lancelot spends as Arthur’s best knight and best friend. During a few chapters I did find the pacing lagged somewhat for my personal taste, but this was down to my eagerness to reach the battle scenes. Although I’ve never read a book by Giles Kristian before, I’ve previously been told that he executes extremely well written battle scenes and so I was highly anticipating them. I was not disappointed either; once we reach the chapter aptly titled, ‘A Storm of Blades’, the scenes of warfare were absolutely incredible!
~
‘My own senses seemed to sharpen like a blade kissed by the whetstone. My blood thrummed as if intoxicated. I absorbed it all. Men coughing around me. Smoke surging, thickening the air and stinging my eyes and reaching towards the enemy shieldwall like ghostly fingers. My heartbeat deep in my ears now and a trickle of sweat running down my back, and the muscles in my thighs fluttering.’
~
Now, allow me to gush a little before I wrap up this review, because there is something gush-worthy which I found from the very first page of this book. The first person narration was absolutely exquisite! The prose seeps from the page and wraps it’s enchantment around you. Lancelot’s inner monologue is lyrical, eloquent, and vividly juxtapositions with the brutal warrior we see and know him to be too. You feel every emotion Lancelot experiences, his joys, his melancholy, his hopes; you intimately know the weight of his decisions, whether you agree with them or not.
Within these pages you will find grief, love, friendship, warfare, and deceitfulness. You will discover all too well the toll it takes on a man like Lancelot, and deep in your bones you may even shed tears for and come to sympathise with one of Arthurian legend’s most infamous betrayers. I know I did.
~
‘She was the girl whom a sea god had wanted but could not have. Whom I had wanted, but could not have.’
‘I feel like a ghost myself. A soul lingering long after the body has been given to the flame or earth. Seeking all that it has lost. A spirit full of envy for things that never were but which might have been.’
~
I haven’t read many books based on Arthurian legends; I know of the popular ones such as Bernard Cornwell’s The Warlord Chronicles and The Once and Future King by T.H. White, but as of yet it is still on my mountain of to-be-read books. So although I’ve watched many on screen adaptations of Arthurian tales, Lancelot by Giles Kristian is my first delve into a literary retelling, and it is one that is filled with such beauty, that I’m so pleased I picked it up. What sets this novel apart from other retellings is the depiction of Lancelot, rather than the more well known characters such as Arthur or Merlin.
To further make this book particularly refreshing, Kristian reflects the notion of Lancelot not being a solely villainous character who merely betrays his best friend, Arthur. You see, what if in fact Lancelot and Guinevere have a history? What if Lancelot is just a man who faces a difficult choice? A man who tries his best not to betray a brotherly friendship, but ultimately has to follow his heart beyond all reason? In this achingly tragic tale, I guarantee your heart will break for Lancelot and Guinevere.
Lancelot has a truly beautiful blend of historical fiction and fantasy, but with a sense of realism running throughout the whole story. This is not just another precise retelling though, there are deviations from the Arthurian legends that I grew up knowing, but for the most part I felt within these changes, Kristian added so much more depth and plausibility to the characters and narrative. You see, Kristian delivers a fresh perspective and much needed backstory to well known characters such our main protagonist Lancelot, and also to Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere, and Modred. He then skilfully weaves them into a bold and atmospheric tale of love, loss and heroism.
This is not a fast paced story, it is more in the nature of a character study, and Lancelot is certainly a fascinating character to be inside the mind of. In the first half of the book we are presented with a coming of age tale, as we see young Lancelot during his early years training to be a warrior, his meeting with Guinevere and eventual separation. Then the story moves on in time and chronicles the later years Lancelot spends as Arthur’s best knight and best friend. During a few chapters I did find the pacing lagged somewhat for my personal taste, but this was down to my eagerness to reach the battle scenes. Although I’ve never read a book by Giles Kristian before, I’ve previously been told that he executes extremely well written battle scenes and so I was highly anticipating them. I was not disappointed either; once we reach the chapter aptly titled, ‘A Storm of Blades’, the scenes of warfare were absolutely incredible!
~
‘My own senses seemed to sharpen like a blade kissed by the whetstone. My blood thrummed as if intoxicated. I absorbed it all. Men coughing around me. Smoke surging, thickening the air and stinging my eyes and reaching towards the enemy shieldwall like ghostly fingers. My heartbeat deep in my ears now and a trickle of sweat running down my back, and the muscles in my thighs fluttering.’
~
Now, allow me to gush a little before I wrap up this review, because there is something gush-worthy which I found from the very first page of this book. The first person narration was absolutely exquisite! The prose seeps from the page and wraps it’s enchantment around you. Lancelot’s inner monologue is lyrical, eloquent, and vividly juxtapositions with the brutal warrior we see and know him to be too. You feel every emotion Lancelot experiences, his joys, his melancholy, his hopes; you intimately know the weight of his decisions, whether you agree with them or not.
Within these pages you will find grief, love, friendship, warfare, and deceitfulness. You will discover all too well the toll it takes on a man like Lancelot, and deep in your bones you may even shed tears for and come to sympathise with one of Arthurian legend’s most infamous betrayers. I know I did.
~
‘She was the girl whom a sea god had wanted but could not have. Whom I had wanted, but could not have.’
May 2, 2020
Do you know those works of bootlickers that are on the back covers, those of well-known writers who, speaking of the book you are holding, write: "It is the most beautiful book I have read in my life!" or "He is the greatest writer of the century!"? Right, I never read them, because usually they are all lies. And I hadn't even read those of this book, in fact, at least until the end, when turning the last pages (very sorry) I wanted to read those too, as if to make this beautiful book last even longer. I saw then that the licking this time was made by no less than Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith, two who know pretty well about best sellers. And I must say that they were very truthful in saying that this is an incredible novel, which bewitches, with an overwhelming narrative that shakes the soul of the reader. The history of Lancelot and Geneva has been written in thousands of versions, often very boring, rhetorical or sweet, while this is really very well balanced. There is the part of the love story, of course, but it is very well intertwined with the history of the war between Saxons and Britons, with pages of almost historical report of everyday life and traditions, with camaraderie pages very similar to those you can find in the musketeers of Dumas, with war scenes worthy of the best Uhtred of Bebbanburg against the Danes. A really nice read, of those that make you put the book down thinking already of the pleasure you will feel when you will take it back. The plot is the usual one, with all the necessary characters: Lancelot, Geneva, Merlin, Arthur, Camelot, Excalibur, Morgana etc., but they really don't weigh, not even to me who usually don't like these settings. A book that really deserves 5 stars.
December 18, 2023
There are a lot of books out there about the Arthurian legend, but I was drawn to this one after really enjoying Kristian's writing in his novella, Hellmouth, and based on recommendations of how good the audio is. Neither lead me astray as the writing here is absolutely top tier and the audiobook performance was absolutely fantastic as he seamlessly switched between characters and conveyed emotion. But what about the rest?
As far as the story and characters go I thought it was just fine. I really like the idea that he had of telling this story from Lancelot's perspective and the way it adds a new spin to events you already are aware of if you know anything about the Arthurian legend. Early on in the book as Lancelot is a boy and a young man you get a lot of coming of age story and heart breaking moments that were reminiscent of Robin Hobb writing Fitz. Later on the story progresses in a predictable manner in line with the legend and I just found myself getting a bit bored even though I was still enjoying the prose. It just started to feel like a chronicle of someone telling us about events than being an interesting story. The end though was quite emotional and very good.
This book is extremely well written so any issues I have are definitely a me thing. I think just overall historical fiction is going to be a hit and miss genre with me. I like my stories with fantastical elements and mystery unless I find the characters and events extremely compelling like in Pillars of The Earth. Also I think just the Arthurian Legend doesn't hold much interest with me. Neither of those things are the books fault so if you enjoy those I highly recommend this book.
Even though I enjoyed my time here I don't think I'll be continuing, but if Giles Kristian decides to write more medieval horror sign me up.
As far as the story and characters go I thought it was just fine. I really like the idea that he had of telling this story from Lancelot's perspective and the way it adds a new spin to events you already are aware of if you know anything about the Arthurian legend. Early on in the book as Lancelot is a boy and a young man you get a lot of coming of age story and heart breaking moments that were reminiscent of Robin Hobb writing Fitz. Later on the story progresses in a predictable manner in line with the legend and I just found myself getting a bit bored even though I was still enjoying the prose. It just started to feel like a chronicle of someone telling us about events than being an interesting story. The end though was quite emotional and very good.
This book is extremely well written so any issues I have are definitely a me thing. I think just overall historical fiction is going to be a hit and miss genre with me. I like my stories with fantastical elements and mystery unless I find the characters and events extremely compelling like in Pillars of The Earth. Also I think just the Arthurian Legend doesn't hold much interest with me. Neither of those things are the books fault so if you enjoy those I highly recommend this book.
Even though I enjoyed my time here I don't think I'll be continuing, but if Giles Kristian decides to write more medieval horror sign me up.
October 4, 2022
داستان آرتور همیشه برای من جذاب بود، ماجراهاش با مرلین، شمشیر اکسکالیبر و شوالیه و دوستش لنسلات.
و حالا با داستانی روبهرو شدم که زندکی لنسلات رو از اول شرح میده و من خیلی دوستش داشتم 🥺😭
و حالا با داستانی روبهرو شدم که زندکی لنسلات رو از اول شرح میده و من خیلی دوستش داشتم 🥺😭
September 11, 2024
Sometimes I forget how thrilling Historical Fantasy Fiction can be. (Or maybe I’m still catching my breath from that ending.)
Even with general storylines I vaguely know already. But it doesn’t matter your depth of knowledge on the subject- just dive in. Kristian takes a unique spin with it, and I’m so curious where books two & three will go.
This retelling was equally parts tender and traumatic. But like, give me more please. I’m so glad this was a buddy read.
Is this kinda a bro book? Ehhh- there were a few stereotypical parts that I thought could have been easily avoided, but overall- I was amused by this.
I picked up the audio half way through and adored the narration. No matter how you consume, it’s a TBR win in my book.
To my Robin Hobb fans, I’d be curious of your thoughts on this book.
4.5/5
Even with general storylines I vaguely know already. But it doesn’t matter your depth of knowledge on the subject- just dive in. Kristian takes a unique spin with it, and I’m so curious where books two & three will go.
This retelling was equally parts tender and traumatic. But like, give me more please. I’m so glad this was a buddy read.
Is this kinda a bro book? Ehhh- there were a few stereotypical parts that I thought could have been easily avoided, but overall- I was amused by this.
I picked up the audio half way through and adored the narration. No matter how you consume, it’s a TBR win in my book.
To my Robin Hobb fans, I’d be curious of your thoughts on this book.
4.5/5
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