Finally.

[Johnathan]

Finally an Arthurian book that doesn't make Lancelot to be a good guy. King Arthur has always been one of my favorite legends, and Guinevere and Lancelot have always been my most hated characters. Does anyone else like that Cornwell made Lancelot a coward and not a hero.

[Adam]

It was especially good that they made him a coward with good PR.

[Wyrdwulf]

Honestly, Cornwell wasn't the first. Steinbeck also makes Lancelot out to be a type of coward, or antihero in his The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. You can tell what kind of fan Cornwell is though by his characterisation of Lancelot because Arthurians fall into two camps: Lance lovers and Lance haters. I suspect Cornwell of being in the latter.

[Derk]

Enjoy the rest of the series. I did!

[Phild]

I liked this because I felt it gave people real motivations to do things and yes the fact that Lancelot was a coward and helped and that aruthur to a certain extent was an honest fool keep his oaths when everyone else was breaking them letft right and centre to me it felt a lot more grounded than many of the other Arthurian novels out there

[Patrick]

I thought the depiction of L as a greasy coward was genius.

The Warlord trilogy is one of my favorite series of all time. They resonate with me far more than any other BE's novels.

[Jane]

Cornwell has written one of my favourite versions of the Arthurian legend. Loved Steinbeck too. Lancelot was a tool....

[Craig]

Lancelot was a French knight written into the Arthurian myths by a Frenchman, so it's probably not surprising his most famous act is cuckolding Arthur. Cornwell said somewhere, (I forget where) that he originally wanted to leave Lancelot completely out, but found him too intrinsic in the fable.

I'd add that in contrast to Lancelot's cowardliness, I also liked the emphasis Cornwell put on Arthur's skill and ferocity in single combat and competence as a military leader. Too often Arthur is seen as nothing more than the loser in the love triangle. I liked that even better than portraying Lancelot in a negative light because it added realism to the character of Arthur. One didn't become a war leader with a devoted following in that time and place without earning it with very real skills. If only military and political leadership today was graded so.

[Lariela]

This is making me want to read the series again. From the myths (and many adaptations) my favourite character is Gawain.

[Edward]

Cornwell puts Lancelot in a bad light but who knows if he redeems himself by the end of the series.

[May]

I finished this first book in April! It was everything my friends promised. Immediately searched out the second book in the trilogy!
What a delight to read another perspective on Lancelot. I did find that I am enjoying Cornwell's Arthur & Guinvere more than many other versions.

[Tim]

He does write a good story but I think he peaked with these Warlord ones - just seem to resonate with me more than anything else he did (and his Sharpe novels were a fave of mine as a nipper)

[J.D.]

This series is my favourite series. I have a galley copy of the Winter King I picked up in a charity shop, and when I met Bernard Cornwell in York some years ago I asked him to sign all my tatty but much loved copies.

[Vilian]

I've just read this trilogy and the Azincourt book. Wich Cornwell´s book do you think should i read next ?

[Lariela]

Vilian wrote: "I've just read this trilogy and the Azincourt book. Wich Cornwell´s book do you think should i read next ?"

Have you read the Saxon Chronicles?

[Brent]

You can't go wrong with any of Cornwells books, start with the Saxon chronicles, if you like them you might also like ben Kane,giles Kristin.

[Vilian]

Thanks Lariela and Brent. I did not read The Saxon chronicles yet. If it is as good as the arthurian trilogy, i´ll love it.

[Dan]

I love the Warlord trilogy too, probably my favourite Cornwell series although I do like the Saxon stories. Derfel is a great character and the device of him as the narrator works very well.