Martin’s well known A Song of Ice and Fire series for the level of grit involved, and this is a valid comparison. I have often heard this series compared to George R.R. Women are raped, people do die, and body parts are cut off. It is dark and gritty, full of betrayal and bloodshed. This story of Arthur is not for the faint of heart. Derfel forges his reputation as a mighty warrior, and Arthur keeps his promise, allowing Derfel to observe the political turmoil that surrounds Arthur. Once he has made his wish to become a great warrior known to the warlord, Derfel is disappointed when Arthur arranges for him to serve another man, although Arthur promises him that once he has more experience he can be part of his army. Upon being forced by one of these would-be kings to flee his home at the Tor, Derfel meets and befriends the charismatic Arthur who comes to the rescue of him and the others who had to leave their residence. Uther’s death leads to civil unrest throughout the land, since there is no High King and many of the kings would like to have that title. Uther’s bastard son, the warlord Arthur, and other men are sworn into the service of protecting Mordred and ensuring he ascends to the throne when he is of age. The baby, named Mordred after his father, barely survives and is born a cripple, which is considered to be a bad omen. At this time, the High King Uther has fallen ill and his son is dead, so the only hope of a successor is Uther’s grandson, who has not yet been born.
Derfel’s story begins with his time as a young man who lived among the many orphans rescued by Merlin. Since the bishop believes the story of this “enemy of God” should be forgotten, Derfel has to pretend to be translating the Gospel into the Saxon language. The Winter King is not at all a traditional fantasy story any more than it is a traditional Arthur story.ĭerfel, an old monk who once swore allegiance to Arthur and served in his army, risks the wrath of Bishop Sansum by writing the story of Arthur at his patroness’s request. It is similar to what Jack Whyte did with his series the Camulod Chronicles, although Cornwell’s story is completely different, much grittier, and (at least so far) even less fantastic. Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, and, of course, Arthur, are still featured characters, but the story is not full of magic and is a realistic retelling of the familiar tale.
The Winter King, the first book in the Warlord Chronicles trilogy by Bernard Cornwell, is usually referred to as a fantasy book since it is about the legend of King Arthur but leans more toward the category of historical fiction.
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