Camulod Chronicles

[Lady of Winterfell]

I was wondering who has read these books, and what you thought? I have the first one on my shelf, The Skystone, and am wondering if its time I picked it up and read it.

I am a big fan of King Arthur books. I have read and loved Mists of Avalon, Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie, the Merlin books by Mary Stewart, Pendragon cycle by Stephen Lawhead (only the first 3 books) as well as others.

Does the Camulod Chronicles only cover the time before King Arthur, or do they eventually go into King Arthur and his reign as King? I know it is a long series, so I'm hoping it does eventually go into his reign, though I would be interested in reading the history leading up to it as well.

[Riselka]

I've read them all, I'm a big fan of Jack Whyte's writing.

I'd definitely put them into a top 5 list of Arthurian-based literature. They're not Fantasy though, even though a lot of bookstores seem to put them into their Fantasy section. They are true Historical Fiction - there is no hocus-pocus stuff going on - Merlyn comes by his reputation as a sorcerer in a very grounded in reality sort of way.

The series is an account of multiple generations of a family, that culminates at the end of book six in the crowning of Arthur as High King of Britannia.

The Skystone is an account of a part of the lives of Arthur's great-grandfather, and Merlyn's grandfather - as well as the country-folk that live around them. It also shows the genesis of the creation of Excalibur.

Jack has the ability to make you really care about his characters, in a way that I have rarely experienced in other books. You develop such a rapport with the characters, and even other things that surround them, that their deaths leave you with a profound sense of sadness and mourning.

Even the demise of a character's horse, and cherished longbow, have the ability to leave one shell-shocked.

Here in Canada, the books are known as the A Dream of Eagles cycle, and the cycle ends with volume six, The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis. Arthur's story is told in The Golden Eagle miniseries, consisting of Clothar the Frank (known as The Lance Thrower to those reading them as The Camulod Chronicles), and The Eagle. I believe these two books are actually considered to be part of The Chronicles.

Uther is a parallel and companion volume to the series, and recounts the same time period as that which is covered in The Eagles' Brood - only from a different perspective. (The series is told in a narrative voice, and Uther is told in third person.) I believe Jack wrote Uther in an effort to clear up a number of details left hanging as a result of the narrative character (Merlyn) never becoming privy to the truth.

The first two books, The Skystone and The Singing Sword, are told in the voice of Publius Varrus, Arthur's great-grandfather. The next four books are told in the voice of Merlyn, who is both cousin and uncle to Arthur in this series. The books in The Golden Eagle miniseries are told in the voice of the Lancelot equivalent, and tell of Arthur's life as King.

So, to answer your question as to whether you should pick The Skystone up and read it, my answer would be a resounding YES.

[Lady of Winterfell]

Thanks so much Riselka! You have made me remotivated to read them. I think when I finish the series I'm currently reading I may just pick them up. Thanks for giving such a detailed response...especially since it seems no one else has read them.

[Riselka]

You're very welcome.

Jack has his own website, and message board, if you ever have any questions about what you're reading.

Official Jack Whyte Web Site

You'll have to be registered and logged in to see the site in its entirety.

I hang out there still, but the forum has degenerated down mostly to myself and another woman chatting about what's going on in our lives, the weather where we live, and books we're currently reading, etc. Every so often someone new will come in and ask something, and either I or the other woman, or one of the former regulars will answer it.

It's kind of sad, since his forum used to be quite a happening place, but I think the website was left to vanquish without updates for so long that people tired of it and went away. That, and the fact that a few of his more recent books have not quite been up to the standard of the first six. His latest is quite good though.

Maybe he's got his writing mojo back.

[Connavar]

I like the idea of King Arthur story as pure historical fiction. That is not only about him,no magic etc

Read the synopsis for the first book. About the ironsmith and how it is linked to the legend 2 centuries later.

I will check it alittle later when i get my urge back for another Arthur story.

[Lady of Winterfell]

Well, I have started the first book, and I thought it was slow at the beginning, but I am enjoying it more now. I am on Chap 8.