Good Morning Adventurers,
How is everyone’s summer kicking off? Mine has kicked off with a peaceful start and a very comfortable weekend of relaxation. With that much needed rest, I have kicked off my week with projects, projects, and more projects. Well, projects around the house, back yard, and several other things amidst it all. Yet, in all of those things, I have began writing again. I’ll post a word count next week on what I have accomplished and where that puts me in relation to the plot/completion. I should also have some more(hopefully) character art as well by then. Anyways, so here’s what I will be covering today:
- Book Review: The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
- Why I Am Writing Project: Dancing Knight
Book Review: The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
“The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship.”
― Bernard Cornwell, The Winter King
So, after having spent some time talking with other authors and obviously checking out their newsletters, I’m going to take this time to do a little review about one of the most recent books that I have read. So to put it bluntly, I am a huge fan of the Arthurian Myth and everything that tends to connect itself to it in one way or another. So when I found myself with a free Audible credit, I finally took the leap into this trilogy.
First thing that I like to put out there—this is the first time I am dabbling into any of Bernard Cornwell’s work. I am familiar with some of his stuff, like the show “The Last Kingdom,” but I have not actually read them. My wife did when she was a high schooler, while I was reading sci-fi and popular young adult novels. My best man in my wedding is another person who has put me onto this trilogy, and in his words, “there is so much violence, you will like it.” He was not wrong, there is so much violence(in a good kind of way, if that can be said?)
Now, when I say violence, I do mean it that there is a ton of violence. However the story is told mainly told in the first person perspective where our main character, Derfel Cadarn, recounts his memories of serving under the warlord, Arthur. The story itself leans heavily into the more historical fiction/fantasy, like his other series. Magic is an element that has no physical manifestation(from what I’ve read so far), but still plays a role in the story because the other characters believe that it exists.
At first, I thought the book to be quite dry in the beginning, due to the story starting off with our main character in his early teenage years. When I picked up the book, I was expecting a King Arthur story and one that started anywhere else but an old man recounting the days of his youth. As I continued reading, I found myself being suckered into a story that was clearly portraying an Arthur that completely reflects the kind of character that he is in the legends. Everything that is Arthur, or what could have been, is really portrayed well as we watch Derfel serve under his lord.
I’m currently on the second book right now, so let’s get back to that violence that I had mentioned earlier. The combat is fluid, the story building is excellent, and the battles are epic yet grim. Throughout the first book we are essentially going from one battle to the next. Between these battles there are moments of respite and character growth, but it is in battle where we get to see the characters shine. Cornwell does a great job in portraying the soldiers life by not glorifying it. He mentions how the soldiers jeer and drink at each other before the battle even begins. Both in a siege and the shield wall does Cornwell portray his conflict. Is there blood? Yes. Gore? Also yes, portraying the gruesomeness of combat when a sword breaks through flesh, bone, and organ.
This violence, however, does not take away from the dialogue that is shared between the characters. I’m having a hard time myself right now trying to express how much I enjoyed the dialogue shared between Derfel and Arthur alone, let alone any of the other characters in the story. The friendships that Cornwell curates and expresses remind me of the ones portrayed in Tolkien’s work. Strong men being able to express their emotions to other men of similar or different backgrounds.
Yet, in all of these wonderful things, I do have to criticize the fact that many of his female characters are(most of the time) referred to as “only good for breeding.” Those are my own words, not the authors, but it is nonetheless true. Outside of like two/three characters, the majority of the other female characters mentioned are only brought up in this sort of context. I’ll also note that even the strong female characters that are mentioned have a huge romantic/sexual focus in the story for the male characters, that it kinda takes away from their characters in itself.
Another critique that I’d like to point out is the dogging on christianity/weak men. It’s heavily emphasized throughout the story how men should be warriors/soldiers/fighters. That men need to be strong, drink, collect money and women, etc. Let me be clear, I do understand that the author is writing this story from the perspective of someone who is not of modern beliefs nor is the character a christian(in their youth, Derfel is a monk when he is talking as an old man). Then to a degree, I do agree that men need to be strong, need to be able to lead and fight as well, but Cornwell seems to repeatedly point out the cowardly/spineless nature of the christian order. Let’s look past that and look at the other kinds of men who are not warriors and you will find that Cornwell does the same thing to them. Cornwell, in other words, does not do a great job in portraying men as as anything else but warriors.
I specifically bring this point up because not everyone is meant to be a fighter. We can have strong characters that don’t need to wield a sword to get a point across. He does such great job in portraying loyalty and friendship that it’s a huge miss that we don’t get to see this kind of relationship portrayed in any other space. Don’t get me wrong, the story is focusing heavily on what arthur is doing, and how it impacts the world that Derfel is living in. On top of the fact that Derfel is a soldier, so we are going to see the soldiering lifestyle and everything that this soldier could be. We can also add the fact that Derfel comes off as a reliable narrator, as someone who is not trying to embellish his own story. If anything, Derfel is just trying to tell Arthur’s story, the man who should’ve been king.
So if I were to rate this story:
Story
Family Friendly
Characters
Overall
Definitely a worthwhile read for you historical fantasy readers out there, but I would not recommend it for a teen unless they were an advanced reader. Language is complex and some of the content may be unsuitable for kids based upon a parents discretion.
Why I Am Writing Project: Dancing Knight
I’ll keep this short and sweet, since I have been busy all morning and it is taking me quite some time to finish up this article.
So If I haven’t made it clear enough, I am writing Project: Dancing Knight as a Fantasy Romance. Not a romantasy with my target audience meant for men. However, when I put it in that kind of phrasing, some people may think that I am writing with the intention of creating a story with some plot and a lot of sex. Let’s be clear about this one thing, that is something that I will not be doing nor will I ever intend to do so. The world is already filled with plenty of authors who are writing books like that already. I, however, want to write something that is kinda countercultural to the market.
So, in seizing that challenge, I want to write a story where the man is flawed but holds himself accountable. Where he does fall in love, but in way where the love interest becomes someone akin to being their best friend. Likewise, I want to write female characters are just as deeply flawed, but understand that communication is key to their survival. I want warriors, healers, priests/clerics, witches, necromancers, etc. who, despite poor choices, find themselves stagnated in life and desiring for more. I want to put the characters into positions where they have to consider sacrificing their beliefs and is it worth the compromise in order to achieve their goals.
A.G. Flowers 
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