Review: The Camulod Chronicles Series, by Jack Whyte

Rating: 5 Books Out of 5

Book Titles:Skystone, The Singing Sword, The Eagle's Brood, The Saxon Shore, The Fort at River's Bend, The Sorcerer: Metamorphosis, Uther, The Lance Thrower, and The Eagle.

Author: Jack Whyte

Audience: Young Adult to Adult

First Impression: Given that this series was presented to me as historical fiction, I was unsure what to expect. I enjoy history, but fiction is more my cuppa. Whyte's telling of the legend of King Arthur, and how it all "happened" is genius.

Plot/Style/Voice/Characters: Whyte's way of bringing ancient Roman history as it relates to England, and Europe in general, into a winning combination with the Arthurian legend, leaves the reader with a stunning plot and back-story. Each book covers various steps and milestones along the way, bringing Arthur to his place as King.

The Chronicle begins with Caius Brittanicus and Publius Varrus, Arthur's granduncle and grandfather, and how Camulod came to be. The tale continues with Merlyn and Arthur's father, Uther, and the sad demise of Arthur's parents and his childhood with Merlyn. The seventh book, Uther, tells a third person account of what really happened to Arthur's father...and answered a slew of questions I'd been dying for the answers to in the previous books. Finally, books eight and nine are from the point of view of Clother (aka Lancelot), and these books bring a close to Camulod, Merlyn and Arthur.

These characters were so wonderfully done, I must admit to shedding a few tears and the realization that the series was over and I was leaving that world. To an extent, I am stilling missing the characters now. That is good writing, my friends!

Best Part: For me the best part, or book rather, would be tough to call. I enjoyed each of them, though Skystone and Fort at River's Bend would likely rise to the tippy-top of the list.

Irritations: Admittedly, I was initially irritated with the fact that Uther was told in the third person, by some unknown source/person. I had grown accustomed to some member of the "family" telling the tale, and this sudden change just struck me as odd.

Wrap-Up Reaction: For anyone who enjoys the legend of King Arthur, or merely a good tale of old England, Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles is more than worth reading. Each book contains history, action, suspense, and characters that spring from the pages to walk along side the reader during the journey.