The Warlord Chronicles: Excalibur - A Tale of Epic Adventure

Teresa: This story was filled with magic, trickery, bravery, sacrifice, and loss. I enjoyed it immensely. The descriptions of the battles were amazing! To say I was caught up in them as if I were there, is saying the very least. Such excellent story telling. Highly recommend

United States on Oct 19, 2023

Kittlecat: I am reviewing the entire Warlords Chronicles because I believe they should stand together. After reading the first book, I couldn’t wait to read the second, and the same for the third. This wasn’t the Arthur I knew from childhood tales or “Camelot,” but even a more heroic figure. This was Arthur the warrior.

Cornwell draws his characters so well, sets the scene well, makes you care for each character as if they were sitting across from you at a fire ring at a campsite. I cried when Arthur went down and was carried off to the ship for his final voyage. The battle scenes were so real you could almost smell the salt from the sea, feel the sand under your felt and see the blood spurting from bodies.

I hate that there’s not another book in the chronicles. Now I have to leave the world of Dumnonia and delve into another world. Bravo, Bernard Cornwell!

United States on Sep 27, 2023

suzanne p.: I absolutely loved all three books. I wish I had known about this series years ago, I would have definitely added them to my library!

United States on Sep 24, 2023

TExmextom: Action and more action but great prose and insights into man’s soul. I posted several on facebook. Great writer and great story.

United States on Sep 24, 2023

Manazon: Even with the innumerable tours through the mind of Derfel, 'that Saxon dog,' there was much action, blood, guts and gore to fill the most bloodthirsty of us.

Not much soft emotions of the type you'd see in Lady Chatterly's or Bajillion Shades of Grey...but enough to see just who had soft spots and not all hard carapace.

Very well balanced.

United States on Sep 14, 2023

Kindle Customer: Every book that Bernard Cornwell writes starts at 5 stars and just gets better.
If you've read his books, you already know.
If you haven't read any Bernard Cornwell books, then I envy you, as you have so much incredible reading to catch up with.
I first read this book a lifetime ago, and just finished it again... and I still cried at the end...again!

United Kingdom on Sep 11, 2023

Kindle Customer: Loved the series so far brilliant Arthurian take on the legend 👍

United Kingdom on Aug 28, 2023

Peter Grimwood: Love all Bernard Cornwell's stories but these trio are the best.

United Kingdom on Jul 27, 2023

Farhad Shawkat: The final book in the Warlord Chronicles trilogy, loved most of it, but I feel as though I enjoyed the first two a bit more. Was not a big fan of certain resolutions, and at times it almost felt like we needed a fourth book.

This is still a highly positive review, and I can’t imagine fans of the first two books necessarily being disappointed with this one. Perhaps there were one or two epic moments I was expecting throughout the series, that eventually never materialised. Loved the characters throughout, and the redemption arc of one in particular was extremely well executed. The only reason it might sound like I’m complaining is because the first two books were close to perfection, and there were parts in this one which maybe didn’t quite go the way I would have wanted. Which doesn’t necessarily mean others won’t enjoy it more.

One thing I can guarantee, this is one of the most quotable series ever. I’m not someone who ever highlights passages and quotes on my Kindle, this series practically forced me to. Looking back, I feel like there’s still so much more I could have, and should have highlighted, so that I could go back and relive those moments when...

United Kingdom on Jul 15, 2022

Rotgut: Bernard Cornwell's trilogy of Arthurian novels concludes with this excellent final book, completing the retelling of the great cycle of stories that have made up the Matter of Britain for centuries.

Arthuriana is a crowded field with countless books, films, comics, TV series being made every year. This trilogy manages to be a valuable adition to the wealth of material already produced by the simple expedient of being well written and hugely enjoyable.

Set pieces, The Battle of Mons Badon and Merlin's attempt to return the Old Gods, dominate the opening half of this novel, These are very well done, and Cornwell uses then to flesh out his version of Guinevere , making her more sympathetic than in the earlier volumes. Gawaine too, is given a memorable scene. There is little room for Lancelot though, who is hardly featured at all. Like most of this trilogy this part of "Excalibur" is mainly realistic, historical fiction with the more fantastical elements of the tales being presented in an ambiguous way, easily expilcable by credulity or fancy or coincidence.

In the closing scenes, the magic that infuses these ancient sagas, shines through, as history starts to be...

United Kingdom on Dec 26, 2018