World Famous Comics: The Skystone (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 1)
The Skystone (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 1)
By: Jack Whyte Publisher: Forge Books Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Forge Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 352 Publication Date: January 05, 2002
Product Description: Everyone knows the story-how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, how Camelot came to be, and about the power struggles that ultimately destroyed Arthur's dreams. But what of the time before Arthur and the forces that created him?
How did the legend really come to pass?
Before the time of Arthur and his Camelot, Britain was a dark and deadly place, savaged by warring factions of Picts, Celts, and invading Saxons. The Roman citizens who had lived there for generations were suddenly faced with a deadly choice: Should they leave and take up residence in a corrupt Roman world that was utterly foreign, or should they stay and face the madness that would ensue when Britain's last bastion of safety for the civilized, the Roman legions, left?
For two Romans, Publius Varrus and his friend Caius Britannicus, there can be only one answer. They will stay, to preserve what is best of Roman life, and will create a new culture out of the wreckage. In doing so, they will unknowingly plant the seeds of legend-for these two men are Arthur's great-grandfathers, and their actions will shape a nation . . . and forge a sword known as Excalibur.
Surprisingly Pleasant Read I friend of my who knew I was looking for a good, decently long series to read loaned me his copy of The Skystone. I had never heard of either the book or the author.
I was hooked in the first 100 pages.
The book follows, in first person perspective, the life and times of Publius Varrus (the narrator) and Cais Brittanicus as they deal with the steady but slow fall of Rome and the impact the collapse has on their home isle of Britain. The book is rife with intrigue, action and suspense and takes the time to build a rich and vibrant world that is a pleasure to read in.
This book and the series that follows are meant to lay the "historical" groundwork for Arthurian legend. Don't look for magicians or dragons in these tomes. Instead you'll find real people struggling to survive and make their way in the world. Their stories are made more interesting by the fact that Whyte takes the time to plumb the depths of their emotions very convincingly. He also takes the time to build the legend, with the aforementioned characters being Arthur's great-grandparents.
For anyone that enjoys fantasy and historical fiction, this book is a must read. You'll find it worth your money.
A superb work of historical fiction! After finishing Ken Follet's World Without End, I've been starved for another really good work of historical fiction. I'd seen that someone mentioned Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles as something people who enjoyed Pillars of the Earth and World Without End would enjoy.
Being that I was never much into King Arthur (not that I have a dislike for the character/legend...just something that I never took the time to explore), I wasn't in that much of a rush to read it.
I'm so glad that I finally picked up this book though. From the beginning to the end this book is quite captivating. The main characters are fictional, but the turmoils and events of the time are based on truth and how Whyte explains and nods to the Arthurian legend and Excalibur are not only clever, they're quite beleivable!
This book is filled with characters that are a joy to read and always entertaining.
I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series as soon as I can get my hands on all of them!
First Book in the Camulod Chronicles
Jack Whyte was born and raised in Scotland, but has lived in Canada for the last forty odd years. He is the author of the Camulod series of books and has just had published the first in a trilogy about probably the most famous Order of knights, ever to come through the pages of history, the Knights Templar.
First published in 1992 this is the start of the Camulod Chronicles. This series has blossomed into at least nine books and gives a fresh and interesting approach to the Arthurian legends. If Arthur did exist and it is quite possible that he did, it certainly was not how Hollywood and many recent books on the subject portray him, a noble figure in armour of a style that was in use several hundred years after Arthur, had turned to dust.
As the title suggests this book revolves around the secret of the Skystone. An old soldier, a retired centurion, now a blacksmith, purely by chance finds the secret of an ore-bearing stone that has fallen from the sky. Although the blacksmith knows that the stone has fallen from the sky, what he does not know is that the stone is part of a much larger 'stone,' in fact it is a meteorite and the discovery of the strange metal hidden within the stone provides a link to a legend, over two centuries later, when a boy named Arthur is born. A boy who is destined to be a king . . .
Best Series Ever This book lays the groundwork for the best series I have ever read. More fiction than history, these books are hard to put down. I read the first 7 in the series, and look forward to the rest.
Not only does Jack Whyte entertain you, he gives you a new perspective of military occupation, chronic diseases, religious politics, love of one's home, and total desparation. The Skystone is not all inclusive; you must read further for Whyte to raise your standards for a well written series.
Because of the bloody violence, this book is more likely to be enjoyed by men than women, but all readers have something to gain from reading The Camulod Chronicles.
Enjoyable Novel I found the novel to be an enjoyable read - more historical fiction than fantasy, which is my preference. it was hard to put down and kept me engrossed. I recommend.
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