In the gripping, highly anticipated conclusion to his Arthurian series, Jack Whyte takes us into the minds and lives of the three people-King Arthur of England; his best friend, Lancelot; and his Queen, Guinevere-whose interrelationships would give rise to the greatest, most enduring love story in the Western world. Clothar, the young knight known as The Lancer, travels to Gaul as Arthur's ambassador, but when Arthur needs him most, Clothar returns-and Jack Whyte opens a previously unimagined window into our most cherished legends.
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From Publishers Weekly
The ninth and final installment in Whyte's Camulod (Camelot) series offers an imaginative if rambling account of the end of the Arthurian era. Narrated by Clothar of Benwick (Lancelot), King Arthur's best friend and loyal companion, the novel is grounded in the author's "interpretation of Lancelot" as "an archetypal hero." Faced with fractious local rulers and Saxon invaders, Arthur hopes to unite Britain to fend off the invasion. But two regional kings—the treacherous Symmachus and the ambitious Connlyn—unite to frustrate, and ultimately destroy, Arthur's dream. The basic plot, however, is overburdened with a stew of subplots and backstories: Clothar's affair with a betrothed woman adds heft but not substance, and the detailed recounting of the paternity of Arthur's son, Mordred, the fruit of an unwitting incestuous affair with his half-sister, is distracting. The author also sends Clothar off on a seven-year detour to Gaul where he trains a cavalry force and saves his cousin's kingdom from the Huns. Clothar returns to Britain to find that events have taken a dangerous turn and a final showdown looms with Camulod's enemies. Fans of Whyte's exhaustive retelling of the Camelot legend will welcome this final chapter. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Whyte concludes his nine-volume retelling of the Arthurian legend with a rousing final chapter in the saga of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere. With the threat of a Saxon invasion looming, Arthur attempts to cobble together a united Britain but is thwarted by jealous rivals. Meanwhile, Clothar (Lancelot), a romantic young nobleman, pledges his loyalty to Arthur and the ideals of Camulod (Camelot). As the two men work feverishly to turn their vision of Camulod into a reality, the stage is set for the ultimate clash between Arthur and his enemies. As one might expect, the doomed love triangle of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere plays a pivotal role in this epic reworking of this classic literary staple. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I have loved the Dream of Eagles series from the very beginning, so it was a with a great deal of disappointment that rather than use the rich, flawed characters of the Arthur legend, Jack Whyte made Arthur, Lancelet, Guinevere, and Mordred into flat, flawless, and perfect characters. These characters were so loyal and honourable that not a single element of the Arthur legend--the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot, Mordred's betrayal, and Elaine's relationship to Lancelot--were at all preserved or used. They led perfect lives, respectful of each other, and then the entire Arthurian legend was summarized in 100 pages at the end, basically saying that none of it was true. Lancelot, in fact, wasn't even present in Camulod for nearly the entire book, spanning more than a decade!
The other books in the Dream of Eagles series were so spectacular, that I question why it was based on the Arthurian legend at all, when the story of Arthur played so little part. There was no climax to this story. Maybe Mr. Whyte was sick of writing the story?
I wish that Jack Whyte had ended the Eagle, leaving the Arthurian legend for another book, sometime when he was up to the challenge. The rest of his novels in the series were truly great and the Eagle did not do them justice.
The other books in the Dream of Eagles series were so spectacular, that I question why it was based on the Arthurian legend at all, when the story of Arthur played so little part. There was no climax to this story. Maybe Mr. Whyte was sick of writing the story?
I wish that Jack Whyte had ended the Eagle, leaving the Arthurian legend for another book, sometime when he was up to the challenge. The rest of his novels in the series were truly great and the Eagle did not do them justice.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is tough for me because I have been reading the Dream of Eagle's series since high school. It is my favorite series. Now, when it finally comes to an end, the final 100 hundred pages seem rushed. Jack ... Jack ... Jack! These were the most important 100 pages of the series. If I knew the books would end so rushed and abruptly, I would not have read the Clothar/Eagle two books, because your first ending in "Metamorphsis" was better.
All this being said, the book on its own is phenomenal. It is well written, it flows well and it is definitely a page turner. My regrets come from all 9 books in combination now. The most known and recognizable part of Arthurian Legend is the Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere story. How it is reconciled to what really "may have" happened is very good, logical and believable. It however, just becomes rushed with little of what made the first 6-7 books classics.
The series is still one to be recommended however could I ask Jack for one thing it would be to re-write the last 100 pages.
All this being said, the book on its own is phenomenal. It is well written, it flows well and it is definitely a page turner. My regrets come from all 9 books in combination now. The most known and recognizable part of Arthurian Legend is the Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere story. How it is reconciled to what really "may have" happened is very good, logical and believable. It however, just becomes rushed with little of what made the first 6-7 books classics.
The series is still one to be recommended however could I ask Jack for one thing it would be to re-write the last 100 pages.
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This was a series that I totally enjoyed and recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction which in some cases(situations)can be traced in actual history. I used an old historical map to follow the movement of the characters throughout the series. Due to the fact some facts and characters related to the period of history are still being judged, discussed and analyzed there is no doubt for me as to the entertainment valve of the series for those interested in that type of adventure and time period.
WG Macx MacNichol
Dorchester, NB, Canada
WG Macx MacNichol
Dorchester, NB, Canada
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3.7 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, imaginative
Mr. Whyte did a fine job in this novel, bringing us forward in the history of Camelot (Camulod) through the eyes of Lancelot. Read more
Published on May 2 2010 by Chris J. Collins
4.0 out of 5 stars
Arthur is always a good read
this work is a page turner and wonderfully done. Anything Arthur tends to be well worth the effort to read and this author's works especially. Read more
Published on Feb 28 2006 by Jerry
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE EAGLE Is An Exciting, Adventurous, Arthurian Read!
This installment is the final episode in the Arthurian saga known as The Camulod Chronicles. The story continues much where Clothar the Frank/The Lance Thrower left off. Read more
Published on Jan 19 2006 by Kimberly Gelderman
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