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From Amazon
In The Singing Sword, the second book in the Camulod Chronicles, Jack Whyte's multivolume rendition of the history and prehistory of Arthurian England, the Roman Empire is nearing its end in Britain and a community of Roman colonists is attempting to create a society to outlast the difficult times they see ahead. As in its predecessor, The Skystone, the main character in The Singing Sword is Gaius Publius Varrus, one of the founders of the community. Old feuds (a vengeful senator) and new dangers (raiding Franks) make up most of the action, but much as Publius's life has moved far beyond that of a soldier's, so The Singing Sword is much more than an action-adventure novel. A sword fight is as likely to be followed by a discussion of the theology of Saint Augustine as by a consideration of the novel use of cavalry in warfare. The characters are as concerned with the philosophical basis of their society as they are with fighting for it, and the end result will be a community still legendary in our time.
The Singing Sword is an intriguing historical novel with a touch of legend, featuring characters who have a convincing knowledge of and some influence over events at the last stages of the Roman Empire. And those looking for the arrival of King Arthur will note the birth of two grandchildren with famous names and the forging of a sword that sings. --Greg L. Johnson
From Publishers Weekly
A sequel to The Skystone, this rousing tale continues Whyte's nuts-and-bolts, nitty gritty, dirt-beneath-the-nails version of the rise of Arthurian "Camulod" and the beginning of Britain as a distinct entity. In this second installment of the Camulod Chronicles, Whyte focuses even more strongly on a sense of place, carefully setting his characters into their historical landscape, making this series more realistic and believable than nearly any other Arthurian epic. As the novel progresses, and the Roman Empire continues to decay, the colony of Camulod flourishes. But the lives of the colony's main characters, Gaius Publius Varrus?ironsmith, innovator and soldier?and his brother-in-law, former Roman Senator Caius Britannicus, are not trouble-free, especially when their most bitter enemy, Claudius Seneca, reappears. Through these men's journals, the novel focuses on Camulod's pains and joys, including the moral and ethical dilemmas the community faces, the joining together of the Celtic and Briton bloodlines and the births of Uther Pendragon and Caius Merlyn Britannicus. Whyte provides rich detail about the forging of superior weaponry, the breeding of horses, the training of cavalrymen, the growth of a lawmaking body within the community and the origins of the Round Table. It all adds up to a top-notch Arthurian tale forged to a sharp edge in the fires of historical realism.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great series!,
By
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This review is from: The Singing Sword (A Dream of Eagles, Book 2) (Paperback)
I've loved this series for years. My Dad bought me the Skystone for my birthday a few years back and had it signed by Jack Whyte. Been a fan ever since. I've also read the Templar trilogy and will mostly like read the Laird book as well. Keep up the good work Jack!
2.0 out of 5 stars
Don't bother,
By jd@sna.com (Sacramento) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Singing Sword (The Camulod Chronicles Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Singing Sword is a valiant but misinformed attempt to place the Arthurian legend within the transitional period as the Roman Empire withdraws from northern and western Europe. One of the biggest disappointments is the essential premise of the book: "we need a sword for use from horse back." The protagonist spends an entire volume "inventing" something the Roman cavalry alae had been using for centuries. Just as the Roman infantry had adopted the short gladius or "spanish" sword during the conquest of Spain. The "spatha" or long sword, adopted from the Gauls, had been adopted as a standard cavalry weapon by Rome long before. So the protagonist had but to ask his Celt friends for a sword to model his upon. Rosemary Suttcliffe's Sword At Sunset recognized the probable origin of Arthur's sword in the Roman spatha over 20 years ago
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great series,
By
This review is from: The Singing Sword (A Dream of Eagles, Book 2) (Paperback)
This is the second book that I read from Jack Whyte. It was even better than THE SKYSTONE, I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the next books in the series. Jack Whyte is a superb author. These books are a lot better than sitting in university history classes on the fall of the Roman Empire. This way you can see how the common people felt about what was going on around them. It was also good to see that even the Romans were dissatisfied about what was happening and they were powerless to stop it.
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