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4.0étoiles sur 5
Pendragon's Banner, Nov. 4 2009
In Pendragons Banner, by Helen Hollick, the tale of Arthur, the grand King and warrior, holds no place for Lancelot-types and ladies in distress. In this meaty epic, youll find a hero in the midst of endless battles, strong-willed women, questionable loyalty, heart-wrenching deaths, and true love.
Arthur possessed not only those majestic qualities loved in a king thats hero; he was also capable of extreme emotions and actions that could destroy, refute (as in the case of his first son by WinifredI had a very hard time understanding this) and could also literally dispose of mercilessly as a means to an end. Those passages led to very intense reading- where I just could not put the book down.
I appreciated the authors realistic in the- times approach to this King Arthur who also proved to be endearing and vulnerable when it came to true love. I admired Arthur for the ruler and lover he was (though some of his swaying motives lost him some pointsbut those were different times). Hollick brought her characters to life drawing me to strong emotions, precisely, I imagine, as intended. Her portrayal led me to despise and wish cruelty on the venomous Morgause; understand the validity of Winifreds motives, while disliking her altogether; and then, there was Gwenhwyfar
For me, she was the real heroine of this novel. I must admit that although I passionately read through the battle scenes, scheming plots, horrifying situations and the saddest of deaths-It was Gwen who kept me hooked to the storyline. What a heroine! In Pendragons Banner, Gwenhwyfar is strong, loyal, incredibly skilled mentally and physically (she could whip a sword as well as any Artoriani!) Her devotion, as well as her determination proved unshakeable in the worst of fates. Her fiery temper was no less passionate in the face of love for her husband and children. In all her intensity, Gwenhwyfar was also capable of great compassion, kindness and giving towards others in their time of need. Based upon Hollicks fantastic character portrayal of Gwen in this rich novel, I have a renewed love and admiration for Arthurs glorious Queen.
Pendragons Banner is a rich and gripping tale, but not without its light and often comical moments which the author interjects throughout the novel. Actions, motions and scenes are regularly described, with visual editorial type moments for vivid effect. It also helps alleviate the heavier scene being dealt with. For those who enjoy this type of thing, heres an example:
Bottom of pg. 351, Arthur slid his thumb through his sword belt, and rocked forward onto the balls of his feet and back to his heels.
And, heres another:
pg.312, Arthurs expression was his familiar, implacable, grim squint of right eye half shut, left eyebrow raised.
Pendragons Banner, although quite chunky, is a relatively smooth read (difficult names and words have a pronunciation guide at the front). In addition, all chapters are only 3 to 4 pages long, easily readying you towards the next transition of events.
Arthurian fans will enjoy this tale portraying Arthur and his Lady in a different, yet more convincing light than ever read before.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Second book in Hollick's Pendragon Trilogy, Nov. 23 2008
Pendragon's Banner takes up where The Kingmaking left off as Arthur Pendragon has a constant battle to hold on to his crown and keep peace among the rival British and Saxon factions. With no real home of their own, Gwenhwyfar and their sons ride with Arthur and his men, but this eventually leads to tension between the two, especially after a tragic accident threatens to destroy the marriage permanently. Uthr's former mistress Morgause plots with King Lot and the Picti of the North to destroy Arthur and his family, as Arthur's ex-wife Winifred continues her scheming to place her son Cerdic as Arthur's heir.
There's actually a whole lot more to it than that, but I'm not into book reports and we all know the main gist of the legends. What you don't find in Hollick's trilogy is all the glorified magic and enchantment of many other books on the period - no Merlin, no Knights of the Round Table and no Lancelot. Arthur is a hard drinking, unfaithful (at times), hot tempered ruthless warrior who does what he has to do to survive and protect his country and his family. Just be warned, the battle scenes are brutal and bloody, so if you're looking for a prettified story of Arthur and his Gwenhwyfar I suggest you look elsewhere. Next up and last in the trilogy Shadow of The King. 4.5/5 stars.
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