Post by Taika of Narfell on Feb 26, 2007 21:22:50 GMT 1
Stephen Lawhead - Pendragon (4th of the Pendragon Cycle)
Surprising was it to me to find that this book does not pick up where the last left off. It now seems to me that the ending we saw in Arthur was in fact the end of the tale. But that doesn't keep Lawhead from filling in some blank spaces with Pendragon. Pendragon is the title Arthur claims - dragon of all of Britain, ruler and protector. This book reverts to being a tale told by Myrddin - or Merlin as most know him.
On the back cover it says:
"Arthur is King - but darkest evil has descended upon Britain's shores in many guises. Fragile alliances fray and tear, threatening all the noble liege has won with his wisdom and his blood.
In this black time of plague and pestilence, Arthur's most trusted counselor Myrddin - the warrior, bard, and kingmaker whom legend will name Merlin - is himself to be tested on a mystical journey through his own extraordinary past. So Arthur must stand along against a great and terrible adversary. For only thus can he truly win immortality - and the name he will treasure above all others: Pendragon."
At the beginning of the book Merlin refers to the document written down by Aneirin - the story we read in Arthur. He then proceeds to tell another side of the story in the part called Hidden Tales. Here we're told more of what happened in Arthur's childhood. His friendship with Bedwyr and Cai and his first introduction to the warrior culture of the Cymry. As such the first part of the book is fairly quiet compared to what we've seen, it is spent with Merlin in conversations about threats, treachery and the petty lords of Britain. It shows us more of the boy who would be king later on. The part is named Hidden Tales because much secrecy was involved in Arthur's childhood. Only the most trustworthy and faithful kings of the Cymry and their allies could be allowed to know where Arthur actually was, it was a period with a bunch of adults fussing behind the back of a young boy, who was not informed of his own importance till much later, though he sensed much of what was going on.
The second part, The Black Boar, takes us through the kingmaking process that we've seen before, but this time with Merlin's explanations and thoughts behind everything he arranged for. We skip lightly over the parts described to us in Arthur and get elaboration on the things that were skipped in that volume. The title of this part refers to the standard of the barbarian tribes who attack Britain - and more importantly to this story: Ierne. In earlier times the Irish were the ones to launch raids at the Cymry shores to loot and plunder and many in Britain are still resentful, even though Arthur negotiated a lasting peace with the Irish raiders. Now Arhur has an Irish wife in Gwenhwyvar and being the warrior queen that she is, she will not stand idle when barbarians raid her home's shores. She implores Arthur to launch a campaign to aid the Irish. He is willing, but only few in Britain are willing to aid the Irish. Some because they still remember the raids and some because they are unwilling to send troops across the water to aid an inconsequential people. Eventually Arthur does manage to get an army together and they go to relieve Ireland of their invaders - the Vandali.
The third section, The Forgotten War, sees the barbarian invaders fleeing from Ireland and attacking the now undefended British shores. But the disaster Arthur and his men return to find is not solely due to the invaders. The yellow pestilence is part of the cause. Entire villages have been burned to stop the contagion of the plague. And a group of desperate barbarian would-be settlers harrow the land where they go. The forgotten war against plague and pestilence leaves Arthur highly unpopular.
The fourth part of the book, The Healing Dream, shows the consequences of Arthur's strong-willed fight against attackers. An army needs supplies and supplies are never free. Arthur had to get gold from the churches to feed his men fighting in the defense of Britain, and true to form the haughty bishops forget their humility when it's their own gold that is needed by others. The section opens with a wonderful display of three bishops coming to demand that Arthur yield the crown to another (though they fail to mention who might be a half-decent candidate). They accuse him of bringing war and plague to the land, but as they fail to present proof the sharp-witted Arthur soon catches them on the wrong foot. Having indeed lied about a fellow Christian - namely Gwenhwyvar - and called her a pagan, thus calling guilt to Arthur for marrying a pagan, they can no longer claim innocence as Guenhwyvar is in fact Christian. It's a very humourous way to start the section that sees the hitherto most bloody battle and closest call for Arthur's life. The young king does not die, but he comes dangerously close to it and is saved only by Avallach's faith.
It was a bit odd to read a book that intertwined so closely with another in terms of timeline, but Lawhead has made it work out. Don't ask me how, I couldn't tell you. I saw the images from the earlier book and matched them up with what was happening now that we got the other part of the story. It worked out to my satisfaction and though this book would be confusing if one does not remember the previous one it is not too terribly dependent on it. It does not seem like "forgotten chapters" which is the danger of a novel like this. Lawhead's writing holds up and keeps its vivid imagery. The drive all through the story has been the first person narratives, and Merlin being a very opinionated character is an entertaining narrator. See the first passage of the first section of this book (clearly Merlin wrote down these stories long after they happened):
"They say Merlin is a magician, an enchanter, a druid of dark lore. If I were and if I were, I would conjure better men than rule this island now! I would bring back those whose very names are charms of power: Cai, Bedwyr, Pelleas, Gwalchavad, Llenlleawg, Gwalchmai, Bors, Rhys, Cador, and others: Gwenhwyvar, Charis, Ygerna. Men and women who made this sea-girt rock the Island of the Mighty."
Not much respect for those left to rule the island after Arthur sailed into the mists of Avalon towards the end of Arthur. And with good reason, too, only few kings supported Arthur and Merlin while Arthur reigned, how much less numerous would those supporters be when Arthur is no longer there... Things look bleak indeed, and I am very curious to see what Lawhead will do in the final volume of the series, Grail. Whether it will look back on Arthur's life again or whether it will show is what happened after Arthur, the evil times that Merlin is living in at the time of telling this story. Or perhaps both. Either way, I'm very much looking forward to reading it - also so I'll have finished the series, I hate having such 'projects' lying around for too long. Things get confusing and drawn out, and I start forgetting why I liked the last book.
The series is still recommended warmly - and I shall return with a review of Grail as soon as I've read it.
Surprising was it to me to find that this book does not pick up where the last left off. It now seems to me that the ending we saw in Arthur was in fact the end of the tale. But that doesn't keep Lawhead from filling in some blank spaces with Pendragon. Pendragon is the title Arthur claims - dragon of all of Britain, ruler and protector. This book reverts to being a tale told by Myrddin - or Merlin as most know him.
On the back cover it says:
"Arthur is King - but darkest evil has descended upon Britain's shores in many guises. Fragile alliances fray and tear, threatening all the noble liege has won with his wisdom and his blood.
In this black time of plague and pestilence, Arthur's most trusted counselor Myrddin - the warrior, bard, and kingmaker whom legend will name Merlin - is himself to be tested on a mystical journey through his own extraordinary past. So Arthur must stand along against a great and terrible adversary. For only thus can he truly win immortality - and the name he will treasure above all others: Pendragon."
At the beginning of the book Merlin refers to the document written down by Aneirin - the story we read in Arthur. He then proceeds to tell another side of the story in the part called Hidden Tales. Here we're told more of what happened in Arthur's childhood. His friendship with Bedwyr and Cai and his first introduction to the warrior culture of the Cymry. As such the first part of the book is fairly quiet compared to what we've seen, it is spent with Merlin in conversations about threats, treachery and the petty lords of Britain. It shows us more of the boy who would be king later on. The part is named Hidden Tales because much secrecy was involved in Arthur's childhood. Only the most trustworthy and faithful kings of the Cymry and their allies could be allowed to know where Arthur actually was, it was a period with a bunch of adults fussing behind the back of a young boy, who was not informed of his own importance till much later, though he sensed much of what was going on.
The second part, The Black Boar, takes us through the kingmaking process that we've seen before, but this time with Merlin's explanations and thoughts behind everything he arranged for. We skip lightly over the parts described to us in Arthur and get elaboration on the things that were skipped in that volume. The title of this part refers to the standard of the barbarian tribes who attack Britain - and more importantly to this story: Ierne. In earlier times the Irish were the ones to launch raids at the Cymry shores to loot and plunder and many in Britain are still resentful, even though Arthur negotiated a lasting peace with the Irish raiders. Now Arhur has an Irish wife in Gwenhwyvar and being the warrior queen that she is, she will not stand idle when barbarians raid her home's shores. She implores Arthur to launch a campaign to aid the Irish. He is willing, but only few in Britain are willing to aid the Irish. Some because they still remember the raids and some because they are unwilling to send troops across the water to aid an inconsequential people. Eventually Arthur does manage to get an army together and they go to relieve Ireland of their invaders - the Vandali.
The third section, The Forgotten War, sees the barbarian invaders fleeing from Ireland and attacking the now undefended British shores. But the disaster Arthur and his men return to find is not solely due to the invaders. The yellow pestilence is part of the cause. Entire villages have been burned to stop the contagion of the plague. And a group of desperate barbarian would-be settlers harrow the land where they go. The forgotten war against plague and pestilence leaves Arthur highly unpopular.
The fourth part of the book, The Healing Dream, shows the consequences of Arthur's strong-willed fight against attackers. An army needs supplies and supplies are never free. Arthur had to get gold from the churches to feed his men fighting in the defense of Britain, and true to form the haughty bishops forget their humility when it's their own gold that is needed by others. The section opens with a wonderful display of three bishops coming to demand that Arthur yield the crown to another (though they fail to mention who might be a half-decent candidate). They accuse him of bringing war and plague to the land, but as they fail to present proof the sharp-witted Arthur soon catches them on the wrong foot. Having indeed lied about a fellow Christian - namely Gwenhwyvar - and called her a pagan, thus calling guilt to Arthur for marrying a pagan, they can no longer claim innocence as Guenhwyvar is in fact Christian. It's a very humourous way to start the section that sees the hitherto most bloody battle and closest call for Arthur's life. The young king does not die, but he comes dangerously close to it and is saved only by Avallach's faith.
It was a bit odd to read a book that intertwined so closely with another in terms of timeline, but Lawhead has made it work out. Don't ask me how, I couldn't tell you. I saw the images from the earlier book and matched them up with what was happening now that we got the other part of the story. It worked out to my satisfaction and though this book would be confusing if one does not remember the previous one it is not too terribly dependent on it. It does not seem like "forgotten chapters" which is the danger of a novel like this. Lawhead's writing holds up and keeps its vivid imagery. The drive all through the story has been the first person narratives, and Merlin being a very opinionated character is an entertaining narrator. See the first passage of the first section of this book (clearly Merlin wrote down these stories long after they happened):
"They say Merlin is a magician, an enchanter, a druid of dark lore. If I were and if I were, I would conjure better men than rule this island now! I would bring back those whose very names are charms of power: Cai, Bedwyr, Pelleas, Gwalchavad, Llenlleawg, Gwalchmai, Bors, Rhys, Cador, and others: Gwenhwyvar, Charis, Ygerna. Men and women who made this sea-girt rock the Island of the Mighty."
Not much respect for those left to rule the island after Arthur sailed into the mists of Avalon towards the end of Arthur. And with good reason, too, only few kings supported Arthur and Merlin while Arthur reigned, how much less numerous would those supporters be when Arthur is no longer there... Things look bleak indeed, and I am very curious to see what Lawhead will do in the final volume of the series, Grail. Whether it will look back on Arthur's life again or whether it will show is what happened after Arthur, the evil times that Merlin is living in at the time of telling this story. Or perhaps both. Either way, I'm very much looking forward to reading it - also so I'll have finished the series, I hate having such 'projects' lying around for too long. Things get confusing and drawn out, and I start forgetting why I liked the last book.
The series is still recommended warmly - and I shall return with a review of Grail as soon as I've read it.