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Camelot

The second epic Arthurian tale by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot

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Camelot

By: Giles Kristian
Narrated by: Phillip Stevens
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Brought to you by Penguin.

Following his acclaimed Sunday Times bestseller, Lancelot, Giles Kristian's new novel returns us to the realms of Arthurian legend . . .

Britain is a land riven by anarchy, slaughter, famine, filth and darkness. Its armies are destroyed, its heroes dead, or missing. Arthur and Lancelot fell in the last great battle and Merlin has not been seen these past ten years. Now, the Saxons are gathering again, their warbands stalk the land, their king seeks dominion. As for the lords and kings of Britain, they look only to their own survival and will not unite as they once did under Arthur and his legendary sword Excalibur.

But in an isolated monastery in the marshes of Avalon, a novice of the order is preparing to take his vows when the life he has known is suddenly turned upside down in a welter of blood. Two strangers - the wild-spirited, Saxon-killing Iselle and the ageing warrior Gawain - will pluck the young man from the wreckage of his simple existence. Together, they will seek the last druid and the cauldron of a god. And the young man must come to terms with his legacy and fate as the son of the most celebrated yet most infamous of Arthur's warriors: Lancelot.

For this is the story of Galahad, Lancelot’s son – the reluctant warrior who dared to keep the dream of Camelot alive . . .

Acclaim for Lancelot:

'A masterpiece.' Conn Iggulden

'Stands head and shoulders above the rest.' Manda Scott

'Glorious. Tragic. Lyrical. Totally gripping.' Ben Kane

'A gorgeous, rich retelling.' The Times

'An extraordinary writer . . . an exceptional book.' Dr Janina Ramirez

©Giles Kristian 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Action & Adventure Fantasy Historical Magic Fiction Arthurian Royalty
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Critic reviews

This the second volume in Giles Kristian's retelling of the Arthurian legend which started with the superb Lancelot. Kristian has created a powerful, dark vision of Arthur's Britain, where magic has its limits and the worst monsters are human. (Antonia Senior)
This is SUCH a good book. I loved it - the sense of time and place is so beautiful, so haunting. And the people, as ever, are bitingly real. Wrapped in the rich lore of the Arthurian saga, Giles has given us a vital, glorious story: rich, rewarding, and utterly revealing of our times - Camelot is a novel you'll savour long after the last page has been turned. (MANDA SCOTT, author of A Treachery of Spies)
What a wonderful book. Beautifully evocative and bone-crunchingly bloody, filled with characters I loved and hated, all conveyed in beautifully lyrical prose and edged with the sense of hope and tragedy that is essential for any retelling of the Arthurian tale. It was fabulous to go back to 5th-century Britain and dive into the fray again. (JOHN GWYNNE, author of the Of Blood and Bone Trilogy)
Kristian’s sequel to his acclaimed Arthurian novel Lancelot is, in some ways, even better than the first book . . . evokes post-Roman Britain in a masterly fashion, totally immersing the reader into the dank, misty, marshlands of hounded Britons and brutal Saxon invaders; of Merlin’s twisty, amoral magic and the raw, skinned-knuckle courage of the warrior trapped in the bloody crush of the shield wall. It is, in short, a triumph. Highly recommended, especially to fans of Bernard Cornwell’s seminal Warlord Chronicles. (ANGUS DONALD, author of Outlaw)
Adventure, intrigue and love abound in this retelling of a tale that is veiled in myth and legend . . . Kristian's writing weaves a spell on the reader as surely as Merlin at the height of his powers. Kristian has done it again. Camelot is a wonderful book. (MATTHEW HARFFY, author of The Serpent Sword)
Camelot gave me one-hell of a punch. It contained some of the best writing in historical-fiction today and completely knocked me off my feet. It had the emotion and intimacy of Lancelot, just with something more. A phenomenal read.
Giles Kristian has set himself a rather monumental task. Namely, how do you follow a novel like LANCELOT - surely already a classic in the Arthurian canon and one of those books that leaves you with your head swimming and your heart thumping long after you’ve read the last word? His monumental answer is: CAMELOT . . . an immense achievement . . . together, these two novels represent something altogether more monumental. Nothing short of a new milestone in British myth-making. It deserves to be an instant classic and I’d bet my last arm-ring that it will be. (THEODORE BRUN)
All stars
Most relevant
Finishing this book has left a hole that I'm not sure how to fill. I will miss the characters and this is a new experience!

Fabulous

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This was Excellent! I have enjoyed Giles Christian's works since reading Raven, decades ago. I Will go back and listen to Lancelot now for sure!

Excellent Will go back and listen to Lancelot

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Kisten has picked some of the perhaps lesser known characters from Arthurian legends and weaved a fabulous saga full of heroes, battles, myths, love and sacrifice. His emotive, evocative prose is perfectly suited to this genre. It's easy to imagine sitting around a hearth and listening to a bard tell this tale, vividly painting a picture of a fractured, changing Britain at war with itself and its enemies, losing faith in it's God's and leaders.
At its heart this is a story about a young man trying to figure himself out and forge his own identity, separate from the long shadow cast by his legendary father, Lancelot. Having spent nearly a decade hidden with isolated monks, he is pulled away by Gawain and his comrades to embark on an epic adventure to find Merlin, allies and mythical objects.
It's refreshing to have a strong central female character, as, as pointed out by Giles, so many women have been misrepresented or tragically erased from our history.
Whilst there is a love story, for me, I missed the intensity and passion of Lancelot making it harder to invest in their relationship - a minor point in a great sequal.

Brilliant addition to the enduring Arthurian Legend

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Love the depth of characters and the different idea of the Arthurian legend great story and compelling x

Another excellent book

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What a story! This one had me hanging on virtually every word. The prose painting pictures in my mind such that, at one stage, I could see the shield wall pushing forward away from me. Also at other stages, heart rending, and so emotional. I found myself chuckling at times but emersed all the time. Another great book, Giles.
Narrator, Phillip Stevens is getting better and better with each story; as he was at a very high level already, this is quite a feat. This particular programme, I believe, is his best so far and the best of all the narrators I have, so far, come across.

Camelot...As never before.

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