The Dark Age 3
My version: Hardback
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bantam Press, Transworld, Penguin Random House
First published: 2020
ISBN: 978-1-787-63216-5
Pages: 317
Bought
From the cover:
AD375, and a Dark Age is rising…
As Rome’s legions abandon their forts, chaos grows on the fringe of Britannia. In the far west, the shattered forces of the House of Pendragon close ranks in order to protect the royal heir – their one beacon of hope.
It is a time of crisis. The great war leader Lucanus is missing, presumed dead. And the people are turning away – lured by a False King at the head of an army swollen by barbarians baying for blood.
But one faint hope remains for Lucanus’ band of warrior allies. Guided by the druid Myrrdin, they go in search of a great treasure – a vessel believed to be a gift from the gods. With such an artifact in their possession, the people would surely return and rally to their cause? Success will mean a war unlike any other, a battle between two kings for a legacy that will echo down the centuries.
And should they fail? Well, then all will be lost…
Well, well, well…after all the bollocks he’s written in, and I have written about, the first two in the Dark Ages series (that would be Dark Age and Pendragon, this isn’t too bad at all. I’m not sure it’s good enough to ‘save’ the series for me, nor have me scurrying back to the bookshelves to give the forst two another chance, but I will admit to having quite enjoyed The Bear King. The bit where they’re crawling through a cave, had me having anxiety fits. Credit where credit’s due, that is extremely well done.
It does follow in not just real-life traditions, but also Historical Fiction world traditions; Long journeys. Why do the always have to do that. They’d done two here almost before we knew what was going on. Why don’t they let things come to them, once in a while. Probably because he wouldn’t have a book or a story without them, says a lot I think. And anyway, what happened to the ‘vessel’? After they got it, got back to Tintagel – nothing. What was the point of that journey to get it?
Well, all in all, it’s nicely written, if straying a little too close to ‘magik’ for my liking, and it’s hardly likely to set many Arthurian scholars back to the drawing-board, but it’s a nice way to spend a couple of days and hope that he either gets back to Hereward next time out, or something less unrealistic.
Couldn't I Just Tell You 