The Warlord Chronicles
Encyclopedia
The Warlord Chronicles is a trilogy
of books about Arthurian Britain
written by Bernard Cornwell
(perhaps best known for his Richard Sharpe
adventures). The story is written as a mixture of historical fiction
and Arthurian mythology
.
The books have been published by Penguin and Michael Joseph in the United Kingdom and by St Martin's Press in the United States, in hardcover and paperback editions, each with different ISBNs.
Like other "historical" takes on the Arthurian legends, the series postulates that Post-Roman Britain
was a difficult time for the native Britons, being threatened by invasion from the Anglo-Saxons
in the East and raids from the Irish
in the West. At the same time, they suffered internal power struggles between their petty kingdoms. Like Marion Zimmer Bradley
in her novel The Mists of Avalon
, Cornwell also presumes considerable friction still occurred between the old Druidic and other pagan religion and Christianity
at this point in time (as he admits in the afterword of the first book, this angle was determined more by personal preference rather than third-party historical assessments).
The story is written as if it took place in Dark Age Britain as described in the original Welsh
legends, with appropriate types of technology, culture, warfare, and attitudes. Cornwell also weaves later additions such as Merlin
and Lancelot
into the plot.
The protagonist
of the series is Derfel Cadarn
, based on the part-legendary Saint Derfel
. Cornwell's Derfel is a Saxon brought up as a Briton by Merlin, the greatest of all Druids. In the course of the story, he becomes a great warrior and one of Arthur's lieutenants in his war against the Saxons. Merlin, meanwhile, concerns himself with trying to restore the old gods
of Britain. Other characters from the Arthurian mythos are given significant and memorable twists. For example, Lancelot, always portraited as the most virtuous and the mightiest of Arthur's knights, here is depicted as an arrogant, cowardly and ultimately self-serving petty prince, whose legendary feats and martial prowess are crafted through the songs of the bards and a fictional reputation that he himself carefully cultivates. Also we have Sagramor who, according to the Lancelot-Grail
Cycle, would be a Hungarian prince, here is a Numidian veteran of the old Roman army, who went to Britain in Arthur's service after the collapse of the Roman Empire
. For fans of the series, Cornwell's portrayal of Merlin as a lecherous, driven, mischievous and irreverent druid is particularly memorable.
Among his fans, The Warlord Chronicles is often considered to be among Cornwell's best work, being acclaimed for both its storytelling qualities and its accuracy in portraying contemporary life. Cornwell himself has said, "I have to confess that of all the books I have written these three are my favourites."
Also interesting is his solution to the problem of integrating the magic
of the Arthurian mythos in the context of historical fiction: he leaves room for the reader to take the "magic" depicted in the story at face value or to interpret it as a mixture of coincidence, psychology, primitive technology and superstition.
In fact, Cornwell's focus is in the very undying superstitions that, together with the religious fundamentalism and intolerance (represented by the character of Bishop Sansum), would result in the supposedly primitive mentality of the Dark Ages.
Isis Audio Books have also published unabridged recordings of all three novels, read by Edmund Dehn.
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
of books about Arthurian Britain
Sub-Roman Britain
Sub-Roman Britain is a term derived from an archaeological label for the material culture of Britain in Late Antiquity: the term "Sub-Roman" was invented to describe the potsherds in sites of the 5th century and the 6th century, initially with an implication of decay of locally-made wares from a...
written by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
(perhaps best known for his Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series wherein the eponymous character was played by Sean Bean....
adventures). The story is written as a mixture of historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
and Arthurian mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
.
- The Winter KingThe Winter King (novel)The Winter King is the first book in The Warlord Chronicles series by Bernard Cornwell. The trilogy tells the legend of Arthur seen through the eyes of his follower Derfel Cadarn.-Plot introduction:...
ISBN 0-14-023186-2 - Enemy of GodEnemy of God (novel)Enemy of God is the second book in The Warlord Chronicles series by Bernard Cornwell. The trilogy tells the legend of Arthur seen through the eyes of his follower Derfel Cadarn.-Plot introduction:...
ISBN 0-14-023247-8 - Excalibur: A Novel of ArthurExcalibur: A Novel of Arthur (novel)Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur is the third and final book in The Warlord Chronicles series by Bernard Cornwell. The trilogy tells the legend of Arthur seen through the eyes of his follower Derfel Cadarn.-Plot summary:...
ISBN 0-312-18575-8
The books have been published by Penguin and Michael Joseph in the United Kingdom and by St Martin's Press in the United States, in hardcover and paperback editions, each with different ISBNs.
- "Once upon a time, in a land that was called Britain, these things happened . . . . well, maybe. The Warlord Trilogy is my attempt to tell the story of Arthur, 'Rex Quondam Rexque Futurus', the Once and Future King, although I doubt he ever was a king. I suspect he was a great warlord of the sixth century. Nennius, who was one of the earliest historians to mention Arthur, calls him the 'dux bellorum' - leader of battles or warlord." (Cornwell)
Like other "historical" takes on the Arthurian legends, the series postulates that Post-Roman Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
was a difficult time for the native Britons, being threatened by invasion from the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
in the East and raids from the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in the West. At the same time, they suffered internal power struggles between their petty kingdoms. Like Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
in her novel The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon
The Mists of Avalon is a 1983 novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, in which she relates the Arthurian legends from the perspective of the female characters.-Plot introduction:...
, Cornwell also presumes considerable friction still occurred between the old Druidic and other pagan religion and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
at this point in time (as he admits in the afterword of the first book, this angle was determined more by personal preference rather than third-party historical assessments).
The story is written as if it took place in Dark Age Britain as described in the original Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
legends, with appropriate types of technology, culture, warfare, and attitudes. Cornwell also weaves later additions such as Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
and Lancelot
Lancelot
Sir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
into the plot.
The protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series is Derfel Cadarn
Derfel Cadarn
Derfel Cadarn is a fictional character and the main protagonist in The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. He is a straightforward and gifted warrior who is loyal and trustworthy...
, based on the part-legendary Saint Derfel
Saint Derfel
Derfel, known as Derfel Gadarn was a 6th century British Christian monk, regarded as a saint. Local legend holds that he was a warrior of King Arthur.-Family:...
. Cornwell's Derfel is a Saxon brought up as a Briton by Merlin, the greatest of all Druids. In the course of the story, he becomes a great warrior and one of Arthur's lieutenants in his war against the Saxons. Merlin, meanwhile, concerns himself with trying to restore the old gods
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
of Britain. Other characters from the Arthurian mythos are given significant and memorable twists. For example, Lancelot, always portraited as the most virtuous and the mightiest of Arthur's knights, here is depicted as an arrogant, cowardly and ultimately self-serving petty prince, whose legendary feats and martial prowess are crafted through the songs of the bards and a fictional reputation that he himself carefully cultivates. Also we have Sagramor who, according to the Lancelot-Grail
Lancelot-Grail
The Lancelot–Grail, also known as the Prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend written in French. It is a series of five prose volumes that tell the story of the quest for the Holy Grail and the romance of Lancelot and Guinevere...
Cycle, would be a Hungarian prince, here is a Numidian veteran of the old Roman army, who went to Britain in Arthur's service after the collapse of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. For fans of the series, Cornwell's portrayal of Merlin as a lecherous, driven, mischievous and irreverent druid is particularly memorable.
Among his fans, The Warlord Chronicles is often considered to be among Cornwell's best work, being acclaimed for both its storytelling qualities and its accuracy in portraying contemporary life. Cornwell himself has said, "I have to confess that of all the books I have written these three are my favourites."
Also interesting is his solution to the problem of integrating the magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
of the Arthurian mythos in the context of historical fiction: he leaves room for the reader to take the "magic" depicted in the story at face value or to interpret it as a mixture of coincidence, psychology, primitive technology and superstition.
In fact, Cornwell's focus is in the very undying superstitions that, together with the religious fundamentalism and intolerance (represented by the character of Bishop Sansum), would result in the supposedly primitive mentality of the Dark Ages.
Isis Audio Books have also published unabridged recordings of all three novels, read by Edmund Dehn.
See also
- The Pendragon CyclePendragon CycleThe Pendragon Cycle is a series of fantasy or semi-historical books based on the Arthurian legend, written by Stephen R. Lawhead. They are:*Taliesin *Merlin *Arthur *Pendragon *Grail...
, by Stephen R. LawheadStephen R. LawheadStephen R. Lawhead, born , is a best-selling American writer known for his works of fantasy, science fiction, and more recently, historical fiction, particularly Celtic historical fiction... - The Camulod Chronicles, by Jack WhyteJack WhyteJack Whyte is a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, Whyte has been living in Canada since 1967. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia....