Here lies Arthur
I'm currently reading Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve and after the dry, dull, plodding marathon of Deathly Hallows, it feels like a breath of fresh air. Not my favourite of Reeve's books - that honour still goes to Mortal Engines - but he's such a vibrant, colourful, vivid, poetic storyteller that, even though not a great deal has happened, I'm enjoying the ride so much I don't really care. Actually I'm not sure if it's fair to say that not much has happened, really. A great deal has happened but it doesn't feel like it's building to anything inparticular.
Ths story itself is a retelling of the Arthurian legend with all the supernatural nonsense taken out. Reeve gives us a version of events that are much more down to earth.
Arthur is a boneheaded, brutal warlord. Much the same as all the other boneheaded, brutal warlords in the country, but his advisor Merddyn (Merlin - if you can't guess) sees potential in him. Merddyn has a plan. If he can make Arthur king of Britain and unite all the little kings and barons and warlords under one banner, he can stop the killing and feuding and pointless bloodshed. Merddyn is portrayed as a sort of Dark Ages Derren Brown. An unrepentant atheist, he understands men and what drives them and what scares them and he uses this to make Arthur look not so much like a violent thug but a great and compassionate leader with a history of heroic deeds against fearsome foes. Merddyn is a bard who sings fantastical songs of Arthur's great deeds. The stories propagate as rumours and grow in the telling until even Arthur himself believes them.
It's a fascinating idea and works really well, especially as the whole thing is told from the point of view of a little girl called Gwyna (I assumed this was Guinevere but apparently not as we've just met her) - who begins the story as a refugee from a town sacked by Arthur's warband. She is found and taken in by Merddyn who disguises her as a boy and recruits her help in manufacturing some of Arthur's legendary deeds - lying around in lakes, handing out swords, that kind of thing.
I'm only half way through but I allready feel like I can recommend it. Terrific stuff.
Wayne
Ths story itself is a retelling of the Arthurian legend with all the supernatural nonsense taken out. Reeve gives us a version of events that are much more down to earth.
Arthur is a boneheaded, brutal warlord. Much the same as all the other boneheaded, brutal warlords in the country, but his advisor Merddyn (Merlin - if you can't guess) sees potential in him. Merddyn has a plan. If he can make Arthur king of Britain and unite all the little kings and barons and warlords under one banner, he can stop the killing and feuding and pointless bloodshed. Merddyn is portrayed as a sort of Dark Ages Derren Brown. An unrepentant atheist, he understands men and what drives them and what scares them and he uses this to make Arthur look not so much like a violent thug but a great and compassionate leader with a history of heroic deeds against fearsome foes. Merddyn is a bard who sings fantastical songs of Arthur's great deeds. The stories propagate as rumours and grow in the telling until even Arthur himself believes them.
It's a fascinating idea and works really well, especially as the whole thing is told from the point of view of a little girl called Gwyna (I assumed this was Guinevere but apparently not as we've just met her) - who begins the story as a refugee from a town sacked by Arthur's warband. She is found and taken in by Merddyn who disguises her as a boy and recruits her help in manufacturing some of Arthur's legendary deeds - lying around in lakes, handing out swords, that kind of thing.
I'm only half way through but I allready feel like I can recommend it. Terrific stuff.
Wayne