Brian's Book Blog

Another retelling of the Arthurian legend, placing him in the Romano-British period. Follows the well worn style of Arthur the boy to Arthur the man to Arthur the King.

The tale is told well, starting with Artorex as the foster son of a Roman family with no idea of his birth.
As he grows, powerful men start to keep an eye on his progress and ensure he receives all the training he will need.
There are parts that mark him as a leader who will be followed in these early stages.

The second half of the book is his rise to Dux Bellorum and fighting the invading Saxons while his extended family, now aware of his birth right start their own plots to finish him off.

There are no real surprises in this novel, but the characters and action are done well, and the scheming of various people keeps the suspense going.