b-rad
12/20/2017
So I'm working my way through the NPR top 100 sf&f list and choose this one. A little into it and I realize it's just a mish mash of classical fantasy from Robin Hood to King Arthurs court... This is just a retelling of the classical tale, with some minor twists. I think Merlin in the narrator, and he's immortal, living time backwards, so there is some modern day commentary here & there. The problem is the novelty in no way makes it a superb new piece of work. The book is good, don't get me wrong, it is just not something I care about reading. It was a little interesting reading more of Arthurs tale than I knew about previously, but I'm thankful much of it was just glossed over. I would not have been able to handle this book if it were any longer. Bland classical tales and religious fantasy are not my thing, and they are this books thing.
If this just ended after book 1, the sword and the stone, I would have rated it much higher. I just really don't like preachy religious fantasy taking over, and that's pretty much the last 500pg...