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The Never King
The once-great democracies of the West are slowly crumbling. In Britain, there is talk of revolution as anti-government demonstrations are met with lethal force. Then in an obscure English country carnival, a young man pulls a sword out of a boulder and is hailed as Britain’s mythic savior, its Once and Future King.
Enter Peter Quince, a professor of theology whose specialty is the old folk religions of the Celts – the so-called “Fairy Faith.” He’s recruited for a manhunt in which he quickly becomes the hunted. His flight to save his life takes him across a prehistoric landscape and climaxes in a shocking confrontation in the ruined castle in which King Arthur was allegedly born. Along the way, he must summon his old courage and confront his secret fear that he’s always been insane.
Quantum mechanics and a wizard’s prophesy, future weapons and ancient legends, mankind’s fate and an undying love for a crazy, beautiful woman – they’re all right here in The Never King.
Enter Peter Quince, a professor of theology whose specialty is the old folk religions of the Celts – the so-called “Fairy Faith.” He’s recruited for a manhunt in which he quickly becomes the hunted. His flight to save his life takes him across a prehistoric landscape and climaxes in a shocking confrontation in the ruined castle in which King Arthur was allegedly born. Along the way, he must summon his old courage and confront his secret fear that he’s always been insane.
Quantum mechanics and a wizard’s prophesy, future weapons and ancient legends, mankind’s fate and an undying love for a crazy, beautiful woman – they’re all right here in The Never King.
319 pages, Paperback
First published January 4, 2013
1 person is currently reading
752 people want to read
About the author
George Tyson
2 books11 followersGeorge Tyson was born 65 years ago in a Washington, D.C. hospital that has since been demolished. It gives him a weird feeling that he can’t see where he was born.
He became interested in writing in 12th grade when his English teacher, Ms. Doris Rodin, worked hard to clean up his writing style which had previously been ponderous and choking on adverbs and adjectives. In fact, his initial career plan was to become a college English teacher which, he believed, would leave him time to write. However, he went to Medical School instead because he had an interest in that profession, too, and believed that it would be less risky than becoming a writer. He eventually became a neurosurgeon and was the Chief of Neurosurgery at a major teaching hospital for more than a decade.
Dr. Tyson writes as a hobby. Although he had started three novels before writing The Never King, the only book that he’d previously published was a textbook (Head Injury Management for Providers of Emergency Care). The idea for The Never King first occurred to him more than 30 years ago when he was living in England. In writing the book, he was mentored by Ms. Hilary Metcalf Costa who tactfully but effectively critiqued his style through the course of many drafts.
Although many professional writers recommend it, Dr. Tyson did not outline The Never King before he started to write it. Instead, he let the book write itself. He says that he simply wrote down what he “saw” as the story played in his mind like a movie. In fact, some of the book came to him in dreams.
In writing The Never King, Dr. Tyson relied on his knowledge of Celtic folk-lore. Indeed, he has an extensive library of works on that subject. The library reflects his interest in the history of Western religions, an interest that he first developed in 8th grade when he was befriended by a rather scholarly minister in a local church.
In terms of his education, Dr. Tyson is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University and graduated near the top of his class at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. More recently, he graduated first in his M.B.A. class at the Stern School of Business at New York University.
He is currently a hospital administrator and lives with his wife and four black shelter cats on Long Island. He is already writing another book which his daughter Diana (a.k.a. The Bedwyr Press) will also publish.
He became interested in writing in 12th grade when his English teacher, Ms. Doris Rodin, worked hard to clean up his writing style which had previously been ponderous and choking on adverbs and adjectives. In fact, his initial career plan was to become a college English teacher which, he believed, would leave him time to write. However, he went to Medical School instead because he had an interest in that profession, too, and believed that it would be less risky than becoming a writer. He eventually became a neurosurgeon and was the Chief of Neurosurgery at a major teaching hospital for more than a decade.
Dr. Tyson writes as a hobby. Although he had started three novels before writing The Never King, the only book that he’d previously published was a textbook (Head Injury Management for Providers of Emergency Care). The idea for The Never King first occurred to him more than 30 years ago when he was living in England. In writing the book, he was mentored by Ms. Hilary Metcalf Costa who tactfully but effectively critiqued his style through the course of many drafts.
Although many professional writers recommend it, Dr. Tyson did not outline The Never King before he started to write it. Instead, he let the book write itself. He says that he simply wrote down what he “saw” as the story played in his mind like a movie. In fact, some of the book came to him in dreams.
In writing The Never King, Dr. Tyson relied on his knowledge of Celtic folk-lore. Indeed, he has an extensive library of works on that subject. The library reflects his interest in the history of Western religions, an interest that he first developed in 8th grade when he was befriended by a rather scholarly minister in a local church.
In terms of his education, Dr. Tyson is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University and graduated near the top of his class at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. More recently, he graduated first in his M.B.A. class at the Stern School of Business at New York University.
He is currently a hospital administrator and lives with his wife and four black shelter cats on Long Island. He is already writing another book which his daughter Diana (a.k.a. The Bedwyr Press) will also publish.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 6, 2014
Gwir yn erbyn byd.Welsh Bardic motto.
Truth against the world.
Dedication: With thanks to Doris Rodin and Hilary Metcalf Costa – Two superior mentors forty years apart
Preface opening: Bedwyr Abbey, County Powys, Wales, March 2037
At first it was just a dry spell, something that only farmers and weathermen talked about. But the dry spell became a drought and the drought became a disaster and, in less than a decade, Great Britain was surviving on glacier melt that was shipped in from Greenland.
Peter Quince sets off in search of Arthur Redux.
For such a messy, over-peopled whimsy this was surpisingly pleasurable to read because the teller is a natural spinner. Certain things grated:
- info dumping
- translating English nouns into American: pushchair/buggy
2.5* upped to 3*
February 10, 2013
The Never King is an enjoyable, well-written novel. It kept me guessing the whole way through. With all of the interesting characters, especially the main character, it was a delightful read. Except for one section, the book was a real page turner. While this section provided necessary explanation, it is the only part that did not keep my full attention. I felt like it slowed the pace for the rest of the book. Other than that, this book was incredibly exciting. Overall, I really enjoyed The Never King, and am looking forward to Professor Quince’s return in The Gudeman’s Croft.
February 13, 2013
I found this book while doing one of my numerous searches for Arthurian novels and I must say it was one of the more unusual takes on the Arthurian legend I have read. Many of the basic elements are there but then the author mixes in a bit of dystopian element along with a trace of intrigue and bakes an Arthur Cake that is quite tasty. Without giving too much away, the book examines the possibility that Arthur was never a king in the traditional sense of the word. I won't say anything more except that you need to read this fine book.
December 1, 2018
It took a few dozen pages to become engrossed, but it was hard to put down once I was. I found the story interesting and compelling and the characters relatable.
Why isn’t it four stars?
1: the story was a bit choppy, which is to say that some scenes that could’ve been extended were short and unsatisfying and sometimes the exposition could’ve been done without as much dialogue.
2: while the characters were relatable, they weren’t as in-depth as they could’ve been; outside the protagonist, most of their personalities come from exposition (although Thistle’s wasn’t so bad).
3: the mishmash of religions was very interesting, but not as seemless as it could’ve been; merging Christianity with paganism/Wicca was a nice touch, but almost like the author just needed both.
4: on a personal level, I needed Arthur to have more depth.
Still, I’ll read the sequel, even if it’s of the same level. After all, it was still a good job and it’s not as though I’m a published author. :)
Why isn’t it four stars?
1: the story was a bit choppy, which is to say that some scenes that could’ve been extended were short and unsatisfying and sometimes the exposition could’ve been done without as much dialogue.
2: while the characters were relatable, they weren’t as in-depth as they could’ve been; outside the protagonist, most of their personalities come from exposition (although Thistle’s wasn’t so bad).
3: the mishmash of religions was very interesting, but not as seemless as it could’ve been; merging Christianity with paganism/Wicca was a nice touch, but almost like the author just needed both.
4: on a personal level, I needed Arthur to have more depth.
Still, I’ll read the sequel, even if it’s of the same level. After all, it was still a good job and it’s not as though I’m a published author. :)
April 9, 2017
This fantasy/mystery novel blends Celtic mythology, political intrigue, psychological uncertainty, and adventure. One of the really interesting things here is that the novel more or less begins with the ostensible conspiracy theory that Arthur--the Once and Future King--has been appropriated by neo-fascists who want to use him (that is, the reincarnation of the actual Arthur of legend) to overthrow the British government in the name of some kind of imagined pre-Saxon Utopia (which is an interesting place to begin, considering that many medieval scholars today are concerned about white nationalist or fascist appropriation of medieval symbols, myths, and images). However, as Peter Quince--the middle-aged American professor of Celtic religion and protagonist--finds out, the situation is much more complex, much stranger, and much more magical than he ever could have imagined.
There are several things that ultimately go unexplained in this novel, but I think that's merely a challenge of fantasy and mystery, that there are bits and pieces which simply must be accepted rather than explained rationally and in detail.
There are several things that ultimately go unexplained in this novel, but I think that's merely a challenge of fantasy and mystery, that there are bits and pieces which simply must be accepted rather than explained rationally and in detail.
February 15, 2013
I started to write out a huge book report style review but changed my mind. Lets just suffice to say if you can get through the first 100 or so pages without being completely annoyed by every single character then you will probably get all the way through this book and may well enjoy it. But if you're like me and cam only take so much hedging and being cryptic from everyone then save yourself the trouble and skip to like pg. 200 and have character after character spend 15-20 pages explaining their view of what happened. Or if you really just want to get it over with skip to chapter 10 and you'll get all the answers that way. I will warn you though the ending isn't any better than the middle of the book, which I actually am sad about, the beginning had such promise and the plot seemed so intriguing.
All in all, not a great book, but if you like not knowing what's going on through 95% of your books you'll probably love this.
This was won through the Goodreads giveaway.
All in all, not a great book, but if you like not knowing what's going on through 95% of your books you'll probably love this.
This was won through the Goodreads giveaway.
March 20, 2013
Im still alittle confused about this book, but i did like it.
Filled with Celtic myths, fairies, Kings, murder, and romance, The Never King is a romp threw another world that surrounds us and can only be seen by those that truly believe.
Right from the first page, you are thrust into an adventure and mystery that spans ages.
With lovable, and some hate-able, characters, a great plot, and location descriptions that put you right in the heart of England, this is a great read for fans of fantasy, mystery, adventure, and Celtic myth.
I will definitely pick up the sequel, The Gudeman's Croft, which i hope will explain more of this unseen world.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Filled with Celtic myths, fairies, Kings, murder, and romance, The Never King is a romp threw another world that surrounds us and can only be seen by those that truly believe.
Right from the first page, you are thrust into an adventure and mystery that spans ages.
With lovable, and some hate-able, characters, a great plot, and location descriptions that put you right in the heart of England, this is a great read for fans of fantasy, mystery, adventure, and Celtic myth.
I will definitely pick up the sequel, The Gudeman's Croft, which i hope will explain more of this unseen world.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 14, 2021
Second read- still a fairly fun delve into Arthur legend, and the British traditions surround the Celtic legacy.
Disclosure: I received this book in a give-away on GoodReads.com
> While this book is not one that I would have picked up in a library or purchased in a bookstore, I was not disappointed in the attraction that it held for me... I read it in one day!
> As a current-day take on some of the Arthurian legend, and a bit of political intrigue, there were several points of both 'wow, neat' and 'what, really?'
> Legend, religion, politics, and string-theory physics... what more can one ask for?
> I just might have to seek out the next book promised on the last page...
Disclosure: I received this book in a give-away on GoodReads.com
> While this book is not one that I would have picked up in a library or purchased in a bookstore, I was not disappointed in the attraction that it held for me... I read it in one day!
> As a current-day take on some of the Arthurian legend, and a bit of political intrigue, there were several points of both 'wow, neat' and 'what, really?'
> Legend, religion, politics, and string-theory physics... what more can one ask for?
> I just might have to seek out the next book promised on the last page...
February 16, 2013
I won a copy of this via the Goodreads Giveaways page and was quite taken in by the synoposis. I was not disappointed, this is a really fun little book with great character development and with particular attention paid to celtic mythology and legend. It's not so much a story about the conventional King Arthur either, nor does it have too much to do with that story itself but more a personal quest of discovery and spirituality. I really enjoyed it and Thistle is amazing. I can't wait to read more!
May 11, 2018
Promising Start -Hopeless Development
Such a shame. The author obviously has writing skills. The beginning is well written and offers the possibility of a interesting fantasy/political drama.
Step by step in spirals downward to a point where fantasy turns in to rambling fairy tale and towards the middle in to the ramblings of naive political propaganda.
I know nothing of the author but if I was told a 12 year old had decided the plot and had a teacher with anarchist leanings ghost write it I'd believe it!
Such a shame. The author obviously has writing skills. The beginning is well written and offers the possibility of a interesting fantasy/political drama.
Step by step in spirals downward to a point where fantasy turns in to rambling fairy tale and towards the middle in to the ramblings of naive political propaganda.
I know nothing of the author but if I was told a 12 year old had decided the plot and had a teacher with anarchist leanings ghost write it I'd believe it!
September 25, 2025
Lovely and unexpected
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book based on the descriptions I had read. I was pleasantly surprised to be pulled eagerly into Peter's journey almost I expected.
I loved the period of Arthur and Peter walking through the moors. I didn't care too much for the post-sword bridge section where motivations and intrigues were explained.
Afterwards though was heartfelt and soulful and just what I need Arthurian fiction to be. I am happy to have discovered this and looking forward to more.
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book based on the descriptions I had read. I was pleasantly surprised to be pulled eagerly into Peter's journey almost I expected.
I loved the period of Arthur and Peter walking through the moors. I didn't care too much for the post-sword bridge section where motivations and intrigues were explained.
Afterwards though was heartfelt and soulful and just what I need Arthurian fiction to be. I am happy to have discovered this and looking forward to more.
December 16, 2014
The Never King revolves around the legend of King Arthur, but handles it in a most unusual way. It is in fact a rather strange book. I am not quite sure how to properly explain what it is about whitout revealing too much.
The best part of this book for me was actually the language. It is very seldom that I find myself saying this these days, but this book was written in such a light and quirky style that the pages just flew past my eyes. Up until I was about 70% through. From there things went a little downhill for me. Actually, to be perfectly honest the book could just have ended at that 70% mark.
I really like the idea of this book. I don't think the plot was as interesting as the things going on beside it, but I do think that they complimented each other nicely.
Peter Quince is not quite like other modern people, odd things seem to keep happening to him and around him. All the way the author hinted at things I could not quite wrap my head around. I loved that part of it. I loved that I just felt the need to keep reading until I finally reached some sort of conclusion.
And a conclusion I got. One that disappointed my pretty badly in truth. The last 30% of the book is pretty much just explanations for everything that happened earlier. I have to admit that I grew well and properly bored when I reached that point. Even the language seemed to become a little less colourful. I just wanted the book to end already.
I do acknowledge that this is not a genre I am very familiar with and I have no idea if this is the way they are usually structured, but it simply did not work for me. I wanted all the explanations, true - but I wanted Peter to find out for himself instead of just being told everything.
These mixed feelings have of course made it extremely hard for me to settle on a rating for this book. And I have to say that I am not satisfied with the rating I finally decided upon. The first 70% should have had four stars, while the last 30% could have gotten one - perhaps two on a lucky day.
Still, this was overall an ejoyable read. There were a lot of interesting characters in it that I really liked. I think that Peter perhaps was not the strongest main character I have seen, but that only added to the mystical elements, really. By the end when all the explanations were finally on the table, when he finally accepted himself for what he was, I also felt that he grew to be a stronger character in my eyes. In that regard I think George Tyson mananged the character development quite well; Peter never once got boring that is for sure.
This is also interesting in the light that there will be a second book featuring him. Peter has only just accepted the world he has long been repressing, so he will have far to go yet before he will be at his strongest I think. It should be interesting to see how he grows in the second book, which will be entitled The Gudeman's Croft.
In the the end I will say one final time that I have not regretted reading this book. My opinion is only slightly tinged by the deficiencies I found in it.
More from Hypervorean at Numinous Publications: http://hypervorean.blogspot.com
The best part of this book for me was actually the language. It is very seldom that I find myself saying this these days, but this book was written in such a light and quirky style that the pages just flew past my eyes. Up until I was about 70% through. From there things went a little downhill for me. Actually, to be perfectly honest the book could just have ended at that 70% mark.
I really like the idea of this book. I don't think the plot was as interesting as the things going on beside it, but I do think that they complimented each other nicely.
Peter Quince is not quite like other modern people, odd things seem to keep happening to him and around him. All the way the author hinted at things I could not quite wrap my head around. I loved that part of it. I loved that I just felt the need to keep reading until I finally reached some sort of conclusion.
And a conclusion I got. One that disappointed my pretty badly in truth. The last 30% of the book is pretty much just explanations for everything that happened earlier. I have to admit that I grew well and properly bored when I reached that point. Even the language seemed to become a little less colourful. I just wanted the book to end already.
I do acknowledge that this is not a genre I am very familiar with and I have no idea if this is the way they are usually structured, but it simply did not work for me. I wanted all the explanations, true - but I wanted Peter to find out for himself instead of just being told everything.
These mixed feelings have of course made it extremely hard for me to settle on a rating for this book. And I have to say that I am not satisfied with the rating I finally decided upon. The first 70% should have had four stars, while the last 30% could have gotten one - perhaps two on a lucky day.
Still, this was overall an ejoyable read. There were a lot of interesting characters in it that I really liked. I think that Peter perhaps was not the strongest main character I have seen, but that only added to the mystical elements, really. By the end when all the explanations were finally on the table, when he finally accepted himself for what he was, I also felt that he grew to be a stronger character in my eyes. In that regard I think George Tyson mananged the character development quite well; Peter never once got boring that is for sure.
This is also interesting in the light that there will be a second book featuring him. Peter has only just accepted the world he has long been repressing, so he will have far to go yet before he will be at his strongest I think. It should be interesting to see how he grows in the second book, which will be entitled The Gudeman's Croft.
In the the end I will say one final time that I have not regretted reading this book. My opinion is only slightly tinged by the deficiencies I found in it.
More from Hypervorean at Numinous Publications: http://hypervorean.blogspot.com
May 13, 2013
My familiarity with the legend of King Arthur is lacking compared to most. OK, let's be honest, I've only read parts of The Once and Future King, seen The Sword in the Stone, but have Monty Python and the Holy Grail practically memorized. Hardly the background to delve into some alternate tellings of the legend, but enough to know the character and story to get me through. That can be seen as a downside because I have no authoritative basis of comparison for this story, or a good thing for te same reason.
Because of this lack of knowledge of the Arthurian Legend, I won't speak much to that in the book, but focus on it as a stand alone story. I felt that Tyson's tale began strong and ended strong, but the middle of the story was very lacking. There is a good deal of both Arthurian and Celtic legend involved here, and the character of Peter does a fantastic job of fleshing these out for the uninitiated, but once he meets the modern Arthur, I felt that the story fell apart. What should have been thrilling moments and a dramatic climax in the midst of the story left me with a "...and then stuff happened..." feeling. It was as though several chapters were missing in the middle of the book that left me wondering how we ended up at the castle or Arthur's birth and the penultimate confrontation.
What is very strong in this book, however, is the development of the characters of Peter Quince and his foil the mysterious Thistle. By the end, their relationship makes a great deal of sense, and the growth exhibited by both is fascinating, especially when placed in the context of the Celtic folklore and the "Fairy Faith" that drives the narrative. My only question with this underlying story was the need to place political intrigue and a dystopian future into the mix. In reality, both of these concepts which were major selling points to me when I considered The Never King were easily forgotten and there is no reason why the story would be able to stand without both. I am looking forward to an anticipated sequel to see where the characters will end up and how the modern retelling of the legends proceed. Hopefully the stories will continue to grow stronger as a series develops.
Because of this lack of knowledge of the Arthurian Legend, I won't speak much to that in the book, but focus on it as a stand alone story. I felt that Tyson's tale began strong and ended strong, but the middle of the story was very lacking. There is a good deal of both Arthurian and Celtic legend involved here, and the character of Peter does a fantastic job of fleshing these out for the uninitiated, but once he meets the modern Arthur, I felt that the story fell apart. What should have been thrilling moments and a dramatic climax in the midst of the story left me with a "...and then stuff happened..." feeling. It was as though several chapters were missing in the middle of the book that left me wondering how we ended up at the castle or Arthur's birth and the penultimate confrontation.
What is very strong in this book, however, is the development of the characters of Peter Quince and his foil the mysterious Thistle. By the end, their relationship makes a great deal of sense, and the growth exhibited by both is fascinating, especially when placed in the context of the Celtic folklore and the "Fairy Faith" that drives the narrative. My only question with this underlying story was the need to place political intrigue and a dystopian future into the mix. In reality, both of these concepts which were major selling points to me when I considered The Never King were easily forgotten and there is no reason why the story would be able to stand without both. I am looking forward to an anticipated sequel to see where the characters will end up and how the modern retelling of the legends proceed. Hopefully the stories will continue to grow stronger as a series develops.
April 1, 2013
The Never King is a story revolving around the legend of King Arthor. Whether you are familiar with the stories or not, you shouldn't have a problem reading this book. I considered the novel to have a more mystery solving theme than adventure, but it did have both.
Characters:
The story is written in first person following an American professor, Peter. At times the book is written as though Peter is directly speaking to the reader, rather than just telling his story; this only happens a handful of times – usually for a moment throughout the book. Peter is hired to find Arthor, a person who pulled a sword from a stone at a festival—which causes a great scene when the man disappears. It is rumored that this Arthor plans to change the government by leading his people like in the Dark Ages. Along the way Peter encounters some interesting characters. I'll let you read about them yourself so I don't ruin anything. The characters are multi-dimensional—each with their own troubles and dilemmas.
Plot:
The plot takes the reader through Peter's adventure trying to solve this "King Arthor" mystery and whether he believes in fantasy (such as those related to the Arthor legend.) It is a self-discovery book that leads to a chase. Peter must question what he truly believes is reality and how to find happiness. The plot flows nicely. Although there were parts of the book that were a lengthy background and debriefing for the reader, it held my interest – which is not always successful among authors. I think the story could have had a little more information on Peter's past, especially what he was doing prior to the story he was telling.
Overall I enjoyed the book. There is a sequel coming out; and although this book concludes nicely, it does leave areas open for another story. If you like King Arthor legends, mystery, and adventure (set in Britain) than you might like this book.
Characters:
The story is written in first person following an American professor, Peter. At times the book is written as though Peter is directly speaking to the reader, rather than just telling his story; this only happens a handful of times – usually for a moment throughout the book. Peter is hired to find Arthor, a person who pulled a sword from a stone at a festival—which causes a great scene when the man disappears. It is rumored that this Arthor plans to change the government by leading his people like in the Dark Ages. Along the way Peter encounters some interesting characters. I'll let you read about them yourself so I don't ruin anything. The characters are multi-dimensional—each with their own troubles and dilemmas.
Plot:
The plot takes the reader through Peter's adventure trying to solve this "King Arthor" mystery and whether he believes in fantasy (such as those related to the Arthor legend.) It is a self-discovery book that leads to a chase. Peter must question what he truly believes is reality and how to find happiness. The plot flows nicely. Although there were parts of the book that were a lengthy background and debriefing for the reader, it held my interest – which is not always successful among authors. I think the story could have had a little more information on Peter's past, especially what he was doing prior to the story he was telling.
Overall I enjoyed the book. There is a sequel coming out; and although this book concludes nicely, it does leave areas open for another story. If you like King Arthor legends, mystery, and adventure (set in Britain) than you might like this book.
February 17, 2013
If you're looking for something refreshingly different, The Never King certainly fits the bill. As others have mentioned, it's a bit hard to sum up exactly what kind of novel The Never King is. One could say it's a suspenseful mystery/fantasy novel. Certainly, it is heavily influenced by the Arthurian Legend as well as paganism (and more specifically Celtic folklore), but these influences aren't necessarily the focus for the reader. In fact, one of the key (and unique) strengths of this novel is that it can be read in a variety of ways. One can read this novel very closely and revel in the tidbits of information about paganism, folklore, Arthur, and a variety of other subjects . A close reading will also reveal some interesting (and sometimes cynical) observations of the world around us, and even some metaphysical insights. Alternatively, this novel is also a relaxing page-turner. Quirky characters and a remarkably fluid writing style make this book enjoyable and easy to read for anybody just looking for a good story. I read this book in one day because I found it so easy to read, and of course, interesting.
I think one thing to keep in mind is that this book is intended to be the first of a trilogy. With that in mind, only so much is revealed by the end of the story. To be sure, the book is strong as a stand alone novel, however, some "wiggle room" in a critique is warranted by the fact that this novel is to some extent only trying to set the stage for the other two books. With that being said, the stage is set well, and I am very much looking forward to The Gudeman's Croft.
I think one thing to keep in mind is that this book is intended to be the first of a trilogy. With that in mind, only so much is revealed by the end of the story. To be sure, the book is strong as a stand alone novel, however, some "wiggle room" in a critique is warranted by the fact that this novel is to some extent only trying to set the stage for the other two books. With that being said, the stage is set well, and I am very much looking forward to The Gudeman's Croft.
January 28, 2013
4.75 stars
This is a very unique novel.
Using a composition of spy themes, fantasy, Arthurian genre, and to be honest probably a multitude of others - the author expertly breathes life into this story and the characters. It was intriguing, intricate and I did not know what to expect next while reading it. You don't get lost, even though so much is going on and situations will just pop into a scene, but it's like a potato chip - you can never just have one. You have to keep reading just to see what happens next. It was exciting to read as the author continuously pulls you further into the story.
This is an exquisitely well written novel. The concept is amazing, I loved how so many elements got blended but not dissipated at all.
You can tell there is room for the story to continue, and the way it was written you want to read what is next.
This is a very unique novel.
Using a composition of spy themes, fantasy, Arthurian genre, and to be honest probably a multitude of others - the author expertly breathes life into this story and the characters. It was intriguing, intricate and I did not know what to expect next while reading it. You don't get lost, even though so much is going on and situations will just pop into a scene, but it's like a potato chip - you can never just have one. You have to keep reading just to see what happens next. It was exciting to read as the author continuously pulls you further into the story.
This is an exquisitely well written novel. The concept is amazing, I loved how so many elements got blended but not dissipated at all.
You can tell there is room for the story to continue, and the way it was written you want to read what is next.
August 21, 2013
An interesting premise, Mr. Tyson has set the story in a land of my dreams. I have always wanted to go to some of these places and hope I can some day. At its heart it is an adventure story which brings folklore to the present. I do like tales of Arthur and it was interesting to see how the story would unfold. The climbing of the mountain so to speak was fun, it was on the descent where it tailed off a bit. Like many stories with an interesting premise, the initial part of the story proves to be intreguing, but the payoff although not terrible is not perfect. Good on you Mr. Tyson, there are some likeable and not so likeable characters who make the story worth the telling. At first, Peter was to me a Robert Langdon, but he did prove to be his own person. It will be interesting to see where the story goes from here. Thanks
August 3, 2013
What a nice surprise this book is! I wasn't sure what to make of this book initially since I was expecting a bit of an Arthurian "redux" but this book was not anything like it. I enjoyed the writing, character development, action and mystery this novel invoked. A very unique story that takes place in the near future where our global social, political and planetary environment is at its 'tipping point' and how a mere historian encounters change in all aspects. If you are hoping for a retelling of the Arthurian legend and will be upset if its not a retelling then don't pick up this book. However if you want a novel that has lots of action, intrigue, intelligence, magic, myths and more then, by golly, read this book. Fully recommend for most ages.
I won this book via LibraryThing.com member giveaway for a review.
I won this book via LibraryThing.com member giveaway for a review.
May 12, 2018
What an unexpected surprise! Fantasy is not normally my thing but a friend suggested I read this based on my love for suspense and modern Arthurian fiction and I was not disappointed. The author deftly walks a line between complete fantasy and the possibility that the "other world" of the Fairy Faith of Arthurian lore exists and is alive and well and helping humanity behind the scenes. The positive note the book ends on almost makes you hope it's true. I loved the historical detail and the descriptions of the various locations in Britain, all woven into a cleverly written suspense novel. Highly recommend.
May 1, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The concept was really fun and interesting. However, at times I felt the book was a little disjointed. I also felt that the last several chapters were tacked on to try to tie up loose ends and explain what had happened in the actual story. I thought this material could have been tied into the rest of the story better to make the book more cohesive. Even with the criticisms I have of the book, I would read it again.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 18, 2013
I won this book as a Goodreads.com first reads giveaway. I must say another truely wonderful read as most all of the books I've recieved from goodreads giveaways. This was definately an original twist to a well known legend. A must read book I will be recommending to friends and family. Thank you sincerly Mr. George Tyson for the opportunity to be one of the first to read and review this enthralling tale.
March 31, 2013
In The Never King, set in a future where the world is crumbling, Arthur reappears to pull a sword from a stone. A professor of Celtic mythology is drawn into a web of mystery and intrigue as he seeks to solve the mystery of Arthur. But it is also a personal quest for him, as he must choose happiness and finally accept the Otherworld as real or choose to deny the existence of even the woman he loves. The Never King is an enchanting read; just what a story on Arthurian legend should be.
March 13, 2013
A truly fun and unique book that was not conventional in any of its
multiple themes and influences.The charecters were wll made and they had great character development and with particular attention paid to celtic mythology and legend. It was a actually nice story of a one persons personal journey. Good suprise read.
multiple themes and influences.The charecters were wll made and they had great character development and with particular attention paid to celtic mythology and legend. It was a actually nice story of a one persons personal journey. Good suprise read.
April 4, 2013
In grinning, leaping homage to the tales of knights of yesteryear & brought up to date right into the counterculture period with modern psychological undertones. I DO recommend this book.
April 16, 2013
What an interesting book. I liked all of the people in this book. I can not wait until the next book comes out. Would love to see how this will turn out.
October 25, 2014
At 10%, I had an inkling that I wouldn't like this book; at 18% I was sure. Not well written at all.
November 3, 2015
it wasn't what I went in expecting but it was good
April 13, 2014
Actually is 4.5
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