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The Warlord Chronicles #2
L'Ennemi de Dieu
Au Ve siècle de notre ère, la Grande-Bretagne est au bord des ténèbres. Les souvenirs de la civilisation romaine sont en train de s'évanouir. Les dieux païens reculent devant l'expansion du christianisme. Les Saxons frappent et grondent aux frontières. Les turbulents royaumes, toujours divisés, n'opposent plus de résistance que grâce à l'énergie du Grand Roi, Uther Pendragon. Mais le Grand Roi vient de mourir.
Arthur, le fils illégitime d'Uther, a fait le serment de conserver son trône au petit enfant qui en est l'héritier, Mordred.
Arthur a tenu sa promesse. Il a remporté la sanglante victoire de Lugg Vale. Les royaumes sont finalement unis. Le trône de Mordred est en sécurité.
Mais, à la différence de Merlin, Arthur a oublié les dieux, qui se repaissent du chaos. Merlin l'enchanteur sait que, si les dieux doivent être restaurés, il lui faut apporter ensemble en Grande-Bretagne treize objets sacrés, et pour cela retrouver le chaudron, le Treizième Trésor national des Bretons.
La Saga du Roi Arthur comprend :
1. Le Roi de l'hiver
2. L'Ennemi de Dieu
3. Excalibur
Arthur, le fils illégitime d'Uther, a fait le serment de conserver son trône au petit enfant qui en est l'héritier, Mordred.
Arthur a tenu sa promesse. Il a remporté la sanglante victoire de Lugg Vale. Les royaumes sont finalement unis. Le trône de Mordred est en sécurité.
Mais, à la différence de Merlin, Arthur a oublié les dieux, qui se repaissent du chaos. Merlin l'enchanteur sait que, si les dieux doivent être restaurés, il lui faut apporter ensemble en Grande-Bretagne treize objets sacrés, et pour cela retrouver le chaudron, le Treizième Trésor national des Bretons.
La Saga du Roi Arthur comprend :
1. Le Roi de l'hiver
2. L'Ennemi de Dieu
3. Excalibur
603 pages, Pocket Book
First published January 1, 1996
1378 people are currently reading
13043 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Cornwell
536 books19.1k followersCornwell was born in London in 1944. His father was a Canadian airman, and his mother, who was English, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. He was adopted and brought up in Essex by the Wiggins family, who were members of the Peculiar People, a strict Protestant sect who banned frivolity of all kinds and even medicine. After he left them, he changed his name to his birth mother's maiden name, Cornwell.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
Cornwell was sent away to Monkton Combe School, attended the University of London, and after graduating, worked as a teacher. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services at least three times but was rejected on the grounds of myopia.
He then joined BBC's Nationwide and was promoted to become head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. He then joined Thames Television as editor of Thames News. He relocated to the United States in 1980 after marrying an American. Unable to get a green card, he started writing novels, as this did not require a work permit.
As a child, Cornwell loved the novels of C.S. Forester, chronicling the adventures of fictional British naval officer Horatio Hornblower during the Napoleonic Wars, and was surprised to find there were no such novels following Lord Wellington's campaign on land. Motivated by the need to support himself in the U.S. through writing, Cornwell decided to write such a series. He named his chief protagonist Richard Sharpe, a rifleman involved in most major battles of the Peninsular War.
Cornwell wanted to start the series with the Siege of Badajoz but decided instead to start with a couple of "warm-up" novels. These were Sharpe's Eagle and Sharpe's Gold, both published in 1981. Sharpe's Eagle was picked up by a publisher, and Cornwell got a three-book deal. He went on to tell the story of Badajoz in his third Sharpe novel, Sharpe's Company, published in 1982.
Cornwell and wife Judy co-wrote a series of novels, published under the pseudonym "Susannah Kells". These were A Crowning Mercy, published in 1983, Fallen Angels in 1984, and Coat of Arms (aka The Aristocrats) in 1986. (Cornwell's strict Protestant upbringing informed the background of A Crowning Mercy, which took place during the English Civil War.) In 1987, he also published Redcoat, an American Revolutionary War novel set in Philadelphia during its 1777 occupation by the British.
After publishing eight books in his ongoing Sharpe series, Cornwell was approached by a production company interested in adapting them for television. The producers asked him to write a prequel to give them a starting point to the series. They also requested that the story feature a large role for Spanish characters to secure co-funding from Spain. The result was Sharpe’s Rifles, published in 1987, and a series of Sharpe television films staring Sean Bean.
A series of contemporary thrillers with sailing as a background and common themes followed: Wildtrack published in 1988, Sea Lord (aka Killer's Wake) in 1989, Crackdown in 1990, Stormchild in 1991, and Scoundrel, a political thriller, in 1992.
In June 2006, Cornwell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours List.
Cornwell's latest work, Azincourt, was released in the UK in October 2008. The protagonist is an archer who participates in the Battle of Agincourt, another devastating defeat suffered by the French in the Hundred Years War. However, Cornwell has stated that it will not be about Thomas of Hookton from The Grail Quest or any of his relatives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,267 reviews
May 4, 2023
4.5/5 Stars
Enemy of God, the second book in 'The Warlord Chronicles' trilogy by Bernard Cornwell, and the series so far, has truly been serendipity for me.
As I mentioned in my previous review, I’ve never bothered to start Cornwell’s work, it brings me joy when someone, a friend (even better again when it’s from one of your favorite authors) recommended a book/series to you and you loved it. That’s truly how I feel about the trilogy so far, Cornwell again compelled me with his original and haunting retelling of an Arthurian saga full of heroism and tragedy.
The now monk and Christian, Derfel Cadarn continues telling his tale to Igraine, his current Queen about his time as a Pagan, a time when he was called Lord Derfel Cadarn, Derfel the Mighty, Champion of Dumnonia and the beloved friend of Arthur. Derfel’s tale in Enemy of God begins in the year 495 AD, 15 years after the beginning of his tale in The Winter King and continues immediately from the aftermath of the last battle in the previous book. Most of the plot in the book focused on Merlin’s hunt for the Cauldron of Clyddno Eiddyn (or in modern names, the Holy Grail), driving back the Saxon, Camelot (Arthur’s glorious years of rule) and eventually, why Arthur earned the title ‘The Enemy of God, all told masterfully from Derfel’s 1st person omniscient-ish narrative.
A lot of heavy realistic topics were brought upon in this book. One of the most memorable moments being the complication to choose friendships or to uphold law and oath in the name of peace, even when you know the decision is wrong. On instincts, I’ll always choose friendship but what if, by choosing to save that friend, you risk killing millions of people? Will you still go through with it? Or will you follow the law, saving millions of people’s lives that you don’t know in exchange of your loyal friend’s existence?
That topic is very well written but imo, the best part of the book lies on another realistic topic and definitely the factor with the strongest emphasis, religion, specifically on Christianity, Pagan and the mystery of the Goddess, Isis.
The entire discussion and conflict on religions are very thought provoking. It made me think a lot on faith and afterlife, which honestly, unsettled me a bit. This goes to show just how well written this book is. There is a sense of hope, glory, friendship, and loss that were told. While the first half is still slow paced, the pacing is much more balanced now compared to the previous book where the first half was so dense with descriptions and minim dialogues. The second half has faster paced, the last two chapters (more or less the last 60 pages of the book), in particular, were damn thrilling despite having only a small amount of actions.
I honestly don’t know how I can tell you just how well written this book is. It’s simple, beautiful, haunting, and vivid. Although every chapter is still very long, with 13 chapters out of 470 pages, it never felt like a slog going through it because Cornwell’s prose worked so well for me.
The only minor con I had with the book is that I find myself a bit disappointed by the lack of battle scenes in it. It’s the second book already and I still haven’t seen any of Cornwell’s supposedly memorable battle scenes. This doesn’t mean the book isn’t thrilling or filled with suspense at all, the second half of the book was so addictive and thrilling despite having minimum actions as I mentioned. However, I came into this series expecting to see a lot of war scenes but haven’t seen any yet aside from the climax in book 1, which was still too short for my taste. Do note that this is just a minor con due to my expectation, for the quality of the storytelling solely never fails to captivate me.
Enemy of God is a fantastic sequel to bridge the gap towards the final book in the trilogy, 'Excalibur.' I love the previous book, love this one even more and I hope the last one will continue the same tradition. I totally recommend this for any lover of historical fiction and Arthurian saga.
You can find this and the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest
Enemy of God, the second book in 'The Warlord Chronicles' trilogy by Bernard Cornwell, and the series so far, has truly been serendipity for me.
As I mentioned in my previous review, I’ve never bothered to start Cornwell’s work, it brings me joy when someone, a friend (even better again when it’s from one of your favorite authors) recommended a book/series to you and you loved it. That’s truly how I feel about the trilogy so far, Cornwell again compelled me with his original and haunting retelling of an Arthurian saga full of heroism and tragedy.
The now monk and Christian, Derfel Cadarn continues telling his tale to Igraine, his current Queen about his time as a Pagan, a time when he was called Lord Derfel Cadarn, Derfel the Mighty, Champion of Dumnonia and the beloved friend of Arthur. Derfel’s tale in Enemy of God begins in the year 495 AD, 15 years after the beginning of his tale in The Winter King and continues immediately from the aftermath of the last battle in the previous book. Most of the plot in the book focused on Merlin’s hunt for the Cauldron of Clyddno Eiddyn (or in modern names, the Holy Grail), driving back the Saxon, Camelot (Arthur’s glorious years of rule) and eventually, why Arthur earned the title ‘The Enemy of God, all told masterfully from Derfel’s 1st person omniscient-ish narrative.
“To hear the tales told at night-time hearths you would think we had made a whole new country in Britain, named it Camelot and peopled it with shining heroes, but the truth is that we simply ruled Dumnonia as best we could, we ruled it justly and we never called it Camelot”
A lot of heavy realistic topics were brought upon in this book. One of the most memorable moments being the complication to choose friendships or to uphold law and oath in the name of peace, even when you know the decision is wrong. On instincts, I’ll always choose friendship but what if, by choosing to save that friend, you risk killing millions of people? Will you still go through with it? Or will you follow the law, saving millions of people’s lives that you don’t know in exchange of your loyal friend’s existence?
“Arthur did try to change the world and his instrument was love”
That topic is very well written but imo, the best part of the book lies on another realistic topic and definitely the factor with the strongest emphasis, religion, specifically on Christianity, Pagan and the mystery of the Goddess, Isis.
“It's only when you're lost and frightened and in the dark that you call on the Gods, and they like us to call on them. It makes them feel powerful, and that's why they like us to live in chaos.”
The entire discussion and conflict on religions are very thought provoking. It made me think a lot on faith and afterlife, which honestly, unsettled me a bit. This goes to show just how well written this book is. There is a sense of hope, glory, friendship, and loss that were told. While the first half is still slow paced, the pacing is much more balanced now compared to the previous book where the first half was so dense with descriptions and minim dialogues. The second half has faster paced, the last two chapters (more or less the last 60 pages of the book), in particular, were damn thrilling despite having only a small amount of actions.
I honestly don’t know how I can tell you just how well written this book is. It’s simple, beautiful, haunting, and vivid. Although every chapter is still very long, with 13 chapters out of 470 pages, it never felt like a slog going through it because Cornwell’s prose worked so well for me.
The only minor con I had with the book is that I find myself a bit disappointed by the lack of battle scenes in it. It’s the second book already and I still haven’t seen any of Cornwell’s supposedly memorable battle scenes. This doesn’t mean the book isn’t thrilling or filled with suspense at all, the second half of the book was so addictive and thrilling despite having minimum actions as I mentioned. However, I came into this series expecting to see a lot of war scenes but haven’t seen any yet aside from the climax in book 1, which was still too short for my taste. Do note that this is just a minor con due to my expectation, for the quality of the storytelling solely never fails to captivate me.
Enemy of God is a fantastic sequel to bridge the gap towards the final book in the trilogy, 'Excalibur.' I love the previous book, love this one even more and I hope the last one will continue the same tradition. I totally recommend this for any lover of historical fiction and Arthurian saga.
You can find this and the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest
December 11, 2022
Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing reading fantasy books.
An improvement in every single way upon the first in the series, and one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read.
This is the greatest re-telling of the legend of King Arthur that exists, and takes everything that we we know about this myth and spins it in a wonderfully imaginative thriller of a read. The characters are extremely compelling, and each of them are spun a bit from what we would normally think of them as, and a bit of new something new and fresh.
I would recommend this book to basically everyone, and look forward to re-reading it some day.
An improvement in every single way upon the first in the series, and one of the best historical fiction books I have ever read.
This is the greatest re-telling of the legend of King Arthur that exists, and takes everything that we we know about this myth and spins it in a wonderfully imaginative thriller of a read. The characters are extremely compelling, and each of them are spun a bit from what we would normally think of them as, and a bit of new something new and fresh.
I would recommend this book to basically everyone, and look forward to re-reading it some day.
September 26, 2019
Religion
The second book of the Warlord Chronicles, Enemy of God takes this epic Arthurian story up another notch. The political manoeuvrings, personal quests, mix of diverse personalities, and the unpredictable relationships between male and female characters, makes for captivating reading.
The compelling feature of this novel is the extent and depth of how characters are developed and how the plot is full of unique twists and surprises. Within this environment of hidden machinations and power struggles, Arthur is winning battles he feels he needs to fight and striking alliances where he can. His vision is a unified Britain that can defend against the Saxon invasions. While his war strategy can be clever, personal relationships often deteriorate which harbour resentment and retaliation.
Derfel narrates the story from a first-person perspective and it was very clever to create him as a new character without preconceived baggage (within the context of the traditional Arthur story). Derfel is highly trusted by Arthur, not only for his loyalty but his ability to deliver on Arthur’s plans. He finds himself appointed Lord Derfel, Dumnonia’s Champion and betrothed to Guinevere’s sister Gwenhwyvach, although he is oath-bound to Ceinwyn. Derfel finds himself responsible for assisting in the upbringing of Mordred who is becoming a nasty, evil and unforgiving heir to the throne.
The story arcs around Arthur, Guinevere, Derfel, Lancelot, Ceinwyn, Galahad, and Merlin are superb and weave together with such masterful storytelling. The love triangles are enthralling, where promises and oaths are fickle and risk of conflict threatens with destructive consequences.
The religious struggle between the old pagan gods and the growing influence of Christianity is very intriguing. Merlin as a Druid is on a quest to find the Cauldron of Clyddno Eiddyn.
The writing style is engaging and the story-telling is exceptional, with a magnetism that prevents you from setting the book down. I normally expect the middle book in a trilogy to slacken from the first book and allow a build-up to the last but this one is better and I’m excited to see what awaits in the third. I highly recommend this book and couldn’t contemplate giving anything less than 5 stars.
The second book of the Warlord Chronicles, Enemy of God takes this epic Arthurian story up another notch. The political manoeuvrings, personal quests, mix of diverse personalities, and the unpredictable relationships between male and female characters, makes for captivating reading.
The compelling feature of this novel is the extent and depth of how characters are developed and how the plot is full of unique twists and surprises. Within this environment of hidden machinations and power struggles, Arthur is winning battles he feels he needs to fight and striking alliances where he can. His vision is a unified Britain that can defend against the Saxon invasions. While his war strategy can be clever, personal relationships often deteriorate which harbour resentment and retaliation.
Derfel narrates the story from a first-person perspective and it was very clever to create him as a new character without preconceived baggage (within the context of the traditional Arthur story). Derfel is highly trusted by Arthur, not only for his loyalty but his ability to deliver on Arthur’s plans. He finds himself appointed Lord Derfel, Dumnonia’s Champion and betrothed to Guinevere’s sister Gwenhwyvach, although he is oath-bound to Ceinwyn. Derfel finds himself responsible for assisting in the upbringing of Mordred who is becoming a nasty, evil and unforgiving heir to the throne.
The story arcs around Arthur, Guinevere, Derfel, Lancelot, Ceinwyn, Galahad, and Merlin are superb and weave together with such masterful storytelling. The love triangles are enthralling, where promises and oaths are fickle and risk of conflict threatens with destructive consequences.
The religious struggle between the old pagan gods and the growing influence of Christianity is very intriguing. Merlin as a Druid is on a quest to find the Cauldron of Clyddno Eiddyn.
“The Cauldron was the greatest Treasure of Britain, the magical gift of the old gods, and it had been lost for centuries. Merlin’s life was dedicated to retrieving those Treasures, and the Cauldron was his greatest prize. If he could find the Cauldron, he told us, he could restore Britain to her rightful Gods.”Derfel finds himself torn between both beliefs and prays at pagan shrines while later becoming a Christian monk. Arthur is also someone who tries to play a delicate noncommittal game between the old and new gods. Unfortunately, the Christians intent on seizing and eradicating false gods see him as the enemy of their god.
The writing style is engaging and the story-telling is exceptional, with a magnetism that prevents you from setting the book down. I normally expect the middle book in a trilogy to slacken from the first book and allow a build-up to the last but this one is better and I’m excited to see what awaits in the third. I highly recommend this book and couldn’t contemplate giving anything less than 5 stars.
October 23, 2025
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne
*OCT 2025 ReRead - Second time round, I enjoyed The Winter King far more than the first time. I am now not sure which instalment I prefer... Enemy of God was wonderful on a reread. I would say the peaks are higher, with visceral, emotional moments. But there are character moments I am a bit more critical of. You don't see certain characters for quite a long time, so reunions lack a punch. Nevertheless, a fantastic sequel.
“So many dead. Their footsteps will not stir a rush on the floor nor frighten the mice that live in the monastery’s thatched roof.”
Enemy of God is the second book of The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. It continues the unique historical perspective about the origins of Arthur and his band of loyal warriors.
“For this is his tale, the tale of our dear warlord, our law-giver, our Arthur.”
Enemy of God reached the lofty heights of its predecessor and continued to grow past it. This wonderful, thrilling, heart-wrenching, tense novel contains all of the brilliant aspects of the first in the series, The Winter King. It continued to captivate me with many of the same brilliant characters, and a few more unique cast members who fitted into the story excellently.
“Fate is inexorable”
Enemy of God is told from the perspective of Derfel Cadarn, the same as the first in the trilogy. He is retelling the story of his friend Arthur, who he accompanied through all his struggles and shared his successes and failures with. Derfel has cemented his position as one of my favourite characters of all time with his loyalty, daring, determination and kindness.
Cornwell continues to write with that magical prose of his which guides my eyes from page to page as I accompany the characters of this book through their adventures. Each scene is so vivid and fluid and there was not one dull moment, for each page was consumed by an interesting event, description or character. Many books of this length contain pages or even chapters that disengage me from the story as they can be boring, but this book is an exception.
The plot continued to develop brilliantly and had me laughing out loud once again. I deeply despise certain characters and cherish others, just what I want from any book I read. The novel was filled with plot twists, extremely satisfying moments and times of despair. I was weeping at one point of the book which I am sure any former reader of the series will remember with the same sorrow I do.
“It’s only when you’re lost and frightened and in the dark that you call on the Gods, and they like us to call on them. It makes them feel powerful, and that’s why they like us to live in chaos”
Enemy of God was completely and utterly a five star rating in my mind and the trilogy is rapidly becoming one of my favourite trilogies of all time whilst already claiming first spot for books which have Arthur as a main concept.
I will immediately seize the last of the trilogy, Excalibur, in my hands and devour it in whatever free time I can obtain. I want to reach the conclusion of the series and discover what shall happen to these superb characters, but I am also dreading what is to come, I fear there will be many more tears.
I strongly advise any lovers of historical fiction, or the stories of Arthur to read this, you will not be disappointed.
Just placed my expanded review of this wonderful nook onto BookNest.eu.
http://booknest.eu/component/k2/william/1594-enemy-of-god-the-warlord-chronicles-2-by-bernard-cornwell
*OCT 2025 ReRead - Second time round, I enjoyed The Winter King far more than the first time. I am now not sure which instalment I prefer... Enemy of God was wonderful on a reread. I would say the peaks are higher, with visceral, emotional moments. But there are character moments I am a bit more critical of. You don't see certain characters for quite a long time, so reunions lack a punch. Nevertheless, a fantastic sequel.
“So many dead. Their footsteps will not stir a rush on the floor nor frighten the mice that live in the monastery’s thatched roof.”
Enemy of God is the second book of The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell. It continues the unique historical perspective about the origins of Arthur and his band of loyal warriors.
“For this is his tale, the tale of our dear warlord, our law-giver, our Arthur.”
Enemy of God reached the lofty heights of its predecessor and continued to grow past it. This wonderful, thrilling, heart-wrenching, tense novel contains all of the brilliant aspects of the first in the series, The Winter King. It continued to captivate me with many of the same brilliant characters, and a few more unique cast members who fitted into the story excellently.
“Fate is inexorable”
Enemy of God is told from the perspective of Derfel Cadarn, the same as the first in the trilogy. He is retelling the story of his friend Arthur, who he accompanied through all his struggles and shared his successes and failures with. Derfel has cemented his position as one of my favourite characters of all time with his loyalty, daring, determination and kindness.
Cornwell continues to write with that magical prose of his which guides my eyes from page to page as I accompany the characters of this book through their adventures. Each scene is so vivid and fluid and there was not one dull moment, for each page was consumed by an interesting event, description or character. Many books of this length contain pages or even chapters that disengage me from the story as they can be boring, but this book is an exception.
The plot continued to develop brilliantly and had me laughing out loud once again. I deeply despise certain characters and cherish others, just what I want from any book I read. The novel was filled with plot twists, extremely satisfying moments and times of despair. I was weeping at one point of the book which I am sure any former reader of the series will remember with the same sorrow I do.
“It’s only when you’re lost and frightened and in the dark that you call on the Gods, and they like us to call on them. It makes them feel powerful, and that’s why they like us to live in chaos”
Enemy of God was completely and utterly a five star rating in my mind and the trilogy is rapidly becoming one of my favourite trilogies of all time whilst already claiming first spot for books which have Arthur as a main concept.
I will immediately seize the last of the trilogy, Excalibur, in my hands and devour it in whatever free time I can obtain. I want to reach the conclusion of the series and discover what shall happen to these superb characters, but I am also dreading what is to come, I fear there will be many more tears.
I strongly advise any lovers of historical fiction, or the stories of Arthur to read this, you will not be disappointed.
Just placed my expanded review of this wonderful nook onto BookNest.eu.
http://booknest.eu/component/k2/william/1594-enemy-of-god-the-warlord-chronicles-2-by-bernard-cornwell
March 13, 2025
4.5/5🌟🌟🌟🌟 💫stars!
The story followed Arthur, a brave hero, as he faced fights and treachery. The tale felt rich and alive with clear scenes of war and strife, making me feel like I was living a part in the past.
Cornwell’s style was clear and sharp, which helped the tale.
The cast felt well-drawn and real. Derfel, the one who tells the tale, gave a fresh view, while Guinevere’s role added twists and depth. The bonds between folks felt true and full of feeling.
Compared to “the Winter King,” I loved that “Enemy of God” dove deeper into Arthur’s world, the richer plot making it more fun to read.
“The Winter King” saw the start of key folks like Arthur, Derfel, Nimue, Merlin, and Guinevere. “Enemy of God” built on this, showing big growth. Here Arthur felt the weight of his role, Derfel grew as a knight and story teller, and Guinevere’s plans and dreams grew clearer.
Both books have lots of twists and turns. While “The Winter King” set the stage with the fight for power and the start of many groups, “Enemy of God” upped the stakes, with deeper plots and more tricky ties, making it a more tense read.
As “The Winter King” began the tale of Arthur’s quest to unite the land, “Enemy of God” moved this tale on, with more fights and threats to Arthur’s dream. The plot in “Enemy of God” felt more rich, with many side tales that added depth.
“The Winter King” had a steady pace, with a mix of action and growth. “Enemy of God” kept this mix but with a bit more speed due to the higher stakes and more fights. Therefore I felt that “Enemy of God” was a faster read, as it kept me on edge.
“Enemy of God” felt a richer, faster, and more tense ride.
The story followed Arthur, a brave hero, as he faced fights and treachery. The tale felt rich and alive with clear scenes of war and strife, making me feel like I was living a part in the past.
Cornwell’s style was clear and sharp, which helped the tale.
The cast felt well-drawn and real. Derfel, the one who tells the tale, gave a fresh view, while Guinevere’s role added twists and depth. The bonds between folks felt true and full of feeling.
Compared to “the Winter King,” I loved that “Enemy of God” dove deeper into Arthur’s world, the richer plot making it more fun to read.
“The Winter King” saw the start of key folks like Arthur, Derfel, Nimue, Merlin, and Guinevere. “Enemy of God” built on this, showing big growth. Here Arthur felt the weight of his role, Derfel grew as a knight and story teller, and Guinevere’s plans and dreams grew clearer.
Both books have lots of twists and turns. While “The Winter King” set the stage with the fight for power and the start of many groups, “Enemy of God” upped the stakes, with deeper plots and more tricky ties, making it a more tense read.
As “The Winter King” began the tale of Arthur’s quest to unite the land, “Enemy of God” moved this tale on, with more fights and threats to Arthur’s dream. The plot in “Enemy of God” felt more rich, with many side tales that added depth.
“The Winter King” had a steady pace, with a mix of action and growth. “Enemy of God” kept this mix but with a bit more speed due to the higher stakes and more fights. Therefore I felt that “Enemy of God” was a faster read, as it kept me on edge.
“Enemy of God” felt a richer, faster, and more tense ride.
January 6, 2021
The second novel in Bernard Cornwell's "historical fiction" series about the Arthurian legend continues. While it was just as entertaining as the first novel, I had to deduct a point. Why? Arthur is an absolute idiot. Consistently making the wrong choices, supporting the wrong people, and honoring the wrong oaths. While he is quite good at swinging a sword and riding a horse, he is very dense.
It could be said, all of it from the betrayal by Lancelot, the Christian uprising, Bishop Sansum's maneuverings, the Saxon situation- none of it rebounds to Arthur's advantage. He's so dense he makes Uthred of Bebbanburg seem like a Rhodes Scholar.
But, I still enjoyed the setting of a 450's AD England facing the Saxon invasions. The more realistic setting takes away the magical aspects of the tale and shows how it was mostly "spells" that focused on the credulity of the superstitious people.
Both Derfel and Arthur were directly responsible for the bad outcomes and thus it is hard to feel bad for them. An enjoyable and fun read and a good retelling of the Arthurian myth is a realistic 450's setting. Consider this a historical fiction fantasy.
It could be said, all of it from the betrayal by Lancelot, the Christian uprising, Bishop Sansum's maneuverings, the Saxon situation- none of it rebounds to Arthur's advantage. He's so dense he makes Uthred of Bebbanburg seem like a Rhodes Scholar.
But, I still enjoyed the setting of a 450's AD England facing the Saxon invasions. The more realistic setting takes away the magical aspects of the tale and shows how it was mostly "spells" that focused on the credulity of the superstitious people.
Both Derfel and Arthur were directly responsible for the bad outcomes and thus it is hard to feel bad for them. An enjoyable and fun read and a good retelling of the Arthurian myth is a realistic 450's setting. Consider this a historical fiction fantasy.
June 7, 2023
I really love it
August 22, 2025
BC at the top of his game.
August 26, 2024
Tremendous. Even better the second time around.
November 2, 2017
Book 1: 3*
Book 2: 3.5*'s
This darker and less romanticized view of Camelot picked up speed in book two. I've grown to enjoy more and more this version of the characters and especially the view of Lancelot and Guinevere who definitely don't come out smelling like roses.
The clash between the Britons and the Saxons also escalates as does the pagans vs the Christians which in some ways the story starts to form if not a prelude at least a precursor to the Saxon Stories series.
This series is being done on audio and I've enjoyed the narrator and look forward to the conclusion in book 3.
Book 2: 3.5*'s
This darker and less romanticized view of Camelot picked up speed in book two. I've grown to enjoy more and more this version of the characters and especially the view of Lancelot and Guinevere who definitely don't come out smelling like roses.
The clash between the Britons and the Saxons also escalates as does the pagans vs the Christians which in some ways the story starts to form if not a prelude at least a precursor to the Saxon Stories series.
This series is being done on audio and I've enjoyed the narrator and look forward to the conclusion in book 3.
March 22, 2022
Incredible book.
February 26, 2024
This series is a must read retelling of the Arthurian myth and Enemy of God is a brilliant middle book. Onto Excalibur.
May 23, 2025
„Врагът на Господа“ е втора част от трилогията „Сказание за Артур“ и в нея продължава разказът на Дерфел Кадарн за неговите приключения и епичната история на Артур. Дерфел успява да се събере с любимата си Сийнуин, обаче не го очаква спокоен живот, а много опасна мисия в търсене на митичен свещен съд, за да помогне на Мерлин, както и тежък бъдещ поход срещу саксите, който подготвя Артур. Старият езичник Мерлин ми е най-любимият персонаж от легендата, въпреки че е доста противоречива личност, а и става все по-обсебен от идеята за събиране на тайнствените съкровища на Британия. Артур не обръща внимание на религиозните теми, като неговата цел е да победи саксите и да създаде Братство на Британия, в което да няма вече вътрешни вражди. Гуинивиър пък междувременно развива култ към богинята Изида… Книгата отново е доста интересна и реалистична, въпреки че първата част повече ми хареса!
November 25, 2017
Bernard Cornwell does not disappoint and once again I enjoyed his book immensely. The way he connects myth and fiction in this book is astonishing. I applaud his singular storytelling skills and I cannot wait for next (and unfortunately final) book in this series!
June 18, 2016
Review in Portuguese from Desbravando Livros:
Uma obra-prima da literatura estrangeira! Um dos melhores livros já lidos na minha vida! Uma obra sem comparação! Esse é o único jeito possível de começar a resenhar esse livro magnífico de Bernard Cornwell. Com uma narrativa absurdamente leal aos fatos descobertos pelo autor, somos transportados novamente para a Britânia de antigamente, onde seus habitantes tentam defender suas terras dos invasores saxões.
Dessa vez, além dos problemáticos saxões, nosso protagonista também terá que lidar, junto a Artur, com o rápido crescimento do cristianismo na Britânia. Esses cristãos, além de serem fervorosos, procuram acabar com a "magia" dos antigos deuses que sempre estiveram presentes nas orações dos habitantes dessa terra. Para que isso não aconteça, Merlin empreende uma busca por um caldeirão mágico que tem tudo para dar errado, pois o território a ser desbravado é controlado por inimigos sedentos por sangue.
"- Você é um idiota, Derfel. Mas é um idiota bom em usar uma espada, e é por isso que preciso de você se formos andar pela Estrada Escura. – Ele se levantou. – Agora a escolha é sua." Merlin
"Fiquei imóvel quando acordei. Não houvera sonho, mas eu sabia o que queria. Queria pegar o osso e parti-lo em dois, e se esse gesto significasse andar na Estrada Escura até o reino de Diwrnach, que assim fosse. Mas também queria que a Britânia de Artur fosse íntegra, boa e verdadeira. E queria que meus homens tivessem ouro, terras, escravos e posto. Queria expulsar os saxões de Lloegyr. Queria ouvir os gritos de uma parede de escudos rompida e o toque das trombetas de guerra enquanto um exército vitorioso perseguia até a ruína um inimigo espalhado. Queria marchar com meus escudos estrelados na terra lisa do leste que nenhum britânico livre vira em uma geração. E queria Ceinwyn."
A narrativa, assim como no livro anterior, continua sendo em primeira pessoa, o que é importantíssimo para fazer com que o leitor se sinta na pele do personagem em questão. Derfel, agora já velho e cristão, está contando e transcrevendo a história de Artur para a sua atual rainha Igraine, e não há ninguém melhor do que ele para fazer isso, pois lutou ao lado do herói por quase toda a vida.
E também acredito que não só eu, mas todas as pessoas que já leram As Crônicas de Artur, começaram a nutrir um ódio imenso pelo personagem Lancelot. Apesar de ser exaltado como um exímio e leal guerreiro nas canções dos bardos (e em praticamente todos os livros que falam da lenda de Artur) e todos saberem que o mesmo nunca esteve nem mesmo em uma parede de escudos, ele ainda assim não possui miolo algum em sua cabeça e faz de tudo para prejudicar os outros, inclusive Derfel. Prestem bastante atenção nesse personagem, pois ele será imprescindível para o andamento da história.
"Nós comemoramos. E como comemoramos. Porque agora parecia que tínhamos algo por que lutar. Não por Mordred, aquele sapo desgraçado, mas por Artur, porque apesar de toda a sua bela conversa sobre o Conselho governar Dumnonia no lugar de Mordred, todos sabíamos o que as palavras significavam. Significavam que Artur seria o rei de Dumnonia em todos os sentidos, menos no nome, e por este bom objetivo levaríamos nossas lanças à guerra. Comemoramos porque agora tínhamos uma causa pela qual lutar e morrer. Tínhamos Artur."
Quem ainda não deu uma chance para As Crônicas de Artur ou qualquer outro livro desse autor precisa desesperadamente rever os seus conceitos e as suas prioridades de leitura. Vale a pena investir cada centavo do seu bolso e cada minuto do seu tempo em séries dessa magnitude!
Uma obra-prima da literatura estrangeira! Um dos melhores livros já lidos na minha vida! Uma obra sem comparação! Esse é o único jeito possível de começar a resenhar esse livro magnífico de Bernard Cornwell. Com uma narrativa absurdamente leal aos fatos descobertos pelo autor, somos transportados novamente para a Britânia de antigamente, onde seus habitantes tentam defender suas terras dos invasores saxões.
Dessa vez, além dos problemáticos saxões, nosso protagonista também terá que lidar, junto a Artur, com o rápido crescimento do cristianismo na Britânia. Esses cristãos, além de serem fervorosos, procuram acabar com a "magia" dos antigos deuses que sempre estiveram presentes nas orações dos habitantes dessa terra. Para que isso não aconteça, Merlin empreende uma busca por um caldeirão mágico que tem tudo para dar errado, pois o território a ser desbravado é controlado por inimigos sedentos por sangue.
"- Você é um idiota, Derfel. Mas é um idiota bom em usar uma espada, e é por isso que preciso de você se formos andar pela Estrada Escura. – Ele se levantou. – Agora a escolha é sua." Merlin
"Fiquei imóvel quando acordei. Não houvera sonho, mas eu sabia o que queria. Queria pegar o osso e parti-lo em dois, e se esse gesto significasse andar na Estrada Escura até o reino de Diwrnach, que assim fosse. Mas também queria que a Britânia de Artur fosse íntegra, boa e verdadeira. E queria que meus homens tivessem ouro, terras, escravos e posto. Queria expulsar os saxões de Lloegyr. Queria ouvir os gritos de uma parede de escudos rompida e o toque das trombetas de guerra enquanto um exército vitorioso perseguia até a ruína um inimigo espalhado. Queria marchar com meus escudos estrelados na terra lisa do leste que nenhum britânico livre vira em uma geração. E queria Ceinwyn."
A narrativa, assim como no livro anterior, continua sendo em primeira pessoa, o que é importantíssimo para fazer com que o leitor se sinta na pele do personagem em questão. Derfel, agora já velho e cristão, está contando e transcrevendo a história de Artur para a sua atual rainha Igraine, e não há ninguém melhor do que ele para fazer isso, pois lutou ao lado do herói por quase toda a vida.
E também acredito que não só eu, mas todas as pessoas que já leram As Crônicas de Artur, começaram a nutrir um ódio imenso pelo personagem Lancelot. Apesar de ser exaltado como um exímio e leal guerreiro nas canções dos bardos (e em praticamente todos os livros que falam da lenda de Artur) e todos saberem que o mesmo nunca esteve nem mesmo em uma parede de escudos, ele ainda assim não possui miolo algum em sua cabeça e faz de tudo para prejudicar os outros, inclusive Derfel. Prestem bastante atenção nesse personagem, pois ele será imprescindível para o andamento da história.
"Nós comemoramos. E como comemoramos. Porque agora parecia que tínhamos algo por que lutar. Não por Mordred, aquele sapo desgraçado, mas por Artur, porque apesar de toda a sua bela conversa sobre o Conselho governar Dumnonia no lugar de Mordred, todos sabíamos o que as palavras significavam. Significavam que Artur seria o rei de Dumnonia em todos os sentidos, menos no nome, e por este bom objetivo levaríamos nossas lanças à guerra. Comemoramos porque agora tínhamos uma causa pela qual lutar e morrer. Tínhamos Artur."
Quem ainda não deu uma chance para As Crônicas de Artur ou qualquer outro livro desse autor precisa desesperadamente rever os seus conceitos e as suas prioridades de leitura. Vale a pena investir cada centavo do seu bolso e cada minuto do seu tempo em séries dessa magnitude!
August 10, 2015
8/10
A slight improvement on the previous novel but definitely a feel of a second book in a trilogy. I enjoyed the first book but it took some time to get into and there were a hell of a lot of names to take on board (only for the majority of them to die or no longer be involved after 50 pages). This one was a little slow at the start and it took me a while to get back into the flow of the style and era but when things got going then the pages flew by.
Derfel and Arthur are two very well rounded characters, add into that some of the side characters (if you can call Merlin a side character) the ensemble make for a great read. Lancelot is a dick but to stir those emotions means he's written well.
Other than the slow start one thing that lowered the overall rating was the weak ending. It's a bridge from this novel to the next but the climax sort of felt like a wet fart. No point in jumping the gun as there is one more novel to go so let's hope for a great finale and move past how it ended.
Overall a very good read but a few minor flaws making it lose a little rating overall but looking forward to the finale and how things come together.
If you like this try: "Argincourt" by Bernard Cornwell
A slight improvement on the previous novel but definitely a feel of a second book in a trilogy. I enjoyed the first book but it took some time to get into and there were a hell of a lot of names to take on board (only for the majority of them to die or no longer be involved after 50 pages). This one was a little slow at the start and it took me a while to get back into the flow of the style and era but when things got going then the pages flew by.
Derfel and Arthur are two very well rounded characters, add into that some of the side characters (if you can call Merlin a side character) the ensemble make for a great read. Lancelot is a dick but to stir those emotions means he's written well.
Other than the slow start one thing that lowered the overall rating was the weak ending. It's a bridge from this novel to the next but the climax sort of felt like a wet fart. No point in jumping the gun as there is one more novel to go so let's hope for a great finale and move past how it ended.
Overall a very good read but a few minor flaws making it lose a little rating overall but looking forward to the finale and how things come together.
If you like this try: "Argincourt" by Bernard Cornwell
October 20, 2025
Ta końcówka 🔥🔥🔥
Robi się w tej serii coraz ciekawiej…
Robi się w tej serii coraz ciekawiej…
Read
August 7, 2017So,an escape from more formal literary pursuits.Cornwell is a consummate storyteller.He distills history,religion,myth,legend,magic and fable.This predates Game of Thrones but is a marvellous re imagining of the Arthurian legends.This is a story of Britain with religious persecution and invasion and immigration and clashes of Kings and clans.A version of the Arthurian saga was filmed in Ireland in or about 1980 by John Boorman.Two of my classmates had small parts so from then the legends always interested me.The movie was called Excalibur and while modern technology and special effects were not as advanced then I think it nonetheless still endures.Tolkien decrees that the architecture of the fantasy genre should be set out in a trilogy so I am moving on to the final book.Pure escapism but in parts a little tedious and repetitive and too many unpronounceable Welsh names.
September 21, 2018
Back-2-back with a series which Ive not done in eons!
We pick up directly from the end of the prior book, the aftermath of the battle of Lugg Vale. Derfel is again front & centre retelling his story as an old monk. Merlin is at the centre of the politics, others think they control the kingdom but in reality it is the druid & his accolade Nimue that pull the strings in the background & it’s a grand characterisation of the mystical pair.
We start with an adventure, as is oft the way with second books in fantasy trilogies (not that I would say this series is a fantasy style trilogy for the record) I have found, which involves the central character Derfel & Merlin, (along with others) where the recovery of the ancient artefacts of the gods are front & centre of the story...... of course there’s a few band guys in the way!
No fear, Arthur is also involved as are the rest of the gang & the Sais (Saxons); battles are fought, politics are schemed, religions struggle for supremacy, new enemies are found & old ones continue to fester...... Britain is still a divisive place with Derfel at the centre of the action. We have a coming of age in this middle book as well, where Mordred becomes King of the Britons, a time of change looms after years of peace....... AND that is a whole other story.....
Again, I can’t fault it, really enjoying the storyline which is more than feasible for the period, the politicking is spot-on for me as is the battle of the religions which comes more to the fore in this episode.
5* - Two on the bounce now!
We pick up directly from the end of the prior book, the aftermath of the battle of Lugg Vale. Derfel is again front & centre retelling his story as an old monk. Merlin is at the centre of the politics, others think they control the kingdom but in reality it is the druid & his accolade Nimue that pull the strings in the background & it’s a grand characterisation of the mystical pair.
We start with an adventure, as is oft the way with second books in fantasy trilogies (not that I would say this series is a fantasy style trilogy for the record) I have found, which involves the central character Derfel & Merlin, (along with others) where the recovery of the ancient artefacts of the gods are front & centre of the story...... of course there’s a few band guys in the way!
No fear, Arthur is also involved as are the rest of the gang & the Sais (Saxons); battles are fought, politics are schemed, religions struggle for supremacy, new enemies are found & old ones continue to fester...... Britain is still a divisive place with Derfel at the centre of the action. We have a coming of age in this middle book as well, where Mordred becomes King of the Britons, a time of change looms after years of peace....... AND that is a whole other story.....
Again, I can’t fault it, really enjoying the storyline which is more than feasible for the period, the politicking is spot-on for me as is the battle of the religions which comes more to the fore in this episode.
5* - Two on the bounce now!
June 6, 2022
If someone asks me now, "What is the best book you have read?", Enemy of God would be a strong contender for that answer. Most certainly the best book I've read this year, and I'll chop off a thumb and sacrifice it to Mithras if something can top this.
A phenomenal book, and I'm very sure Excalibur will land the ending, and will be a great one even if its not as good as this.
I cannot recommend it enough, and I'll be forever grateful to all my friends who have pushed me to read this trilogy.
10/10. and that's two in a row. I haven't done that since Stormlight Archive in 2019.
A phenomenal book, and I'm very sure Excalibur will land the ending, and will be a great one even if its not as good as this.
I cannot recommend it enough, and I'll be forever grateful to all my friends who have pushed me to read this trilogy.
10/10. and that's two in a row. I haven't done that since Stormlight Archive in 2019.
June 5, 2024
Phenomenal.
Absolutely phenomenal.
Absolutely phenomenal.
November 8, 2016
After reading this, I have decided I don’t want to read the third book in the series because if I do, it will end. But no seriously, I will read it but I won’t be happy to finish it; it’s just one of those epic series’ that you come across every so often that is that good you don’t want to read it because when you have you can never read it again for a first time.
This novel is fantastic, the character development strong and the plot action packed. It’s just great! For fans of Arthur and his knights, this is a unique take upon the tale that stands out from the crowd.
This novel is fantastic, the character development strong and the plot action packed. It’s just great! For fans of Arthur and his knights, this is a unique take upon the tale that stands out from the crowd.
January 28, 2022
Just like The Winter King, this was every bit as brilliant as I remember it being. The narration is again superb, and I've moved straight on to Excalibur.
December 14, 2020
Masterful characterization and brilliant thematic craftsmanship.
This second installment in Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy stands up to the brilliance of the first book, The Winter King. Cornwell succeeds in advancing the plot while providing well conceived characterizations, relationships and very strong themes.
These books are highly thematic and the characters weave seamlessly into these themes. The hubris and folly of idealism is probably one of the strongest themes presented. This theme is personified by Arthur himself and is illuminated by the first person story telling of Derfel. As Arthur continues to unite Britain, it boils with its own identity crisis as Christianity makes even more inroads into paganism. The order that Arthur creates through his foolish idealism seems to exacerbate the chaos of the land and its people. Arthur rules without ruling, forces peace when peace is not wanted and foolishly yearns for consensus when the country becomes more and more fractured, both culturally and theologically. The tension and drama that springs from the give and take of order and chaos is incredibly compelling. Yet, it appears that the idealism of Arthur does indeed have value because, although quite misguided, his naive do-goodery serves as an incidental foil to the unrelenting treachery that abounds from enemies both within and the Saxons without.
The characterization of not only Arthuer, but Derfel, Merlin, Ceinwyn, Nimue, Lancelot and others is an absolute triumph. All character actions and motivations are set pieces within the larger themes. These characters have depth, believable motivations and behave as real people with conflict, self-interest, guilt and shame. In a world that is brutal toward women, Ceinwyn is a fantastically written heroin. She rejects the patriarchy that is destroying the land and chooses true romance over imposed loyalty. She is brave, kind and trustworthy. Nimue continues to be one of my favorite female characters in fantasy. Constantly subverting the power structures of Britan, she is an enigma and the spiritual torchbearer of the mysticism of Merlin.
The power structures in these books is fascinating. While Arthur tries to steer the land toward peace and and idealistic brotherhood of the round table (the depiction of which is horribly realistic and hilarious), the forces of the Christians and the Druids provide a backdrop of deeper power structures that are fighting a cultural war. It is quite clear that religion here serves as yet another means by which men gain control and how theocracy influences government. Christianity here is merely a new power upstart, trying to wrestle control from the waning druids. The dynamic of this battle is ever present. In this way, nascent Britain itself becomes its own character with progression and development defined by the men and women that compete for dominance of ideas and power.
The world building is visceral, the writing is impeccable. Plot twists, tragedy and triumphs make this an incredibly compelling read. Despite some poor pacing around the 3/4 mark, I immensely enjoyed Enemy of God and highly recommend it to fantasy fans.
This second installment in Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy stands up to the brilliance of the first book, The Winter King. Cornwell succeeds in advancing the plot while providing well conceived characterizations, relationships and very strong themes.
These books are highly thematic and the characters weave seamlessly into these themes. The hubris and folly of idealism is probably one of the strongest themes presented. This theme is personified by Arthur himself and is illuminated by the first person story telling of Derfel. As Arthur continues to unite Britain, it boils with its own identity crisis as Christianity makes even more inroads into paganism. The order that Arthur creates through his foolish idealism seems to exacerbate the chaos of the land and its people. Arthur rules without ruling, forces peace when peace is not wanted and foolishly yearns for consensus when the country becomes more and more fractured, both culturally and theologically. The tension and drama that springs from the give and take of order and chaos is incredibly compelling. Yet, it appears that the idealism of Arthur does indeed have value because, although quite misguided, his naive do-goodery serves as an incidental foil to the unrelenting treachery that abounds from enemies both within and the Saxons without.
The characterization of not only Arthuer, but Derfel, Merlin, Ceinwyn, Nimue, Lancelot and others is an absolute triumph. All character actions and motivations are set pieces within the larger themes. These characters have depth, believable motivations and behave as real people with conflict, self-interest, guilt and shame. In a world that is brutal toward women, Ceinwyn is a fantastically written heroin. She rejects the patriarchy that is destroying the land and chooses true romance over imposed loyalty. She is brave, kind and trustworthy. Nimue continues to be one of my favorite female characters in fantasy. Constantly subverting the power structures of Britan, she is an enigma and the spiritual torchbearer of the mysticism of Merlin.
The power structures in these books is fascinating. While Arthur tries to steer the land toward peace and and idealistic brotherhood of the round table (the depiction of which is horribly realistic and hilarious), the forces of the Christians and the Druids provide a backdrop of deeper power structures that are fighting a cultural war. It is quite clear that religion here serves as yet another means by which men gain control and how theocracy influences government. Christianity here is merely a new power upstart, trying to wrestle control from the waning druids. The dynamic of this battle is ever present. In this way, nascent Britain itself becomes its own character with progression and development defined by the men and women that compete for dominance of ideas and power.
The world building is visceral, the writing is impeccable. Plot twists, tragedy and triumphs make this an incredibly compelling read. Despite some poor pacing around the 3/4 mark, I immensely enjoyed Enemy of God and highly recommend it to fantasy fans.
May 6, 2020
5 Stars (Incredible)
Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) is an incredible continuation into the life and story of Britons and their most heroic leader Arthur, and it is an incredible effort by Sir Cornwell!
There's really not much critique to say about a book that is so polished, so well written, so entertaining with delightful and memorable characters! In this latest effort, Cornwell improves in nearly every single aspect of the storytelling! The characters are more aptly developed, the stage where massive battles take place are more impressive, the magic imbued into the story is more prevalent and effective! Yet, still the shining beacon of the narrative are its unforgettable characters!
Arthur vs Saxons
Narrated by Arthur's friend Derfel Cadarn (a former slave raised by the wizard Merlin), this volume tells of Arthur's struggles to bind the warlords together and strengthen the throne that he holds for the beastly Mordred, who is to supposed to inherit the throne of Britain. Yet not all goes as plan, as Mordred is growing up to be a sickly evil child who likes to torture animals, and rape other girls. The story unfolds at a rapid pace, and many plots and twists will see Arthur and Derfel do all they can to unite Britain and coalesce all the war factions together- as they will ultimately have to face the Saxons in mortal battle.
Realistically gory battles and doomed romantic exploits flavor the narrative, while the strong characterizations bring the men and women behind the legends to vivid life. Despite the gore and the ferocity of the battles, there's a nice balance with a lover affair between our main protagonist and narrator Derfel for the beautiful fair-haired Ceinwyn. The tale is stuff of the legends, and I can't speak more highly of it. The way Cornwell incorporates their love affair in the story is so brilliant, that you have to read it to experience in full delight!
Perhaps the most controversial and my favorite character is Merlin the master druid, or magician. God I love the way Cornwell writes Merlin!! He's is witty, sarcastic, omnipotent and ambitious as hell. Yet, in his true form, Merlin is a true Briton who will do anything to 'restore' the old Gods to Britain and help Arthur and Derfel in their conquest. In the process Merlin placed further strains on the fragile peace, when he set out on a quest to retrieve the last of Britain's 13 treasures; the fabled Cauldron.
What can I say about a near perfect historical-fiction series? It's mesmerizing. It's captivating and filled with unforgettable characters and battles. The fable continues and on to the final exciting chapter 'Excalibur'!
5 Stars
Enemy of God (The Warlord Chronicles, #2) is an incredible continuation into the life and story of Britons and their most heroic leader Arthur, and it is an incredible effort by Sir Cornwell!
There's really not much critique to say about a book that is so polished, so well written, so entertaining with delightful and memorable characters! In this latest effort, Cornwell improves in nearly every single aspect of the storytelling! The characters are more aptly developed, the stage where massive battles take place are more impressive, the magic imbued into the story is more prevalent and effective! Yet, still the shining beacon of the narrative are its unforgettable characters!
Arthur vs Saxons
Narrated by Arthur's friend Derfel Cadarn (a former slave raised by the wizard Merlin), this volume tells of Arthur's struggles to bind the warlords together and strengthen the throne that he holds for the beastly Mordred, who is to supposed to inherit the throne of Britain. Yet not all goes as plan, as Mordred is growing up to be a sickly evil child who likes to torture animals, and rape other girls. The story unfolds at a rapid pace, and many plots and twists will see Arthur and Derfel do all they can to unite Britain and coalesce all the war factions together- as they will ultimately have to face the Saxons in mortal battle.
Realistically gory battles and doomed romantic exploits flavor the narrative, while the strong characterizations bring the men and women behind the legends to vivid life. Despite the gore and the ferocity of the battles, there's a nice balance with a lover affair between our main protagonist and narrator Derfel for the beautiful fair-haired Ceinwyn. The tale is stuff of the legends, and I can't speak more highly of it. The way Cornwell incorporates their love affair in the story is so brilliant, that you have to read it to experience in full delight!
Perhaps the most controversial and my favorite character is Merlin the master druid, or magician. God I love the way Cornwell writes Merlin!! He's is witty, sarcastic, omnipotent and ambitious as hell. Yet, in his true form, Merlin is a true Briton who will do anything to 'restore' the old Gods to Britain and help Arthur and Derfel in their conquest. In the process Merlin placed further strains on the fragile peace, when he set out on a quest to retrieve the last of Britain's 13 treasures; the fabled Cauldron.
What can I say about a near perfect historical-fiction series? It's mesmerizing. It's captivating and filled with unforgettable characters and battles. The fable continues and on to the final exciting chapter 'Excalibur'!
5 Stars
May 27, 2018
Number two in the Warlord series.
This is the warts and all story of Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot and the rest of the round table knights.
There is nothing cosy and romantic about this tale. Lancelot is a narcissistic pig. Guinevere has delusions of grandeur and Arthur wants nothing more than to be a farmer.
The usual suspects, greed, power, sex, revenge and religion, keep getting in the way of Arthur's aspirations of becoming a farmer.
The game's afoot so unleash the dogs of war. And nobody does this better than Arthur.
Bernard Cornwell never fails to entertain. He takes a thread of known history and a bit of mythology, adds some literary licence and creates a book you can't put down.
If you are looking for characters that will elicit emotional responses from you, you will find them all here.
Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
This is the warts and all story of Arthur, Guinevere, Sir Lancelot and the rest of the round table knights.
There is nothing cosy and romantic about this tale. Lancelot is a narcissistic pig. Guinevere has delusions of grandeur and Arthur wants nothing more than to be a farmer.
The usual suspects, greed, power, sex, revenge and religion, keep getting in the way of Arthur's aspirations of becoming a farmer.
The game's afoot so unleash the dogs of war. And nobody does this better than Arthur.
Bernard Cornwell never fails to entertain. He takes a thread of known history and a bit of mythology, adds some literary licence and creates a book you can't put down.
If you are looking for characters that will elicit emotional responses from you, you will find them all here.
Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction.
January 25, 2024
4.5/5
This was brilliant, I much preferred this to The Winter King. At the suggestion of a friend, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Keeble, and I’m so glad I did - everything about the narration was excellent. (Thanks, Kyle!)
I was much more engrossed this time round, it just felt like an overall, much, much better book than its predecessor. Derfel has evolved into a superior iteration of his character that we saw in The Winter King. He’s less of the Nick Carraway to Arthur’s Jay Gatsby, and is now a fascinating character of much depth in his own right. I felt myself empathising with him so much more as he struggles internally in regards to doing what he believes is right, and what he is bound to do; as well as his own wants and desires. I love all of the scheming between all the various characters, Merlin most especially. It’s also refreshing to see Arthur in a light where he’s not always painted as nothing more but a paragon of virtue, as is often the case with his character in most other interpretations throughout different media. The same goes for Lancelot too.
The Dark Road sequence was easily my favourite part of the book, I was hooked during the entire thing. It was so atmospheric and culminated with an excellent battle. I also have huge praise for the bone ritual scene with Merlin and Derfel - it was the perfect combination of scheming, dual morality and a creepy, foreboding atmosphere.
It was also beautifully written (just like The Winter King was), but just an improvement in every way. The merging of historical fiction with fantastical elements such as magic was masterfully done. I also enjoyed the inclusion of other ancient culture’s mythology such as Ancient Egypt and Roman. The loss of half a star is just that the pacing slightly lagged for me around the halfway mark but this was a minor issue as it soon picked up again.
Quality book. A huge step up from what came before.
This was brilliant, I much preferred this to The Winter King. At the suggestion of a friend, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Keeble, and I’m so glad I did - everything about the narration was excellent. (Thanks, Kyle!)
I was much more engrossed this time round, it just felt like an overall, much, much better book than its predecessor. Derfel has evolved into a superior iteration of his character that we saw in The Winter King. He’s less of the Nick Carraway to Arthur’s Jay Gatsby, and is now a fascinating character of much depth in his own right. I felt myself empathising with him so much more as he struggles internally in regards to doing what he believes is right, and what he is bound to do; as well as his own wants and desires. I love all of the scheming between all the various characters, Merlin most especially. It’s also refreshing to see Arthur in a light where he’s not always painted as nothing more but a paragon of virtue, as is often the case with his character in most other interpretations throughout different media. The same goes for Lancelot too.
The Dark Road sequence was easily my favourite part of the book, I was hooked during the entire thing. It was so atmospheric and culminated with an excellent battle. I also have huge praise for the bone ritual scene with Merlin and Derfel - it was the perfect combination of scheming, dual morality and a creepy, foreboding atmosphere.
It was also beautifully written (just like The Winter King was), but just an improvement in every way. The merging of historical fiction with fantastical elements such as magic was masterfully done. I also enjoyed the inclusion of other ancient culture’s mythology such as Ancient Egypt and Roman. The loss of half a star is just that the pacing slightly lagged for me around the halfway mark but this was a minor issue as it soon picked up again.
Quality book. A huge step up from what came before.
October 17, 2011
Enemy of God
is a solid 4 stars, maybe even 5 stars. I took a little away because I wanted Arthur to be a little more cunning and realistic. He comes across too naïve in areas where he should not be. The portrayal of Christianity and how it spreads conflict is a major theme and isn’t pretty. But it is probably realistic. While this Arthurian tale is not like any others, if you are looking for a “Grail” quest, you will find it here…kind of. This part of the tale is told in the warm summertime, when Arthur is at his greatest power. Yet the politics and betrayals abound. Cornwell covers a lot of ground in this second part of the trilogy. The battles and adventures are very good. The characters become people you know and you care for. Or hate them as the case may be. Read it.
is a solid 4 stars, maybe even 5 stars. I took a little away because I wanted Arthur to be a little more cunning and realistic. He comes across too naïve in areas where he should not be. The portrayal of Christianity and how it spreads conflict is a major theme and isn’t pretty. But it is probably realistic. While this Arthurian tale is not like any others, if you are looking for a “Grail” quest, you will find it here…kind of. This part of the tale is told in the warm summertime, when Arthur is at his greatest power. Yet the politics and betrayals abound. Cornwell covers a lot of ground in this second part of the trilogy. The battles and adventures are very good. The characters become people you know and you care for. Or hate them as the case may be. Read it. 
September 23, 2021
Read this book in 2006, and its the 2nd volume of the terrific Warlord trilogy.
Narrated by Derfel, now a old monk and dying, then a warrior and servant of Arthur in these Dark Ages.
This story will see finally the kingdoms united under Warlord Arthur to take the fiels as one front against the Saxons and be victorious.
During these actions Arthur will be thwarted by the Gods and only magical Merlin can help him to complete the search of the 13 Sacred Objects.
What is to follow is an action-packed Warlord adventure which will show Arthur in full flow and his dream for peace hopefully come true.
Highly recommended, for this is a marvellous 2nd part of this tremendous trilogy, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Superb Arthur Centrepiece"!
Narrated by Derfel, now a old monk and dying, then a warrior and servant of Arthur in these Dark Ages.
This story will see finally the kingdoms united under Warlord Arthur to take the fiels as one front against the Saxons and be victorious.
During these actions Arthur will be thwarted by the Gods and only magical Merlin can help him to complete the search of the 13 Sacred Objects.
What is to follow is an action-packed Warlord adventure which will show Arthur in full flow and his dream for peace hopefully come true.
Highly recommended, for this is a marvellous 2nd part of this tremendous trilogy, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Superb Arthur Centrepiece"!
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