The Fort at River's Bend: The Sorcerer, Book 1 (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 5)

by Jack Whyte

2000

Status

Available

Publication

Tor Books (2000), Edition: 1st, 480 pages

Description

Merlyn Britannicus, leader of the colony known as Camulod, is faced with the task of educating his young charge, Arthur, future King of the Britons. Fearing for the life of his nephew when an assassination attempt is thwarted, Merlyn takes Arthur and his boyhood companions Gwin, Ghilleadh, and Bedwyr, to the ruins of a long-abandoned Roman fort far from Camulod. Once there, Merlyn realizes it's time for Arthur to become worthy of the sword he is destined to wield later in his life-the mighty Excalibur. But beyond their idyllic hiding place, forces threaten the tenuous peace of Camulod. In Cambria, the death of Arthur's father Uther has left his people leaderless, and in Cornwall, Merlyn's enemy Peter Ironhair is gathering forces to destroy all Merlyn holds dear. And Merlyn himself is struggling, because in order to make his dream of a united Britain real, he must put the person he loves most in the world in mortal danger-he and Arthur must return to Camulod.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Somer

This is the 5th novel in Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles. It's hard to review just one of the novels in the series, as the series reads like one long book. This installment finds Caius Merlyn Brittanicus, along with his ward Arthur Pendragon (and a group of others from Camulod), arriving in the

lands of Derek of Ravenglass, seeking a place to hide while Arthur matures. We see Arthur grown from a mere boy to a young man. The Fort at River Bend is part one of Metamorphosis, which Whyte intended to be one complete book , and I am eager to continue on to part two, The Sorceror.

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LibraryThing member hlselz

This is an historical fiction series about King Arthur, and they are my favorite books of ALL time. Whyte is an amazing author, and his descriptions are amazing. The books tell a realistic story of King Arthur, without all of the magic and sorcery we see in modern myths. These books start off with

King Arthur's great great grandfather, and chronicle the family until the death of King Arthur. The charectors are so well developed you feel as if you know them. The other great thing about these books is that they are written in journal-like form. So as different members of the family are "writing" the different books, the writing style and methods change slightly.

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LibraryThing member willowcove

A wonderful retelling of Arthurian mythology from a more realistic and less mythological standpoint. Great read!

LibraryThing member jamespurcell

Low key extension of the Camulod Chronicles covering Arthur's early teen years.. It features repopulating an early Roman fort that can still be seen in the UK

LibraryThing member Glorybe1

This is book 5 in The Camulod series by Jack Whyte about the Arthurian legend. It is as gripping as the other 4 that I have read, and its amazing that so far every book has been really good. I can,t tell you how much I am enjoying the series and I will be very very sorry when I get to the end of

it, There are another 4 to read so I shall eke them out. A wonderful series that I would defy anyone not to enjoy!!

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LibraryThing member Yersinia

A enthralling tale of King Arthur's teenage years which is usually jumped over in the other "Arthurian" texts. It is an epic historical fiction with wonderful detail, lovable characters, and a real sense of just being there.

LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

All in all, this is a placeholder book with very little but preparation for the final projected book in the series. The major plot is not advanced, the subplot, the one about Merlyn's celibacy, is a yawner, and, there are some descriptions of Cumbrian countryside.

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