#BlogTour Lancelot by Giles Kristian

It's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for Lancelot by Giles Kristian today. Lancelot isn't merely a reinvention of a popular and age-old legend, it is the story which explains the legend we know. It is both a literary and storytelling delight.

About the Author
GILES KRISTIAN’S bestselling trilogies ‘Raven’ and ‘The Rise of Sigurd’ have been acclaimed by his peers, reviewers and readers alike. The novels The Bleeding Land and Brothers’ Fury tell the story of a family torn apart by the English Civil War and he co-wrote Wilbur Smith’s No.1 bestseller, Golden Lion. In his new novel, Lancelot, Giles plunges into the rich and swirling waters of our greatest island

Follow @GilesKristian @TransworldBooks on Twitter,Visit gileskristian.com

About the book
In his epic new novel, the acclaimed and bestselling author of Raven and God of Vengeance re-imagines and retells the story of one of the great figures of British myth and legends - the warrior who fought at King Arthur’s side: Lancelot.

The legions of Rome are a fading memory. Enemies stalk the fringes of Britain. And Uther Pendragon is dying. Into this fractured and uncertain world a boy is cast, a refugee from fire, murder and betrayal. An outsider whose only companions are a hateful hawk and memories of the lost.
Yet he is gifted, and under the watchful eyes of Merlin and the Lady Nimue he will hone his talents and begin his journey to manhood. He will meet Guinevere, a wild, proud and beautiful girl, herself outcast because of her gift. And he will be dazzled by Arthur, a warrior who carries the hopes of a people like fire in the dark. But these are times of struggle and blood, when even friendship and love seem doomed to fail.

The gods are vanishing beyond the reach of dreams. Treachery and jealousy rule men’s hearts and the fate of Britain itself rests on a sword’s edge.But the young renegade who left his home in Benoic with just a hunting bird and dreams of revenge is now a lord of war. He is a man loved and hated, admired and feared. A man forsaken but not forgotten. He is Lancelot.

Set in a 5th century Britain besieged by invading bands of Saxons and Franks, Irish and Picts,
Giles Kristian’s epic new novel tells - through the warrior’s own words - the story of Lancelot, that most celebrated of all King Arthur’s knights. It is a story ready to be re-imagined for our times.

Review
Kristian has taken a legend and made it his own. This isn't just a retelling or reinvention of the Arthurian legend, it is the story about how the legend came to be. It fills in the missing gaps and subtly becomes the foundation upon which the legend of Arthur is built, and as such also the story of Lancelot and Guinevere.

The story starts with Lancelot as a child, the son of one of the many kings of Britain, during times of great upheaval and betrayal. When the tribes and men who ruled Britain were more interested in fighting each other than banding together to protect their country from outside forces like the Saxons. War- and bloodthirsty men too involved in intrigue and tribal conflict to perceive the greater danger surrounding them and their people.

Lancelot is rescued by Lady Nimue, after what can only be described as a scene akin to a Game of Thrones atrocity, and taken to an isolated place where he will learn the hardest of lessons. The pain of losing a friend, his first love and how to kill.

Kristian is an adept and very talented scribe. You can tell how deeply he has immersed himself into the Arthurian legend. One could almost suspect he has an inner ear to someone who knows the truth, that's how authentic this version of events sounds. From now on, this will be the story I think of when someone asks me where Lancelot came from and how he and Guinevere met. This tale and the legend fit together like a hand in a fitted leather glove. A testament to the dedication the author has for his craft.

Lancelot is a superbly written epic fantasy. Although the main characters are known to readers, Kristian infuses them with new life and a breath of fresh air. Where once the character Guinevere was perceived as the innocent girl who experiences the throes of passion and first love, she is now portrayed as the clever, mysterious and enticing femme fatale with a penchant for her own survival. Lancelot isn't the stranger who becomes a member of the love-triangle, in this story he is a young man struck by tragedy who has had to fight to make his mark in life.

Prepare to be beguiled and mesmerised by this new look at Lancelot, Arthur and Guinevere, and the love and loyalty which binds them all. Their stories are set to the background of a tumultuous and violent Britain. A country erected and strengthened by warriors, tribes and people, who had and still have one thing in common, a will of iron.

It's a spectacular read. If the author wasn't already on the book-world map and known for his talent at storytelling, then this book would certainly place him firmly on it.

Buy Lancelot at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.