Customer Reviews

The Killing Way (Arthurian Mysteries)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the fifth century after the Romans left Britannia, farmer Malgwyn ap Cuneglas loves his wife and child. However, when Saxons murder his spouse, he loses his grip on sanity. He leaves his daughter with his brother to join King Arthur's legion in order to kill Saxons. Malgwyn becomes renowned as Mad Malgwyn with killing rages in battle until his arm is severed. He wants to die but Arthur saves his life and turns him into a scribe. Instead of enjoying life, he becomes a drunk, who hates the monarch for saving his life.

Someone kills peasant Eleonore slicing her apart and leaving her heart in the home of Arthur's beloved former tutor and former advisor Merlin.. Although the evidence strongly points to Merlin as a mad murderer. Arthur rejects the concept. He orders Malgwyn to investigate, but before the one armed scribe can begin, a second homicide as brutal as the first occurs. The superstitious peasants believe Merlin used magic to kill the second female since he was incarcerated when she was killed. Finally a guard who witnessed Eleonore talking with a hooded person has vanished. As Malgwyn makes inquiries amidst anger and dissension, he concludes the motive is to keep Arthur from being crowned Rigotamo (High King).

Anyone who thought there can be no new spin to the Arthurian legend will need to revise that opinion as Tony Hays provides a refreshing radical twist with a terrific gritty fifth century Noir. Camelot does not exist; instead Britannia is a decaying dangerous place. Chivalry is nonexistent as backstabbers are everywhere. Arthur is pragmatic seeking power with the Saxons and Druids opposing him; Genevieve is a fallen nun who he loves but politically cannot marry. However, the tale belongs to its grim narrator Malgwyn who knows Britannia as a place where the broken Roman roads mirror broken lives. This is the powerful beginning of a Dark Ages mystery series.

Harriet Klausner

The challenge for any author writing about a time frame that is truly unfamiliar to the readers is overcome the language barriers and make the reader feel as if they are present in the scenes.

Mr. Hays does an excellent job with these challenges. Vivid in my mind are the dining room scenes where the toothless guests must feast upon mashed foods as well as the various odorous smells that would be present in a society where more than one bath a year would be a luxury.

Hays works diligently to apply the language of the time in such a way that we can understand it and keep the dialogue flowing. Not an easy task, but I felt Hays pulls it off.

Malgwyn is a character who may be seeking his last chance at redemption in a life filled with wine, women and self-loathing(Two out of three Ain't Bad). Yet time is running short.

To find out if the sun sets on his chances, you'll have to read the book.

The only suggestion I have for Mr. Hays is that along with the list of descriptions of locations and items at the end of the volume, to include a list of names and their intended pronunciations. It would have made the story more enjoyable for me(and faster to read) had I not debated each time I read a name how it was supposed to sound.

EJ

King Arthur, move over and make way for Malgwyn! Tony Hays, has made this character come to life in a love... hate relationship toward the Rigatomus.

While written as fiction it will carry you back in time with the most believable story line involving drama, mystery and murder from the Druids and Saxtons battles while trying to obtain power over the land and the people. Everyones loyalty is questioned. The author's knowledge on the time and era of King Arthur is phenomenal and I would hope there would be more to follow.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves medieval literature and lore.

History, mystery, and suspense in one well researched, well crafted package. Tony Hays forsakes the myth and makeup that typifies the "hollywood" version of Arthur and shows us the man as he might truly have been. Hays' talent shows through vivid details that bring to life the sights, sounds, and even smells of Arthur's Britain, and an edge of your seat story that will keep you turning pages until the very end. Knights, ladies, sinister druids, murder, and a one-armed detective make this not only an entertaining read, but a pleasant change from the same old formula. I eagerly await the next installment of this series.

Engaging historical mystery with an unusual setting. The Arthurian Britain it brings to life is realistic and gritty, full of political intrigue. The book is well-paced, demonstrating Hays' obviously extensive research that is skillfully woven into the story, not lectured, with an intriguing and unusual protagonist. Definitely a welcome addition to the genre!

I have always enjoyed Arthurian legends and murder mysteries, so I can be somewhat biased. But for a first mystery, I thought Hays did a fairly decent job. My only criticism is that the mystery could have been better, you knew it had to be one of Arthur's enemies - but which one? Mad Malgwyn, the Iudex Pedaneus of the story was an excellent character and I will certainly read other novels that feature him.

There's lots of risk in mixing different types of stories. Take Tony Hays' 'The Killing Way,' for example. It's a murder mystery (a complicated one at that), and it's a story about King Arthur. Each is a different type of tale, and there's lots of excellent books that take on one or the other without the extra complications.

To attempt both in a single book is ambitious, to say the least. To do both and make it work is quite an achievement.

Hays does make it work though, and surprisingly well. The mystery aspect is established quickly, as a young girl is discovered butchered in the street. Someone is already named as a prime suspect when Malgwyn, an injured, embittered veteran of the Saxon wars, arrives and quickly sees that not all is as it seems. His investigation will lead him into the shadowy corners of royalty and through danger he didn't seek.

The Arthurian aspect also takes root quickly, but it may not be the Arthur you're thinking of. Malgwyn's life was saved by Arthur, who is not yet a "King" (or "Rigatamos," as the book follows the likely historical trail of Arthur), and it is Arthur who charges Malgwyn with finding the answers to the riddle. He has a particular stake in the truth, as the girl's body was found in front of the home of his main advisor, Merlin, and Merlin's dagger was found near the body. As the story unfolds we also meet Kay, Mordred, Guinevere, and several other notable Arthurian figures.

I enjoyed both aspects of the story, and Hays did a really excellent job blending them. He takes the historical tack on Arthur, leaving the more fanciful notes (Lancelot, Excalibur, the Lady of the Lake, etc.) behind and giving us a look at what Britain in the Dark Ages, after Roman occupation had ended, might have looked like. If there was an Arthur, Hays does a good job of capturing who he might have been.

There are a few points where 'The Killing Way' falters a little. It's a short book and fairly easy to follow, and I found myself a little frustrated with the frequent recaps of the story so far. Hays did a good enough job keeping the facts organized that we didn't need the reminders of just who was suspected and why.

But even with this in mind, 'The Killing Way' is a compelling and enjoyable read, whether you're an Arthurian buff or fan of a good mystery - or, like me, both. Hays' take on the age of Arthur is refreshing and vibrant, and the book ends up feeling like an new chapter in a very old story. It reminded me of what I like best in Arthurian fiction - it works best not when it rehashes everything we've already heard, but when it uses a familiar framework to explore a new story.

I have passed this book up in the library many times, afraid it was just one more glitzy Camelot and drippy romantic take on King Arthur, but I heard the author speak at a recent mystery conference and was intrigued enough to read his first book. What a pleasure to see Arthur from his probable real time, post-Roman and fighting Saxons. Yes, the book has some "first novel" issues (and haven't we really gotten beyond the "right of the first night" myth), but they are minor problems of too much repetition (just my opinion) of the back story, overuse of some words, and a fairly predictable plot. In character portrayal and truly creative take on an old story, the author shows much promise. I look forward to reading his second book and congratulate him on writing something that isn't just another clone of a clone.

It's obvious that Tony has spent a good deal of time researching the times and ensuring that the integration of them are seemless and as acurate as possible. The story has all the key elements of a great mystery keeping you guessing 'till the end. I found myself wanting to skip to the end to see who the "doers of evil" were but resisted. This book is a great read especially for all those Authur Nuts out there......you know who you are. So go and get a copy you won't be dissapointed.

True to the nature of the time, "The Killing Way" holds the treachery and loose formed alliances of the land as the backdrop of a sinister plot. The first chapter is busy getting the reader up to speed on the situation and background information. Afterward, the deed is done and the tale unfolds bringing the characters to life.

Once again, Tony Hays brings us another great novel to read. I found "The Killing Way" a wonderful book. The author's ablity to bring the reader into the era as the events unfold keeps you captivated. The unique challenges they must overcome are well articulated and the twists and turns of who did it, and who is aligned with whom, keeps you reading in order to discover the culprit (or culprits?).