The Saxon Shore (The Camulod Chronicles, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Jack Whyte (Author) "I could not identify the clattering noise that woke me, and for a space of heartbeats I lay befuddled, not knowing where I was..." (more)
Key Phrases: Caius Merlyn, Publius Varrus, Merlyn Britannicus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The fourth book in Whyte's engrossing, highly realistic retelling of the Arthurian legend takes up where The Eagle's Brood (1997) left off. Narrated by Caius Merlyn Brittanicus from journals written at the end of the "wizard's" long life, this volume begins in an immensely exciting fashion, with Merlyn and the orphaned infant Arthur Pendragon in desperate straits, adrift on the ocean in a small galley without food or oars. They are saved by a ship commanded by Connor, son of the High King of the Scots of Eire, who takes the babe with him to Eireland until the return of Connor's brother Donuil, whom Connor believes has been taken hostage by Merlyn. The plot then settles into well-handled depictions of political intrigue, the training of cavalry with infantry and the love stories that inevitably arise, including one about Donuil and the sorcerously gifted Shelagh and another about Merlyn's half-brother, Ambrose, and the skilled surgeon Ludmilla. As Camulod prospers, Merlyn works hard at fulfilling what he considers his destinyApreparing the boy for his prophesied role as High King of all Britain. Whyte's descriptions, astonishingly vivid, of this ancient and mystical era ring true, as do his characters, who include a number of strong women. Whyte shows why Camulod was such a wonder, demonstrating time and again how persistence, knowledge and empathy can help push back the darkness of ignorance to build a shining futureAa lesson that has not lost its value for being centuries old and shrouded in the mists of myth and magic. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
YA-Three earlier books in this series have dealt with events that foreshadowed the rise of King Arthur. In this installment, readers learn of Merlin's antecedents and his descent from a Roman legionnaire and craftsman whose master creation was the sword Excalibur. Here, Merlyn Britannicus is presented as a man in his 30s, a wily political figure but very much a warrior, with no magical powers. In the vivid opening scene, he is adrift on the open sea with an infant in his arms, his cousin, the young Arthur. The following adventures concern Merlyn's efforts to assure Arthur's safety until he is old enough to begin to unify the divergent native clans of Britain with Saxon and Celtic invaders. This is first achieved by Merlyn's success in establishing a friendship with the Eirish tribe called the Scots, who effected his rescue from the shipwreck. His return to England with a force of the Scots and their remarkable war horses leads to the buildup of a fortressed community, which will eventually become Camulod, or Camelot. At the book's close, Arthur has become a capable young boy and Merlyn is removing him to Cumbria where Roman influence lingers. His intent is to raise and train him to worthy readiness for a great future. Whyte has taken an engaging approach to the long-established character of Merlin. Much that is new and intriguing brightens a legend that in many forms has always been enchanting.
Frances Reiher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (January 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812544161
• ISBN-13: 978-0812544169
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #200,385 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 4 in The Camulod Chronicles (Dream of Eagles) Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've read them all, and I love them!, April 27, 2000

By	Joseph H Pierre "Joe Pierre" (Salem, OR USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I only review books that I like. It seems to me childish and petty to attack an author's work simply because you don't like it. I usually don't bother to finish books I don't like, let alone waste time reviewing them. Why would anyone continue to read a book that bores them?

I have bought and read all six of Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles: The Skystone; The Singing Sword; Eagle's Brood; The Saxon Shore; Fort at River's Bend and The Sorcerer. It is a great series, and I enjoyed each one of them.

It is to be expected that Whyte departs from the (rather sketchy) history Aavailable of the period, in a fiction series. And yet he has done his research, obviously, which is important to me in historical novels.

There have been several very good books written about the pre-Arthurian period in England, many of which I've read. Jack Whyte's worked ranks right at the top, with me. I am familiar with what history is available, having read much of the period, and his research effort is obvious.

He begins with a couple of Roman legionaires as his protagonists, before the Legions pulled out of England: Publius Varrus and Caius Brittanicus. The series then follows their lives and their family's lives through a series of gripping adventures, as they strive to maintain order and peace on the colony they have created in the South of England.

Publius Varrus, a blacksmith, creates a great and beautiful sword from a meteorite before he dies, which he names Excalibur, King Arthur's famous blade. Of course, eventually the series chronicles the lives of Merlyn (Merlin) and Arthur.

I was caught up in the story, and I strongly recommend it. It is entertaining and a delightful way to learn a bit of history. Buy them, you won't be sorry.

Joseph Pierre,
author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Arthurian Junkies, February 22, 2000

By A Customer

I have enjoyed these books although they have a recipe that is a little heavy. Anyone who is addicted to the Arthur / Merlin stories might enjoy these as well. They do offer another [yet] perspective on that great enigma. That probably won't deter anyone who is a junkie. What is it lacking ? A little of the Magic I think so it doesn't rate as highly as the Cornwall stories nor some of the others. On the other hand it tries to give one a sense of the times as they actually were and does that reasonably well.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical fiction on a grand scale. . ., March 11, 2001

By	Joe Jacco (Sarasota, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Although this is ostensibly a review of "The Saxon Shore", it in actuality covers all four books of the series to date ("The Skystone", "The Singing Sword", "The Eagles' Brood", and "The Saxon Shore"), primarily focusing on the last two, since I've already written a review of the first two. Now, that I've totally lost you, I'll begin again. . .

This series, The Camulod Chronicles, outlines the story of King Arthur as it might have been in a historical perspective, beginning with the end of the Roman occupation of Britain. If there were such a person as Arthur, he would have lived during this time. Most likely, he was a composite character, based on some of the more influential warlords and petty kings of the day. As an aside, I am reminded of a vacation in southern England that my family took in 1995. My sons, who were 11 and 13 at the time, could not understand my excitement in viewing the ruins of Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, asking "How can this be the birthplace of someone who never was?" But, that's a different story. . .

The first two books of the series, which outlined the founding of Camulod (or Camelot) and Avalon and the forging of the sword Excalibur, were told from the viewpoint of an old Roman soldier. These last two books, which detail the birth of Arthur and his early boyhood years, are told from the viewpoint of Merlin, or, "Merlyn" in the Chronicles. As an avid reader of Arthurian legend and all its various retellings, let me tell you that the character of Merlin is probably one of the most varied of them all, probably due to the fact that he was actually a minor character in Mallory. Hence, the details are free to be filled in by the current chronicler. Merlin ranges from an evil wizard living backward in time to a benevolent sorcerer to merely a human being who is just a little smarter than most. The most esoteric version of Merlin can be found in Stephen Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle in which Merlin is the son of Charis, the last princess of Atlantis, and Taliesen, the greatest of the Celtic Bards. Except for the exotic birth, Jack Whyte's Merlyn has much in common with Lawhead's Merlin in that both were mortal men, though a little larger than life in that they were fierce warriors, outstanding field generals, and outstanding scholars. Also, neither possessed the true gift of magic, though they were believed to by the masses of humanity.

The Camulod Chronicles begin earlier than Mallory's "Le Morte D'Arthur", in a time that historically did occur, hence the tales carry an air of realism. The descriptions of the Roman influence on Britain in the late Fourth and early Fifth centuries are fascinating. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, but the pages just keep on turning. The story is easy to follow as well as fun. There are those critics who complain that some of the dates given are inaccurate, as well as some of the situations. As Don Henley sang, "Get over it." This is historical *fiction* at it's finest, with the emphasis on *fiction*. Granted, there are differences between this series and others of its kind, but the abundant variety of viewpoints and details are what make Arthurian literature the great store that it is. The only "disconcerting" thing I've found so far is that the character of Vortigern (who was an actual person, by the way) is far more sympathetic in these tales than in others I've read. But, then, Jack Whyte has turned out such a magnum opus that I can only admire and respect his poetic license.

I have begun the fifth book of the series, "The Fort at River's Bend" and the level has not dropped. I will keep reading these books as long as Mr. Whyte keeps writing them (book 6 is in print and book 7 is due to be published later this year). So far, I consider this to be among the best Arthurian series' I have ever read. I would recommend them to anyone who has an interest in the Arthurian legend, anyone who has an interest in historical fiction, or both. As a bonus, anyone who likes these books would most likely like Stephen Lawhaead's Pendragon Cycle and Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. The order you read them in is not important, though somewhere in the mix you should read Mallory to see where it all began. I love Arthurian fiction and fact, and, after reading these books, I'm sure a lot of the rest of you will, too.