Today I am sad

Last night, I finished reading a book that closes out one of the most fantastic series of novels I have read to date.  It is called the “Camulod-Eagles” series written by fellow Canadian Jack Whyte.   The genre of the series is “historical fiction”.  When I picked up the first book to read, I was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy something that was categorized as historical fiction.  I’m more of a fantasy/sci-fi reader.  But it didn’t take long to fall in love with this type of novel and ever since, I’ve been addicted to historical fiction. 

The Camulod-Eagles series is based around the legend of King Arthur.   It spans across several generations beginning with Arthur’s great-grandparent’s generation which consisted of the last remaining outpost of Romans that were occupying current day Britain.  The thread of the series deals with what life was like in post-Rome Britain and surrounding areas (current day Scotland, Ireland, France). 

He uses this setting to show how a group of highly organized and disciplined Roman commanders and legionnaires stayed behind after the withdrawal to build an organized community amidst an environment that has fallen into chaos since the Roman rule and order has left the area and removed all semblance of authority.  Clans are merging and forming to attempt to gain territories and become the power in th Britain and the land is in turmoil where it is unsafe to live.  The community built by this band or Romans is named Camulod, and I think you begin to get the picture.

The novels progress through the generations leading up to and including Arthur’s time and describes the day-to-day challenges faced by Camulod trying to build an orderly life.  It introduces plausibility into how Britain grew out of the Roman stage into the feudal stage along with dispelling the myth of Arthur, Merlyn and the Knights Companion.  There is no magic, no dragons, etc. etc.  Arthur & co. are portrayed as real people living real lives.  The Lady of the Lake and Excalibur are beautifully explained in the story but I won’t reveal how.

The beauty of the story goes even deeper as characters pass away abruptly (often brutally) or naturally and then the next generation grows up before your eyes.  This includes reading about Merlyn in his youth, his prime and in his declining years.  The same for Arthur and his friends.  The series is broken into what I think are 3 tangible sections:

1)  The first 6 books deal with the evolution of Camulod and its characters starting with the remaining Romans and closing out when Arthur has achieved the rank of Riothamus – High King – of Briton.

2) A singular book called “Uther” that can be read without the knowledge of the main series.  However, it is so much more fulfilling when read after the first 6 books.  It deals with Arthur’s father Uther and the few critical years in his life when he was the leader of the Pendragon clan as well as the head of Camulod.  It goes into details regarding some of the campaigns and missions he was involved with that are never described in the main series yet touched upon in passing.  During that period, the book focuses on the youthful cousin Merlyn and the role he played in developing Camulod in Uther’s absence.  In addition, a very strange mystery that polarizes the relationship between Uther and Merlyn is revealed in this book that is left unsolved in the main series.

3) The remaining 2 books in the series take place in Arthur’s prime and they describe the decline of the glory days that had been enjoyed by Camulod the previous 60 odd years.  The reason why I separate this from the main series is because the story is told from the perspective of an ‘Outlander’ who joins Camulod to become the first Knight Companion and the most talented warrior Camulod has ever seen.  That person’s name is ‘Clothar’, a Frank.  His ability to throw a spear with tremendous accurracy either stationary or on horseback labels him with the alternative name “The Lancer”.  Does that name ring a bell?

Last night, as I mentioned, I finished the remaining book in the series and it ended much like reality does:  People get old, people lose strength, people die.  It was the perfect way to end a series that brought a real historical feel to the Arthurian Legend and will leave an indelible mark on me. 

I highly recommend this series.  It will leave you speechless.  I hope Jack Whyte tackles new projects soon.  In the meantime it’s on to new historical fiction.  I’ll be starting to read “The March” by E.L. Doctorow – a historical fiction that takes place during the conclusion of the U.S. Civil War.  If E.L. Doctorow sounds familiar to you, it may be because he also wrote Ragtime and Billy Bathgate.  I can hardly wait to start this one.