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| All nine novels of the main series |
In terms of book series, Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles (also known as A Dream of Eagles) is incredibly underrated. As I wrote here fifteen years or so ago, I was amazed by what page-turners these books were, and still are. The two biggest writers in fantasy are JRR Tolkien and GRR Martin, of course, but while the Camulod Chronicles is not strictly fantasy, being more historical fiction, it is certainly adjacent to the genre. And in my opinion ranks up there.
While Tolkien imagined a world unlike anything that had come before and Martin delves into incredible detail, what Whyte does is take the Arthurian legends and weave stories that are remarkably plausible as explanations for how those legends were passed down to us. It was revelatory the first time I read them. I was struck by just how "simple" it could be to take history, give it a bit of thought, and explain the origins of myth and folklore.
I applaud Whyte for doing this because, while I use the word "simple," no one else had thought of this masterstroke.
Encompassing nine books in total, the series takes the reader from the latter days of Roman Britain and the withdrawal of the legions through the close of Arthur's reign in the final book.
The books are in the following order:
| # | Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Skystone | 1992 |
| 2 | The Singing Sword | 1993 |
| 3 | The Eagles' Brood | 1994 |
| 4 | The Saxon Shore | 1995 |
| 5 | The Fort at River's Bend | 1999 |
| 6 | Metamorphosis | 1999 |
| 7 | Uther | 2001 |
| 8 | The Lance Thrower | 2004 |
| 9 | The Eagle | 2005 |
The Books
I won't go into too much detail about the books, as I don't want to spoil them for readers. What I will say is that you will probably be surprised by when Arthur finally shows up.
The first book, The Skystone, pulls you in immediately, dealing with Publius Varrus, a centurion who makes his way back to his homeland of Britain in the waning days of the Empire. From there the series spans the founding of Camulod (Camelot), the rise of Caius Merlyn Brittanicus (Merlin), the Lady of the Lake, Excalibur, and eventually the arrival of Clothar the Frank (Lancelot).
In each case, whether Arthur is present or not, Whyte manages to weave the story in such a way that his presence is never far from the forefront. That isn't to say the other characters don't matter. Quite the contrary. Many are outstanding in their own right, but there is always the sense of what they are building toward.
Another aspect of the series that I really liked is the backdrop. By that I mean Rome's Empire slowly crumbling. It isn't sudden but a long, slow decline as the years grind on. You can feel it happening, and yet the people still think of themselves as Roman. It is the fringes of Britain that begin to change first, and once again those changes are tied to Arthur one way or another.
By the time the reader reaches Books 8 and 9, the tale has become sweeping in both scope and detail, but the ending is one we are already familiar with. I say familiar, but not necessarily what you might expect from Arthurian stories. It is entirely in keeping with the way Whyte tells the story and makes for a fitting conclusion.
I realize I haven't gone into much detail, and that is intentional. The best way to experience this series is simply to read it and let it unfold. It is, in my opinion, one of those rare series where I wish I could go back and experience it again for the first time.
It's that good.
Gaming Uses
As to how this book series relates to gaming, Dragon #257 focuses on Dark Ages Briton and is practically an unofficial campaign source book. By that I mean the green-covered Historical Reference books for 2nd Edition AD&D, HR1 through HR7. Yes, I know the HR numbering technically ended at HR5. Using Dragon #257 along with other appropriate resources gives a Dungeon Master the makings of a great campaign.
For my own part, I have run a Dark Ages campaign set in a world of my own devising. The level of technology mirrored the setting perfectly, and a good example of the style of fortifications involved is the Dark Ages fortresss I built for the campaign.
Another connection is that old gaming warhorse, the 1st Edition Deities and Demigods hardcover and the Arthurian knights presented within. With a few tweaks to their weapons and armor, a DM can quickly assemble a number of ready-made NPCs.
An even further tie-in is the movie Arthur. The story aligns closely enough with Whyte's interpretation that it could easily provide additional adventures, encounters, or quest ideas.
An even easier path might be to skip AD&D altogether and simply use the Pendragon RPG. I'm most familiar with the 4th Edition of the game, and while it can get a bit crunchy in terms of the rules, the core rule book contains almost everything needed to run a campaign. The only other supplement I'd consider essential would be Saxons! for the same rule system.
Closing Thoughts
Some readers might take umbrage with my placing Whyte alongside the literary luminaries I mentioned earlier. Of course, that's just my opinion, but one that I hope people will explore and decide for themselves.
Whyte's writing style is highly engaging and pulls the reader in with detail, but never so much that it becomes overwhelming.
The pull through the pages is inexorable but never a chore. Even at a moderate reading pace, it is easy to finish a book in a week or so. Unless you're like me and simply can't put the series down. As I noted in my original post on The Skystone, it only took me two days to finish.
There you have it, a very high-level review of the series without venturing into major spoilers. If you're looking for a good series to read or inspiration for your next role-playing campaign, you could do far worse than the Camulod Chronicles.
Those are my thoughts on the Camulod Chronicles. Did I get it right?
