A compelling argument about the origins of King Arthur wrapped in a brilliant novel.Set against a rich historical landscape evoked by the secret places and half-forgotten legends of the British countryside, Finding Camlann is both a “fascinating mystery that will engage readers attracted by history, myth and language” (Washington Independent Review of Books) and a “beautifully written, … Books) and a “beautifully written, intelligent, and ingenious” (Gillian Bradshaw) novel of how stories shape our notions of the past—and of ourselves.
Archaeologist Donald Gladstone is sure that there never was a “real” King Arthur—that is, until a surprising find at Stonehenge seems to offer hard evidence of Arthur’s existence. Teaming up with Julia Llewellyn, a gifted linguist working at the Oxford English Dictionary, Donald sets off on a literary and mythological quest that will change both of their lives. Gloriously many-layered, Finding Camlann is a deeply satisfying love story, a gripping detective story, and a narrative journey of myriad pleasures.
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Really enjoyed this book. Learned a lot!
an unusual approach to the Arthurian legend–The novel conveys a great deal of information about the Arthurian tales without addressing the legends directly. Beautifully evocative descriptions of the mystical Welsh landscape as it relates to the legends. The primary story reveals contemporary characters in love with their work but troubled in …
Another one of the best books I’ve ever read.
It was not what I expected and so I gave up on it.
As a King Arthur fan, I thought this would be more about him. It’s more about personal relationships, not my genre. I was not even able to finish the book, too boring.
Wonderful atmosphere, was drawn in early by the author’s writing in the present tense. Characters believable, and must confess I’ve been drawn to the Arthurian legend since childhood. This is a new take and asks that we pay attention. Good tension as the story builds, and I cared what happened to the characters.
Ponderous… slow moving….
Having a sense of Welsh geography would help. I do not, and enjoyed it anyway.
Some interesting plot twists.
Well written and factual.
The author would be better served writing non fiction.
Surprisingly, a book as much about Wales as King Arthur and that’s what I liked about it–even a poem in Old Welsh! Wish there were more authors like this one.
Fantastic book about the search for King Arthur. Well written and engaging.
Very interesting. Waiting for next inspiration from author
Good read – some of the Welsh words/names are a little difficult on the brain to interrupt – but thats the fun of learning
Enjoyable reading
hard to follow