Great historic Merlin could have series ( )

Billed as historical fiction, in some ways The Skystone is almost fantasy. If I had read the book without reading anything about it beforehand, I would never know it was about Camelot and King Arthur at all. Taking place decades before Arthur's birth, The Skystone follows the adventures of Arthur's ancestor, a Roman officer serving as the Empire dies. ( )

I chose this book because it was outside my comfort zone of what I usually read and it didn't work out too well. There was too much fighting, battling and military strategy in it for me - most of it went over my head. I think that someone who likes that sort of thing would probably like this book though. ( )

This was an enjoyable story although I didn't think it had a very developed plot. It seemed like the purpose of this book was to set up the story that will follow in the rest of the series. Whyte did a good job setting up the mood of the historical setting and introducing a wide range of characters and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. ( )

A wonderful retelling of Arthurian mythology from a more realistic and less mythological standpoint. Great read! ( )

I was in the appartment on evening complaining that with 5 book cases in the house I had nothing to read when my husband pulled this one off the shelf (on of his). What I loved about this book is that who knows, maybe it really did happen. It tells the tale of Excaliber's maker and gives you the feeling that this is more than fiction...its what really happened. ( )

First in the Camulod Chronicles, an Arthurian series that begins back in 360’s A.D. Roman Britain. Wonderful historical detail with an interesting story and twist on the Arthurian myths—this constitutes the beginnings of the legend, with nary a mention yet of Arthur, just with his (apparent) ancestors. However, the Lady in the Lake is mentioned and a special sword made from a strange metal that “fell from the sky” in a skystone. This is the story of Publius Varrus, the blacksmith who made the sword, and quite a wonderful story it is, too. Lively storytelling, rich with detail, interesting characters—all essentials to a lengthy historical and/or fantasy series, and all definitely present in this first installment. I’m greatly looking forward to the next one in the series! This is one TBR Challenge book that I’m glad I finally got to. ( )

This book did not have a beginning – middle – end like most books. It was more like a series of stories that fit together because they were all part of a man’s life. One might think that this would make for a boring book, but I really enjoyed it. The stories were interesting and original, and they kept my attention really well. The setting of the Roman Empire, and the conception of Arthurian England, was really fascinating as well. The characters were less-than deep, but I really invested in them and enjoyed their quirks. ( )

I'm currently in the 6th book of this series, which places the Arthurian mythos into a realistic, historical context by tracing back the colony's lineage to the Roman occupation of Britain. The Skystone is the first book, written by Jack Whyte, relating the progenitors of the colony, Camulode and the finding of both the colony's pricipals and the meteorite used as the blade-metal for Excalibur.

Jack's writing in the first book is good and well thought out, if a little inexperienced. It gets better as you read each consecutive book. I liked many of the concepts behind this series. I also like the historical context as it relates to the need for civilization as the Roman empire collapses in the region. Some of the concepts may be viewed in the movie "King Arthur" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0349683/) but the books go into much more detail - the movie may give you some of the "feel" but little of the substance found in these books (I'm not saying that the movie is based upon the books - I'm only providing a second medium to sample the style of conjecture). ( )

Jack Whyte must either know his subject material beyond all belief or did one heck of a lot of research for these books, or at least the first one, to the point where it's pretty much a detriment to the story. In almost leads one to wonder if Whyte isn't pulling a Cassie Edwards on us and quoting sources whole hog. The characters, mostly high-ranking Roman soldiers, have an intensely well-developed sense of history and understanding of their own times that really can only come with hundreds of years of perspective.

The characters, with the exception of the narrator, are a bit underdeveloped, and pass in and out of the story in a way that is maybe not unexpected for an epic or a biography. There is plenty of sex and violence, with the violence, at least, neatly unfolding within the story line. There is a mildly interesting base here, but there are way too many words that the reader must wade through to make it into a compelling story. I doubt I'll read any farther in the series. ( )

Due to a number of positive reviews from the other inhabitants here on libraything.com and elsewhere, I recently picked up a copy of “The Skystone” by Jack Whyte. I was not impressed. Frankly Mr. Whyte takes a very sordid and chaotic circumstance in history and makes it, unlike his skystone from the novel, rather lackluster. The subject is ripe for exploration, romance and adventure but Mr. Whyte just doesn’t capture the nuances of the time. Maybe it was his writing style, maybe it was the too modern feel of his characters? In any case, unless someone in high standing argues that the next books are one-hundred eighty degree reversals, I don’t see a future for me and Mr. Whyte. ( )

http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/200... ( )

This is an historical fiction series about King Arthur, and they are my favorite books of ALL time. Whyte is an amazing author, and his descriptions are amazing. The books tell a realistic story of King Arthur, without all of the magic and sorcery we see in modern myths. These books start off with King Arthur's great great grandfather, and chronicle the family until the death of King Arthur. The charectors are so well developed you feel as if you know them. The other great thing about these books is that they are written in journal-like form. So as different members of the family are "writing" the different books, the writing style and methods change slightly. ( )

From Library Journal
During the days of the decaying Roman Empire, the legions of Britain struggle to preserve the ancient principles of loyalty and discipline-virtues embodied in the Roman general Caius Britannicus and his friend Publius Varrus, an ex-soldier turned ironsmith. Whyte re-creates the turbulence and uncertainty that marked fifth-century Britain and provides a possible origin for one of the greatest artifacts of Arthurian myth-the legendary sword Excalibur. Strong characters and fastidious attention to detail make this a good choice for most libraries and a sure draw for fans of the Arthurian cycle.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"From the building blocks of history and the mortar of reality, Jack Whyte has built Arthur's world, and showed us the bone beneath the flesh of legend."-Diana Gabaldon

"Jack Whyte is a master storyteller . . . . Wyte breathes life into the Arthurian myths by weaving the reality of history into them."-Tony Hillerman

"I loved the book. It was an extraordinary story, totally original and clearly there is a lot more excitement to come in the upcoming volumes."-Rosamunde Pilcher

Interesting look at the late antique age in Britain, but at the end of it, I just felt like nothing really happened. ( )