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Perilous Times
An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.
Legends don’t always live up to reality.
Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully tiring over the years—or at least that’s what Sir Kay’s thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth yet again.
Kay once rode alongside his brother, King Arthur, as a Knight of the Round Table. Since then, he has fought at Hastings and at Waterloo and in both World Wars. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, the army’s been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to foreign powers. The dragon that’s running amok—that he can handle. The rest? He’s not so sure.
Mariam’s spent her life fighting what’s wrong with her country. But she’s just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, she dares to hope that the world has finally found the savior it needs.
Yet as the two travel through this bizarre and dangerous land, they discover that a magical plot of apocalyptic proportions is underway. And Kay’s too busy hunting dragons—and exchanging blows with his old enemy Lancelot—to figure out what to do about it.
In perilous times like these, the realm doesn’t just need a knight. It needs a true leader.
Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach.
But who will be fit to wield it?
With a cast that includes Merlin, Morgan le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, and King Arthur himself—all reimagined in joyous, wickedly subversive fashion— Perilous Times is an Arthurian retelling that looks forward as much as it looks back . . . and a rollicking, deadpan-funny, surprisingly touching fantasy adventure.
Legends don’t always live up to reality.
Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully tiring over the years—or at least that’s what Sir Kay’s thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth yet again.
Kay once rode alongside his brother, King Arthur, as a Knight of the Round Table. Since then, he has fought at Hastings and at Waterloo and in both World Wars. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, the army’s been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to foreign powers. The dragon that’s running amok—that he can handle. The rest? He’s not so sure.
Mariam’s spent her life fighting what’s wrong with her country. But she’s just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, she dares to hope that the world has finally found the savior it needs.
Yet as the two travel through this bizarre and dangerous land, they discover that a magical plot of apocalyptic proportions is underway. And Kay’s too busy hunting dragons—and exchanging blows with his old enemy Lancelot—to figure out what to do about it.
In perilous times like these, the realm doesn’t just need a knight. It needs a true leader.
Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach.
But who will be fit to wield it?
With a cast that includes Merlin, Morgan le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, and King Arthur himself—all reimagined in joyous, wickedly subversive fashion— Perilous Times is an Arthurian retelling that looks forward as much as it looks back . . . and a rollicking, deadpan-funny, surprisingly touching fantasy adventure.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published May 25, 2023
About the author
Thomas D. Lee
1 book133 followersThomas D. Lee believes all sorts of things about how art and literature can be used as tools to fight for a better future, but mostly he just wants to make his readers laugh. He holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester, where he is currently studying for a PhD specializing in queer interpretations of the Arthurian mythos. He frequently considers emulating Merlin and becoming a hermit in the woods who speaks only in riddles. Perilous Times is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 702 reviews
March 23, 2023
Loved this book. It has a bit of "Pratchetty" humour, but was also quite poignant at times. There's a ton of excellent characters (Merlin and Lancelot are favourites of mine), and it pulls no punches whatsoever when it comes to the immediate perils of climate change.
I kept thinking as I read it that a book like this, where heroes pit themselves against xenophobic asshats and evil megacorps wouldn't have felt 'political', say, twenty or thirty years ago, but here we are...
Anyway, this is a brilliant debut.
I kept thinking as I read it that a book like this, where heroes pit themselves against xenophobic asshats and evil megacorps wouldn't have felt 'political', say, twenty or thirty years ago, but here we are...
Anyway, this is a brilliant debut.
April 9, 2023
Loved it. Absolutely loved it.
What's not to love? Here we are in the end of days. The planet is hurtling towards disaster. Its too hot, the water's drying up, the food is running out and people are fighting in lumps. The realm of Britain is most definitely in peril.
And what do you need when there are perilous times? You need heroes. Not just any heroes either, you need King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Oh yes, it doesn't get much more heroic than that. Well actually it does. You might also need some dedicated climate activists, the odd magician and even a dragon or two.
This wonderfully bonkers story has some very serious roots in that it takes climate change to its ultimate conclusion but after that it's completely mad. (And I know its completely mad because I described it to my mum and she asked if I'd been smoking something). However through the madness it's a brilliant yarn. It stretches the imagination. It plays with your perception of myths and it made me snort with laughter too.
So yes, I'd recommend this wholeheartedly. I look forward to whatever crazy tale Thomas D Lee comes up with next and thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. More like this please.
What's not to love? Here we are in the end of days. The planet is hurtling towards disaster. Its too hot, the water's drying up, the food is running out and people are fighting in lumps. The realm of Britain is most definitely in peril.
And what do you need when there are perilous times? You need heroes. Not just any heroes either, you need King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Oh yes, it doesn't get much more heroic than that. Well actually it does. You might also need some dedicated climate activists, the odd magician and even a dragon or two.
This wonderfully bonkers story has some very serious roots in that it takes climate change to its ultimate conclusion but after that it's completely mad. (And I know its completely mad because I described it to my mum and she asked if I'd been smoking something). However through the madness it's a brilliant yarn. It stretches the imagination. It plays with your perception of myths and it made me snort with laughter too.
So yes, I'd recommend this wholeheartedly. I look forward to whatever crazy tale Thomas D Lee comes up with next and thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. More like this please.
April 5, 2023
Too bad Perilous Times couldn't be more about resurrected dragons wreaking havoc upon earth. Thus requiring the help of the knights to rescue the world. Instead I found it politically slanted toward climate activists. Though I liken them more to eco-terrorists. Especially when explosives destroy a fracking site, sending it up in flames and emitting more carbon emissions than if left alone.
Needless to say, I didn't like or enjoy the narrative. However, I did like the snarky humor. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to sway me to continue reading -- especially since the activists (terrorists) were hell-bent on destroying just about everything that stood in the way of their agenda.
Though I normally read to at least 33% or more, I just couldn't continue much further than 25%. Sadly a one star DNF.
I received a digital ARC from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Needless to say, I didn't like or enjoy the narrative. However, I did like the snarky humor. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to sway me to continue reading -- especially since the activists (terrorists) were hell-bent on destroying just about everything that stood in the way of their agenda.
Though I normally read to at least 33% or more, I just couldn't continue much further than 25%. Sadly a one star DNF.
I received a digital ARC from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
April 29, 2023
TW//
Perilous Times was a drag to get through and it felt like it would never end, but I’m lowkey proud of myself for pushing through and finishing this one. This book peaked my interest when I read the synopsis. It’s a queer book featuring Arthurian legends and climate change. It should’ve been amazing, but it fell really flat with the execution.
The pacing of this book was super slow and honestly the events in the story weren’t that interesting. The only scenes where I didn’t feel like I was about to fall asleep out of pure boredom were Merlin’s scenes but he was barely in the story at all. If this story’s pace had been sped up, it would’ve been a lot more enjoyable.
Most of the characters were dull. I thought any of the character from Arthurian legends would be interesting to read about, but then I got stuck with Kay. He just wasn’t that interesting to read about. Mariam wasn’t great either, but at least she had some character development throughout the story. Mariam's sisters in FETA had bland personalities, which was really disappointing since FETA had the opportunity to be a strong found family. It just never reached that true found family potential though since all of Mariam’s sisters were two dimensional. Most of them were carbon copies of each other as well.
I also got fed up with how this story dealt with acitivism. I like what a lot of the different activist groups were fighting for, but the way the characters in the groups were described made them seem like silly, unproductive activists. It was really disappointing because no one can understand why people should take issues like climate change seriously if all the activists fighting for those issues are ridiculous and unlikeable.
Thomas D. Lee clearly knows a lot about the Arthurian legends and he has the potential to make a great book featuring those legends, but Perilous Times needs a ton of revisions before it can live up to its potential.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eArc of this book.
Perilous Times was a drag to get through and it felt like it would never end, but I’m lowkey proud of myself for pushing through and finishing this one. This book peaked my interest when I read the synopsis. It’s a queer book featuring Arthurian legends and climate change. It should’ve been amazing, but it fell really flat with the execution.
The pacing of this book was super slow and honestly the events in the story weren’t that interesting. The only scenes where I didn’t feel like I was about to fall asleep out of pure boredom were Merlin’s scenes but he was barely in the story at all. If this story’s pace had been sped up, it would’ve been a lot more enjoyable.
Most of the characters were dull. I thought any of the character from Arthurian legends would be interesting to read about, but then I got stuck with Kay. He just wasn’t that interesting to read about. Mariam wasn’t great either, but at least she had some character development throughout the story. Mariam's sisters in FETA had bland personalities, which was really disappointing since FETA had the opportunity to be a strong found family. It just never reached that true found family potential though since all of Mariam’s sisters were two dimensional. Most of them were carbon copies of each other as well.
I also got fed up with how this story dealt with acitivism. I like what a lot of the different activist groups were fighting for, but the way the characters in the groups were described made them seem like silly, unproductive activists. It was really disappointing because no one can understand why people should take issues like climate change seriously if all the activists fighting for those issues are ridiculous and unlikeable.
Thomas D. Lee clearly knows a lot about the Arthurian legends and he has the potential to make a great book featuring those legends, but Perilous Times needs a ton of revisions before it can live up to its potential.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eArc of this book.
March 22, 2024
A brilliant weaving of our contemporary nightmare concerns (climate crisis, rising fascism, the 1%) with and through Arthurian myths. It’s serious, it’s funny, it’s devastating, and it’s often very smart.
March 16, 2023
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
I've felt largely burned-out on Arthurian rewrites since I was a teenager, lo those many years ago. And yet, something about the concept of this one hooked me: Arthur's knights reawakening in response to the climate emergency. Even better, the book absolutely lived up to the high concept. It's dark and gritty and laced with dead-pan humor, fantastical and wry all at once.
The two principal characters are Sir Kay and Miriam. Kay was more accepted with his black skin back in the 6th century than he has in his recent returns, clawing from the dank earth beneath his assigned tree, ready to fight on Britain's behalf both at home and abroad. This time, he awakens as a nearby structure is being attacked by Mariam, an eco-terrorist. Their hesitant alliance occurs as other immortal figures are also in motion--Lancelot, Marlowe, Nimue, and others.
This book delivered constant surprises. The near-future setting of heat, mass flooding, and devastation feels disturbingly plausible. Kay is such an incredible character, a man who has suffered much across many lives and still mourns for his wife after over a thousand years of separation. Lancelot--I won't give anything away, but wow is his character arc incredible. Even though the central concept is about the Knights of the Round Table, it really centers on Mariam, which is only right. I felt leery about her at first, but through Lee's immersive writing, I came to know and understand her.
I've felt largely burned-out on Arthurian rewrites since I was a teenager, lo those many years ago. And yet, something about the concept of this one hooked me: Arthur's knights reawakening in response to the climate emergency. Even better, the book absolutely lived up to the high concept. It's dark and gritty and laced with dead-pan humor, fantastical and wry all at once.
The two principal characters are Sir Kay and Miriam. Kay was more accepted with his black skin back in the 6th century than he has in his recent returns, clawing from the dank earth beneath his assigned tree, ready to fight on Britain's behalf both at home and abroad. This time, he awakens as a nearby structure is being attacked by Mariam, an eco-terrorist. Their hesitant alliance occurs as other immortal figures are also in motion--Lancelot, Marlowe, Nimue, and others.
This book delivered constant surprises. The near-future setting of heat, mass flooding, and devastation feels disturbingly plausible. Kay is such an incredible character, a man who has suffered much across many lives and still mourns for his wife after over a thousand years of separation. Lancelot--I won't give anything away, but wow is his character arc incredible. Even though the central concept is about the Knights of the Round Table, it really centers on Mariam, which is only right. I felt leery about her at first, but through Lee's immersive writing, I came to know and understand her.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
May 1, 2023
A surprisingly fun dystopian Arthurian retelling that's also super duper queer!
The writing style is not the best (think full sentence. fragment. fragment. fragment. fragment. full sentence. new paragraph. repeat) but the tone skillfully mixes grim dystopian, gallows humor, British humor (which feels similar to gallows humor, somehow?) and pockets of hope.
There are three main POVs: Mariam, Kay and Lancelot, each of whom you want to slug, hug or mug at various points (sometimes those points occur all at once) in the story.
It's about determination to do the right thing, the bullshittery of fate and destiny, and how leading with love is so much harder than leading with hate.
My only wish is that more Nazis were punched over the course of this book.
Because yeah, there be Nazis!
I received an ARC for an honest review
The writing style is not the best (think full sentence. fragment. fragment. fragment. fragment. full sentence. new paragraph. repeat) but the tone skillfully mixes grim dystopian, gallows humor, British humor (which feels similar to gallows humor, somehow?) and pockets of hope.
There are three main POVs: Mariam, Kay and Lancelot, each of whom you want to slug, hug or mug at various points (sometimes those points occur all at once) in the story.
It's about determination to do the right thing, the bullshittery of fate and destiny, and how leading with love is so much harder than leading with hate.
My only wish is that more Nazis were punched over the course of this book.
Because yeah, there be Nazis!
I received an ARC for an honest review
June 9, 2023
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
1.5 hearts
Perilous Times is a debut novel by Thomas D. Lee. What it should have been, was an Arthurian tale set in modern day, fighting dragons and magic. What it was, is a SJW (social justice warrior) blend of one of the most iconic lore's known with climate activism and the new everything is racist movement. Which is not my forte at all.
The premise is great. Some of the knights of the round table entered into a pact to be essentially immortal and resurrect when needed to help protect England. There have been times in history that they have been called upon when needed, WWII being the last time. It is not all of the Knights but Lancelot and Kay (a black Knight) are a few whose trees are still alive to keep them here.
I was so intrigued the first part of the book when Kay is waking from the earth and knows that means Britain needs him how. Getting a handle on how the world has changed from the way it was last time he slept. And then there is an explosion and a dragon appears into this world.
I was ready for a modern day fantasy where we are off to slay the dragon and figure out who on this side of the veil set it loose and why. But alas that was not the gist of the story as it was also filled with so much climate activism, brief meat shaming, some animal deaths (never my favorite), transgender and cookie cutter characters, white fragility and reverse racism bs.
There are moments that are pretty funny in the book. But, for me because of the issues mentioned above I never really got into the story and this was by far my most difficult book to complete in a few years. But if you are a fan of all the above mentioned items and an SJW, then those things would probably attract you to this story instead of detracting like it did for me.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
1.5 hearts
Perilous Times is a debut novel by Thomas D. Lee. What it should have been, was an Arthurian tale set in modern day, fighting dragons and magic. What it was, is a SJW (social justice warrior) blend of one of the most iconic lore's known with climate activism and the new everything is racist movement. Which is not my forte at all.
The premise is great. Some of the knights of the round table entered into a pact to be essentially immortal and resurrect when needed to help protect England. There have been times in history that they have been called upon when needed, WWII being the last time. It is not all of the Knights but Lancelot and Kay (a black Knight) are a few whose trees are still alive to keep them here.
I was so intrigued the first part of the book when Kay is waking from the earth and knows that means Britain needs him how. Getting a handle on how the world has changed from the way it was last time he slept. And then there is an explosion and a dragon appears into this world.
He knows all too well that dragons are not real creatures. They are manifestations of magic, entities from a different realm. Bursting through from the Otherworld in a monstrous form. They don't usually appear for no reason. Usually they need a bit of help, from this side of the veil.
I was ready for a modern day fantasy where we are off to slay the dragon and figure out who on this side of the veil set it loose and why. But alas that was not the gist of the story as it was also filled with so much climate activism, brief meat shaming, some animal deaths (never my favorite), transgender and cookie cutter characters, white fragility and reverse racism bs.
There are moments that are pretty funny in the book. But, for me because of the issues mentioned above I never really got into the story and this was by far my most difficult book to complete in a few years. But if you are a fan of all the above mentioned items and an SJW, then those things would probably attract you to this story instead of detracting like it did for me.
That was always one of the perks of being in Arthur's warband. You'd blunder into the forest and you'd happen upon a talking raven who could tell you where to find what you were questing for.
August 22, 2023
The realm is in peril, and the knights of the round table have been called back to duty once again, waking up from under the earth to fight . . . climate change. Among other things.
This was a little too long, a little repetitive (scenes back to back accomplishing the same things), and the author doesn't really wield a subtle pen (which is fine! especially since this is in part a satire, but some of the moments in this could have benefitted, I think, while others were perfect). But this author has quite the imagination and sense of humor, so I will definitely be picking up future books from him. I ended up doing the audiobook from my library after I biffed it with my e-ARC (this book was published in May) and I really liked the narrator. Ended up finishing it in a couple of days.
On a side note, this book has a very creative and amusing cure for knocking the racism out of racists, and while implausible, it made me laugh. Perhaps we, too, should consider squirrelification.
For those of you like me who need a hopeful ending, this book delivers, if that was something you were worried about (I was.)
This was a little too long, a little repetitive (scenes back to back accomplishing the same things), and the author doesn't really wield a subtle pen (which is fine! especially since this is in part a satire, but some of the moments in this could have benefitted, I think, while others were perfect). But this author has quite the imagination and sense of humor, so I will definitely be picking up future books from him. I ended up doing the audiobook from my library after I biffed it with my e-ARC (this book was published in May) and I really liked the narrator. Ended up finishing it in a couple of days.
On a side note, this book has a very creative and amusing cure for knocking the racism out of racists, and while implausible, it made me laugh. Perhaps we, too, should consider squirrelification.
For those of you like me who need a hopeful ending, this book delivers, if that was something you were worried about (I was.)
December 5, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, I went into this book with low expectations? Arthuriana AND the climate crisis AND feuding political groups in a Britain set 20 or so years in the future? It could end up really terrible or really lovely.
And the answer was that it was lovely. It was deftly written, with a careful eye to scope and not going too overzealous with it while still following a strong thematic through line and ideology. While there were some weaker moments, especially along personal qualms for how some characters were portrayed (but ymmv on that), I found the whole thing a fascinatingly rich story that I genuinely had an incredible time with!
Honestly, I went into this book with low expectations? Arthuriana AND the climate crisis AND feuding political groups in a Britain set 20 or so years in the future? It could end up really terrible or really lovely.
And the answer was that it was lovely. It was deftly written, with a careful eye to scope and not going too overzealous with it while still following a strong thematic through line and ideology. While there were some weaker moments, especially along personal qualms for how some characters were portrayed (but ymmv on that), I found the whole thing a fascinatingly rich story that I genuinely had an incredible time with!
March 4, 2023
"Hate is the path of least resistance."
Easy to read with characters it's hard not to love. Imagine a powerful magic, given to a select few from of the knights from Arthur's round table (and to Arthur). The knights are to rise and protect Britain whenever it's in peril.
That has been Kel's life for. . .what feels like 1,000 years. He's seen all different ways people can fight and hurt each other. He wakes up every time, under a tree, stumbles on his sword and shield and gets ready to fight where he is needed. He's gotten good at rolling with the punches and learning the new time era he's been thrown in to. His old grudges and angers for the other knights are still there but the protection of Britain always comes first.
But this time, he awakens to a Britain he doesn't recognize. It's baren and smells bad. He's near some kind of tower that is doing something to land, something that seems to be making it bad. In walks Mariam. She's been surviving in this world of rising temperatures and a whole world full of people that don't seem to understand that we need to do something now to turn this all around.
I loved these characters. I loved the re-imagining of Lancelot, Merlin, Arthur and others. I loved the easy banter and funny moments the characters had. It held my attention and kept me driven to flip the pages. I did expect to feel so immersed in the story, especially a story I thought might be silly. I was completely thrown when the story was so well written and lovely to read. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes an adventure of a story but also loves character driven stories with interesting storylines. Unique and fascinating, I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Easy to read with characters it's hard not to love. Imagine a powerful magic, given to a select few from of the knights from Arthur's round table (and to Arthur). The knights are to rise and protect Britain whenever it's in peril.
That has been Kel's life for. . .what feels like 1,000 years. He's seen all different ways people can fight and hurt each other. He wakes up every time, under a tree, stumbles on his sword and shield and gets ready to fight where he is needed. He's gotten good at rolling with the punches and learning the new time era he's been thrown in to. His old grudges and angers for the other knights are still there but the protection of Britain always comes first.
But this time, he awakens to a Britain he doesn't recognize. It's baren and smells bad. He's near some kind of tower that is doing something to land, something that seems to be making it bad. In walks Mariam. She's been surviving in this world of rising temperatures and a whole world full of people that don't seem to understand that we need to do something now to turn this all around.
I loved these characters. I loved the re-imagining of Lancelot, Merlin, Arthur and others. I loved the easy banter and funny moments the characters had. It held my attention and kept me driven to flip the pages. I did expect to feel so immersed in the story, especially a story I thought might be silly. I was completely thrown when the story was so well written and lovely to read. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes an adventure of a story but also loves character driven stories with interesting storylines. Unique and fascinating, I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
March 13, 2024
I really wanted to read Perilous Times, I heard very good things about Thomas D. Lee's debut novel, and I made an effort to finish it.
The idea of the story was perfect.
Merlin did magic that summoned Arthur Knight with his sword every time Britain was in danger.
And every time, Kay came back from the dead to help people whenever England's gone shit.
SEE, it was an excellent idea, but I couldn't continue reading it. And I'm really sorry that I had to stop at the 40%.
Perhaps the story would have been more interesting if it was set during WWII, as some parts mentioned that period, or if the book didn't feature animal cruelty and I might been able to continue reading it.
Instead in this book, we have the characters who are very oddly fighting against global warming. A dragon who does shit but also is sad about human shit. And my biggest sin of all, I didn't like the characters, none of them.
I don't know, maybe one day I'll finish this book, maybe if someone tells me the dog is okay, I'll give it another chance. I might want to read Mr. Lee's future works, but be as it is for today.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit via NetGalley for ARC. I have given my honest review.
The idea of the story was perfect.
Merlin did magic that summoned Arthur Knight with his sword every time Britain was in danger.
And every time, Kay came back from the dead to help people whenever England's gone shit.
SEE, it was an excellent idea, but I couldn't continue reading it. And I'm really sorry that I had to stop at the 40%.
Perhaps the story would have been more interesting if it was set during WWII, as some parts mentioned that period, or if the book didn't feature animal cruelty and I might been able to continue reading it.
Instead in this book, we have the characters who are very oddly fighting against global warming. A dragon who does shit but also is sad about human shit. And my biggest sin of all, I didn't like the characters, none of them.
I don't know, maybe one day I'll finish this book, maybe if someone tells me the dog is okay, I'll give it another chance. I might want to read Mr. Lee's future works, but be as it is for today.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit via NetGalley for ARC. I have given my honest review.
May 23, 2023
*** Happy publication day. ***
I love a good dystopian fantasy/science fiction story and anything involving the Arthurian legend, so this book checked all the boxes for me. It has a clever plot that I found engaging.
Climate change has melted most of the glaciers, much of England is underwater and England has sold Essex to the Chinese; perilous times, indeed!
Mariam and her small band of eco-terrorists are trying to fight big oil and stop the progression of planet-ruining practices. Unfortunately, when Mariam blows up a fracking facility she unwittingly creates an even greater disaster for the environment and unleashes a dragon as well. Trying to escape the destruction and the mercenaries trying to catch her, she encounters a strange man dressed in ancient chainmail and equipped with a sword. It turns out he is none other than Kay, King Arthur's brother who is under a spell cast by Merlin the magician to return to life whenever the realm is in peril. Kay is not the only knight of the round table to be resurrected, Kay's old nemesis Lancelot has also returned and it appears to Kay as if Lancelot's plans for righting the current situation are not entirely righteous.
And so begins this amusing tale. It is both funny and thought-provoking with characters out of sync with their time period trying to cope in a world of drones and a monstrous drilling rig that will destroy what is left of the environment, and don't forget that dragon! Not a small mission, but certainly not one that is impossible for a strong-willed woman and a couple of immortal knights. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the premise and the wonderfully-drawn characters kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy. The publication date is May 23, 2023.
I love a good dystopian fantasy/science fiction story and anything involving the Arthurian legend, so this book checked all the boxes for me. It has a clever plot that I found engaging.
Climate change has melted most of the glaciers, much of England is underwater and England has sold Essex to the Chinese; perilous times, indeed!
Mariam and her small band of eco-terrorists are trying to fight big oil and stop the progression of planet-ruining practices. Unfortunately, when Mariam blows up a fracking facility she unwittingly creates an even greater disaster for the environment and unleashes a dragon as well. Trying to escape the destruction and the mercenaries trying to catch her, she encounters a strange man dressed in ancient chainmail and equipped with a sword. It turns out he is none other than Kay, King Arthur's brother who is under a spell cast by Merlin the magician to return to life whenever the realm is in peril. Kay is not the only knight of the round table to be resurrected, Kay's old nemesis Lancelot has also returned and it appears to Kay as if Lancelot's plans for righting the current situation are not entirely righteous.
And so begins this amusing tale. It is both funny and thought-provoking with characters out of sync with their time period trying to cope in a world of drones and a monstrous drilling rig that will destroy what is left of the environment, and don't forget that dragon! Not a small mission, but certainly not one that is impossible for a strong-willed woman and a couple of immortal knights. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; the premise and the wonderfully-drawn characters kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advance copy. The publication date is May 23, 2023.
August 29, 2023
Perilous Times is a delightful example of a great idea executed brilliantly. It's the near future and a couple of Knights of the Round Table have been woken from magical slumber because England is once more in peril. This time the peril in question is climate change. I found the book instantly involving - who could resist a dragon being awakened by fracking? Here's Lancelot catching up on recent developments:
As well as the amusing details, I really loved the tone of Perilous Times. It struck an excellent balance between sincerity, playfulness, humour, hope, realism, and cynicism. The near future world seems bleak and often depressingly plausible, as the quote above suggests, yet all is not lost. It isn't as simple as Arthurian knights riding in to save everyone, but maybe they can learn to be more of a help than a hindrance. Point of view is split between two knights and Mariam, an activist doing her best to fight for a better future. Honestly, I'm really impressed that Perilous Times manages to be both a fantasy comedy and a serious novel about climate change. That's not a combination that would have occurred to me as plausible! Yet I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours, had a great time throughout, and highly recommend the experience.
"The armed forces of the United Kingdom have been broken up and sold to foreign multinationals, in the spirit of free enterprise."
Lancelot blinks, parsing this news into terms he can better understand. "You've replaced Britain's professional army with hired mercenaries."
"They prefer to be known as private military companies, but that's the essence of it."
"Marvellous," says Lancelot. "We tried the same thing in my day."
"Oh yes?"
"Hired an awful lot of Angles and Saxons to guard our borders for us, after the legions packed up and left."
"And how did it turn out?"
"Not particularly well, as it happens."
"Indeed." Marlowe clears his throat. "There are some ongoing contractual disputes."
"Any other changes I should know about?"
"Well, lets see. Wales and Cornwall have declared independence, along with Scotland, although we refuse to recognise them. Most of the north has organised itself into a kind of socialist bloc. And we've sold Essex to the Chinese."
As well as the amusing details, I really loved the tone of Perilous Times. It struck an excellent balance between sincerity, playfulness, humour, hope, realism, and cynicism. The near future world seems bleak and often depressingly plausible, as the quote above suggests, yet all is not lost. It isn't as simple as Arthurian knights riding in to save everyone, but maybe they can learn to be more of a help than a hindrance. Point of view is split between two knights and Mariam, an activist doing her best to fight for a better future. Honestly, I'm really impressed that Perilous Times manages to be both a fantasy comedy and a serious novel about climate change. That's not a combination that would have occurred to me as plausible! Yet I read the whole thing in less than 24 hours, had a great time throughout, and highly recommend the experience.
May 12, 2023
I loved this! I think it's hilarious and poignant, and I especially love the attention to climate. It's in a dystopian future, which is one of the reasons I loved that Arthurian knights were coming back from the dead. This combination of a horrible future, especially concerning the climate, with the men of legends returning to save the planet, just hit really well.
Kay was the heart of this story for me. Kay is King Arthur's brother and is not completely understanding of how the world has changed, although this is one of several times he has returned throughout history. His interaction with Miriam, both of them really, just showed how kindness affects others.
I was laughing my way through this while still dreading my own future and climate change. There are magic mushrooms, a dragon, and many complications to keep any reader entertained.
Definitely recommend!
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!
Out May 23, 2023!
Kay was the heart of this story for me. Kay is King Arthur's brother and is not completely understanding of how the world has changed, although this is one of several times he has returned throughout history. His interaction with Miriam, both of them really, just showed how kindness affects others.
I was laughing my way through this while still dreading my own future and climate change. There are magic mushrooms, a dragon, and many complications to keep any reader entertained.
Definitely recommend!
Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!
Out May 23, 2023!
January 15, 2024
I listened to the audiobook of this and it was brilliant. The voice actor did an amazing job, but then, they had a great text to work from.
Kay and Lancelot's dislocation in time was really at the heart of this for me. Wake up, get handed yet another new weapon with an increased capacity to kill, get pointed at a so called enemy, kill them. It was such a damning indictment of modern society but couched in a way that didn't actually feel like that was what it was doing.
They're weary and they're being manipulated and that realisation was such a pivotal turning moment.
Lancelot going to find Galahaut was a gut punch I was not expecting (trying not to spoiler it). And poor old Nimue, wow, that hurt. As it rightly should.
Of course, I can't not talk about Mariam, Teoni and the rest. I loved the depiction of their fire and resolve and how despite their best efforts, it got bogged down in bureaucracy at every turn.
An excellent debut. Looking forward to more by Lee.
Kay and Lancelot's dislocation in time was really at the heart of this for me. Wake up, get handed yet another new weapon with an increased capacity to kill, get pointed at a so called enemy, kill them. It was such a damning indictment of modern society but couched in a way that didn't actually feel like that was what it was doing.
They're weary and they're being manipulated and that realisation was such a pivotal turning moment.
Lancelot going to find Galahaut was a gut punch I was not expecting (trying not to spoiler it). And poor old Nimue, wow, that hurt. As it rightly should.
Of course, I can't not talk about Mariam, Teoni and the rest. I loved the depiction of their fire and resolve and how despite their best efforts, it got bogged down in bureaucracy at every turn.
An excellent debut. Looking forward to more by Lee.
June 4, 2023
"I'm not taking life advice from a squirrel who used to be racist."
What the hell is this book? Admittedly, this was a really funny line to me. But the sentiment remains.
This book consisted of an ensemble cast who were all confused about what the hell was going on and what the hell they were supposed to be doing. We have that in common because I was also extremely confused and wondering what the hell they were supposed to be doing. Everything was so bloody confusing and convoluted. The point of view kept switching between Kay, Lancelot, and Mariam, but somehow I did not care much about any of them.
I thought I was getting an epic fantasy with knights and dragon fights. But instead, I got whatever this is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
What the hell is this book? Admittedly, this was a really funny line to me. But the sentiment remains.
This book consisted of an ensemble cast who were all confused about what the hell was going on and what the hell they were supposed to be doing. We have that in common because I was also extremely confused and wondering what the hell they were supposed to be doing. Everything was so bloody confusing and convoluted. The point of view kept switching between Kay, Lancelot, and Mariam, but somehow I did not care much about any of them.
I thought I was getting an epic fantasy with knights and dragon fights. But instead, I got whatever this is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest opinions.
February 6, 2024
1.5 ☆
What?
Seriously... What even happened?
It started amazingly funny with Kay's character introduction on chapter 1 but... everything went downhill from there.
I don't know what's it with authors mixing up epic fantasy with dragons and knights, but then adding sci-fi/tech in the same world (looking at you, Sanderson's "Frugal Wizard's Handbook") because it really doesn't work for me.
I badly wanted to like this but I seriously didn't get a thing, for me the book felt like an absolute mess of themes and tropes all put together, and couldn't even finish it.
What?
Seriously... What even happened?
It started amazingly funny with Kay's character introduction on chapter 1 but... everything went downhill from there.
I don't know what's it with authors mixing up epic fantasy with dragons and knights, but then adding sci-fi/tech in the same world (looking at you, Sanderson's "Frugal Wizard's Handbook") because it really doesn't work for me.
I badly wanted to like this but I seriously didn't get a thing, for me the book felt like an absolute mess of themes and tropes all put together, and couldn't even finish it.
September 12, 2023
This is a book I hadn't ever heard of until I went on a Mr Bs Emporium Book Spa, a reading experience at a bookshop in Bath. Whilst there the book seller spoke to me about all the stories and books I love, and then recommended me a load of new ones they thought I might enjoy. This was the first one they recommended, and it didn't disappoint as I actually ended up reading through 60 pages right there in the bookshop.
The nice thing about this story is that it's very pacy. You do not have to know a lot about the setting before you're thrown into the action following a few major characters and their antics. We have three who feature heavily, Kay (brother of King Arthur), Mariam (an eco-feminist and warrior woman fighting to save the Earth in a climate crisis) and Lancelot (another knight of the round table). These three all end up crashing into one another across the book, and their stories are very quick to get going and get interesting.
What I like about this is that it's 'our' world in that it has a lot of points of reference from the UK and from our history, but it's a muddled version. We still have Nazis, Saxons, the Welsh, and various groups of people who are kind of nomadic and all have their own ideals. We aren't following a specific line of history, more a mash-up of loads of things which you don't really need to knw much about to get that they're all in rather perilous times... the climate being what it is.
We pick up the thread when we see the Earth in a bit of a climate disaster, and as it is such a perilous time the Knights of the Round table (who many years ago made a reincarnation deal with Merlin) are brought back into the world to try to 'fix' things. Kay and Lancelot are two of those Knights, and their job is supposed to be helping the world, but as they have been underground for thousands of years at a time, they kind of have to pick up what's going on pretty fast and learn as they go.
The story is fun and easy to get into, and it was perfect to give me the push back into reading that I have been wanting for quite a while. I definitely can't fault the book for being a fun adventure, and a bit wacky too, and I loved that element.
The one bit which didn't resonate as well with me was the characters, although they are easy to follow, I never felt a true connection with them here, and they didn't really feel like they were in true danger to me. Sometimes I think this isn't the point of a book, and in this case I think it's more about the world and the peril and the adventure, but I wouldn't go into this one expecting great characterisation as I feel like it didn't quite deliver that.
Overall, exactly what I needed and a very enjoyable read from start to end. Didn't take me long to get through and if you have any interest in a pacy story with harking back to King Arthur and a mish mash of history then this is your book! 3.5*s
The nice thing about this story is that it's very pacy. You do not have to know a lot about the setting before you're thrown into the action following a few major characters and their antics. We have three who feature heavily, Kay (brother of King Arthur), Mariam (an eco-feminist and warrior woman fighting to save the Earth in a climate crisis) and Lancelot (another knight of the round table). These three all end up crashing into one another across the book, and their stories are very quick to get going and get interesting.
What I like about this is that it's 'our' world in that it has a lot of points of reference from the UK and from our history, but it's a muddled version. We still have Nazis, Saxons, the Welsh, and various groups of people who are kind of nomadic and all have their own ideals. We aren't following a specific line of history, more a mash-up of loads of things which you don't really need to knw much about to get that they're all in rather perilous times... the climate being what it is.
We pick up the thread when we see the Earth in a bit of a climate disaster, and as it is such a perilous time the Knights of the Round table (who many years ago made a reincarnation deal with Merlin) are brought back into the world to try to 'fix' things. Kay and Lancelot are two of those Knights, and their job is supposed to be helping the world, but as they have been underground for thousands of years at a time, they kind of have to pick up what's going on pretty fast and learn as they go.
The story is fun and easy to get into, and it was perfect to give me the push back into reading that I have been wanting for quite a while. I definitely can't fault the book for being a fun adventure, and a bit wacky too, and I loved that element.
The one bit which didn't resonate as well with me was the characters, although they are easy to follow, I never felt a true connection with them here, and they didn't really feel like they were in true danger to me. Sometimes I think this isn't the point of a book, and in this case I think it's more about the world and the peril and the adventure, but I wouldn't go into this one expecting great characterisation as I feel like it didn't quite deliver that.
Overall, exactly what I needed and a very enjoyable read from start to end. Didn't take me long to get through and if you have any interest in a pacy story with harking back to King Arthur and a mish mash of history then this is your book! 3.5*s
December 17, 2023
"It's always a relief to have a hero around. Somebody else to save the world, so that you don't have to do it."
"He represents something else, something ancient that she doesn't fully understand, something in the earth and the trees that can be woken up and put to good use. Used like a weapon against the dying of the world."
"Why is she waiting for Kay or Merlin or any other old tosser to wave their magic wand and fix everything? Roz was right about heroes. About relying on other people. It would be nice if she could just sit back and let a talking deer tell her what to do. It would be so much easier than figuring it out for herself. But that isn't going to happen.
It's just like slaying the dragon. If she wants to save the world, she'll have to do it herself."
Perilous Times is an amazing debut - the premise is simply yet brilliant - of what if the Knights of the Round Table (from Arthurian mythology) were resurrected every time Britain was in peril....and this time it's because of the climate crisis?
Although there were some funny parts and great banter, this actually felt like quite an intense and reflective read for me. The writing style serves the story very well - the shorter fragmented sentences really lent a heavy, fraying undertone to the characters' and the despair, especially of the Knights as we experience them living and dying throughout human history over and over - and each time it gets just a little bit worse.
The spins on Arthurian mythology were also delightful, and it was very clever in how the many different iterations of the King Arthur legends have cropped up - and also in our current relationship with Arthurian mythology & the concept of nationalism as a whole.
One particular character standout for me was Lancelot - he, out of all the characters - old and new - felt like the most complicated and deftly handled, and I enjoyed the trajectory of his & Kay's relationship the most. Merlin was also a standout, and I loved how his character was a microcosm of the larger thematics around centralised power & authority as a whole.
Overall, this is a huge standout right at the end of this year, and I highly recommend to anyone interested in Arthurian mythology or legends.
"He represents something else, something ancient that she doesn't fully understand, something in the earth and the trees that can be woken up and put to good use. Used like a weapon against the dying of the world."
"Why is she waiting for Kay or Merlin or any other old tosser to wave their magic wand and fix everything? Roz was right about heroes. About relying on other people. It would be nice if she could just sit back and let a talking deer tell her what to do. It would be so much easier than figuring it out for herself. But that isn't going to happen.
It's just like slaying the dragon. If she wants to save the world, she'll have to do it herself."
Perilous Times is an amazing debut - the premise is simply yet brilliant - of what if the Knights of the Round Table (from Arthurian mythology) were resurrected every time Britain was in peril....and this time it's because of the climate crisis?
Although there were some funny parts and great banter, this actually felt like quite an intense and reflective read for me. The writing style serves the story very well - the shorter fragmented sentences really lent a heavy, fraying undertone to the characters' and the despair, especially of the Knights as we experience them living and dying throughout human history over and over - and each time it gets just a little bit worse.
The spins on Arthurian mythology were also delightful, and it was very clever in how the many different iterations of the King Arthur legends have cropped up - and also in our current relationship with Arthurian mythology & the concept of nationalism as a whole.
One particular character standout for me was Lancelot - he, out of all the characters - old and new - felt like the most complicated and deftly handled, and I enjoyed the trajectory of his & Kay's relationship the most. Merlin was also a standout, and I loved how his character was a microcosm of the larger thematics around centralised power & authority as a whole.
Overall, this is a huge standout right at the end of this year, and I highly recommend to anyone interested in Arthurian mythology or legends.
January 20, 2023
Not usually a fan of fantasy books but I was invited to read this one and found it fun, and very different. Part dystopian novel, part Arthurian legend, this book defies genres and proved a quick and interesting read. This book is set in England, at a time when global warming is ruining the world. Sir Kay, who is one of the knights of the round table, rises from the dead at times when England needs him most. Along with Lancelot and a fierce woman warrior named Mariam, these knights are trying to save the world.
The book is dystopian but also whimsical and funny and I enjoyed reading the parts where the knights talked about the "old days" and struggled with new ways of being and current attitudes. . If you are a fan of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, you will enjoy hearing from not only Lancelot but Merlin and even King Arthur himself. I don't want to give away the surprises in this book, you should read it yourself! There is a little of everything, even a dragon. It deals with not only climate change but politics, gender and racial equality, LGBTA issues and the way hatred and poor communication are ruining the earth. . Recommend for fantasy lovers who appreciate a new perspective on old myths and legends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is dystopian but also whimsical and funny and I enjoyed reading the parts where the knights talked about the "old days" and struggled with new ways of being and current attitudes. . If you are a fan of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, you will enjoy hearing from not only Lancelot but Merlin and even King Arthur himself. I don't want to give away the surprises in this book, you should read it yourself! There is a little of everything, even a dragon. It deals with not only climate change but politics, gender and racial equality, LGBTA issues and the way hatred and poor communication are ruining the earth. . Recommend for fantasy lovers who appreciate a new perspective on old myths and legends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2023
This is a feminist, subversive, yet very fun romp of a climate change fight with magic, Arthurian knights, dragons, and a redeemed racist talking squirrel. I really liked the take on how waiting for a hero helps absolve us of responsibility and agency. Women don’t need to wait for a bloke to save the day! They can grab the magic staff for themselves and create change!
Look, some smaller minded people are going to find this book preachy with its (very accurate) takes on climate change, capitalism, xenophobia, and rich men making things worse. But I loved it. Mariam was a great heroine. And I loved the look at Arthur as actually kind of terrible.
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Look, some smaller minded people are going to find this book preachy with its (very accurate) takes on climate change, capitalism, xenophobia, and rich men making things worse. But I loved it. Mariam was a great heroine. And I loved the look at Arthur as actually kind of terrible.
I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.
April 3, 2023
I loved this book from the very first pages. Bringing the Arthurian characters into this century and enacting a retelling that way was a brilliant move and having these characters completely subvert from our expectations (Kay being black, Lance being gay and Arthur being awful) was even better.
This was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, but it knew when to be serious too and managed to balance these both in an incredibly successful way. I was invested in the stakes of the book and also rooting for the characters, going through their highs and lows with them.
This was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, but it knew when to be serious too and managed to balance these both in an incredibly successful way. I was invested in the stakes of the book and also rooting for the characters, going through their highs and lows with them.
Want to read
December 1, 2022This sounds so interesting, I had to accept the offer to review it. A knight of the Round Table, dealing with... modern day? Alright.
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 30, 2023This unusual look at Arthuriana begins with Kay bursting from underground. We learn that in times of peril, the Knights of the Round Table will come again.
So begins this often humorous, more often very serious, blend of the beloved legends with a near-future setting. Kay is the main protagonist, but every one of the familiar figures gets air time, and an involving backstory.
The pacing began brisk, but gradually, as we get more warnings about the dangers of global warming, the pacing slowed--highlighting the awkwardness of the present tense voice. Present tense has become de rigueur especially in YA, but when there is a lot of backstory and exposition outside of a headlong pace, the forced present can really grate.
But other than that, it's a worthy read. I really appreciated the dry humor, and look forward to seeing what this author does next.
So begins this often humorous, more often very serious, blend of the beloved legends with a near-future setting. Kay is the main protagonist, but every one of the familiar figures gets air time, and an involving backstory.
The pacing began brisk, but gradually, as we get more warnings about the dangers of global warming, the pacing slowed--highlighting the awkwardness of the present tense voice. Present tense has become de rigueur especially in YA, but when there is a lot of backstory and exposition outside of a headlong pace, the forced present can really grate.
But other than that, it's a worthy read. I really appreciated the dry humor, and look forward to seeing what this author does next.
December 19, 2022
I really liked the different take this story has. Dystopia meets King Arthur, but Arthur and his kingdom aren't exactly what you expect. Britain is in peril, global warming is killing the Earth quickly, and they are looking at the end of times. There is no one leadership, and everyone is fighting for control. Oh, and magic is being released into the world in the form of dragons. Some of the knights of the round table have been preserved for this purpose,
but is a hero really what is needed or the people themselves.
This book is LGBT friendly and deals with economic issues. I recommend this book to someone looking for a dystopia/ fantasy mix up.
but is a hero really what is needed or the people themselves.
This book is LGBT friendly and deals with economic issues. I recommend this book to someone looking for a dystopia/ fantasy mix up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
Amusing Arthurian Easter eggs aside, this book tells a wonderful story about redemption and hope in the face of cynicism and factionalism. I loved it. Simple as.
Also, since Chad Schrock made me read “Morte D’Arthur”, I’ve never been able to resist a Lancelot who’s a complete bastard. On this front, the book absolutely delivers.
Also, since Chad Schrock made me read “Morte D’Arthur”, I’ve never been able to resist a Lancelot who’s a complete bastard. On this front, the book absolutely delivers.
May 18, 2023
This was such a fun book. A great combination of updated Arthurian lore, climate fiction, humor (the squirrel! The banter!), and adventure. I loved the premise of Arthurian knights being revived over the centuries to fight "peril" (perfect title, btw), and the little hints we get about how the knights have been exposed to culture at irregular intervals. I thought the characterization was well done (I swear, I was close to tears when Kay mentions his long-dead wife's honey cakes near the end) and I cared about what would happen, about who would ultimately take up the mantle of responsibility. Having visited Glastonbury, I also loved how the Glastonbury Tor is part of the ending. Overall, definitely a book I'll be recommending to others, and I'm looking forward to reading more by the author!
April 28, 2024
DNF @ 28%
I tried, but this book just wasn't for me.
I tried, but this book just wasn't for me.
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