cover image Warrior of the West

Warrior of the West

M.K. Hume. S&S/Atria, $16 trade paper (512p) ISBN 978-1-4767-1520-9

The battle to keep Britain free of Saxon rule is bloody, and the weight on the shoulders of King Artor is immense, in the second installment of Hume’s King Arthur Trilogy (after Dragon’s Child). When Saxons slay the emissaries of Artor, who were suing for peace, Artor has no choice but to fight a brutal war against the men of Thane Glamdring Ironfist. Artor’s ruthless strategies and willingness to sacrifice all that he loves for the Celtic cause are as evident in his marriage to wealthy Wenhaver as in his battles, and even in peacetime, his responsibilities grind against his humanity. Hume has recreated a post-Roman Britain with flair, and the comparisons between Artor and Caesar are well drawn. The secondary characters are carefully crafted, and readers will join Artor in mourning the loss of the older generation of his advisors. A particularly intriguing subplot juxtaposes two beautiful women: the shallow and selfish Wenhaver and the logical, caring, and powerful Nimue. Hume deftly navigates the Arthurian legends, populating them with likable and despicable characters, and casting them in a fully realized historical setting. (Jan.)