Reviews with content warning for Gore - Perilous Times

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Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee

4 reviews

bookforthought's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Whenever Britain is in peril, the Knights of Camelot will return to save it. In a not-so-distant future, forests have almost disappeared, the air is unbreathable, the waters are so polluted even minor deities struggle to survive while entire cities are flooded, contractors and businessmen run the country while Essex had to be sold to China, and a dragon is seen again for the first time in centuries... these are quite clearly perilous times indeed. But Kay, brother of King Arthur himself, is tired and can hardly keep up with all the changes and the wars he has already lived through. Besides, does the world really need knights anymore? Old legends and heroes are not always what they seem and, in this terrible context, the possibility of Arthur's return might be the worst thing yet to happen.

Perilous Times is an interesting mix of Arthurian queer retelling, contemporary fantasy and dystopia. The Britain it is set in appears to be very close to the end of times and was, frankly, quite terrifying. The climate crisis is a central element in this book and the depiction of one of the possible futures awaiting us is handled incredibly well, with vivid descriptions making it feel very real and imminent. This Britain is dark, desolate and poisoned, marred by an excess of individualism and frantic search for profit, with very few elements of humanity and compassion left in sight. It would be easy to despair and depict a bleak future, but the element of resistance is strong in this book, with pockets of hope and characters who just don't give up trying, even when there seems no point in it anymore.

Kay was an interesting main character, and he was quite easy to sympathise with most of the time. He has flaws and plenty of regrets and actively questions his place in the world and his role in history. When he meets Mariam, a young climate activist with a flair for action (and at times destruction), and her friends from FETA (the Feminist Environmentalist Transgressive Alliance, not the cheese), he figures he may just have found his place. That is, until Lancelot returns with plans to stop him. Several other characters from Arthurian legends make an appearance and most of them are not what we have been led to believe. The author's deep knowledge of the mythos and his interest in different interpretations of it shines through in the incredible detail involved. I have a fairly superficial knowledge of the legends, but still could very easily follow without ever feeling like I was being lectured.

Although it may seem that way from the publisher's blurb, this book is not all heavy action, sword fights between old knights and slaying dragons. Sure, there is a fair bit of that (and it is highly entertaining!), but there is also quite a lot of politics and people reflecting on the state of the world and a possible way forward when all hope for the future seems lost. There is also a pretty heavy-handed critique of neo-liberal capitalism and exploitative practices of accumulation and profit, as well as a wry portrait of the fragmentation and inaction of activism and the left. I personally really enjoyed these elements and appreciated the satire, which spared no one (including the "good guys") but it may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you're picking this up expecting something completely different.

The whole "hero" narrative is also thoroughly explored, and the very human tendency of absolving ourselves from all responsibilities by finding someone to fix all our problems for us is critiqued throughout. Although it is pretty clear that we're supposed to be rooting for certain characters (hint: not the world-destroying ones), no side is exempt from witty criticism for their actions, inactions and dubious choices, not thinking through the consequences.

Despite having appreciated the more political/satirical elements, as I said, this was also where at times I got a bit frustrated with this book. The message is pretty clear from the beginning, yet it is still not-so-subtly repeated multiple times throughout, making it feel a bit as if we were repeatedly bashed over the head with it to ensure the point comes across. This slowed down the narrative several times and felt very repetitive. The book is also very Britain-centric, not just in setting, but also in references and humour, so I'm sure I missed something there but, despite making me smile in a few places, I never had any laugh-out-loud moments. I also had a few issues with the characterisation of Mariam's friends: I loved seeing a tight-knit, diverse group of friends, but I would have liked for them to have a more central role and to be more fleshed out. As it was, the friends were largely interchangeable, and by the end of the book I still could not remember who was who.

Overall, this was a pleasant read that allowed plenty of space for reflection and more than a few interesting quotes, providing hope in dark times. An urgent reminder of the importance of taking responsibility and the power of community to effect change.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley as part of the blog tour organised by Compulsive Readers. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Content Warnings

azrah786's review against another edition

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4.25

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I received a proof copy from Orbit Books UK in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, gun violence, blood, gore, injury, body horror, war, death, animal death, suicide/suicide attempt, murder, addiction, drug use, alcohol, police brutality, xenophobia, racism, sexism
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An absolutely bonkers book but in the best kind of way, Perilous Times is the retelling that you need to get your hands on this year!

Taking place in a bleak future Britain where climate change and corporate corruption have wreaked havoc on the nation, Arthurian Knights – who once upon a time signed off their lives to be resurrected whenever the world is in peril – crawl out of the earth to aid in saving the day. However, the tribulations of modern times are not as clear cut as they expected.

With a fast moving plot that is equally fun and thought provoking we meet a vast array of characters, including many from legend, with the lead protagonists being Sir Kay, Lancelot and a young women called Mariam who is part of a feminist environmentalist (sort of terrorist) group. They are each brilliantly voiced and their interactions with one another are gold.

Through their individual and intersecting journeys, which are action packed with both fantastical sword clashing and freedom fighting, Lee presents a satirical take on the state of the world as we know it and it is wonderfully refreshing. The book is an ode to the cultures and sentiments that make up Britain in all of their shades with the heart of the story touching on what it means to be a hero and what it means to stand for the greater good.

The comparisons to Good Omens are pretty spot on. Lee has taken the best elements from Pratchett’s and Gaiman’s works and has masterfully mixed in classical myths and folklore, British history and contemporary socio-political issues to spin a story that is wonderfully entertaining and unique. The peak British humour which is also woven seamlessly into the novel is honestly the icing on the cake, trust me you will be laughing out loud with this one.

I feel like there were some moments that felt a little repetitive especially when it came to some of the dialogue but then again a debut novel is not without its hiccups. Also I went in knowing that there was a Muslim character in the book and as a Muslim reader I have to say that the representation was found wanting as it was pretty surface level. These points however didn't detract my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

If you’re a fan of stories that make you think on current affairs or more so where immortal/fantastical beings are thrown into the chaos of the modern world then read this!!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars

Content Warnings

luckylulureads's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

alatarmaia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was recommended the ARC of this book by a coworker, and it has surpassed all my expectations. It's a very rare treat to read medieval-inspired fiction, and Arthurian no less, by someone who understands that plate armor was not invented for another thousand or so years after Arthur would have died.

I could talk about the diversity of this book, but I think it's more interesting to say that watching Kay and Lancelot's characters evolve on the page and in my understanding of the pasts they'd lived through was so fascinating. I could talk about how much I liked the slow and clever build of who was important and who might be hiding something big. Every character on the page is exactly who they are from the outset—it's up to us, the reader, to go from page to page and see how their little actions in the beginning set up their big, important decisions at the climax.

There's almost no characters who are flat or ignored here; everyone clearly has something going on in their life, something very important to them (whether that's their beliefs or who they are as a person more unconsciously). Just because it's not relevant enough to be laid out for the plot doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Pulling off that kind of writerly trick is impressive even without the rest of the book to complement it. Side characters who don't get much time still have these sweet moments that tell so much about who they are as people and how they understand the complicated world around them.

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