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azrah786's review against another edition
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 StarsÂ
**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
--
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 StarsÂ
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Racism, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Drug use, Violence, Alcohol, Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Gore, Suicide, Death, Police brutality, Xenophobia, and Sexism
ninjamuse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
You know how sometimes you read a blurb and think, "This was written for me, I'm going to love it", and then you start reading and think, "This was totally written for me, I'm going to love it", and then you get to the end and think, "Yes, loved it!"
Perilous Times isn't a perfect book but it is a blast of a debut. It's full of off-kilter Arthuriana, humour that goes from light to dark at the drop of a hat, "sure, why not" moments, and political commentary that's both funny and way too real. The main characters were either intensely lovable or relatable or the sort of folks you love to hate, and sure, I saw some of the twists coming, but not all of them, and the ride, you guys, the ride that is this book…
Please add this to your TBRs if you enjoy any of the following:
- blowing up fracking facilities and accidentally releasing dragons
- protagonists who want so badly to make the world better but everything's so broken, how do you even do that?
- protagonists who've been around long enough everything is an "oh no, not this again"
- antagonists who are certain they're the good guys
- antagonists who know they're the bad guys and don't care
- "Can we trust this weirdo?" "I used to kill Nazis." "Great, you're in."
- man-out-of-time moments
- English folklore turned on its head and occasionally used to stab you
- a funny near-future that takes climate change seriously
- skewering the worst parts of political movements
- the Kingdom of Wales
- grab-bag world-building that shouldn't work but does
- niche historical references
- diverse protagonists who just are
- Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch, and/or T.H. White
Like I said, though, it's not perfect. Specifically, it does the thing where characters don't "get" stuff when they maybe should so that the author can really drive the themes home. But, like, that was really the only failing for me? And it gave me resurrected Arthurian knights and a recurring dragon and wacky magic and Faustian bargains and so many more tropes that are my catnip that I'm still giving this an 8/10. (Or, well, a 7.9 if I'm going to be more honest.)
It's out May 23. Watch for it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Racism, Drug use, and Homophobia
More...