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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.
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
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Animal death, Gun violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: Misogyny, Homophobia, War, Xenophobia, and Racism
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
--
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
**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 Stars
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
kindra_demi's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
If there is one thing to be aware of with this book: be aware of the trigger warnings. Especially the suicide/suicide attempts and the alcoholism. They are very heavy and prominent points in the story. Others include: murder, attempted murder, bodily horror, drug addiction.
I was initially interested by the premise of this book: King Arthur inspired story in a near future England. The Knights of the Roundtable made a deal with Merlin in their first life that they may die but they will never pass over in the afterlife. They instead will return to their ancient oak to be resurrected when England is in peril. Now introducing Kay, a knight of the of the round table and King Arthur’s brother. Not much later, we meet Mariam, a member of an all women eco-activist group in England. She and her sisters are working for climate justice in a country dealing with the repercussions of corporate greed, climate change, and government sellout. Kay initially joins with Miriam in this mission. The third POV we eventually get is Lancelot, who offers the opportunity to see more of the workings of the corporate side of the world for the beginning.
While the story is set to follow the 3 individuals as Kay and Lancelot discover what they were raised for (and what the new world means) and Mariam as she and her sisters fight for their initiatives with their own new understanding of the world where men resurrect from the ground, the more interesting aspect in my opinion was actually the backstory of the characters. A big complaint of mine for the story is it felt like the foreshadowing was blatantly thrown into your face like a “hmmm that suspicious but I won’t look at it” *40 pages later* “ah yes that thing that was suspicious was bad”. So I became more interested in why certain dynamics were the way they were.
This book is not an easy read either. It covers a lot of contemporary issues that can weigh you down a lot as you are reading it. (And this is coming from someone who normally reads a lot of books that have contemporary issues/dark topics in it).
Overall, it was a decent book. The pacing felt right and the British humor is a good relief to some of the darkness. The foreshadowing and the overall heaviness is what brings down my rating though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
katiemack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What a ride! Arthurian legend with a queer twist mixed with social commentary about climate change/activism--the combination works surprisingly well. While it drags a little toward the end, I found this to be immensely readable because of the characters (some of whom are hilariously dumb and some of whom are bitingly sarcastic--the types balance each other out nicely) and the Pratchett-esque humor. It's entirely different from what I've been reading lately, and it's refreshingly honest and full of adventure.
What a ride! Arthurian legend with a queer twist mixed with social commentary about climate change/activism--the combination works surprisingly well. While it drags a little toward the end, I found this to be immensely readable because of the characters (some of whom are hilariously dumb and some of whom are bitingly sarcastic--the types balance each other out nicely) and the Pratchett-esque humor. It's entirely different from what I've been reading lately, and it's refreshingly honest and full of adventure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
aliteraryescape's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Xenophobia, and Racism
Minor: Vomit and Death
jodiemitch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I received this book as an arc. I am very fortunate to have read it. Everything about this book is so unique. Imagine the knights and everyone in Camelot comes back to life when Britain is in peril. They usually come back for conventional war, but now they come for the climate. Fighting in unexpected battles. People aren’t who history made them seem to be. This was a fantastic book. Definitely worth the read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Death, Violence, and Murder
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