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A review by morethanmylupus
Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
This book has such a unique premise and it absolutely delivered on it.
Back in the time of King Arthur, Merlin enchanted the Knights of the Round Table such that they would sleep, waiting beneath their designated tree, until times when the country was in peril. When the country was in peril they'd rise and help in its defense until the peril has passed, at which point they return to sleep beneath their trees to wait until the next time the need arises.
This time, Kay is awakened because global warming and international politics have left large sections of Great Britain underwater, the army has been outsourced to American mercenaries, a large percentage of the population is living in refugee camps, and Essex has essentially been sold to China. In the past, Kay has always recognized the world he woke up in, but now he's at a loss. It looks wrong, it smells wrong, and nothing about the present day realities seem to make sense.
This book does a wonderful job of balancing the weight of a terrifying, dystopian future with humor around humankind and how we behave. The banter was on point throughout. I loved how the story reimagines a lot of the widely known mythology around King Arthur and the familiar characters of Merlin, the knights, and more. This was such a great book and it was easy and quick to read - don't be intimidated by the length, it isn't a slow, weighty tome.
How can Kay help Mariam, a young eco-terrorist, save Britain? Will Arthur be reawakened? Is Lancelot helping them or working against them? And why have dragons returned to the land?
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Back in the time of King Arthur, Merlin enchanted the Knights of the Round Table such that they would sleep, waiting beneath their designated tree, until times when the country was in peril. When the country was in peril they'd rise and help in its defense until the peril has passed, at which point they return to sleep beneath their trees to wait until the next time the need arises.
This time, Kay is awakened because global warming and international politics have left large sections of Great Britain underwater, the army has been outsourced to American mercenaries, a large percentage of the population is living in refugee camps, and Essex has essentially been sold to China. In the past, Kay has always recognized the world he woke up in, but now he's at a loss. It looks wrong, it smells wrong, and nothing about the present day realities seem to make sense.
This book does a wonderful job of balancing the weight of a terrifying, dystopian future with humor around humankind and how we behave. The banter was on point throughout. I loved how the story reimagines a lot of the widely known mythology around King Arthur and the familiar characters of Merlin, the knights, and more. This was such a great book and it was easy and quick to read - don't be intimidated by the length, it isn't a slow, weighty tome.
How can Kay help Mariam, a young eco-terrorist, save Britain? Will Arthur be reawakened? Is Lancelot helping them or working against them? And why have dragons returned to the land?
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism