Excalibur - Bernard Cornwell

Read for: Arthurian Challenge; A Tournament of Reading

The final chapter of Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles, and what an ending! Continuing the themes of love, loyalty and betrayal, Excalibur begins with the aftermath of Lancelot's rebellion and the devastating effect on Arthur and Guinevere's marriage.

Without giving too much away, this chapter of the famous legend sees Arthur's greatest victory while many of his promises come back to haunt him. Whilst the tale is narrated by Derfel, we know what fate awaits him, yet how he comes to that point is revealed. Much is left unsaid, as of most great stories, but the true joys of this series are the characters. Cornwell is not afraid to reveal everything about them, including their darker sides, which makes for gripping reading.

This series has rapidly made its way to being one of my favourites. The characters, plot and description of everyday life make this fabulous reading. I can not recommend it enough, and am already pondering which Cornwell novels to read next!

The Warlord Chronicles:
1. The Winter King
2. Enemy of God
3. Excalibur

Enemy of God - Bernard Cornwell

Read for: Arthurian Challenge; A Tournament of Reading

The second book in Cornwell's renowned Warlord Chronicles is possibly even better than the first! Starting off where The Winter King left off, Enemy of God begins with the aftermath of Arthur's victory. The book also focuses on Derfel's romance with the Princess Ceinwyn, and on the burgeoning relationship between Lancelot and Guinevere.

With some truly heartbreaking scenes, and some dark and disturbing descriptions of battle, Enemy of God is an exciting and engrossing read. Although heavily weighted towards politics and warfare, magic still has its place in this series. The powerful Merlin and his damaged and angry priestess Nimue search for the ancient Treasures of Britain which, when united, will bring forth the old gods of Briton, to overthrow the Saxon incursion and the ever-growing number of Christians.

Fact, fiction and legend mingle together so beautifully in this series from the incredibly talented Cornwell, bringing a large array of characters brilliantly to life.

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

Another fabulous audiobook! This time read by the author himself, which made it all the more enjoyable. I picked this audiobook up while I was making the journey to work on my own for a few weeks and was a little bored of my ipod collection. Sadly this is an abridged audiobook, but that just means I have the excuse to read the paper copy too!

A Short History of Nearly Everything is a slight exaggeration of course, but a very entertaining and insightful read. From the beginnings of life, to modern man, through all the quirks of scientists and explorers, this is more a book of scientific discoveries than a book of science itself. But that takes nothing away from the book, and Bryson embues his writing with such enthusiasm and barely contained wonder, which is so contagious for the listener. I defy anyone to read/listen to this book and not feel the need to learn and research more into the topics they found particularly fascinating. I even learned little tidbits about things that I believed myself to be thoroughly well versed in!

Don't expect to come away from this book expecting to learn and remember everything. It is not a comprehensive history, but a taster to whet the appetite, which hopefully you will pursue and indulge in. Excellent writing and very well read by the author!

Red Spikes - Margo Lanagan

Red Spikes is a collection of short stories from Australian fantasy author Margo Lanagan. Dark and unyielding, these are bizarre, other-worldly tales, brought forth from the depths of a truly astounding imagination.

Nothing I write here could possibly do this collection justice. These stories are unusual, not likeable exactly, but they are so believable, Lanagan's writing is effortless, convincing us of their truth. With beauty, wonder and true horror, each tale has elements of familiar fairy-tales...tales of warrior queens, guardian angels, gods, witches and heroes...but reworked and reimagined.

Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy and fans of Lanagan's fiction.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K.Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last in JK Rowling's fabulous Harry Potter series. Whether or not you enjoy the series, I defy anyone to not fall for Stephen Fry's narration!

Portraying each of the characters in these unabridged audiobooks, Fry embues his own vitality, his own personality, while maintaining the characters that the world has come to know and love. My particular favourite is Fry's take on Hermione Granger, and his whimsical rendition of the strange but likeable Luna.

Still convinced that this was the (almost) perfect ending to a truly excellent series (I'm still somewhat heartbroken over one character in particular), this audiobook has given me a new appreciation to Rowling's storytelling, and enhanced my admiration of the indomitable Stephen Fry. Not to mention making the constant DIY in my new house almost bearable!

Thank you Jo Rowling and thank you Stephen Fry!