Bernard Cornwell, followed by high praise in many circles of the internet, has been on my reading list for some time now. I was mainly aware of his Saxon Stories and this, The Warlord Chronicles, his story of Arthur, the King that Never Was. I thoroughly enjoyed the first piece of this trilogy, and I'm glad I finally took the plunge.The Winter King is told from the perspective of Derfel, a warrior turned monk who was a loyal servant to Arthur and (obviously) lived through the events described and now tells the story. It's rather fun reading it from his perspective as he is a self-admitted unreliable narrator, confiding in Igraine (to whom he tells the story) that he is altering small details to make the story more palatable. Usually the reader must decide for themselves if a narrator is reliable or not, so having this spelled out for me clearly was an entertaining bit of story.Part of the reason I was so interested in reading Cornwell's trilogy is because I've always loved and enjoyed the story of Arthur but am relatively under-read on the subject. My experience comes mainly from Disney's Sword in the Stone and T.H. White's The Once and Future King (which I loved, though it's been ages). That being the case I was excited for Cornwell's take on the Arthurian myths, and I appreciated his Author's Note at the back in which he gave more detail to what is really known (very little) and what liberties he took. Overall I was very impressed by Cornwell's writing. His immersive descriptions offer a sense of realism and depth but he never strays too far from overall readability. His characters are complex and realized, with an emotional depth that feels accurate to the sometimes brutal and unjust times in which they live.The period of time in which the story takes place (late fifth century/early sixth century Britain) is a very interesting one. Grand, larger than life figures like Arthur take center stage, but all is overshadowed by the somewhat recent fall of the Roman Empire, a civilization so large and advanced that most in Britain can't even fully fathom it beyond its remnants. Cornwell brings this period to life. After the fall of High King Uther, the Pendragon of Britain, Britons fight not just the Saxons, or the Irish, but their fellow Britons. Amidst the chaos of war, and with a new born babe as king, Arthur seeks to bring peace to the kingdoms. Arthur is here presented not quite as you may imagine him from the legends. Glamorous at times, yes, but flawed. Vain, selfish, and as able to make mistakes as any other man. Be that as it may Arthur is someone men will fight for. He is kind and ambitious, and his dream of a united Britain is paramount, as legend springs up around him like so many daisies.The book was perfect for a fan of the Fantasy genre like myself. As much as the stories of Arthur are purported to be historical fiction, their mythic nature lends them an air that will please speculative fictions enthusiasts. Especially when it comes to the handling of Merlin, Nimue and Druidism in general; the realm of spirit and magic overlaps easily with the mysticism of their religion. And the power of belief, in a Druid or a follower, will always morph ideas into reality. So as much as you have historically accurate Britain, you have swords with names and Druids casting spells and quests for magical items as well. I'm looking forward to book two.