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Liked It “I didn't think I would like this because I knew it didn't cast Mordred in the usual evil light, but instead I loved it. It made the whole history as interpreted by Mary Stewart, totally believable. And though the ending was still tragic, there was something fulfilling about how the relationship...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I didn't think I would like this because I knew it didn't cast Mordred in the usual evil light, but instead I loved it. It made the whole history as interpreted by Mary Stewart, totally believable. And though the ending was still tragic, there was something fulfilling about how the relationship between Arthur and Mordred played out.”
Calensariel wrote this review 8 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“loved this book nut didnt want it to end ”
carrie m wrote this review Monday, November 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I have had this book for quite a long time and started reading it because I had no other to read...... Surprisingly, I have been totally immersed in it. Despite having to work to keep the Orkney brothers names sorted out, I have enjoyed it a great deal. ”
Susie wrote this review Tuesday, November 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“The author of the Merlin trilogy has continued the story from the back story of Mordred all the way through to the wicked day when King Arthur dies. The characters were very well drawn with reasonable plot lines; all in all, a very enjoyable read.”
Rose A wrote this review Friday, July 3 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Set in Britain in the latter part of King Arthur’s reign, approximately the early sixth century, The Wicked Day tells Mordred’s story. The major characters are familiar figures from the legend: Mordred, Arthur, Guinevere, Bedwyr, Arthur’s half-sisters Morgause and Morgan, Morgause’s Orkney sons Gawain, Gaheris, Agravaine and Gareth, and Merlin’s successor Nimue. Some secondary characters, such as Morgause’s lover Gabran, the goldsmith and his slave/spy, and Mordred’s foster parents, are fictional. The story follows on from Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy, but is not part of it.
Wendy B wrote this review Thursday, July 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Mordred is Arthur’s illegitimate son and nephew, the result of Arthur’s brief incestuous liaison with his half-sister Morgause. Merlin the enchanter prophesied that Mordred would be Arthur’s downfall (see the Merlin trilogy for this part of the story), and Morgause has raised Mordred in secret on the remote Orkney islands, waiting for the day when she can use Mordred to destroy her hated half-brother. When Mordred discovers his parentage, he loves and respects Arthur as both father and king. He defies his mother’s schemes and vows to serve Arthur faithfully – but Fate may not be so easily denied.
The story is told in third person mainly from Mordred’s point of view. Mary Stewart notes that she wanted to add some “saving greys” to the traditional portrait of Mordred the black villain, and I would say she has gone further than this and created him as a complex and fascinating character. Mordred is intelligent, ambitious, resourceful, quick-thinking and honourable. He is eager for power, cool in a crisis, self-contained, analytical and rather cold-blooded, a sharp contrast to his volatile and violent Orkney half-brothers. Although Mordred is attracted to Queen Guinevere, this seems to be something of an adolescent crush and isn’t reciprocated. It would be hard to imagine this rational and self-controlled Mordred falling head over heels in love with anyone; he is much more interested in running the country. Mordred has qualities that could have made him a worthy successor to Arthur, and his death at the ill-fated battle of Camlann is no less a tragedy than Arthur’s.
Mordred is the central character, and because he is not overly concerned with putting himself inside the skin of others, he dominates the book. The other characters are secondary, though they are still drawn as distinct individuals. Apart from the villainous Morgause, most of the characters are a mix of good and bad qualities. As with the Merlin trilogy, the novel is beautifully written, and the poetic descriptions of landscape and wildlife are especially vivid.
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“ The book begins with Mordred, who thinks he is the son of fishers Brude and Surdra, but who is really the son of Arthur, high king of Britain and his half-sister Morgause, queen of Lothian and Orkley. When he rescues Gawaine, the heir to the throne of Lothian and Orkley, Mordred is invited to see Gawaine's mother Morgause. Morgause takes Mordred to live in the palace, but lies to him, telling him that he is her late husband's bastard. Years later Morgause, Mordred, Gawaine and Morgause's other sons, Gatheris, Agravaine and Gareth are commanded to come to Camalot.
NAOMI S wrote this review Sunday, March 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Once there, Morgause is sent to a convent and takes in the five boys. Eventually, he tells Mordred that he is his son and so therefore his heir. Mordred also discovers the prophecy that he would be the one to destroy Arthur, but accepts what Nimue tells him, which is that he should just not think about it. Some of the young men at Arthur's court were jealous of the power of Bedwyr, Arthur's best friend and they think that he and queen Guenievere were having an affair. They burst in on Bedwyr and the queen, who were talikng about a letter Arthur sent, and tried to kill Bedwyr. Mordred was there to try and stop them, but was accidentally wounded by Bedwyr while several others were killed.
When Arthur has to leave to fight oversees, he leaves Mordred as regent. When Mordred is told that Arthur was missing, presumed dead after a battle, Mordred takes command of the kingdom. Found, but not able to send any messages to Mordred because the wind was against him, Arthur hears from the jealous Duke of Cornwall that Mordred is a traitor and won't give up his power. Believing him and Gawaine, who says the same, Arthur gets ready to fight Mordred. A peace talk is arranged with the sign for battle being the drawing of a sword, but when a man draws his sword to kill a snake, the battle between Mordred and Arthur accidently breaks out and they kill each other.
I liked this book, but not as much as the other books in the series. This is partially because I liked Merlin's point of view better than Mordred's. It is also because I just don't like the story of how Arthur falls of stupid misunderstandings and mistakes. I recommend this book to anyone who liked the previous books in this series.”
“I have not read this book in many years, but I remember I was just transported ... and it began a love of Arthurian myth for me. Mary Stewart is a consummate storyteller.”
Kate Forsyth wrote this review Monday, October 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“a perfect finale to the arthurian saga! shows a different view of mordred and it is not as sad as the other arthurian legends. i'd highly recommend the series to all who loves arthur!”
estelita wrote this review Monday, August 11 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Good series--first I have ever read of the King Arthur story. Told from point of view of Merlin.”
Jenni wrote this review Monday, February 25 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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