Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
Published: May 23, 2023
Ballantine Books
Pages: 485
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
THOMAS D. LEE is an author of fantastical and historical fiction. In 2019, he completed an MA in creative writing at the University of Manchester’s Center for New Writing. He has now embarked upon a Ph.D. at the same institution, specializing in queer interpretations of the Arthurian mythos. He frequently considers emulating Merlin and becoming a hermit in the woods who speaks only in riddles.
Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully tiring over the years—or at least that’s what Sir Kay’s thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth yet again.
Kay once rode alongside his brother, King Arthur, as a Knight of the Round Table. Since then, he has fought at Hastings and at Waterloo and in both World Wars. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, the army’s been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to foreign powers. The dragon that’s running amok—that he can handle. The rest? He’s not so sure.
Mariam’s spent her life fighting what’s wrong with her country. But she’s just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, she dares to hope that the world has finally found the savior it needs.
Yet as the two travel through this bizarre and dangerous land, they discover that a magical plot of apocalyptic proportions is underway. And Kay’s too busy hunting dragons—and exchanging blows with his old enemy Lancelot—to figure out what to do about it.
In perilous times like these, the realm doesn’t just need a knight. It needs a true leader.
Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach.
But who will be fit to wield it?
“Don’t listen to them.”
Kay is awoken again and sets out on a quest. He is ready and willing, though he would rather stay asleep. But adventure awaits, and a knight fulfills his duty.
This was a creative and interesting take on this mythology. I enjoyed the modern spin and the way things were developed. The whole concept was well done.
The writing was good, and there was a nice mix of new and old English. I enjoyed the character development. There were many characters to follow, but they were all well done.
I appreciated the humor mixed throughout; it helped break up the seriousness of the plot. The general theme was well represented, and the point was made.
This was a fantastical read for anyone who enjoys medieval lore and dystopian fiction!