Content levels
Trigger warnings
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
The bestselling action adventure series from Peter Gibbons! Must-read for fans of Bernard Cornwell 🗡️💫 Dark Age Britain. A legendary hero rises to unite a divided and threatened land... A country left in ruins after the fall of the Roman Empire is plundered and broken. Saxon hordes have invaded and conquered the East coast of Britain in a blood-soaked Great War which tore the old kingdoms apart. From Bernicia to Kent, land and kingdoms are now under Saxon rule. But these new conquerors want more... Britain's remaining kingdoms are jaded by the constant threat of war, their Kings old, alliances fickle and frayed. It seems Britain must fall enslaved to the brutal and marauding conquerors from across the sea. But no one counted on a new and fearsome warlord. A warrior granted power by the druid Merlin through the mighty sword Excalibur. A man with no Kingdom but a quest to unite the country and fight back against the baying Saxon warriors? He is known as the legendary Arthur. The sword has the power of Britain in its steel, men will follow and fight for whoever wields it... The compelling, fast-paced start of a series from bestselling writer Peter Gibbons. Praise for the series: 'Bristling with intense action, Excalibur is a grounded and brutal retelling of Arthurian myth set in the grim landscape of Dark Age Britain.' - Richard Cullen 'A power house of a novel told with the pace of a charging war horse. Well rounded characters brought to vivid life in Britain's Dark Age. Not a book to be missed.' - Adam Lofthouse ''The way the story of Arthur should be told! Real, gritty and packed with action!'' - Donovan Cook 'Riveting, page-turning action that shows Arthur growing from a frightened youngster into a confident warlord. Excalibur is a fresh new take on an old legend that readers will find hard to put down.' - Steven A McKay 'Epic, brutal action' - Matthew Harffy 'A gripping tale in which our distant British history is brought to life. A must-read for any Arthurian fan.' - Reader Review 'First class. I could not put this book down. Absolutely riveting. Action packed throughout. I eagerly await the next book in the series.' - Reader Review 'This was full of battles, violence, politics and is a fresh new take on Arthurian legend. It’s the first in a series that’s left me hungering for more' - Reader Review 'A superbly atmospheric tale of redemption that pitches the English against Viking raiders and resounds with the fierceness of battle-hardened warriors' - MJ Porter 'Thunderously atmospheric! Gibbons once again proves himself a master of Viking & Dark Age lore.' - Gordon Doherty
Excalibur: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
Intense battlefield violence with graphic descriptions of combat, blood, and death dominates this gritty historical retelling of King Arthur. No sexual content, but the brutal realism and constant war themes make this strictly adult fare.
What to know going in
This book has graphic violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include graphic violence, death, and mass death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teen readers fascinated by gritty medieval warfare and a grounded take on King Arthur's legend will find intense battle sequences and a coming-of-age warrior story.