Mosi Mynn Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Is there already a thread for this? Off the success of The Last Kingdom, we're getting The Winter King - an adaptation of the first book in Bernard Cornwell's (King) Arthur trilogy. Trailer here It looks really grim, but it's less than two minutes, so hopefully this is not the only tone of the series. Arthur himself was good natured and amiable in the books. This is my favourite Bernard Cornwell story/series. He wove the Arthurian legends dexterously and cleverly with historical realism. The series could be amazing - but they have to get the characters right. Cornwell's versions of Guinevere, Nimue, Lancelot, Merlin, Culhwch, Aelle, and especially Arthur are complex and compelling. I never thought of Iain De Caestecker as Arthur (only knowing him from Agents of SHIELD), but, if he smiles more than he does in the trailer, he could be Arthur. Anyone else looking forward to this - apprehensively or otherwise? Rhom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Which Tyler Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 (edited) Very apprehensively. It's not looking as bad as The Watch, but there's a definite risk of being Wheel of Time bad. Hopefully, it's just a terrible trailer. Edited July 17, 2023 by Which Tyler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 I'm not generally overly interested in tv/film versions of books I like but the Warlord Chronicles were Cornwell's best books so it'd be nice if this was good. It doesn't look great though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 love the books, the trailer looks like dogshit of the highest order Ser Rodrigo Belmonte II 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 The books are great and a faithful adaptation would be amazing. But this looks very generic. Since you don't need to shell out licensing money to do a generic King Arthur story, why did they spend the money if they weren't going to adapt the books? Bizarre. I'm hoping it's a shit trailer and the actual series is closer to the books (with Derfel as the main character etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 (edited) Love, love, love this series. Great news, much appreciated. Edit: trailer’s not inspiring, but that’s not reliable. Edited July 17, 2023 by James Arryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 40 minutes ago, Werthead said: The books are great and a faithful adaptation would be amazing. But this looks very generic. Since you don't need to shell out licensing money to do a generic King Arthur story, why did they spend the money if they weren't going to adapt the books? Bizarre. I'm hoping it's a shit trailer and the actual series is closer to the books (with Derfel as the main character etc). Myself, I’m eagerly awaiting the angst about ‘woke’ Sagramore. Bernard Cornwell, recast as leftist activist. It’ll be grand. Larry of the Lawn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IFR Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 I love the books. I hate everything about that trailer. Seriously, why is it so hard to get writers to write an adaptation of the work itself, instead of aimlessly wandering into the shrubbery of "updating for a modern audience"? It always ends badly. Tears of Lys 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 (edited) Black Merlin. Waaaaaaaah! You know it's coming. It might already be here. And yeah, the trailer makes it look like a big old bag o' shite. Edited July 17, 2023 by Spockydog Ser Rodrigo Belmonte II 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IFR Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 23 minutes ago, Spockydog said: Black Merlin. Waaaaaaaah! You know it's coming. It might already be here. And yeah, the trailer makes it look like a big old bag o' shite. I find that bad writing often starts with the small changes, which cascade into large changes. The small changes generally don't make sense, but you support them because they are motivated by noble real world advocacy. But then the large changes rear their head, and suddenly the story is fully nonsensical. Examples already mentioned: The Witcher and The Wheel of Time. I expect The Winter King to join this growing crowd. JGP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Rodrigo Belmonte II Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) I don’t get how people get pissed off by films like Gods of Egypt and Exodus for white washing and yet clamour for the black washing of shit like this. I mean it’s still racism if it’s the other way round as well, unless you’re specifically trying to make an alt history show like Bridgeton or a stylised musical like Hamilton. Edited July 18, 2023 by Ser Rodrigo Belmonte II Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 21 minutes ago, Ser Rodrigo Belmonte II said: I don’t get how people get pissed off by films like Gods of Egypt and Exodus for white washing and yet clamour for the black washing of shit like this. I mean it’s still racism if it’s the other way round as well, unless you’re specifically trying to make an alt history show like Bridgeton or a stylised musical like Hamilton. The novel has black characters. Written like 30 years ago. By a (very nice) man (I have corresponded with) whose politics are…not super-left, let’s say. His yacht is called The Royalist if that gives you any indications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Usually I'm a sucker for anything in the Arthurian Cycle, but for some reason it never clicked that these books were about that. Just got the ebook for The Winter King based off the recs herein. Rhom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, JGP said: Usually I'm a sucker for anything in the Arthurian Cycle, but for some reason it never clicked that these books were about that. Just got the ebook for The Winter King based off the recs herein. Oh, enjoy. Jealous of the first time read. So weird, I would swear this thread was the first I’d heard about this…I even clicked on it thinking ‘nah, this will be something else’ because for some reason this series is a bit of a secret. Maybe it’s the ~ supernatural element unique to these (for him) though it’s extremely sparse for an Arthurian work?…wow, long tangent between eclipses that I already overuse, anyways, was going to say that the weird thing is in the past couple days I had seriously toyed with a TWK reread for my next non-mystery fiction read, but decided against because I’d just reread AGOT a few books ago. I guess maybe “ so weird” was overselling it, but a topical coincidence at least. Edited July 18, 2023 by James Arryn JGP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Ah, so that's what you meant by this: 5 hours ago, James Arryn said: Myself, I’m eagerly awaiting the angst about ‘woke’ Sagramore. Bernard Cornwell, recast as leftist activist. It’ll be grand. James Arryn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGP Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 4 hours ago, IFR said: I find that bad writing often starts with the small changes, which cascade into large changes. The small changes generally don't make sense, but you support them because they are motivated by noble real world advocacy. But then the large changes rear their head, and suddenly the story is fully nonsensical. Examples already mentioned: The Witcher and The Wheel of Time. I expect The Winter King to join this growing crowd. It'd be a risk, but if they say, made the first teaser a bit shit deliberately, test those dynamics. Slap with the actual trailer, people usually tend to talk more. My reading has been listless for almost two years. I don't know if it was covid, or whatever, this fucking absolutely lunatic world we live in, but only some books get through. Hope this helps lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relic Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 4 hours ago, JGP said: Usually I'm a sucker for anything in the Arthurian Cycle, but for some reason it never clicked that these books were about that. Just got the ebook for The Winter King based off the recs herein. Bro, what? Had I known this you would have read it 20 years ago JGP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvinus85 Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 4 hours ago, James Arryn said: The novel has black characters. Written like 30 years ago. By a (very nice) man (I have corresponded with) whose politics are…not super-left, let’s say. His yacht is called The Royalist if that gives you any indications. True and in a sensible way. But it's highly unlikely that a black man would have been a Celtic druid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosi Mynn Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 8 hours ago, Spockydog said: Black Merlin. Waaaaaaaah! Young Merlin. He should be Gandalfesque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derfel Cadarn Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Big fan of the books, started book 1 while in Glasgow airport waitong for first leg of flight to Chile; by time I landed in Chile, I was onto book 2. Not too fussed by trailer, I’d expect them to focus on Arthur as non-book rewders wont know pr care who Derfel is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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