Firelord
October 24, 1986
A review of "Firelord" by Parke Godwin.
Copyright © 1998 Property of Deborah K. Fletcher. All rights reserved.
Firelord was published in 1980 by Bantam Books in an arrangement with Doubleday & Company, Inc..
Firelord is a Arthurian romance, written from Arthur's point of view. It is written in the form of memoirs. All of the thoughts and actions are portrayed as Arthur experienced them.
Throughout the novel, names are important. Where Arthur is concerned, these change frequently: Arthur, Artorius, Artos, Artos-tallfolk, Druith, Dru, Belrix, Arglywydd, Artorius Imperator, and Artos-Rix Cymri. Arthur is his name as a simple Briton. Artos is his name as a Celtic warrior. He is Artorius when he is a Roman Centurion. In his early days with the Prydn, he is Artos-tallfolk. Druith, Dru, and Belrix are his Prydn names, meaning Fool, Oak, and Firelord, respectively. Aerglywydd is his name from the days before the Romans. He is Artorius Imperator when he is King of a still-Roman Britain. He is Artos-Rix Cymri when he becomes Britain.
Similarly, though not so drastically, stages in the lives of other major characters are marked by alterations of the names. Guenevere is also Gwenhwyfar. Launcelot is also Ancellius. Kay is also Caius. The list goes on. The most important name, however, is the one which the Prydn give to Guenevere: Adaltrach. In their tongue, it means second wife, but to the Britons it means adulteress. That name causes the rift which causes the ultimate downfall of Britain into the Dark Ages.
Firelord is more historically accurate than the majority of the Arthurian myths. It does not revolve around knights in armour and genteel ladies, or around tournaments and quests; it revolves around the very real problems of a man trying to cement a collection of feudal kingdoms into a nation, and around the personal, and often less-than-pleasant, aspects of the life of a warrior-king.
The dialogue in Firelord is also very realistic. The Prydn and the northern tribes (Pics, Venicones, Taixali, etc.) speak an early dialect. The phrases tend to be short. A passage of typical Prydn dialect follows:
Did wait till Redhair rode away, then sprinkled over a's nose the powder Morgana made. Then, oh so gentle, did li-i-ft. And carry the great lump of it under the hill of the fires.
Another is:
But a's crying silent tears, and his men stand about with long faces. A day passes and a day after that, Redhair striding back and forth up hill and down, sniffing for tracks to follow. The others ask him to leave: the chief is dead, they must go home. Aye, but it's gently said to Redhair, as a looks like to kill someone. So, did ride off from the hill of the fires, Redhair last and always looking back.
The language of the court is plain, as well. Flowery, fourteenth-century language has no part in the dialogue.
The characters in Firelord are basically well-rounded. Arthur, Gwenevere, Bedivere, Gareth, and Kay are superbly formed, and are sketched with verbal details which are not normally found in a paperback novel.
The characters change as the story changes, each one adapting to the given situations. Each character's basic personality remains constant, however, with only the details changing, as they do in reality.
The setting is well-chosen. It is defined by the seemingly-casual mention of place names, and is further defined by a researched listing of Celtic/Roman sites and their modern equivalents. For example, Ynnis Witrin is now Glastonbury, Somerset; Neth Dun More was on the River Neth between Cornwall and Devon; and Cair Legion is now Chester, Flintshire.
The time for Firelord is the late sixth to early seventh centuries, as is indicated by historical references, such as the Saxon invasions and the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
As a novel of legends, Firelord employs a rich blend of fact and fantasy. Parke Godwin is a master with legends, causing them to become more illustrious, while playing down the typical legends of the bards.
Firelord has received excellent reviews from authors, publishers, and critics. A sampling follows:
With its superb prose and sweeping imagination, FIRELORD brings to life a realer King Arthur than we have ever seen before. - Chicago Sun Times
As in his other books, Godwin's strength is in his vibrant portrayal of human nature in a rich, witty, sensual prose. - Publishers Weekly
A BLOCKBUSTER . . . I'm incredibly impressed. This just might be the most vivid novel I have read for many years. - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Essential for readers of both fantasy and historical fiction. - Library Journal
To this list I would like to add my own glowing approval. This is indeed a superbly written novel.
Parke Godwin, who is called Pete by his friends, was born in New York City. He drifted a great deal while growing up, and was involved in a variety of activities including: the army, government, professional acting, research technology, advertsing lay-out for Sports Afield, short-order cooking, dishwashing, and maître d'hôtel.
In 1952-1954, Godwin appeared in Stag and Male. He later contributed to Popular Embalming and The American Pederast. Following these activities, Godwin submitted to the Donner Pass Cookbook a recipe for filet d'enfant Cretient, which uses basil, ginger, and pressed garlic juice. In 1971, Godwin won the World Fantasy Award for his novella "The Fire When It Comes."
Godwin was an early student of Parker and Lardner, and firmly believes in shutting up when it's been said once. His chief delight is drinking coffee and wasting time. He enjoys watching the beaches at Cape Cod or relaxing on the Staten Island Ferry. He loves dogs and Prokofiev, cooking, jogging, and collecting obscure records. He tolerates children and cats (if tethered) and conservatives (if muzzled). Sources reveal that, following investigation, he was found to be completely uninvolved in the mystery death of Warren G. Harding.
On a more serious note, Firelord is the best-written book I have read in a long time. It is realistic, and it reads smoothly and easily.
Please View and Sign My Guestbook
Back to Debbie Fletcher