The Winter King

The Winter King: A Novel of Arthur is the first novel of the Warlord Chronicles trilogy by Bernard Cornwell, originally published in the UK in 1995 by Penguin Group. The book is based on characters and plot elements from Arthurian myth, but considerably changed and re-worked. The novel is divided into five parts narrated by the protagonist, Derfel Cadarn. A former warrior sworn to Arthur and now an elderly monk, Derfel tells the story of how Arthur became a warlord in Dark Age Britain despite illegitimacy to the throne. After being banished to Armorica by his father, the High King Uther Pendragon, Arthur returns to protect the new king, his infant nephew Mordred. However, on the cusp of a united peaceful Britain, Arthur's decision to marry Guinevere plunges the island into war again. A 10-episode television adaptation, produced by Sony Pictures Television and starring Iain De Caestecker as Arthur Pendragon, premiered on ITVX on 21 December 2023.