The Wicked Day

Still more long-winded then I'd like, but less so then the previous one. The writing is still great and the author's reinterpretation of Mordred and his relationship with Arthur was welcoming. I did not like the ending very much because it felt forced an rushed, but the author at least gave a good explanation her decisions in the end notes.

With that exception, the story is filled with logical reasoning. Arthur's reunion with his son is the perfect example of this. His reaction to the prophecy that Mordred was to be his bane was a stoic one. Either magic doesn't exist or if it exists and came from the gods then there is nothing we can do about it. Mordred's response was likewise. Why should he hate his father for not being there for him if he did not even knew where he was? And why should he have any ill intentions towards the greatest hero and king Britain has ever seen?

Ruling is hard, and Mordred would rather do it with Arthur on his side. And Arthur was very happy to have someone he could count on, and an heir should the need arise. Mordred soon came to see his curse as a fate. If he indeed was to be Arthur's end, maybe it was for the best. By ‘ending' with his reign he would secure Arthur's place in history as a legend.

The ending was very unsatisfying. After it had become clear throughout the book that that there was no way Mordred would betray his father, how could they possible become enemies? Well, by a series of unfortunate accidents, plus some dreams of ambition and suspicion on both sides. Arthur had declared Mordred as his successor in the case of his demise, and even insisted on him making new deals with all the other kings, including the Saxons, in that event. When he is presumed dead after a battle, Mordred starts to act on those plans. News of Arthur's being alive somewhat did not reach Mordred, and so, he kept acting as a King. Arthur's next in line for the throne did not like that, and started to spread rumors that Mordred was an usurper. Arthur knew he could not trust that man, for an obvious conflict of interest. Still, it made him wonder.After setting sail back home, a storm forced his ship to land on Saxon territory. They had a truce with them, but the king's ship was not hoisting any flag. The Saxons were first scared of an invasion now that Arthur was dead and couldn't uphold previous agreements. But after knowing that it was the king that landed there, they became even more aggressive, fearing Arthur's reputation of never having lost a battle.News came to Mordred and the other Saxons about the kings actions, and through a series of more misunderstandings, they ended up killing each other

I fully expect this story to be further explained in the next book, but nonetheless it hardly will make up for such an abrupt brake from the up until know nearly flawless logic the author had presented.