Enemy of God (novel)

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Enemy of God
First edition cover
First edition cover
Author Bernard Cornwell
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Series The Warlord Chronicles
Genre(s) Historical, Fantasy novel
Publisher Michael Joseph & St Martins Press
Publication date 5 September 1996 (1st edition)
Media type Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages 416 pp (hardcover edition) & 472 p. (paperback edition)
ISBN ISBN 0-7181-0051-4 (hardcover first edition) & ISBN 0-14-023247-8 (paperback edition)
Preceded by The Winter King
Followed by Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur

Enemy of God is the second book in The Warlord Chronicles series by Bernard Cornwell. The trilogy tells the legend of Arthur seen through the eyes of his follower Derfel Cadarn.

Contents

[edit] Plot introduction


[edit] Plot summary

Chapter One: Enemy of God starts off where The Winter King left off. Arthur tells Derfel that he plans to marry Lancelot to Ceinwyn, and Derfel does not reveal that he is in love with Ceinwyn and wants her for himself. Derfel speaks with Merlin, and Merlin tells him that Arthur wants him to marry Gwenhwyvach, Guinevere's plain sister. Merlin asks Derfel to meet him and Nimue late one night on a hilltop, where Merlin has Derfel drink a hallucinogenic potion. Derfel hallucinates about Ceinwyn and sees a dark road and a ghoul, and he describes his vision to Merlin. Merlin tells him the ghoul was Diwrnach, a vicious Irish king of Lleyn, and he also asks Derfel to accompany him on the quest (which also requires the presence of a virgin) for a magical Cauldron, one of thirteen magical treasures of Britain, but Derfel is committed to taking his men to aid Arthur in his campaign to drive the Saxons out of eastern Britain. Merlin gives Derfel a bone, and tells him that all he has to do is break it and his wish will be granted, namely that Ceinwyn will choose him over Lancelot.

[edit] Characters in "Enemy of God"

  • Ade – Lancelot's Mistress
  • Sagramor – Numidian commander in Arthur's service
  • Morgan – Arthur's oldest sister, Merlin's ex-lover
  • Tristan – Prince of Kernow, King Mark's son


[edit] Release details