Sword at Sunset

by Rosemary Sutcliff

Reviewed by Annis

Sword at Sunset is a vision of the legendary King Arthur as the man he might really have been. Rosemary Sutcliff has created a compelling and memorable figure in Artos, a Romano-Celtic warrior prince who spends his life fighting to stem the tide of Saxon tribesmen who flood into Britain following the departure of the Roman army in the fifth century AD.

It’s an elegiac tale, bittersweet and poignant. The bright purpose and fierce joys of comradeship and victory which fill Artos' early years on campaign with his cavalry warband are eroded away over time by betrayal, weariness of spirit and a sense of inevitable defeat. However Artos can’t let go of his dream of a Britain united against the invaders. Taking a chance, he and his remaining Companions stake everything on one last, climactic battle.

Sutcliff draws inspiration from motifs central to Celtic mythology and, writing with an artist’s eye for color and detail, lovingly illuminates the landscape of Britain, the country which is the very heart of all Artos’ endeavours. 1963, reprinted 2008 with a foreword by Jack Whyte, 495 pages.

More about Sword at Sunset from Powell's Books or Amazon.com

Rosemary Sutcliff article

Related novels by Rosemary Sutcliff:

The "Eagle of the Ninth" trilogy for young readers (appreciated by many adults) spans the centuries of Roman rule in Britain leading to the events in Sword at Sunset:

#1: The Eagle of the Ninth. More info
#2: The Silver Branch. More info
#3: The Lantern Bearers. More info

Some personal favorites among other Arthurian novels that stress historical realism:

Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord trilogy:

#1: The Winter King. More info
#2: Enemy of God. More info
#3: Excalibur. More info

Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles, beginning with The Skystone. There are nine in the series; to see the complete list, go to the Ancient History page.

Nonfiction about the evidence for the existence of Arthur or someone like him:

Arthur's Britain by Leslie Alcock. More info

The Quest For Arthur's Britain by Geoffrey Ashe. More info

King Arthur: Dark Age Warrior and Mythic Hero by John Matthews.
More info

Online resources:

Raymond H. Thompson’s interview with Rosemary Sutcliff about her experience of writing Sword at Sunset: "It was almost like having the story fed through to me, at times."

The King Arthur page on the Brittania History website

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