This book has such a unique premise and it absolutely delivered on it.

Back in the time of King Arthur, Merlin enchanted the Knights of the Round Table such that they would sleep, waiting beneath their designated tree, until times when the country was in peril. When the country was in peril they'd rise and help in its defense until the peril has passed, at which point they return to sleep beneath their trees to wait until the next time the need arises.

This time, Kay is awakened because global warming and international politics have left large sections of Great Britain underwater, the army has been outsourced to American mercenaries, a large percentage of the population is living in refugee camps, and Essex has essentially been sold to China. In the past, Kay has always recognized the world he woke up in, but now he's at a loss. It looks wrong, it smells wrong, and nothing about the present day realities seem to make sense.

This book does a wonderful job of balancing the weight of a terrifying, dystopian future with humor around humankind and how we behave. The banter was on point throughout. I loved how the story reimagines a lot of the widely known mythology around King Arthur and the familiar characters of Merlin, the knights, and more. This was such a great book and it was easy and quick to read - don't be intimidated by the length, it isn't a slow, weighty tome.

How can Kay help Mariam, a young eco-terrorist, save Britain? Will Arthur be reawakened? Is Lancelot helping them or working against them? And why have dragons returned to the land?

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I love retellings of the Arthurian legend and this one was done differently than any I had read before. This was really funny and such a unique take. The multiple POV’s were all strong and I looked forward to reading each one. I would say Perilous Times could get away with being a bit shorter but overall, this was a great read.

"Hate is the path of least resistance."

Easy to read with characters it's hard not to love. Imagine a powerful magic, given to a select few from of the knights from Arthur's round table (and to Arthur). The knights are to rise and protect Britain whenever it's in peril.

That has been Kel's life for. . .what feels like 1,000 years. He's seen all different ways people can fight and hurt each other. He wakes up every time, under a tree, stumbles on his sword and shield and gets ready to fight where he is needed. He's gotten good at rolling with the punches and learning the new time era he's been thrown in to. His old grudges and angers for the other knights are still there but the protection of Britain always comes first.

But this time, he awakens to a Britain he doesn't recognize. It's baren and smells bad. He's near some kind of tower that is doing something to land, something that seems to be making it bad. In walks Mariam. She's been surviving in this world of rising temperatures and a whole world full of people that don't seem to understand that we need to do something now to turn this all around.

I loved these characters. I loved the re-imagining of Lancelot, Merlin, Arthur and others. I loved the easy banter and funny moments the characters had. It held my attention and kept me driven to flip the pages. I did expect to feel so immersed in the story, especially a story I thought might be silly. I was completely thrown when the story was so well written and lovely to read. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes an adventure of a story but also loves character driven stories with interesting storylines. Unique and fascinating, I loved this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I usually enjoy Arthurian legends so much. However the talk about climate change and political things kind of ruined it for me. I understand it’s a deep subject and it’s real, but I read to escape the real world for a little bit and this wasn’t as enjoyable for me as I had hoped.

This was a pretty solid read! If you love knights, magic, and dragons + a damsel who turns into a hero - you'll like this!

This story also has a necromancy aspect to it, but I won't say more than that! I did really love that component of the book though!

Essentially the story surrounds a group of characters trying to fix things in this post-apocalyptic world. Its very action packed and I tend to like books like that! The world buiding and character devlopment was on point but I do wish the romance had blossomed more! There were hints of it throughout the story but it never flourished like I thought it would so I almost wish it hadn't been included so I would not have been disappointed by the lack of it.

Other than that! I highly recommend this!

They really tried to turn Arthurian legend on its head and it's just kind of there. I don't know if I'm just tired of retellings or what, but this is just ok. It's definitely timely. But, I don't know. I liked it, but I'll probably forget i read it in a few months. A lot of people are going tp love this though and i cant wait for them to love it and for it to flood my fyp on tiktok. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc

Perilous Times is a really neat take on Arthurian legend that tackles some of the reasons why King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable would awaken to protect Great Britain in the modern age. The juxtaposition of the myth of the once and future king and present-day issues made for a highly original and compelling fantasy adventure.

This story highlights issues like climate change, politics, and the continued fight for equal rights (gender, racial, LGBTQIA+), all while maintaining a kind of sardonic wit. Mariam’s characterization was by far my favorite - she’s a fierce and determined warrior just trying to do what’s right for her people and her country. Highly recommend to fantasy lovers everywhere, especially those who enjoy contemporary spins on ancient myths.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love anything with an Arthurian legend bent and this is seriously a new take on a tale that has been around for centuries. It was interesting and plotted well but definitely for a specific sort of audience. Ambitious in scope and incredibly timely.

Arthurian legend mixed with modern climate destruction seems like a weird combination. I was definitely skeptical but also too curious to turn it down.

Don’t get me wrong, it IS weird. But in an enjoyable sort of way. Like it’s fun weird, not unsettling weird. Despite not being my normal sort of story, I was sucked into it.

Kind of reminded me a bit of Christopher Moore. Suspend belief and just enjoy a wild ride.

"Perilous Times" by Thomas D Lee takes your traditional King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and, well, flips that table over and puts a totally new spin on it.
Set in a near future, Sir Kay and Lancelot are brought back to help save the realm (on different sides of that fence), back to a very different realm. Rising ocean levels, pollution, Britain sold off to foreign powers (Brexit Knights?!), fracking, privatized army, displaced, hungry residents...just to name a few things. Oh, and there is a dragon on the attack.
We are introduced to Mariam, who is fighting to change all that is wrong with the country. Mariam meets Kay and hopes he is the savior she needs. Which ultimately leads to a story of self discovery and learning about yourself and when to rise up to the challenge.
I don't want to spoil too much, but this book contains quite a diverse cast, and hits upon so many points that certain sides of the aisle hate, which I loved. Not often that you come across a book of empowered women, environmental activisim, LGBTQ representation and Arthurian Knights in one place. Did I mention Excalibur shows up as well?
Due out in May, definitely worth reading if you like a satirical sly funny look at the current state of things! Thanks @netgalley for the advance copy!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Perilous Times in exchange for a fair and honest review"
A solid 4 stars for Perilous Times. You mix knights, magic, dragons, and deities with a world in need of saving and a "princess" who comes to realize she doesn't need to be saved and all of the ingredients are present for an epic tale.
This action-packed story is deliciously unique. Elements of a distant past collide with a frighteningly foreseeable future. Knights that come back to life whenever their country is in peril; picture earth zombies of the round table with cognitive thinking. Earth destroyed by humans and their greed. Eco-terrorists/feminists determined to fix this new, post-apocalyptic world. So many components that wouldn't seem to mix well together but manage to do so almost effortlessly.
This book has solid world-building as well as character development. As far-fetched as the basis may have seemed, it flowed seamlessly and surprisingly naturally. It was easy to relate to each character and their distinctive perspective and place in the narrative. The world-building allowed the reader to envision this alternate reality/glimpse into an all too possible future.
The primary critique would be to suggest a stronger romantic theme. This story had all of the other components of a great story, an epic minus the romance. It was right there at our fingertips but failed to breach the surface. The other criticism would be that as full of action as this story was, there were more than a few parts that were slow going and hard to get into. Even the action scenes were a tad boring at times.
This book had almost all of the elements of an epic tale. We had our unlikely heroes, characters with superhuman strength and/or valor. A vast setting for it all to take place. Supernatural and unworldly forces. An objective and omniscient author. The only thing missing was the sustained elevation, which to be honest, is just fine. And romance!!! We need more romance! Overall, a great story that is original, thought-provoking, and woke.

The premise - the knights of Arthurian legend coming back to save Britain from climate change run amok - is original and intriguing. The follow through was decent, and I liked the reimagining of heroes and saviors. I did find the pacing off - I kept waiting for something big to happen and then it did, but then it ended. I also found the writing in incomplete sentences distracting. Maybe the combo of so many genres (fantasy, dystopian, real-life humans being horrible) was too much for my taste, but it's a good story and I'm sure many will enjoy the read.

I have been provided with a review copy of Perilous Times from NetGalley for an impartial review. Oh my gosh this story was just epic. I just couldn’t put this story down and I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. The author truly outdid herself with this story. This story just had my emotions all over the place and I am so sad to see this book end. I just can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

This one was a lot of fun to read. I just loved my time reading this one and would recommend it if you are looking for an alternative Arthurian tale. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fun read.

Brilliant!

I have long been a fan of anything to do with Arthurian legend and this is a book that brings Arthurian legend to life--literally--and puts it squarely in our reality.

The story is a dual POV between Miriam–a climate activist who is part of a feminist eco-terror group–and Kay–yes, that Kay–Arthur's foster brother, knight of the Round Table. Kay has risen from his grave to once again save Britain in perilous times, something he has now done countless times, often accompanied by the other famous names from Arthurian legend. This time he thinks he's on his own and in a world that is unfamiliar, almost unrecognizable. He and Miriam cross paths and form an unlikely partnership.

The world has changed and in many ways Kay has as well.

The story blasts into action from the first page and keeps going until the last. Familiar names from history and legend populate the pages: Christopher Marlowe, Lancelot, Morgan, Merlin, Arthur himself.

And dragons. Can't forget the dragons.

The premise of this book, framing the return of the heroes as the world gasps in the agony of climate change gone wild, is simply brilliant. It feels real and immediate, the future mapped out in a way that feels terrifyingly familiar and possible.

The characters are rich and detailed, their POVs distinct and engaging. The writing was excellent, the blending of legend and history, reality and the magical world exquisitely done. I could not put it down.

Highly recommended.

my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

“An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.”

This book is a bit out of my usual wheelhouse, but I found myself enjoying this interpretation of Authurian myths. Lots of adventure and humor were mixed throughout, which I liked. Great job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this E-ARC.

Let me just say I love Arthurian legends, ever since I was a kid I have eaten up stories about Avalon, The Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, etc. So when I got my hands on a queer modern take on Arthur and his knights, I was already jumping in.

This story is a split narrative tale with our main narrator being Kay or Kay the Cupbearer, Arthur's adoptive brother. Kay is resurrected from under his ancient oak because Britain is in peril. This is far from the first time he has risen from his oaky grave, but this time the world is even more different. The air is thick and it's hotter than it's ever been. It's at this point Kay finds his way to our other main protagonist, Miriam who is in the midst of blowing up an oil rig. Miriam is part of FETA, a feminist eco-terrorist group working to help stop climate change.

Honestly, from here the story is a wild ride introducing familiar faces like Christopher Marlowe and of course Merlin. The real premise of the story is that anyone can be a hero. While there are plenty of what I would consider cheesy moral of the story parts, I did really enjoy this book, because fuck the patriarchy and down with crusty white men who rule the world. I also liked that this takes a very head on approach to Arthurian legend because honestly it's daft to think that all people in the middle ages are white and straight. I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait to see what this author does next.

"An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend."

It had dystopian vibes, familiar legends, climate change, and magic. I like Arthurian legends weaved into the story with its other components.

Thanks to NetGalley, author, and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

I really liked this one! I was originally planning to pick up A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, but it didn't actually download to my Kindle, so I picked up this one instead. Huge genre shift. But I think that actually worked in this one's favor. Because this world was so much fun!

I can't even explain why I loved this interpretation of the Arthurian myths so much, but I did. For some reason, I loved the way Arthur, Lance, and Kay were written. Especially Kay! I do wish we'd gotten a bit more of their backstories though. Kay mentions Malaya and its impact on him several times, but we never get to know exactly what happened in Malaya. Just a small complaint though.

I really loved the environmental focus in this one. It was terrifying, because really, this future isn't that far off, but terrifying in a good way. If you remove reality, it was just entertaining. Obviously, our knights are used to just bludgeoning people to death to solve problems, so watching them try to deal with pollution was hysterical. (view spoiler)

This entire book was a great mix of sardonic humor and adventure, and I loved every bit of it. I can't wait to see what Thomas D. Lee writes next!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was an at times funny twist on King Arthur's court. It fell a little flat for me but was overall enjoyable.