Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me.

I couldn’t get into the story and forced myself to read a huge chunk of it .

I know some would love it but personally I can not recommend.

The Bright Sword presents a refreshing take on the King Arthur legend, interwoven with historical details and delightful modern anachronisms. The protagonist, Collum, is an orphan raised as the ward of a minor lord on the island of Mull. Enduring mistreatment at the manor, Collum only learns swordplay after mustering the courage to demand training. Upon reaching adulthood, he leaves Mull for King Arthur's court in Camelot, aspiring to join the Knights of the Round Table. However, he arrives too late—Arthur has fallen at the Battle of Camlann, and nearly all the knights are dead or scattered.

The narrative skillfully alternates between past and present, delving into the histories of the few remaining knights and charting Collum's arduous journey towards self-respect and wisdom. This story, steeped in myth and magic, balances humor and love with the stark brutality born from fear, self-loathing, and the insatiable lust for power.

The Bright Sword rejuvenates a timeless tale with modern sensibilities, thoughtfully exploring the universal struggles that resonate with people across all eras.

This one is not for me. I am 85 pages in, and I simply don’t care about the story or any of the characters. The writing is nice, but it’s not enough if I have no desire to find out what happens next. So sorry.

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman is an epic tale of survival and magic. This captivating story will keep you hooked from beginning to end, making it impossible to set down.

Rounding down to a 4.5 but this was genuinely a fun and heartfelt fantasy. I’m quite fond of fantasies that are connected to Arthurian legend and I definitely feel like this book these tales so much justice and more. I became so fond for these characters and this was my first Grossman book and now I feel compelled to read his other ones.

Collum is a lowly but gifted night who has overcome a troubled background and is off to find his dream--to join the famed King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in Camelot. The only problem? When he arrives, he learns that Arthur is dead and so are most of the Knights of the Round Table. The ones who remain are skeptical of Collum while feeling despondent about the end of a great age. But Collum's fresh blood invigorates them, and together they set off on an epic quest full of adventure, whimsy, and magic.

I absolutely love Lev Grossman's work, so it's no surprise that I loved this book. It pulled me in from page one and I was completely immersed in the world he created. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other, and the setting was pure Grossman. If you loved The Magicians or Game of Thrones, you'll want to put this epic fantasy on your list.

If you've read The Magicians or are a fan of the show, you're likely familiar with Lev Grossman's name. However, this is a very different kind of book/genre. The Bright Sword is a historical fantasy encompassing Arthurian legends. If you like other Arthurian novels, you'll likely enjoy this book.

I did like this book, but I didn't love it. The story is told between the present (Collum's journey with the knights to find the Holy Lance) and the past. The past outlines the various knights that are still alive and their backstories. I really liked the backstories, but they felt awkwardly placed in the story. It's like Lev had the idea for two different books and mashed them together. A lot of the backstories don't tie in with where you are as the reader in the story. So it's jarring and could make me lose the plot. I'd have to flip back to figure out where I was in the story's timeline.

Overall, I loved the description of how magical Britain was butting up against Christianity. I thought it gave respect to the magical traditions of Britain and acknowledged the brutal past. I thought the historical aspects like Roman occupation were super interesting and entertaining to read. The characterizations of the knights that were left could have been better done; again, sometimes the backstories were so disjointed from the main plot. I also would have liked more Nimue and other female characters.

This was an interesting take on a tale as old as time, the fall of King Arthur. It could have been shorter, but it was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

I did not finish this book. I stuck with it a lot longer than I will most books I don't finish, somewhere around 300 pages. I lasted that long on past goodwill; I was a big fan of The Magicians trilogy. This book had two great sins. 1. It was boring. Even the battle and fight scenes were boring. 2. It was depressing. Nobody in this book was remotely happy or expressed any enjoyment of anything, at any point in their journeys with Arthur, or after he was gone. I don't read to be depressed. I ended up quitting and pulling out a book that I had been saving in my brain under "break glass in case of emergency". That's how much I didn't enjoy this book.

Lev Grossman solidifies his place amongst the master storytellers with his newest novel The Bright Sword. Grossman takes what we thought we knew about King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable and adds new twists and turns that turn an already good story into something more.

Collum is a character that you can't help but root for and love and may also see a lot of yourself in him. The Bright Sword is mixed with history, fantasy, adventure, humor and action. Grossman breathes life into old, familiar characters and weaves in new as if they were always part of the Arthurian mythos.

I first fell in love with Grossman's writing when I picked up The Magicians, and The Bright Sword solidified my love of his writing. Whether you have read Grossman before or not, this is a must read...King Arthur counts on it....

Thank you NetGalley and Viking for allowing me to join Collum as he fights to find himself and where he fits into the realm of things!

Interesting spin on the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Lovers of this genre will enjoy this intriguing story.

I ADORED this book. I am a large fan of The Magicians trilogy, and I think it has more to do with the character development than the actual story. I love how Grossman can create characters that are so flawed, but so realistic to life's ups and downs even when in a magical setting. If you love that aspect, you will not be disappointed with The Bright Sword.
The overall plot is laid out in the very beginning when we meet our main character Collum, but there are so many subplots and quests built in to the overall storyline. King Arthur is so well discussed that it seems a new story cannot possibly come from Arthurian legend, but Grossman does just that. In the same vein as how Maleficent is a hit regardless of how you felt about Sleeping Beauty- The Bright Sword is a story for everyone regardless of how you felt about Once and Future King.
Grossman develops each character, this time more intentionally with specific backstory chapters per person, in a way that you truly feel that you have been through all of their stories. When we journey with them, however, they are all at such different stages of their lives.
Truly a one-of-a-kind story even though it is a tale threaded through one of the most known storylines, and yet you are captivated the entire time. Grossman has proven he is still improving as a writer, and I cannot wait for this to come out!

I was hesitant to pick this one up, because I tend to shy away from historical fiction as it just doesn't interest me much. However, I realized that what I am tired of is military/WWII historical fiction, and I actually had a fun time with this medieval story. This was well-plotted and compelling in character and setting, though I do think that it was a bit too long (this novel rings in at nearly 700 pages, and it definitely could have been edited down or split into a duology, or something). This was an exciting Arthurian legend inspired story (Inspired? Sequel? Expansion? One of those words, lol) that, while it definitely could have been shorter, was ultimately pretty exciting and well-paced.

If you have never quite believed that medieval adventures were as perfect and shiny as they often come across to be, this book is the one for you. The author does an excellent job of telling the story of what happened to the knights of the round table after Arthur's death, and their adventures have the pain, failure, and humanity that seems to have been missing from previous tales. While the knights are talented and claim to be chivalrous, they are still humans, and that little detail often gets overlooked. In their many, many adventures, readers get acquainted with each of the remaining knights, warts and all. Excellent for fans of Arthurian tales who enjoy Game of Thrones.

To start, this genre is not always my cup of tea. I tend to shift away from historical fiction because it tends to be boring. This was not. While I do believe it was too long (at least for my taste) it read well and had so many exciting bits. The fact that King Arthur and the story surrounding him is made up to begin with gave Grossman the opportunity to put a unique and fresh spin on the tale.
But it does drag on. I wish it was at least 100 pages less, and I feel as if that could have been done. Again, fully aware this may be a personal preference so take my review with a grain of salt.
3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

The Bright Sword is a triumph of story only achievable by Lev Grossman. I am endlessly endeared by his character work. This is a fantasy adventure written for the hopeless romantics, the ones who won't stop until it's over, and the ones who refuse to believe it's the end until things turn out right. Reading this felt like returning after a long time to find, though things had changed, it was still home. I cannot recommend this enough!

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman is an excellent continuation of the Arthurian legend. The leftover knights of the roundtable are a loveable and compelling bunch who make up the ragtag group of adventurers in this story. I loved the back stories of each of the characters the best and their character development was excellent. As someone who isn't super familiar with the existing Arthurian lore, I felt at times I wasn't getting as much from the story as someone who is a big King Arthur buff. However, the book is still super welcoming to those new to the tale as it is very much its own story. I loved Grossman's previous series The Magicians, and it was exciting to dive into his prose again.

I've never been hugely interested in Arthurian legends, but Grossman does an excellent job of making the characters feel real, alive, and and very human. This story also takes off with most of the main legends already in the past, focusing on what comes next. "The Bright Sword" was an immensely fun read, with a lot of very human knights, and plenty of magic.

If you love King Aurthor retelling this must be your next read! It's been a while since we have read a new Lev Grossman and you will not be disappointed. The layering of traditions reminds us where we have found many of our favorite ways to spend each holiday.. I did not want this book to t=end!

An exciting entry in the timeless King Arthur chronicles, Lev Grossman takes the same magic he brought to the Magicians and brings it to THE BRIGHT SWORD.

This has been one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year. I have always liked Lev Grossman,but this book stands true as to why I love his books.

There is fantasy, drama, a bit of comedy, all wrapped up with amazing world building and adventure.