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Perilous Times
Thomas D. Lee
An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet--saving the politically polarised, rapidly warming world from itself--in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.
Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully damn tiring over the years - or at least that's what Sir Kay's thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth, yet again.
Kay fought at Hastings, and at Waterloo, and in both World Wars. After a thousand years, he thought he was used to dealing with a crisis. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, armies have been privatised, and half of Britain's been sold to the Chinese. The dragon that's running amok, that he can handle. The rest? He's not so sure.
Mariam's devoted her life to fighting what's wrong with her country. But she's just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, a figure straight out of legend, she dares to hope that the world's finally found the saviour it needs.
As the two quest through this strange land swarming with gangs, mercenaries, and talking squirrels, they realise that other ancient evils are afoot. Lancelot is back too--at the beck and call of immortal beings with a sinister agenda. And if their plans can't be stopped, a dragon will be the least of the planet's worries.
In perilous times like these, the realm doesn't just need a knight. It needs a true leader.
Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach--and Kay's starting to suspect that the hero fit to carry it is close at hand.
Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully damn tiring over the years - or at least that's what Sir Kay's thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth, yet again.
Kay fought at Hastings, and at Waterloo, and in both World Wars. After a thousand years, he thought he was used to dealing with a crisis. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, armies have been privatised, and half of Britain's been sold to the Chinese. The dragon that's running amok, that he can handle. The rest? He's not so sure.
Mariam's devoted her life to fighting what's wrong with her country. But she's just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, a figure straight out of legend, she dares to hope that the world's finally found the saviour it needs.
As the two quest through this strange land swarming with gangs, mercenaries, and talking squirrels, they realise that other ancient evils are afoot. Lancelot is back too--at the beck and call of immortal beings with a sinister agenda. And if their plans can't be stopped, a dragon will be the least of the planet's worries.
In perilous times like these, the realm doesn't just need a knight. It needs a true leader.
Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach--and Kay's starting to suspect that the hero fit to carry it is close at hand.
GENRE
Fantasy; Humour
UK PUBLICATION
May 2023
Fantasy; Humour
UK PUBLICATION
May 2023
Praise
AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER
"A wild, glorious and epic ride ... Highly recommended for lovers of Arthurian reinterpretations and climate disaster thrillers."
Library Journal (starred review)
"It's rare to find a book so entertaining yet thematically juicy. Perilous Times has knights, mad science, corporate villainy, radicals from the far fringes of the left and right...and dragons ready to burn it all down. A delightful and poignant read for our times."
Kevin Hearne
"Enormous fun, combining razor sharp wit with savage political commentary, propulsive action, and near-endless Arthurian Easter Eggs. A brilliant collision of ancient mysticism with modern madness."
Robert Jackson Bennett
"Perilous Times is a gloriously fun book, easily the best I've read this year. It's relentlessly entertaining, deadpan hilarious and full of heart. Give it five pages and you'll be hooked."
Scott Hawkins
"A wild, glorious and epic ride ... Highly recommended for lovers of Arthurian reinterpretations and climate disaster thrillers."
Library Journal (starred review)
"It's rare to find a book so entertaining yet thematically juicy. Perilous Times has knights, mad science, corporate villainy, radicals from the far fringes of the left and right...and dragons ready to burn it all down. A delightful and poignant read for our times."
Kevin Hearne
"Enormous fun, combining razor sharp wit with savage political commentary, propulsive action, and near-endless Arthurian Easter Eggs. A brilliant collision of ancient mysticism with modern madness."
Robert Jackson Bennett
"Perilous Times is a gloriously fun book, easily the best I've read this year. It's relentlessly entertaining, deadpan hilarious and full of heart. Give it five pages and you'll be hooked."
Scott Hawkins
Rights Sales for PERILOUS TIMES
UK & Commonwealth: Orbit, Little Brown