The Winter King

Is Derfel a reliable narrator? Aside from slight changes in detail to make a scene more exciting, are there any aspects that you suspect of being misleading, or untrue?

Evaluate the character of Arthur. He is undoubtedly an effective leader, but is he a truly great man, as Derfel describes him? Why or why not?

Was Arthur’s marriage to Guinevere simply a colossal mistake, as so many characters describe it? Is there something that Arthur gained by marrying her that he would have missed with Ceinwyn? If it was fate, does that fate contain something more than tragedy?

The clash between Paganism and Christianity is a prominent theme in the book. Do you get a sense of whether Cornwell has more sympathy for one religion or the other? What passages might signal his preferences?

Other than inadvertently rescuing Merlin, and introducing the characters of Lancelot and Galahad, what does Derfel’s time in Ynys Trebes contribute to the story? What do we learn about the characters and the world they inhabit that we would not know without that journey?

What is the source of Derfel’s affection for Nimue, aside from their having grown up together? Does he truly love her? Likewise, does he love Ceinwyn, or is it an infatuation with the woman whom Arthur spurned, and who was nearly handed over to the wicked Gundleus?

How much do you believe Arthur’s profession of wanting nothing more than peace and justice for future generations and that only he is capable of securing such a bright future? Is his ambition really in service of his ideals, or are his ideals a way to rationalize his ambitions?

Although she will appear more in the sequels, Guinevere is still a significant presence in the book. What traits does she exhibit in the scenes where she appears prominently, and how do you see those traits manifesting when she is effectively, if not officially, Queen of Britain, with her own child as a potential rival to Mordred?