Book Review: The Forever King (Forever King #1) by Molly Cochran (four stars)
“My life is important. To me. Because it is short, and precious. Because each day may be my last.’
Imaginative retelling as well as forward projection of the classic tale. Cochran recasts both the origin tale and her modern addendum relative to the received classic story. At that she does less violence—and achieves a more cogent whole—than many twentieth century adaptations.
‘The past was immutable and eternal. A man could not change a moment of it. The only thing in his power was the choice to forgive himself.’
Main characters are presented with human limitations, including their unawareness of their own potential. Gritty, but not gratuitous. Old-fashioned in many ways.
“But I don’t want to be safe! I want to be alive!”
Quibble: In hewing to Malory’s timeline, Cochran commits numerous anachronisms, such as Saxons being the invading enemy in a Crusades-era England. To fully enjoy this version, the reader must let go of prior knowledge of history and literature and go with this version.
“I wonder if one lifetime will be enough.” “It’s never enough.” “Is that why things never change?” “Perhaps.”
As a Matter of Fancy 