I started this book with very low expectations as it is not normally something I would read. I was offered an ARC and I accepted as the idea of the Knights of the Round Table being called to save the world when in Peril really intrigued me. I was pleasantly surprised with this very original and unique story. I enjoyed it very much.
Thanks to #Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.

"I'm not taking life advice from a squirrel who used to be racist."

What the hell is this book? Admittedly, this was a really funny line to me. But the sentiment remains.

This book consisted of an ensemble cast who were all confused about what the hell was going on and what the hell they were supposed to be doing. We have that in common because I was also extremely confused and wondering what the hell they were supposed to be doing. Everything was so bloody confusing and convoluted. The point of view kept switching between Kay, Lancelot, and Mariam, but somehow I did not care much about any of them.

I thought I was getting an epic fantasy with knights and dragon fights. But instead, I got whatever this is.

This one takes place in a world not too far gone from our own… but just a little further down the path of climate change. The action is set in the UK, where flooding and food shortages abound.

As the description suggests, certain knights of the Round Table have been given the ability – or duty, really – to come back from the dead when Britain is “in peril.” That’s a little loosely defined, and over the centuries, certain elements of society have learned to manipulate these warriors for their own aims. After sleeping underground for a century or so, they don’t know who’s who in the government, or what the new technologies are capable of – so they’re easy to manipulate.

Sirs Kay and Lancelot are brought back into this near future, where climate change might be the biggest peril? Well, there is also a dragon loose for the first half of the book, but maybe those problems are related.

Kay falls in with FETA – the Feminist Environmentalist Transgressive Alliance. His first encounter with them is when one of their group goes rogue and blows up a fracking site. Lancelot is working for the government, which is more or less on the other side of things. We follow each in their own exploits for some time.

Later in the book more characters from the old days show up, including Merlin and even Arthur himself. If we thought Kay and Lancelot were easily manipulated… wait until you meet Arthur.

One recurring theme here is that everyone is tired of fighting. The knights, the environmentalists, everyone. And they keep hoping that someone else will come along to fix things. This is why multiple parties are more than happy to see knights show up. This is why people are excited to bring Arthur back. Surely someone else will have some better idea than their own, right? But time and again, it goes awry. And each character has to learn that they have to keep doing their part. No one can just “magic” all the problems away – not even characters who can legitimately wield magic.

This book is definitely a satire, and has some great one liners here and there. Fantasy, satire, and environmentalism all in one story? Sounds like a great (albeit hefty) summer read to me!

Perilous Times is a retelling of the Arthurian legend set in the not too distant future of Britain. In this version, Sir Kay was a knight of the round table and brother to King Arthur and through a scheme created by Merlin, is reborn any time Britain is in peril. Over the centuries, Kay has been a part of multiple battles, just to die and start over. This time is a bit different when he wakes up and finds the world to be warmer and less green than it usually is and the magic seems out of balance. Kay meets Mariam, who is a climate activist, and together they set out to fix things. While aspects of this book were very interesting, such as how Kay deals with constantly being reborn, others were a bit dragged out, such as the stereotypes and flatness of some of the side characters. Even though the ending of the book was hopeful, it was mostly about the trajectory of climate change and how not much is being done to address it.

Lee's story is an interesting take on combining Arthurian legend and climate change. I enjoyed most characters, and the plot flowed well.
The biggest thing is that I just didn't get pulled into the story in a way that makes me truly enjoy a book.
I can see the appeal for readers that enjoy likable characters, an easy to follow plot, and retellings of classic tales.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightfully different take on the Arthurian tales, with every character being considerably different than we traditionally think of them. I was surprised at the very beginning to find that Kay was the hero, and that Lancelot was not so great. The overall system was fascinating - the knights would come back when needed, then get killed in whatever battle they were fighting, such as the World Wars, return to the earth under their special tree planted by Merlin, then come back again.

This time, it's climate change - and basically the world is dying. The bad guys are cool with this, and are working on thinning the veil, so that they can go live in fairy land and let the earth go. Kay gets involved with a group of women who are fighting for the environment, to help them save the day - and the main hero here is a women.

It's a fascinating book - I started reading it, then wound up in the hospital for several weeks, but after another week, I was able to pick it up again, and enjoy it wholeheartedly. If you like Arthurian stories and are open to a completely different take on them, this is a very good read.

The Knights of the Round Table may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come back. Whenever Britain is in peril, Kay, Lancelot, and the other Knights who once fought in Arthur’s name return to defend their home. They fought at Hastings, again at Waterloo, and did their best in each World War. But as Kay is reborn from the earth once again, the peril that faces Britain is an environmental crisis of apocalyptic proportions. Rising oceans, privatized military forces, and unruly gangs threaten the people who are left. When Kay runs into Mariam and her small group of female eco-terrorists he believes he can help. Yet the trouble in Britain may only just be beginning. Plus, is that a dragon??

With an incredible cast of characters that includes Merlin, Lancelot, Morgan le Fay, and even King Arthur, I truly had no idea what would happen with each turn of the page! At times the story felt a little slow, adding additional detail when I was yearning for action, but I also appreciated the depth that was devoted to many of our main characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book! Perilous Times is available as of May 23, 2023!

As someone who always connects to characters first, I had some troubles in certain spots. But as a whole, I think this is perfect for fans of Arthurian lore and who want to see them in a new light. It feels very much like a blend and I enjoyed the ways Lee can focus on the humor. There’s a sense of wryness which makes the comments seem humorous, even while there’s a chill to the ways they ring close to our own world.
Full review to come on YouTube

WHEW. I originally requested this because I'm getting a special edition by way of Goldsboro's GSFF subscription and wanted to learn more about the title. This combines the histfic I love so much with a splash of real life politics in a way that completely satisfies that sci-fi-meets-fantasy itch. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

I loved this dystopian, Arthurian, epic story that had real roots in things we know of our modern world like climate change. I also loved the epic fantasy elements (creatures, magic, etc). It was a journey that while fantastical also felt real. I did have some issues with the writing tone/style specifically which is why this isnt a full 5 stars but overall I loved it and would recommend.

In a world on the brink of disaster, where the planet suffers from extreme heat, dwindling resources, and widespread conflict, Britain faces grave danger. In these perilous times, heroes are needed, particularly King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. But this story goes beyond their legendary bravery. It involves dedicated climate activists, magicians, and even dragons. This delightfully crazy tale explores the consequences of climate change while providing an entertaining twist. With a mix of dystopian seriousness, gallows and British humor, it offers hope amidst chaos. The story follows Mariam, Kay, and Lancelot, who evoke various emotions and embody determination, fate, and the challenges of leading with love. Although the writing style is fragmented, it engages the imagination and elicits laughter. And let's not forget the desire for more Nazi-punching throughout the book, because yes, Nazis are involved.

Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee

This is a King Aurthur and the round table retelling story in modern climate dystopian times. There is British humor and a twist on this classic story. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this story. I felt like I was in a video game taking a journey and this is the story being told. All great games need heroes' so do good books. It was different for me but still rather enjoyable read. For a retelling I believe Mr. Lee knocked it out of the park. He nailed the humor.

It follows Sir Kay, Arthur’s brother and knight of the round table. But Arthur is dead, the planet is in a climate crisis, and Kay is summoned to help when Britain is in dire peril. Kay meets Mariam, a young activist who is attempting to save the planet. Can Kay and Mariam work together to save Britain and the planet before the damage is irreversible?

I like the modern twist with climate activism and the saving of the planet which makes the read interesting spin on an old tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for a free copy of Perilous Times for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I haven't read many retellings or adaptations of the Arthurian myths so I was very excited by the prospect of this story. And I remained excited for the first 1/3 of the book. After that, things started to go downhill.

This story is too long. There were too many parts that felt largely disconnected from the story -- they hardly moved things forward. The internal monologuing and debating and self-doubt got old FAST. We saw too much of it. I get the point but it was overdone.

I wish we had been able to see more of the magic system. It seemed pretty cool and I was intrigued by it. Again, I get why we didn't. Humans working together can cause change, no magic necessary. But I still felt cheated.

I also don't think Arthur and his band of knights were necessary. Their roles in the story felt like anyone could have slotted in there. It didn't have to be Kay and Lance and Arthur. That was something of a letdown, too.

One thing I adored was Marlowe. He was everything I thought he'd be in this world and he was such a lovely surprise addition! It was all very on-brand for him.

I don't know whether or not I'd recommend this book. It was a slog to get through. I loved the queerness, I loved the magic, I accepted the oft-fractured sentence structure. But it didn't settle into my bones the way really great stories do.

This one's not really a retelling. It's more of an author playing with classic characters and breathing great new life into them but failing the landing.
It all starts with Kay, once a knight of Arthur's round table, now an immortal who comes back whenever Britain is in peril. He wakes up just in time to save a young woman from soldiers who are trying to kill her after she's set a bomb in a fracking site. There's a huge explosion that wakes up a dragon, and then we're off on an exploration of a doomed Britain on a planet that many see as beyond salvation and full of people who are more concerned with fighting each other than trying to fix it. We also get one of my favorite representations of Lancelot (pitty the book he landed in) to show how the other side of the conflict (ie, the rich people most responsible for the mess) and give Kay some solid competition in the deflated, hopeless knight category.
There is so much potential in the very imaginative plot and the great cast of characters, but Lee squandered it by continually hitting readers with the dire and depressing situation the world is in. I get that it's a bit of a warning and trying to get a strong message out by way of a story, but I continually found myself putting it down because I couldn't keep reading the awful things and hopeless situations. It even made me a bit angry because I really wanted to see where the story headed. Kay, Mariam, and Lancelot are excellent characters whose story I wanted to follow, I just couldn't put up with the way it was being told.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for what had the potential to be a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the advanced copy of this book!

The knights of the roundtable are immortal and awake from their slumber whenever the world is in peril. Throughout history the knights come out from under their ancient oak trees to fight in our world wars, but this time they are fighting climate change. In the not so distant future Kay and Lancelot wake up and are thrust onto different sides of the climate change battle. Kay is helping Mariam fight for the planet, and Lancelot is helping the people destroying the planet. And then a dragon appears. The knights remind me a bit of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes from Marvel with their knowledge of the past fighting for a better future. You get the interesting Arthurian characters added to a complex current day issue which adds a new perspective. Even with the addition of magic and dragons, this book gave me hope for the future and delivers the message of "together we can change the world" well. We are all knights of the roundtable when it comes to fighting for our future.

I had high hopes for this novel, simply from the cover itself. It's absolutely one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a while.

Overall, this book was enjoyable. I'm a sucker for anything even remotely related to Arthurian Legend, and this one did not disappoint. It was a take that I've yet to see, new and exciting.

I think the biggest thing I struggled with was Lee's world building. The action and detail in the moment was strong, but I couldn't picture what the world looked like other than drab and gray. My mental picture was more floating pieces rather than an entire world.

The novel being told from the perspectives of two of Arthur's Knights was definitely an interesting one. Even more so that neither of them wanted to bring Arthur back.

All in all, I'm glad I read this book and I will recommend it to others.

3.5 rounded to 4

This unusual look at Arthuriana begins with Kay bursting from underground. We learn that in times of peril, the Knights of the Round Table will come again.

So begins this often humorous, more often very serious, blend of the beloved legends with a near-future setting. Kay is the main protagonist, but every one of the familiar figures gets air time, and an involving backstory.

The pacing began brisk, but gradually, as we get more warnings about the dangers of global warming, the pacing slowed--highlighting the awkwardness of the present tense voice. Present tense has become de rigueur especially in YA, but when there is a lot of backstory and exposition outside of a headlong pace, the forced present can really grate.

But other than that, it's a worthy read. I really appreciated the dry humor, and look forward to seeing what this author does next.

I received a copy from NetGalley for review.

I feel like this requires more brain power to comprehend than I care to give. DNFing at 6%. Probably won't go back to it, but if I do at some point, I'll update.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early read. I'm not going to lie. When I scrolled through NetGalley, the cover is the reason I selected this book. As I read the plot, I knew I didn't mess up.

This is a dystopian/sci-fi/Arthurian retelling. It was a fun and sometimes quirky read. I enjoyed the book as it hit on major climate issues, but my one complaint would be the author's writing style. He would write a full sentence, then hit you with a bunch of fragments, and then a full sentence followed....a lot.

Overall, I'd give this a 3.5, but as there are no halves.....4 stars.

Thomas D. Lee brings past and future together in Perilous Times, his witty debut novel featuring Arthurian knights waking up from sleep to help Britain in its time of peril--as they've been doing for a thousand years. But this time when they wake up, the world is nearly ending from climate change. Sir Kay assists Mariam as she's blowing up a fracking facility and joins her group of eco-warriors fighting the oil oligarchs who now rule England. Meanwhile Marlowe, whose deal with the devil in Elizabethan England has kept him alive all these years, wants Lancelot to carry out some very sketchy missions for him. When the knights don't live up to Mariam's expectations, she has to look beyond legend for the world's savior.

Perilous Times is full of violence and intense themes, but it's also full of hilarity and absurdity. Lee draws on his expertise in Arthurian legend, the subject of his doctoral study, to comment on ways of understanding legendary stories of the past, especially stories upon which the fabric of a nation like England has been built. No prior knowledge of Arthurian legend is necessary to enjoy the novel, but Arthurian aficionados will delight in seeing bits of lore verified or debunked by Kay, Lancelot, Morgan, Marlowe, and the others. Featuring a diverse cast, including medieval knights who are Black and gay, Perilous Times takes readers on a wild adventure as Mariam, Kay, and Lancelot figure out how to save the world and what being a hero truly means.