For King & Country

By Robert Lynn Asprin

Book Overview

SAS Captain Trevor Stirling follows a Northern Irish fanatic bent on murder into the year AD 500. If the terrorist succeeds in killing Artorious, the Brittanic Lord of Battle, before his greatest... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743471687
• ISBN13: 9780743471688
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Baen Books
• Length: 531 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

The Irish troubles reach back to King Arthur's time ...

This is a time travel story which kicks off in a near future Northern Ireland where the troubles have re-started and got much worse. IRA and Orange terrorists are killing people from one another's communities and both of them turning on the British authorities. While recuperating after being blown up by a "loyalist" bomb, S.A.S. Captain Trevor Stirling is asked to investigate some unusual goings on at a secret research establishment, which is apparently attracting interest from the IRA. The establishment is studying a form of time travel: it is impossible to move material objects back but human minds can be sent back in time and join a "host" human of the same sex and roughly the same age. Stirling has scarcely arrived when a member of staff at the research institute is murdered and two others have sent their minds back to the time of King Arthur. One of them, Brenna McEgan, turns out to have links to the IRA, the other, Cedric Bannon to the Orange paramilitaries. The Orangeman has left a note suggesting that the republican has gone back to try to change history and destroy everyone alive today. Trevor Stirling goes back himself to try to prevent a change to the timeline: but what he does not know is whether it is really the IRA agent trying to change history or the Orangeman. The time travel aspects of this book are rather silly and do not deal with the issue as well as the authors have managed in some of their other work. The best part of the book is the work the authors have done to recreate the world of the British Isles in about 500 AD, the time of Arthur, war Duke of the Britons. Part of the story is set in the ancient Kingdom of Rheged (Cumbria) and brings it brilliantly to life. If you happen to be in this part of the world and want to see more about it, there is a wonderful "Rheged discovery centre" on the A66 near Penrith. I'm tempted to be critical of the cover, which shows a warrior in 5th century combat kit with a revolver in his waistband, which is specifically not how time travel works in the story: but then, how are you supposed to convey in a picture that someone has the mind of a person from 15 centuries in the future sharing his head ? Overall this is entertaining and enjoyable if you don't take it too seriously. If you enjoy it, you may want to read some of the other stories of time travel by Robert Asprin and Linda Evans, particularly the "Time Scout" series which they wrote together, and "Far Edge of Darkness" by Linda Evans. Another time travel story which you might appreciate if you enjoy this, also with two people going back in time, one trying to change history and one to preserve it, is Harry Harrison's "Rebel in Time."

I loved this book!

It was my first read from Robert Asprin & Linda Evans. You have the plot from the other reviewers, so I will give you my impressions. This novel had meat to it. Too often I have read romance novels with nothing to them. This was a refreshing change! The main character had ethics, feelings, conscience and a feeling of responsibility for the future and the past. He made a great leader. Yes, the way he time-travelled is impossible, but doesn't time travel have to be? I have read of people going back in time with just a knock on the head! If there was a novel by these authors that was similar, in a close time period, or a sequel, I would snatch it up. Alas, I have found nothing that compares. I am reading Bernard Cornwall now, and although his battle scenes & politics are close to what we know as accurate, it still can't touch this juicy novel, which is anything but dry! For King And Country made me rethink the whole Arthurian legend. After all, we really don't know what is true and what is not. The author gives us a fresh look. There are no fairytales in this book. *****

Enjoyable look at King Arthur

The 'troubles' continue to tear Northern Ireland apart with the IRA and the Orangemen both killing and butchering one another while the British army tries to keep peace and managing only to wind up the target for both sides. When he's injured in an Orangeman bombing, Captain Trevor Stirling is sent back to Britain--where British intelligence indicates that the Irish terrorists intend to attempt the ultimate terrorist strike. British scientists have been researching time travel. If the IRA could go back in time, they might be able to change history in Ireland's favor--even if it meant a change in the fabric of time so complete that Stirling's present would be eradicated. Stirling arrives too late. A scientist has already been murdered and two scientists, one Stirling's lead suspect, have headed back in time. Stirling follows--and finds himself in the era of 'King' Arthur. The Arthur Stirling finds has little relation to the romantic fantasies spun by Medieval couriers. Instead, he and the British Kingdoms he fights for are battling Irish, Pict, and Saxon invaders, attempting to preserve Roman/Celtic civilization in Britain against great odds. Although Stirling is sympathetic to the British goals, complete defeat of the Saxons would transform history. But wouldn't the IRA love it if they could arrange for British Celts to defeat the Saxon invaders and ensure that the English conquest of Ireland never took place? Authors Robert Asprin and Linda Evans build an intriguing story line out of a fascinating period in British (and world) history. Germanic invaders have destroyed the Western Roman Empire, but civilization remains. The British trade with Spain, Italy, what is now Russia, and even Constantinople. Their heavy cavalry makes them effective warriors against the Saxon infantry but the internal bickering between their many kingdoms leaves them open to attack. Asprin and Evans give us Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin, Morgana, Gwain, and the others as they might have been (with Romanized rather than French names). History buffs will note a few errors (e.g., Asprin/Evans refer to the Visigoth occupation of Italy when they should have said Ostrogoth). From a story perspective, I would have liked to see Stirling's confusion about the identity of the two visitors from the future matter more to the plot, and the resolution seemed to be a bit easy to me. Still, if, like me you're a fan of historical warfare and of how pivotal events in history influence the future, you'll want to read FOR KING AND COUNTRY.

for lovers of the Time Scout series

Though not exactly in the Time Scout series, I would place the tone of the book in that group. That series spins historical research with fantasy which leads to fun reading. You must keep in mind that it is fantasy though so that you don't have a problem with the method of time travel. Mark Twain can send someone back in Time with a simple method so why can't Mr. Asprin and Ms. Evans.I personally haven't done research on the past that the authors show here, but the writing gives the impression that this is accurate. IThe story pulls you in and demands you to keep reading. I had a very difficult time setting down this book as I was continually intrigued by what they authors were going to do next. This book is not a Myth book or a Phule book. I absolutely love those two series. They are fun and exciting to read over and over again. This book, though fantasy, has some serious subject matter-the brutality of not only present day N. Ireland but the viciousness of 500 AD Briton. But you can easily tell that all of the above books have that "Robert Asprinness" quality to it, plus it has the very nice touches of Linda Evans too.

sutenhotep

This book takes alternate history and time travel to new places. Scientifically transfering only consiosness to the past, where you share the body with the present inhabitant. Place in the mix a former SAS officer, recovering from injuries suffered in Belfast, a rogue Orangeman set to kill off the Irish and English pre-emptively, and a heroic woman working for the IRA. The pace is quick, and little time is spent groping, more is spent doing. An excellent read.