Perilous Times

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now £{{ price }} Send as a gift

Listen to a sample

What to expect

ONE OF THE TIMES' BEST AUDIOBOOKS FOR SUMMER 2023

'Lee's first novel has deservedly rocketed into the bestseller list thanks to grassroots enthusiasm. If you like Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, you'll enjoy Perilous Times, especially since Damian Lynch's engaged and spirited narration does it proud. Wryly witty, it's an utterly original take on Arthurian myth'
The Times, audiobook review


IN PERILOUS TIMES LIKE THESE, THE REALM DOESN'T JUST NEED A HERO.
IT NEEDS A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR.

Sir Kay and his fellow knights awake from their mythical slumber whenever Britain has need of them; they fought at Agincourt and at the Somme. But in these perilous modern times, the realm is more divided than ever, a dragon has been seen for the first time in centuries, and Kay is not the only ancient and terrible thing to come crawling up out of the ground . . .

Perilous Times is a fiercely entertaining contemporary take on the myths of Camelot, which asks: what happens when the Knights of the Round Table return to fix the problems of the modern world?

This debut is perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Jodi Taylor and Ben Aaronovitch.

**************************
AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
**************************

'This audacious, original debut is angry as well as entertaining, and an exciting new take on the Matter of Britain' Guardian

'Funny, weird, wise, lovely, and full of mad sh*t. You've never read anything like it before, and you should bang that order button now' Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

'Lee has brought Arthur's legends into these modern, perilous, times' Fantasy Hive

'Like Good Omens with Arthurian knights. I've never read a book that treads so happily the ground between making you think, and making you laugh out loud' Beth Underdown

'I HOWLED my way through this book! Smart, funny, refreshing fantasy. . . Anyone who liked Rivers of London will love this' Natasha Pulley

'Forget the once-and-future-king; this is a once-and-future classic' Jackson Ford

'Lee has a maestro's eye for satire' Richard Swan

'A brilliant collision of ancient mysticism with modern madness' Robert Jackson Bennett

'Relentlessly entertaining, deadpan hilarious and full of heart. Give it five pages and you'll be hooked' Scott Hawkins

'Maintains a steady faith in humanity's ability to bring itself back from the brink' Publishers Weekly

'Perilous Times has knights, mad science, corporate villainy . . . and dragons ready to burn it all down... delightful' Kevin Hearne

'An awesomely accomplished debut' Daily Mail

Critics Review

Like Good Omens with Arthurian knights. Both massively escapist and a persuasive call to action – I’ve never read a book that treads so happily the ground between making you think, and making you laugh out loud.

Beth Underdown, author of The Witchfinder's Sister

If you like Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, you’ll enjoy Perilous Times . . . wryly witty, it’s an utterly original take on Arthurian myth

The Times

This audacious, original debut is angry as well as entertaining, and an exciting new take on the Matter of Britain

Guardian

Lee has brought Arthur’s legends into these modern, perilous, times and has gifted us a story worthy of that canon

Fantasy Hive

I HOWLED my way through this book! Smart, funny, refreshing fantasy, full of vivid characters who will bring a lot of joy to a lot of people . . . Anyone who liked Rivers of London will love this

Natasha Pulley, author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street

Funny, weird, wise, lovely, and full of mad sh*t. You’ve never read anything like it before, and you should bang that order button now

Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Lee has a maestro’s eye for satire

Richard Swan, author of The Justice of Kings

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

Angry, funny, grounded in a vital, urgent reality and soaring with joyous fantasy – a needful delight of a book

Claire North, author of Ithaca

Lee’s tale of the Knights of the Round Table awaking in the modern world grabs hold and won’t let go. Forget the once-and-future-king; this is a once-and-future classic

Jackson Ford, author of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

Maintains a steady faith in humanity’s ability to bring itself back from the brink; swords can do more than cleave if they become rallying symbols for folks who do not recognize their own heroism. Readers with a love of Arthurian romance and ecological optimism will appreciate Mariam and Kay’s struggles and triumphs

Publishers Weekly

Wow, what a book. Hilarious, heartwarming . . . such a fun, fresh twist on the Arthurian legend. All great fantasy is escapist, but this one offers a hard, and quite necessary, dose of reality as well

Nicholas Eames

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

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 breakneck pace and a compelling urgency that pulls readers along on a wild, glorious, and epic ride . . . Highly recommended

Library Journal (starred review)

An awesomely accomplished debut

Daily Mail

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required.  Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech.  Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems.  Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app.  Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.