As everyone now knows, the wonderful story of the Old Kingdom Winning the war had revealed a great author. Not only a beautiful pen but above imagination and a rare art of narrative structure. One might have feared that he would disappoint after opening fanfare as the stories of the Old Kingdom were ringing in the ears of all.
Let them be reassured: the first branch of the World Kings is bushy like a forest Gallic and sometimes tortuous as a Celtic tattoo but beautiful. We are in Gaul and the story follows the "first steps" of Bellovesus brother Ségovèse son of Sacrovèse and Dennisa and Ambigat maternal nephew of the assasin Sacrovèse.
I do not think it useful to go into detail - others will charge better than me. This first volume primarily sets the stage for very fine way. Celtic Celtic traditions, so many that the war of the family, or uses the simplest to the most complex of polite social rites, form a framework tès quickly immersing. Empathy with the characters is fast and it takes passion for the evolution of the brothers from childhood to adulthood almost adolescence box. The names are a bit complex, a few notes at bottom of page (minimum geographical identification) would have helped ... but I understand the initiatory character that takes the effort of attention needed for the first 100 pages. He did not seem so difficult ... any more than the first 100 Name of the Rose, for example.
This novel fascinated me from beginning to end. Excited sometimes. I loved every page, every situation, every digression narrator (page 145 "I am a displaced" for example). For those who liked "Winning the war" is an absolute must. For others I recommend most wholeheartedly. Personally this is one of my best reading bit the last years. Headlining this year before the High Kingdom of Pevel and Player One Cline.
PS under the learned guidance of Wikipedia: The kings of the World are the Bituriges (from Bitu: Rix world: kings) - Gallic tribe of the Arverni near the Puy de Dome today. Bellovesus and Sacrovèse are mythical Gallic chiefs of the 6th century BC The first being the supposed founder of Milan in the second set current Ardennes.
