What is the author's style in Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur by Bernard Cornwell?

The story of King Arthur is narrated from the first person point of view of Derfel. However, there are two Derfel's. The first is a scribe in a monastery cell recalling the events of Arthur's life and deeds; he is writing on parchment in the Saxon language. The second Derfel is Lord Derfel of Cadarn, Warrior of the Cauldron, and one of King Arthur's most powerful and trusted warrior kings.

Each part of the story begins with a preamble as the monk Derfel discusses his unfolding narrative with his patroness, Queen Igraine. This device allows the narrator to discuss various aspects of his story and to foreshadow events in the subsequent pages of the chapter.

The switch to the recollections of Lord Derfel, the warrior king is made without any overt indication to the reader, but the exposition of the narrative makes it clear when the scene has changed from the monastic cell at Dinnewrac to the developing narrative.

Both the monastic scribe and the warrior king elicit the feelings and thoughts of other characters by dialogue and by his reaction and commentary on the dialogue. Thus the reader gains knowledge of Arthur's motives and plans for dealing with the Saxon invasion and subsequently his personal reasons for going to live in Siluria. In a similar fashion, Derfel, during a rare intimate conversation with the disgraced Queen Guinevere, learns her stated reasons and motivation for her betrayal of Arthur.

Interspersed with the main narrative, which is given from the first person point of view, the occasional, omniscient third person point of view is used for exposition of the action and description of the general environment. The depiction of the countryside and rural scenes during different seasons is used effectively as an introduction to the action in general.

The preambles at the start of each chapter gradually develop details of the monastic Derfel. The reader learns he is a Christian and that he has lost his arm. The foreshadowing of the final convergence of the one armed, monastic Christian scribe with the powerful warrior King, is an additional incentive for the reader to continue with the narrative of the life of King Arthur.