Tagged: merlin
I, Morgana by Felicity Pulman
(Cover picture courtesy of Momentum Books.)
You know my name, but you don’t know my story …
After being schooled in magic by Merlin and promised a kingdom, Morgana is robbed of her birthright and betrayed by everyone she has ever trusted. Risking everything for revenge, Morgana uses her magical arts to trap Merlin, threaten her half-brother King Arthur, and turn away the only man she will ever love. In destroying King Arthur and Camelot, Morgana sets into motion a catastrophe that can only be reversed if she can learn from the past in time to protect our future … and so fulfill an ancient prophecy.
In the tradition of The Mists of Avalon comes a new story of Morgan le Fay, one of the most enigmatic and reviled characters in Arthurian legend.
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I requested I, Morgana on a whim one day while browsing through NetGalley. The blurb sounded interesting enough but when I began the novel I was under the impression it would be all about Morgana railing against her wrongfully deserved evil reputation. Fortunately, it was nothing like that.
Morgana is an interesting narrator because she’s not very self-pitying. She accepts that she really did deserve a lot of her reputation and you can really feel her deep regret at all that she did in the name of trying to seize her kingdom back. Maybe her reputation as evil incarnate is not deserved but she was far from a good person in her younger years. Still, even though I didn’t like her as a person her introspective voice as she writes looking back on the events is enough to make me keep reading. Morgana is a complex person whose ultimate downfall was her pride so you really can’t help but empathize with her.
I liked how Felicity Pulman stuck to the traditional Arthurian legends most of us are familiar with but also put her own flair on them. Morgana can travel into the Otherworlds, which was never really mentioned in the traditional legends. She was also taught by Merlin himself and that makes for some very interesting confrontations later in the novel as both of them regret their shared past. Felicity Pulman decided to set her novel much, much later than most authors choose to set King Arthur’s time (she set it around the 1100s) but it works pretty well.
The only thing that disappointed me was that Felicity Pulman’s writing lacks description. Morgana is always telling us what is going on rather than describing the scene as she saw it at the time. It makes her a more sympathetic character in general but I would have loved a little more description of the various scenes throughout the novel. Telling is okay for some purposes but reading a whole novel of it isn’t necessarily the most exciting.
Still, I really did enjoy I, Morgana. It’s a very interesting take on a complicated woman who has become one of the great villains of legend.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
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*Not available yet but will be published on June 26.
The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
(Cover picture courtesy of Hatchette Australia.)
Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys — or as he would later be known, Merlin — leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man’s-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon . . . and the conception of Arthur — king for once and always.
I’ve read so many different takes on the Merlin legend you’d think I’d get bored after this long. But of course not, especially when I read such awesome books like Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy. It’s the perfect mix of magic and realism combined with some brilliant research that makes it seem like Merlin could have been a real historical figure.
I’ll start off with the characters because they were my favourite part of the whole thing. Merlin was pretty good. He was a precocious child that grew up to be a mature young man that is slightly cynical about the world around him because he’s seen the ugly side of life. He knows the fine line between the visions given to him on occasion and prophecy and that sometimes you need to give people what they want to hear. The thing about Merlin is that he changes so much throughout the story that you can’t help but love him. Seeing him interact with Ambrosius and Uther was fascinating. Especially considering Uther isn’t the sort of man you would think he’d be in this novel. I can’t say much without giving the plot away, but Uther is probably not how you imagined he would be.
I’ll admit that the plot is not exactly fast-paced but neither is it so slow that it drags on and on. No, Mary Stewart has great pacing in The Crystal Cave and we really get to learn about Merlin on an intimate level while enjoying the plot. Unlike so many first books in historical fiction/fantasy trilogies there are actually interesting events going on rather than the author just having the first book as a prelude to the real events.
Basically if you love the Arthurian legends you can’t afford to pass up The Crystal Cave. It’s a great addition to the Arthurian canon and even if it wasn’t it’s a worthwhile read for Mary Stewart’s great writing style alone. She has this way of describing things that’s just magical and leaves you wanting more (in a good way). She never overdid the descriptions but I could clearly picture the world of Merlin. Really, The Crystal Cave had everything I could possibly ask for.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Mirror of Merlin
(Cover picture courtesy of Open Library.)
There is something wicked in the swamplands on the magical isle of Fincayra—an encroaching evil intent on destroying the land—and only young Merlin possesses the power to stop it.
Together with Hallia, the deer-woman Merlin has fallen in love with, he must embark on a journey through the haunted land that will test his knowledge and his courage to find his stolen sword.
But then Merlin discovers a magic mirror capable of altering a person’s destiny—and the visage he finds within the glass is someone he never imagined he’d see…
What if you could go back in time to talk with your younger self and warn him/her about impending danger? Or what if you could look into a mirror as a teenager and see the person you will become? Well, that’s what the mysterious mirror in the middle of the Haunted Marsh allows Merlin to do. But first he must travel to the very centre of the swamp with the deer-woman he loves in order to retrieve the sword Nimue stole from him.
“Mirrors, I assure you, can cause more pain than broadswords, more terror than ghouls.”
The novel’s prologue starts out with a haunting observation from Merlin looking back on his youth and it definitely sets the tone of the entire novel. Filled with mystery, despair and tragic prophecies while still managing to captivate readers, The Mirror of Merlin is my second-favourite book in The Lost Years of Merlin series, only surpassed by the first novel.
T. A. Barron’s world-building is second to none in the world of fantasy fiction. Filled with creatures from Celtic mythology as well as completely new creatures, it contains more diversity than many mainstream novels. Just the way all people are filled with both light and dark, Fincayra is populated with dark creatures like marsh ghouls but balanced out with good creatures like the ballymag. This is a nod to Merlin’s parentage as well; his evil father and his good mother give him a sort of symmetry.
Readers will cheer for Merlin every step of the way through his difficult quest and will be thrilled as more familiar elements from the Arthurian legends fall into place.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Fires of Merlin by T. A. Barron
(Cover picture courtesy of Free Book Notes.)
The dragon called Wings of Fire has awakened from his enchanted slumber—a spell cast by Merlin’s grandfather—and only the descendant of the wizard who first defeated the dragon possesses the power to stop him. Before Merlin can go to battle, he must confront the sorceress who has stolen his magical talisman—a talisman needed to stop Wings of Fire.
But according to the prophecy, the one who destroys the dragon also dies…
The stakes are higher than ever before in The Fires of Merlin, the third book in The Lost Years of Merlin epic. Merlin must save Fincayra once again, but this time it may cost him his life. With Wings of Fire awakening, Merlin and Rhia must go on a dangerous adventure that will take them across Fincayra once more, meeting all kinds of interesting people and creatures.
What I really love about T. A. Barron’s writing is that he uses a variety of fantasy creatures, rather than just sticking with all of the familiar ones. I mean, in what other series are you going to find living carnivorous rocks and endangered deer people? Barron uses his imagination and because of my rant about the lack of diversity in fantasy, I really appreciate the effort he put into his series. More fantasy writers should follow his lead.
In addition to his excellent world-building, Barron really pays attention to his character development. Merlin has changed slowly over the past two books and his development continues in this book. We are finally seeing a bit of a transition from awkward teenage boy to slightly less awkward, more mature teenage boy.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
The Seven Songs of Merlin by T. A. Barron
(Cover picture courtesy of T. A. Barron’s website.)
Young Merlin has freed Fincayra—the enchanted isle between earth and sky—from the terrible blight, taking the first steps on a path to discover the power within him. But the mystical land is still in danger and his true trials are just beginning…
To save his ailing mother, Merlin must master the Seven Songs of Wisdom passed down from his grandfather, a legendary wizard. Only then can he journey to the spiritual Otherworld to obtain the elixir he needs. But the quest involves a task Merlin must perform—defeating a vile ogre whose merest gaze means death. And even more difficult for the young wizard, he must discover the secret of seeing not with his eyes but with his heart…
After saving Fincayra in the first book, you would think poor Merlin would get a break and be able to safely bring his mother, Branwen (whose real name is Elen), back to him. Alas, the evil Rhita Gawr had other plans for the boy. When an illness strikes his mother down, Merlin must master the Seven Songs of Wisdom to save her. Did I mention that this requires him to travel all over Fincayra? And in only one month?
The Seven Songs of Merlin is a wonderful fantasy book by T. A. Barron, who has put quite a bit of effort into developing the magical world of Fincayra. He takes Celtic mythology and blends it with more familiar fantasy elements to create this wonderfully written, thought-provoking novel. It is T. A. Barron who first introduced me to the concept of hubris, the ancient word for too much pride. Alas, hubris is something that I suffer from, which makes me sympathize with Merlin even more. But regardless of whether you have hubris or not, I guarantee that you will find Merlin a very sympathetic character.
In addition to wonderful characterization and exemplary world building, the plot moves along very nicely. By nature of the time limit imposed upon Merlin, this is sort of a no-brainer and Barron brings a sense of immediacy to his writing throughout the entire novel. If you’re not already a T. A. Barron fan, you will be by the time you finish this novel.
I give this book 5/5 stars.