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Title: Merlin (The Pendragon Cycle | Book 2) Author: Stephen R. Lawhead Rating: Not available Avg. Score: 5 Submit Comment Hits: 32

Review of Merlin (The Pendragon Cycle , Book 2)

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Comments for Merlin (The Pendragon Cycle | Book 2)

• Posted on 2008-02-16
  Lawhead weaves a great tale
  
  I am a fan of the Mary Stewart Arthurian legend, yet I found myself enthralled with the Pendragon Cycle of books. Very different types of stories, but I found them equally interesting. I read this book almost 20 years ago and I remember it almost in its entirety.
  Score: 4
• Posted on 2007-09-03
  Not Free SF Reader
  
  Merlin goes through a considerable period of Myrddins life. He is the child of Charis of Atlantis and Taliesin the Bard.
  
  From being a kid and showing his tutelage by various luminaries, to life as a young warrior, all the way through to becoming a kingmaker and installing Arthur.
  
  
  
  Score: 4
• Posted on 2007-08-07
  The Second Book in the Pendragon Cycle
  
  
  Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion. Stephen Lawhead has his home in Austria with his wife.
  
  I admire Stephen Lawhead's writing very much. It is quite obvious to the reader that the author loves his subject matter and in his historical novels has diligently researched the material that he uses. Even with Merlin, which can only be described as a fantasy, the way the author sets the scene makes the reader almost believe that they are reading a factual rather than a fiction book.
  
  Having brought the `children' of Atlantis to the shores of Britain in Taliesin, the author now focuses on the mystical figure of Merlin, who in all the other legends is always at the right hand of Arthur. Merlin has a vision of the Kingdom of Summer ruled by the Summer Lord.
  Score: 5
• Posted on 2006-05-28
  please give me back my wasted time...
  
  I spent a MONTH trying to slog through this book. Taliesin wasn't too bad, i liked the new twist on Atlantis, but this book was a constant headache. I fought my way through the first half, then had the person i had borrowed the book from skim through and tell me what the heck happened in the end.
  Score: 1
• Posted on 2005-06-29
  Great addition to Pendragon series
  
  Next to "Arthur", I think this is the best book in the series. It does not shuffle between narrarators, it is in first person from Merlin's point of view. Very accurate to legend and poetically written. It has an intriguing plot that adhers to legend with Lawhead's added research on the time and culture, as well as imagination.
  
  I have read too many accounts of Arthurian fiction, and I very much liked the Pendragon cycle. Lawhead writes like a poet. His writing can get pretentious at times, and a bit thick and hard to read, but it is well worth it. It definitly enriched my mind and made me want to write epic poetry. It's not the kind of book that you can't put down, the narrative doesn't flow like a best-selling novel, but if you like the subject matter, it is not hard to get though.
  
  Many people critisize this series of books because it deviates from legend. This bothers me. The reason it is "legend" and not fact is because it is largely unknown. I love how lawhead makes everything seem authentically celtic, ("Bedwyr" instead of "Bedivere" and so on)and he puts his own version of the legend, which every author has the right to do. If you're anything like me, your sick of hearing about Lancelot and Guenivere and you want a new and refreshing version of the saga. Lawhead has done his research and knows what he is writing.
  
  Strongly recommended. Read the series in order, and don't just read one, it will loose the flavor.
  Score: 4