Mary Stewarts Merlin Trilogy (Arthurian Saga, #1-3) by Mary Stewart

Mary Stewarts Merlin Trilogy (Arthurian Saga, #1-3) Reviews

• 
  J. Bralick

  Besides the Lord of the Rings, this was probably the first real fantasy trilogy that I read. I've gone back and read it many times since then, and I think it will always be one of my standards for excellent fantasy.
  
  There's something about Mary Stewart's Merlin that is just captivating. He's flawed, enigmatic, strong, admirable, calculating, naive, and wonderfully human. I confess I've always been a little in love with him. Mary Stewart makes his growth from child to the wise old Merlin so believable. Somehow she manages to show the mystery of his life and powers through his own eyes. I'm still not entirely sure how she did that, but it will never cease to amaze me.
  
  Another thing that I absolutely loved about this trilogy was the refreshing historicity of it all. This isn't a fanciful rendering of a stars-n-moon caped Merlin the Magician, but a gritty depiction of early Britain, caught in the middle of the shift from paganism to Christianity. The scenes are all depicted so well that I could literally feel myself inside them. It's been years since I've reread these books, but I can still feel the warm stones under my feet from the Roman pipes under the floors.
• 
  Sud666

  Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy is brilliant. A beautiful retelling of the Arthurian myth. Though, to be fair, this is really Merlin's story. But, the two are so interlinked in the story that it could be the story of both. Stewart uses a mix of historical reality with some basic supernatural powers. To be even more fair, the powers attributed could be construed as the "Sight" or the power or prophecy. But, it tends to be more subtle than that.
  
  The "historical" setting is fairly spot on. As Stewart uses the Historia Brittonum (written by an Irish monk) as her setting premise. The Kings from Vortigern to Horsa are real people. Even the Ambrosius and Macsen names are based on Magnus Maximus, a Roman (355-388 AD) general from Britain who usurped the Purple for a while.
  
  The phenomenal edition collects all three volumes into one magnum opus. It is well worth your time.
  
  The Crystal Cave is the first of the books. It tells the story of how a young Merlin grows up and learns his skills. In time he will reunite with his father in Brittany and lead Ambrosius to the shores of England to battle the Saxon Horde. In time, he will help Ambrosius' brother, Uther, to the throne. But, there is yet a great King to come. A High King to unite all England and deal with the next great Saxon invasion. This is the prophecy that drives Merlin to aid and abet Uther's lust for Ygraine and the book ends with the birth of Arthur.
  
  The Second Book, The Hollow Hills, covers the time where Arthur is growing up in Ector's household. Uther's grasp on power is getting weary and he has little love for Merlin. But as the threat of the Saxon invasion looms and Uther weakens, Merlin must prepare Arthur to become the one and true King. This second book covers the events leading up to Arthur becoming King.
  
  The third book, The Last Enchantment, covers the time period between Arthur's defeat of the Saxons and the raising of Camelot. It also covers Merlin's replacement by Nimue and his eventual "death".
  
  A truly wonderful Arthurian (or is it Merlin?) story. On every level, it succeeds. Well written, beautiful prose, and a semi-realistic story that still retains the power of myth. I am also glad to have purchased the "final" volume "The Wicked Day" which should finish the Arthur adventure and will be reading next.
  
  Any fan of well-written fantasy, especially any fan of Arthur or Merlin, should consider this a must-have book. A true classic.
• 
  Walter Conner

  I first read this series many years ago, including the sequel, The Wicked Day in which the Arthurian legend comes full-circle with the story of Arthur's bastard son Mordred. I found her approach to the legend very fascinating. I have since reread them at least twice (I have the hardbound set), and enjoyed them immensely each time.
  
  Some reviewers have noted the "slow" pacing of these novels, and they do, indeed, move more slowly than many modern readers prefer. For me, however, Mary Stewart's incredible prose easily carries the stories and sweeps me right along.
  
  Along with JRR Tolkien, I consider Ms. Stewart one of the inspirations for my own writing efforts.
• 
  Shainlock

  Oh no. Oops. I haven’t read all three yet. Just the first one and I loved it. The first one is a 5!!!
• 
  Misfit

  It's got to be a good 25-30 years since I read these three books, and were just as enjoyable now as they were then. Stuart has a lovely way of describing a scene, the land and the people. If you purchased the trilogy in one book, just remember that they were originally three separate books. I found that while I read it as one book this time, there were redundancies and/or things that I would have expected to be cut from one large novel, but necessary additions in three separate novels. I found myself skipping through those sections.
  
  You won't find any great surprises in the story, if you are familiar with the legends of King Arthur. This story is mainly Merlin's from boyhood to old man and beloved cousin and counselor of Arthur. While I don't usually enjoy a book written in the first person -- as you lose so much from what the other characters are experiencing -- the author pulled this off well enough. With Merlin's visions, we were able to see happenings that were not personally witnessed by Merlin.
  
  Of the books I have read so far on the Arthurian legends, my favorite is still The Road to Avalon, followed by Queen of Camelot It's been so many years since I've read The Mists of Avalon I can't rate that amongst these until I've read it again. All in all very enjoyable and I would recommend this for younger readers whose parents are trying to find well written books without the constant presence of bodice ripping.
  
  A thumbs down to the publisher, I found many small typos that became a bit irritating after a while, i.e. women instead of woven, is instead of in, etc. You would think that after the first publication they would catch these and fix them for subsequent pulications.
• 
  Lori Keeton

  RTC…
• 
  Abby Rose

  This is a lovely book containing all three of Mary Stewart's brilliant Merlin stories. The first "The Crystal Cave" is about his childhood and how he ended up helping Arthur come to be (more towards the end), the second "The Hollow Hills" concerns his relationship with Arthur as he grows up to become king, and the third "The Last Enchantment" is the end of his role in the Arthurian story and his relationship with Nimue.
  
  And I have to say I loved all three books equally and for different reasons. Because I read them all from one book, one after the other, it IS a little difficult for me to think of them as three separate books, though, so if I seem to overlap, jumping from something that happened in Crystal Cave to Last Enchantment without batting an eye, that's why.
  
  With the sole exception of "Here Lies Arthur" this is my very favorite King Arthur book. I LOVE the relationship between Arthur and Merlin in this one, particularly because they are much closer in age (Merlin only has roughly twenty two years on Arthur, rather than being a full-blown fussy grandpa type figure) as well as being cousins. They have a very close family bond that was very cute to read about. In particular I love the scene where Arthur and Merlin have an argument which ends with Arthur brokenly admitting the real reason he's angry with Merlin is that he was hoping Merlin would turn out to be his father (instead of Uther) and was disappointed to learn Merlin had never even been with a woman by this point, so couldn't have fathered him. Another scene I loved was when Arthur discovers before Merlin does that Nimue was a girl (she was pretending to be a boy to study under Merlin's tutorage) and basically says that if she turns out to be evil and hurts Merlin, he'll kill her no matter how close they are.
  
  Speaking of Nimue, I LOVED her. She was sooooooooo likable in this book! Not evil at all. And her little romance with Merlin was ADORABLE. Basically she pretended to be a boy because Merlin accidentally put the idea in her head when he mistook her for a sort of reincarnation of a dead boy he'd wanted to tutor. She wants to learn from him, so she poses as a lad and they become friends which turns into something more after Arthur basically points out, "Hey, you know that boy who follows you everywhere is actually a GIRL right?" It was sort of bittersweet that they don't end up together at the end (she thinks he is dead and marries someone else) but it fit the story perfectly and tied things up so neatly.
  
  So yes, this is a wonderful book/series (all except the Mordred book, "The Wicked Day" not included in this volume, or this review), now go read it!
• 
  Bill

  This series puts a very touching, very human face to the ancient Merlin story, as the legendary magician faces the trials of discovering and developing his own power, and later as he grooms the young Arthur Pendragon to assume the throne and unite a kingdom after the chaos following the fall of the Roman Empire. The story traces Merlin's journey from boyhood through the height of his reknown, and even into his twilight years as he settles into 'retirement', and discovers that it is never too late to find love. Told with spectacular imagery and tremendous depth of feeling, this is a tale that reminds us that even legends are all too human, and magic is sometimes a very ordinary thing.
• 
  Monica Davis

  By far one of the best books I have ever read. 900+ pages, continually flowing and engaging. Using the title character, Merlin, as her narrator, Mary Stewart is masterful in her storytelling...wonderfully descriptive; drawing on the reader's senses to experience the smells, tastes, sights, sounds, and touch of this fantastic tale. A wonderful backstory to the usual focus, much happens before Camelot is introduced to us (700 pages into the book). Highly recommend this thoroughly enjoyable read.
• 
  Kyleigh

  A fascinating spin on the same old King Arthur story. Stewart focuses on Merlin as the main character in this series, starting with his young years as a bastard and continuing through his demise shortly into Arthur's reign. Stewart's strength was in bringing these so well-known characters to life and giving them depth. Her weakness was incredibly slow pacing. Yes, we knew what was going to happen, but that doesn't make the story completely unimportant. Foreshadowing was well-used, between Merlin's foresight and the reader's assumed knowledge of the basics of the story, impending doom was alluded to well.[return][return]I was very disappointed by the view of women in this series. With the exception of Nimuë at the end of the book, every woman presented is shown to be either frivolous or a manipulating evil witch. To some extent this is forgivable, as that was no doubt the sentiment towards women during the time that the events supposedly took place, but having read a story like The Mists of Avalon, it's not hard to see how it might have been otherwise.
• 
  Sara

  This is one of the most overlooked wonders in fiction. This is Merlin, the wizard and the man, revealed to us as he must have been. The only thing wrong with this story is that it ends...you want it to go on forever.
• 
  Roberta

  No idea how long ago that I read this series, but remember really liking it!
• 
  Lisa (Harmonybites)

  This is one of my favorite books, consisting of three novels that follow the Arthurian legend through the eyes of Merlin. The first novel, The Crystal Cave was assigned to me in high school, as was Mary Renault's story about Theseus, The Bull from the Sea--what Renault did for Ancient Greece, Mary Stewart did for Dark Age Britain. This has been described as fantasy, and there are touches of that, but much of Merlin's magic is rationalized--this is more historical fiction than fantasy, and as such made a big impression on me and felt all the more magical than any more fantasy-laden versions, because it made me feel, maybe it is real. For me this became the golden standard for Arthurian books, so when I read Whyte's or Bradley's versions of Arthur, these are the books I measured them against--and against which other versions seem wanting. The other thing is, compared to so many of the other versions, Stewart is just a fantastic storyteller with a beautiful evocative prose style, wonderful pacing, characterizations and sense of place. That first book takes the reader from Merlin's childhood to the conception of Arthur. The second book, The Hollow Hills deals with the young Arthur up to the time he becomes king, and The Last Enchantment which takes Merlin up to his death. I love the relationship between Arthur and Merlin in the last two books and each book is like a map of the stages of man: the first a coming of age tale, the second in a sense the main "career" and "fatherhood" and the last old age--fighting to still make a difference, coming to peace with your own mortality and resolve unfinished business. Beautiful novels, all three of them, especially seen as a whole. There is one other Arthurian book in the series, The Wicked Day about Mordred, and I also recommend it, but I don't think it's quite as magical as the trilogy.
• 
  E. Ardell

  I am sucker for Arthurian legend. Anything starring Arthur and Lancelot, I will give a chance. I've always been amused by Merlin, but he was never a favorite character of mine until this book. Mary Stewart creates a serious Merlin that we follow from boyhood into adulthood. Merlin is brilliant, cunning and humble and the bastard son of King Ambrosius, brother of Uther Pendragon, making him Arthur's uncle.
  
  I love that he's not a bumbling old man, but a handsome prince who doesn't want titles and decadence. He'd rather live off the land and out of a cave. His magic is strange, he has foresight and the power to cast illusions, but mostly his ingenuity and prowess for creating tools to make work easier is often mistaken for magic.
  
  Merlin is fiercely loyal to his father and loves his nephew who he predicted would be the greatest king Britain would ever see. Stewart immerses us in rich history and legend, providing us with indexes and footnotes to reference for the background information she supplies us with.
  
  I can honestly say this is the first Arthurian Legend that did not feature Arthur as a main character that I truly enjoyed, and my favorite character, for once, was not Arthur but Merlin. I ached for Merlin when I felt he was passing on. And I will admit that I didn't like the book that follows the end of the trilogy nearly as much due to Merlin's absence.
  
  I rate this entire series 5 star!
• 
  Joan

  I first read this series thirty years ago and loved it. I loved it all the more as I read it this year! Stewart's Arthur and Merlin are set in 6th century Britain with all the mystical gods, godesses, and emergence of Christianity that came with the withdrawel of the Romans from that island country. Arthur is shown as the inheritor of the Sword of Maximus through his father, Uther Pendragon; nevertheless, Arthur is reared as a bastard who comes into his inheritance just before the death of his father. Merlin likewise is reared as a bastard, the son of the previous king, Uther's brother. You can see the beginning of the twists and turns the tale must take. Moreover, the women who come into the lives of the two men--Morgan, Morgause to Arthur and Nimue to Merlin--are depicted masterfly by Stewart. Add to these characters Arthur's bastard son--and the one who is to inherit his Kingdom--Mordred and you have a whole new book--see my next review!
• 
  Tara Lynn Tanner

  It took me some time to get through this trilogy (only a little because I kept looking for my red pen to mark mistakes in this edition), but mostly because it was very episodic and covered such a long time period following Merlin from when he was a young boy until he died. I loved the story- appreciated the historical aspects- and was thrilled by the twists and turns of the plot.
  
  Favorite passage:
  It may perhaps seem strange that a prophet who had seen Arthur's crowning so plain and clear and ringed with light should take such pains to guard him from his enemies. But those who have had to do with the gods know that when those gods make promises they hide them in light, and a smile on a god's lips is not always a sign that you may take his favour for granted. Men have a duty to make sure. The gods like the taste of salt; the sweat of human effort is the savour of their sacrifices.
• 
  Jay

  Perhaps my favorite books of all time. I've always enjoyed the Arthurian legends, but this telling of them, from Merlin's perspective, resonates perfectly with what I know of the history behind the myths.
  
  Stewart tells her tale through the eyes of Merlin the Magician, Arthur's mentor and companion. The books are Merlin's own autobiography, starting with the first memories he can recall, and ending with the mundane tasks of his daily life as an old man setting his life down on paper. In between, we travel with a fascinating character.
• 
  Vicki

  I have always loved the tale of King Arthur, Merlin and Camelot. What makes this trilogy so special is that it is told from Merlin's perspective. He is the narrator and the story begins with his boyhood. This is beautifully written and you can picture yourself in the towns, caves and gardens. You feel you personally know both Merlin and Arthur. This is right up there with my all time favorite books!!
• 
  Cass

  This is one of those old favorites I revisit every few years or so. Mary Stewart pulls off gracefully the formidible task of creating a cast of characters so lifelike and engaging one almost (but not quite) forgets that they are familiar objects of legend, while remaining faithful to the roots of the story... By far the best retelling of Arthurian legend I've encountered.
• 
  Rosanne

  And so I finally finish the Merlin tale. It was well worth the time. It only felt a little slow and sludgy at the last book with tales of Arthur taking center stage. Really enjoyed reading about the legend of Merlin.
• 
  Randi

  I am in the middle of the second book and am remembering why I LOVE this book so much. As I read, I am caught up in the story, unable to stop.
• 
  Whitebeard Books

  Mary Stewart has the ability to take a reader flying away to a different time and place with these Arthurian tales. The perfect escape for a long and chilly windy weekend, the reader WANTS these tales to be true.
• 
  Roxie

  I love re-imaginings of the Arthurian mythos. So I thought this series would be right up my alley; taking the myths and grounding them, removing a lot of the high fantasy elements of the stories and making the characters human and believable.
  
  Well, positives first. The world at large is really interesting. I liked the political intrigue, both with the Saxons and between the petty kings. I loved Ambrosius, and Merlin and Uther's relationship. I love Stewart's re-imagining of Nimue; it's the most sympathetic portrayal of her that I've ever seen. I really love the way Merlin's gifts of magic and prophecy work; the prose during his moments of Power is beautiful.
  
  But holy shit I hate the character of Merlin. Misogynistic, dismissive bastard. I do appreciate that his chronic underestimation of women leads to his downfall numerous times. I've never liked the character of Morgause, but I was cheering for her when she took her revenge on Merlin.
  
  In my opinion, Merlin's one redeeming trait is his love for Arthur. The times when Merlin talks about Arthur and the love he bears for the King were pretty much the only times I could stand Merlin as a character.
  
  I'm really disappointed about that. The archetype of the hermit magician is one of my favorites, but this Merlin just made me angry, and it really spoiled a lot of the pleasure of reading the book.
• 
  Kaethe

  Bogged down half way through the second book. Gracious, it moves slowly.
• 
  Jacob

  This was a really good interpretation of the King Arthur legend, told from the perspective of Merlin. It's fun to see the characters come into the story, remember what the legends said about them, and see how Mary Stewart casts them. Except it took me forever to realize that Bedwyr is a more accurate version of the name Bedivere, and I am embarrassed because he is one of my favorite characters in the legend.
  
  In any case, the writing is good and the events are interesting. Merlin has the power to see the future and knows much that he doesn't tell the reader, but the author does a much better job of justifying it and making us feel okay about it than some (like Audrey Niffenegger with
  The Time Traveler's Wife). I can also see how this trilogy influenced a lot of Jack Whyte's ideas in his Arthur series starting with
  The Skystone.
  
  I also have to admit to being irritated that, although this is actually a trilogy, it only counts as having read one book.
• 
  Michelle

  I did it! I finally finished the trilogy!!! I want to give this series 5 stars but I am only giving it 4 because of how loooonnnggg it took me to read,(4 months!) and not all the books were 5 star books. I had to get used to Mary Stewart's writing style also as I was expecting this to be more fantasy and not as much historical legends. Once I got used to the idea this wasn't going to be a book about Merlin's magnificant magic and more about history and Merlin as someone who could be real and not mere mystery I started to really enjoy and ultimately love this series! I now love the way Stewart writes her stories and have a new found appreciation of books that are not as fast paced as most are today. She has a true gift with her words and the way she weaves her stories and I can't wait to read The wicked Day and some of her other pieces!
  This series has been a true gift to me even as hard as it was to get through. It may sound strange as this is a "fantasy" book but it has many lessons and is one of those life changing books that changes your views on the world, life and people around you and for that I am truly grateful. You will not be disappointed if you read this series and it will probably not take you as long as I!
  
  Oh Merlin, how I adore you!!!!
• 
  Paparas

  This starts out interesting but deteriorates fast. The first novel is a passable re-telling of the Legend, which Stewart summarizes in the epilogue. The second book is inferior and pretty tedious. The third book is so mind-numbingly boring, I gave up on it half-way through, abandoning my plans to read the 4th and 5th novels after reading the initial trilogy.
  
  This book is a counterargument to all those people harping on about how long Robert Jordan's descriptions were in "Wheel of Time". A 10page description from Jordan goes by much faster than the average inane half-page description of Stewart. By the third book of the trilogy I realized the damn thing is nothing but a series of cobbled up descriptions of scenery and the rambling inner thoughts of the protagonist, with so little story holding them together, the whole thing could be abridged to 5 pages without missing anything important. And here again is the difference with Jordan's epic. A 1000 page volume of the "Wheel of Time" seems short and leaves you wanting more. A 250 page novel of Stewart's Merlin series seems interminably long, and leaves you fed up with the Arthurian Legend.