Born on Christmas Eve, Arthur Pendragon is the illegitimate son of the married duchess Ygraine and Uther Pendragon, brother of a great king: a union Merlin arranged. But Arthur's birth is not welcomed by everyone: his father demands he be hidden until a legitimate son can be born, and Merlin is forced to give the babe to his own childhood nurse for safekeeping and go into hiding. In a dream, Merlin learns of a sword of unparalleled beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, hidden in a long-deserted Roman temple. Merlin ...
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Born on Christmas Eve, Arthur Pendragon is the illegitimate son of the married duchess Ygraine and Uther Pendragon, brother of a great king: a union Merlin arranged. But Arthur's birth is not welcomed by everyone: his father demands he be hidden until a legitimate son can be born, and Merlin is forced to give the babe to his own childhood nurse for safekeeping and go into hiding. In a dream, Merlin learns of a sword of unparalleled beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, hidden in a long-deserted Roman temple. Merlin retrieves the sword and hides it in a cave on an island in the centre of a lake, where it remains for years. But what is hidden must be revealed. For it is foretold that the irrepressible young man named Arthur will find a sword and claim his birthright: as heir to Uther Pendragon and king of the Britons.
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Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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Good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. Clean from markings In good all round condition. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 750grams, ISBN: 0340172754.
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Fair. May contain writing notes highlighting bends or folds. Text is readable book is clean and pages and cover mostly intact. May show normal wear and tear. Item may be missing CD. May include library marks.
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The cover of this paperback book has curled corners. This paperback book shows normal wear and tear. The pages show normal wear and tear and/or folded (dog-ear) pages. There is yellowing of the pages of this book due to age. Shipped to you from Goodwill of the Valleys, Roanoke VA. Thank you for your support!
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The second volume of Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga. The story, as before narrated by Merlin, begins where ?The Crystal Cave? ended, the morning after Arthur's conception, and follows his infancy in hiding, his early training and education until the age of 14 against the background of Uther's competent but uneasy reign. Although the petty kings are united under the High King's leadership, the constant Saxon threat erodes loyalties and breeds treachery and intrigue. The narrative brings to life this dark period in Britain's history with tremendous skill and the story-teller flair for which Lady Stewart is justly famous.
Everything that was exceptional about ?The Crystal Cave? is present: terrific sense of place and time, great character development, many fascinating players and sub-plots, the twists and turns of fate that still lead Merlin unerringly to the desired outcome, a generous sprinkling of magic that could be read as divine intervention or the serendipitous combination of a highly intelligent and accomplished man and the superstitious mentality of the times. Merlin's character is further developed almost as an anti-hero, with the gallant and impetuous young Arthur as a clear counterpoint, making them two of the most likeable fictional characters I have ever encountered.
At the end, Lady Stewart has added the legend (as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth) and brief Author's Notes explaining how she built on what sparse and confused records remain, linking some facts and making plausible assumptions about others and, even more interestingly, what part of the story she has completely invented. Not surprisingly, one of my favourite episodes, that of the sword of Macsen, is entirely her own invention. I am not usually fond of historical literature but this book (and the whole series) reads more like a compelling novel. As usual with this author, despite some adult themes and the guts and gore that are inherent in battle scenes, the treatment is suitable for readers of almost all ages. This is a book I have read again and again and yet each time I find something new to capture my interest.
dragonheart3264
Dec 4, 2009
great book
loved it. I have always been interested in the king arthur stories. this series has been very interesting to read and recommend them to anyone.
marsie
Oct 29, 2009
The book was great and I had read it before and liked it just as much as the first time
Ellyb
Aug 30, 2008
A pleasure in known events
Merlin Ambrosius as written by Mary Stewart may be one of my favorite narrators. There is immense pleasure in how calm, intense, and sharp he is, and it gives an interesting edge to the narrative, because he isn't the type to spill his secrets in the narration. There is plenty of suspense in how he will solve each seemingly impossible conundrum as it comes his way. This sequel to "The Crystal Cave" picks up almost immediately after the events of the first book, with Merlin making his way back to his home and nursing his wounds from the fight at Tintagel. Once again there is incredible attention to period detail, which suffuses the entire book with a sense of authenticity. The Dark Ages of Britain are brought to roiling life once again. What I really enjoy about Stewart's writing is that even though I am fairly familiar with the events of Arthurian legend (especially all of the tragic twists and turns), she puts her own spin on them to make sense for her narrative, and still manages to imbue the book and characters with a strong sense of hope in the future. When Arthur takes an accidental step that seals his fate, it twists in the reader like a knife, even though we all know how the story has to end, and we all know what has to happen for the story to be an adequate interpretation of Arthurian legend. The author's skill is in making us come along for the ride, invested with all our heart, despite our knowledge of legend.
basketcase
Jul 17, 2007
Great Sequel...Could stand alone
This is a wonderful sequel to the Crystal Cave, however it could also stand alone as a fantastic novel on its own. Mary Stewart has taken the Authurian Legend and transformed it into a story with events and characters so vivid that you feel transported into their world. The cast of characters become part of your family as you wonder at the magic, anguish over thier trials and rejoice in thier joys and successes. For those not familiar to the trilogy...please read The Crystal Cave first, where you will meet and come to love the spirited boy who will grow into the powerful Merlin of this book...you will not regret it. Instead you will revel in your escape into this magical world of enchantment.