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HexMapper
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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 3:17 pm 
 

Does anyone know of any novel or novel series written about the training and the life of Merlin the Magician? Thanks for any help.
  

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Johnson
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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 3:39 pm 
 

Hi,

some of TA Barons books:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Years_of_Merlin

Never understood why Merlin was a "baddie" in the USA, in the UK he is more a "goodie".

Cheers,
malc


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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 3:46 pm 
 

The Coming of the King by Nikolai Tolstoy touches on the subject briefly, but most of it is a retelling of the King Arthur legend from the perspective that Arthur is the last of the Romans theory.

Don't recall much, since it has been over 15 years since I read it.
  

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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 3:57 pm 
 

HexMapper wrote:Does anyone know of any novel or novel series written about the training and the life of Merlin the Magician? Thanks for any help.


There are the T.H. White books (modern classics) The Once and Future King (really a compilation of 4 books) and the 5th book which is usually stand alone, called The Book of Merlyn. This was the basis for Disney's Sword in the Stone and the musical Camelot. It has formed the basis for almost all modern Arthurian fiction since its release. For good or ill most children have this version of the Arthur legend told to them before they can research and read the source material (such as Geoffrey of Monmuth's Historia Regum Britanniae or the the various earlier material by Mallory, Tennyson or even Twain's satiric look on the Arthurian mythos).
  

HexMapper
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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 4:08 pm 
 

Never understood why Merlin was a "baddie" in the USA, in the UK he is more a "goodie".


Strange - I've never heard Americans calling Merlin a "baddie?" Where exactly did you hear this? And I've definitely been around in the US for a few decades, so that's debatable.

Could it be that film from the 70's (or early 80's?) - Excalibur? Morgana seemed more evil than Merlin.
  

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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:09 pm 
 

Hi,

I thought it was portrayed in the old film - a connecticut yankie in king arthurs court? Or something like that.

Plus some kids shows which were admittedly variations on a theme of the film.

Cheers,
malc


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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:18 pm 
 

I think in Excalibur he's the best (good) character. Great movie!


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Post Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:57 pm 
 

You might want to read Mary Stewart's trilogy beginning with The Crystal Cave.  The first book covers Merlin's youth and his rise to prominence, the others the rise and fall of Arthur (which Merlin helped arrange). Merlin isn't a traditional wizard so to speak, but he has prophetic powers, if I remember correctly.  

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Paul


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Post Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 12:35 am 
 

lawrenson wrote:I thought it was portrayed in the old film - a connecticut yankie in king arthurs court? Or something like that.


That's really more just the result of Mark Twain and his general curmudgeoness than any particular aspect of the American image of Merlin.


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FormCritic
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Post Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 6:32 pm 
 

PaulKM wrote:You might want to read Mary Stewart's trilogy beginning with The Crystal Cave.  The first book covers Merlin's youth and his rise to prominence, the others the rise and fall of Arthur (which Merlin helped arrange). Merlin isn't a traditional wizard so to speak, but he has prophetic powers, if I remember correctly.  

Best,

Paul


Add The Hollow Hill and The Last Enchantment to Mary Stewart's trilogy of titles.

A fourth book, The Wicked Day, is told from a different point of view.

Stewart's novels capture what I think is the best take on Merlin.  After Stewart, the other stuff I have encountered has been either unbelievably stupid or cloyingly New Age.


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Post Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 9:32 pm 
 

Jack Whyte, provides and interesting take

http://www.camulod.com/


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