The Crystal Cave

Book Description

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review Initially published nearly thirty years ago, Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave has been spellbinding readers and converting them into serious Arthurian buffs ever since. The first in a series of four books, this novel focuses on the early life of Merlin the magician, and the political developments of fifth-century Britain. Not for the fainthearted, this verbose text pays careful attention to historical details and methodical plot development.

Merlin's childhood is formed by the absence of his reticent, convent-bound mother and his unnamed and unknown father. As the bastard grandson of a local king, Merlin is the object of both envy and ridicule. His strange powers and predictions earn him greater status as a pariah, and he leaves home as a preadolescent. Returning years later as a young man--empowered by self-knowledge and magic--Merlin finds himself caught in the currents of the shifting kingdoms.

As an established classic in this genre, and the first in a popular series, The Crystal Cave introduces this familiar character with fresh sensitivity. While readers looking for the romance of First Knight will be disappointed, those happy with tight writing and a complex story line will be satisfied. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review 'Vivid, enthralling, absolutely first-class' -- Daily Mail 'Mary Stewart brilliantly recreates the Britain of the fifth century' -- Books And Bookmen 'Her style is simple yet vivid, displaying a love of words and the sounds they make, and her story is poetically imaginative' -- Daily Telegraph 'A deft colourful... re-creation of Merlin's early life' -- Sunday Times 'A fascinating story which lays a firm hold on the imagination' -- The Scotsman 'Mary Stewart lightens the Dark Ages with legend, pure invention and a lively sense of history. -- New York Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.