Susan Hated Literature

Why yes, things do look a little different. New theme peoples. I wasn’t too fond of some bits and bobs of the other so I’ve changed. This is the Misty Look theme, slightly edited. The header image is a photo of Strandhill in Sligo, and I’ve changed the colour of the headings etc to fit in a bit better. Any problems or explosions, then let me know fencesitterATgmailDOTcom

Author: Robert Holdstock
ISBN:0671028820 DDC: 823.914
Book 1 of The Merlin Codex;
See also: RobertHoldstock.com ; LibraryThing ; Crow’s Nest ; The Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge

I was neither a stranger in this territory, nor familiar with it. The last time I had passed this way, the route into the wilderness of forest and snow that was the northern land of Pohjola had been an open gorge, guarded by nothing more sinister than white foxes, chattering mink and dark-winged carrion birds.

I suppose that you are thinking that a series entitled The Merlin Codex might be about the Merlin of the Arthurian legend. If so, and you are expecting Camelot to make an appearance in this book, you are in for a surprise. Yes, the main protagonist is Merlin, but he isn’t the character you might have expected. Instead, although very old he is also quite young. In appearance at least. And instead of serving or advising Kind Arthur he travels with Jason of the Greek myths. The book is set hundreds of years after the quest for the Golden Fleece, and the love affair with Medea and the resulting tragedy, but Jason is not dead. He has been kept in a sort of suspended non-life by the magic of his ship, the Argus, and now Merlin has returned to bring him back to life. Merlin, you see, has discovered that Medea did not actually kill her two sons.

Continue Reading »