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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Ever since I watched a few episodes of Merlin on TV, I have been really interested in reading about Arthurian legend. My husband got me this book for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to read it.
I thought this was a great book, and a good beginning for the entire series. Although it is a little slow at times, I still found it interesting because I liked the characters, especially Shim, who is a tiny giant, and Trouble, who is a Merlin. Rhia is a pretty interesting character too, though I prefer Shim and Trouble. I also liked that we get to meet Merlin as a young boy instead of a great, powerful, old wizard. It is entertaining to see him being afraid to use his abilities and learning about the history behind his powers. I believe the characters are pretty well developed, especially for the first novel of a series. Though I am not at the point where they become real people for me.
T.A Barron’s descriptions are what really make this a fantastic read. It is not overly detailed like some fantasy novels. He provides enough detail to create a vivid picture of your surroundings, but still leaves something up to the imagination. I like how he describes the trees with their colorful, oddly shaped fruit, and then later gives you quite the opposite by describing the dark, blackened, scarce forests as Emrys gets closer to his destination. Gives you a real overwhelming feeling of doom. I noticed this because Barron spends a lot of time around the subject of trees.
The plot of the book is pretty simple, but still entertaining. There isn’t a terrible amount of violence or bad language, and it has a lot of similarities to Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain series. I actually like the similarities between the two different series, although I am sure Barron could have thought of something else. However, it doesn’t bother me as much as it does other people.
It is written for younger audiences, so if you don’t like simple, easy to follow plots, with a few unoriginal aspects, then this series probably isn’t for you. I really like that this book, even though it is a part of a series, can easily stand alone. I would recommend this book to anyone eight and older or those who love fantasy. It would be a great book to read with your children!
Oh! By the way, Merlin: The Book of Magic is an awesome companion to the series! It provides information about the characters and places, as well as the creatures and some magical terms found in the series.
I thought this was a great book, and a good beginning for the entire series. Although it is a little slow at times, I still found it interesting because I liked the characters, especially Shim, who is a tiny giant, and Trouble, who is a Merlin. Rhia is a pretty interesting character too, though I prefer Shim and Trouble. I also liked that we get to meet Merlin as a young boy instead of a great, powerful, old wizard. It is entertaining to see him being afraid to use his abilities and learning about the history behind his powers. I believe the characters are pretty well developed, especially for the first novel of a series. Though I am not at the point where they become real people for me.
T.A Barron’s descriptions are what really make this a fantastic read. It is not overly detailed like some fantasy novels. He provides enough detail to create a vivid picture of your surroundings, but still leaves something up to the imagination. I like how he describes the trees with their colorful, oddly shaped fruit, and then later gives you quite the opposite by describing the dark, blackened, scarce forests as Emrys gets closer to his destination. Gives you a real overwhelming feeling of doom. I noticed this because Barron spends a lot of time around the subject of trees.
The plot of the book is pretty simple, but still entertaining. There isn’t a terrible amount of violence or bad language, and it has a lot of similarities to Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain series. I actually like the similarities between the two different series, although I am sure Barron could have thought of something else. However, it doesn’t bother me as much as it does other people.
It is written for younger audiences, so if you don’t like simple, easy to follow plots, with a few unoriginal aspects, then this series probably isn’t for you. I really like that this book, even though it is a part of a series, can easily stand alone. I would recommend this book to anyone eight and older or those who love fantasy. It would be a great book to read with your children!
Oh! By the way, Merlin: The Book of Magic is an awesome companion to the series! It provides information about the characters and places, as well as the creatures and some magical terms found in the series.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Not my favorite book,not my least favorite book.Kinda just average.I liked the beginning,the end and some parts in the middle. Funny to think he names himself Merlin after his dead/lost pet bird
adventurous
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oops I went home for Christmas and now I'm reading my middle school favorites again
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Genuinely the most predictable book I've read since Everybody Poops. Were it contemporary, I'd say it's AI, but as it's from the 90s, it's genuine, true blue garbage.
Every applicable, easy fantasy trope I can think of is used. Tragic backstory (wherein lay the only bad things to happen to the mc), amnesia, come from the sea, magical barefooters, the dark forest, transformative cave, dark castle, good god vs domineering opponent, I Am Your Father.... they even managed to wedge in the Sword of Legend.
I liked the idea of the book because the introduction implies that the author studied Arthurian myth and sought to build on it with faith to the canon. As far as I know, the only things preserved are names.
Then, I thought I'd stick with it since it was an ironic joy to read and accurately anticipate a book about a (onetime, at least) oracular wizard felt at least charmingly ironic. But the only things I found even slightly interesting were the second sight (though it was, I think, under-developed) and the idea of cyclical and linear time as justification for divinity/spirituality, and in writing that, I'm realising they're not enough to justify a second star.
But in the end, I stuck with it because sometimes you just need an easy, vapid, hate-read.
Even the writing and editing was wanting; everything happened "the next afternoon/evening", and "all of a sudden". The mc did not wrong. Every prophecy and forecast was repeated on loop. Don't read this book.
Every applicable, easy fantasy trope I can think of is used. Tragic backstory (wherein lay the only bad things to happen to the mc), amnesia, come from the sea, magical barefooters, the dark forest, transformative cave, dark castle, good god vs domineering opponent, I Am Your Father.... they even managed to wedge in the Sword of Legend.
I liked the idea of the book because the introduction implies that the author studied Arthurian myth and sought to build on it with faith to the canon. As far as I know, the only things preserved are names.
Then, I thought I'd stick with it since it was an ironic joy to read and accurately anticipate a book about a (onetime, at least) oracular wizard felt at least charmingly ironic. But the only things I found even slightly interesting were the second sight (though it was, I think, under-developed) and the idea of cyclical and linear time as justification for divinity/spirituality, and in writing that, I'm realising they're not enough to justify a second star.
But in the end, I stuck with it because sometimes you just need an easy, vapid, hate-read.
Even the writing and editing was wanting; everything happened "the next afternoon/evening", and "all of a sudden". The mc did not wrong. Every prophecy and forecast was repeated on loop. Don't read this book.
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Lost Years of Merlin was a very good book with many different genres wrapped in to one book. I really liked it. Overall it had a very steady pace. I didn't feel like there were very many slow parts in this book which is a bonus. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love adventure, magic, and a good book to read.