Celtika: Book I Of The Merlin Codex: Book 1 of the Merlin Codex (Gollancz S.F.) [Import] [Paperback]

Robert Holdstock (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (January 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575079738
• ISBN-13: 978-0575079731
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,093,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent story of myth interwoven with history, May 10, 2003

By 

Ian Kaplan (Livermore, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celtika (Merlin Codex) (Hardcover)

I have enjoyed Robert Holdstock's work since his book Mythago Wood
first came out. Like all of Holdstock's work, Celtika weaves
myth and reality together. In Holdstock's book characters from
myth and demigods walk among men and women. Holdstock's earlier
works are full of obcession, love and passion as the world of
humans intersects with the world of myth (or Mythagos). This
gives his earlier work a somewhat dark quality. Although Celtika
opens in the snow and at a haunted lake, this work seems lighter
somehow.

Holdstock is an excellent english stylist and has an encylopedic
knowledge of early history and myth. Celtika is a strange
intersection a time which appears to be between Alexander's
conquests and the rise of the Roman Empire, with mythical greek
history.

Although I suppose Celtika work would be classified as
fantasy, Holdstock does not write classic fantasy. His
stories have a real character to them. The main character,
Merlin, does not wash much, as few people did in the west
before modern times. Celtika recounts a story from earlier
in Merlins very long life where he is seduced by a woman.
She come to him in a sheer dress, smelling of flowers.
As she undresses him she discovers that he is filthy. She
first cleans him before they make love.

Holdstock definitely writes for a well read audience.
The story of Media is interwoven into Celtika and if you
have not read or seen the Greek play Media, it might be
worth reading to understand some of the background in this
story. In particular, why Media is so bitter.

In summary, this is an excellent book...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, February 8, 2004

By 

S Hicks (New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celtika (Merlin Codex) (Hardcover)

Just finished Celtika by Robert Holdstock....a excellent read with a new twist on the story of Merlin and Jason (from Golden Fleece fame). If you're a stickler for keeping true to the old myths you may not like it, if however you like seeing tales told from a different perspective go for it. Takes you to a magical world 700 yrs after Jason's famous quest. Great cast of characters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A well-woven tale of Celtic and Greek myths & heroes, April 7, 2008

By 

Neil Dewitte (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Celtika (Holdstock, Robert. Merlin Codex, Bk. 1,) (Hardcover)

Familial estrangement, one of Holdstock's favorite themes, takes center stage in Celtika. Celtika is mythic fiction that is epic in scope, including space and time. It revives a 700 year-old struggle between Jason (from Jason & the Argonauts) and Medea, the mother of all trickery. The events in Celtika take place throughout Europe, starting in Scandinavia and moving from there to England, the heart of central Europe and to the Mediterranean coasts of Greece.

Holdstock effectively includes Celtic and Classical (Greek) cultures and myths. Heroic deeds of mythic proportions are intermixed with subtle scenes involving concealed motives, magic and ever-changing personal emotions. This book is like a mystery, unraveling secrets slowly while continuing to reveal new mysteries. The book contains a good bit of action, but fighting and battle are a natural part of telling the story, not the purpose of the story.

At first read, it appears Holdstock may have bitten off more than he can chew by introducing many characters from different cultures and moving them in a variety of directions (physical and mental.) I am optimistic that these threads will be picked up the following books of the trilogy. Unlike some of Holdstock's previous works, he wraps up enough clues at the end of Celtika to offer the reader some catharsis while still keeping the reader curious about what will happen next.

I recommend reading or brushing up on Jason and the Argonauts and Arthurian legends involving the wizard Merlin prior to reading Celtika.

One thing I particularly like about this book is that it is told in first person from the narrative viewpoint of Merlin who, like the reader, should know his Greek mythology.

Overall this book falls solidly between average and excellent - I give it four stars.