Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"...In the dark ages.", December 1, 1999
Nikolai Tolstoy (Great-grandson of Leo Tolstoy) penned a magnificent work of fanciful art in the magical world of pre-Arthurian Merlin. As historically accurate as the retelling of history will allow, "Coming of the King" weaves the intricate paths of Merlin and the Kings he associated through many escapades and battles. Beginning with Merlin's birth, this traditional, legendary Welsh fable replaces 'fairy-tale' form with mind-blowing resonance. As tales of peoples and battles and 'lands of yore' where sung by bards in the mediaeval times of western Europe, Tolstoy fully immerses the reader in a world so seemingly real, we begin to interpret his fiction with known facts within our current surroundings. Coming of the King has all the obligatory 'treks through the country-sides,' 'mountain mayhem,' and 'cast of thousands battles' as well as a compelling reality in how humanity in a whole conducts its political regimes. As this work begins before Merlin met up with Arthur, it also tells of the creation of Excalibur, and conceives as to the true purpose of its original creation. Merlin, himself, is shown as a man with his own worries and concerns of what 'is,' what 'will be,' and how he wants things 'to be.' The whole tone of this work is mysterious and dark (as mediaeval as mediaeval can get), and still conjure landscapes and castles so real we can reach out and touch them. The only thing this work lacks, is its characterization. Gone are the 'damsels in distress,' the 'gnomish sidekicks,' and the black and white 'good Vs evil' most fantasy works base their entire ensemble upon. Coming of the King deals only with Merlin and those he comes immediately in contact with. I highly recommend reading this book if you are a die-hard fantasy fan with a penchant for the dark 'reality' of times long gone. -RasGold@aol.com
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A hard slog, but worth it..., July 10, 1999
By A Customer
Tolstoy weaves a rich tapestry of ancient English mythology which provides both the spiritual and sociopolitical context for the rise of the young Merlin's power and influence, and Arthur's eventual emergence as the saviour of the Britons. Unfortunately, there has been no 'Second Book', so the reader at the end is left somewhat marooned, especially given the effort required to immerse oneself in such a well-researched and painstakingly rendered interpretation of this classic of English folklore.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fantastic read - , September 16, 2004
I first read this book when I was 20 and have read it 3 times since. It is one of those books that is fascinating and complete in its revival every time it is re-read. I rank it up there with the Silmarillion as one of the most comprehensive fantasy books I have ever read.
It is written in epic style and is a tough read, if one is used to the more pulpy entries in the Arthurian cannon. However, I can't stress enough that this book is well worth the read. Having the mabinogi (or a celtic myth primer of some sort) and a welsh pronunciation key nearby definitely help with the daunting scale of the book. Tolstoy's scope of arthurian and celtic knowledge seem inexhaustable. Like many of the former reviewers said this is a difficult book to read but if you can handle Tolkeins Rings trilogy and the Silmarillion you will definitely find this book an enjoyable experience.
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