22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intriguing, with challanges, May 10, 2000
This review is from: The Dragon and the Unicorn (Mass Market Paperback)
The tales of King Arthur have seen many incarnations, from simple warlord to the ornately intertwined tales of Camelot. Conversely, tales of the Norse gods have been curtailed into (usually) simple retellings of the Elder and Prose Edda. In this book, the tales of Camelot, of the Norse, of the Celts, of history, mythology, cosmology and haigiography coexist and push each other around, each trying to achieve dominance.
This is not an easy book to read. I don't mean "Finnegan's Wake" level of difficulty, but rather there is a lot of presumed knowledge -- you know many tales of Uther, Ygraine, Odin, Niggdur, and at least a passing acquaintance with figures of Irish/Celtic folklore. In addition, you are presumed to be literate and that you enjoy obscure words. If you can get past these hurdles, however, you will find an enjoyable and enriching tale.
This is not a simple retelling of old tales. The tales are woven together, often clashing, sometimes melding. A few of the characters are what you would expect, but many of them have altered, strongly or subtley -- Merlin is, indeed, half-demon, born of a virgin, but the tale is not as simple as that; Furor is Odin, but with a different take on the invasion of Britain by the Anglo-Saxons. The Romans, Christians, and other historical groups and personalities have their roles, but it is often difficult to distinguish the history from the mythology. This is something I enjoy, but may bother others.
I believe that a challanging read is a good thing. To merely find what you expect in a book can be tedious. Often this works pushes you to the limits, but keep a dictionary nearby and several books of basic mythology -- with these tools you will not become lost.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
an enchanted tale of epic scope, January 2, 2003
This review is from: The Dragon and the Unicorn (Mass Market Paperback)
Although this book is a at first little hard to get into simply because of its poetic and lyrical style, once you are acquainted with Attanasio's descriptive and unique story-telling, you'll find yourself swept up in a tale of such breath-taking imagery that you'll feel as though earth no longer is a place of mundane routine and solely human reign, but really is the home to mystical beings whose power and actions drive the inner fires of its heart. With a spell-binding finale, this book, written in the present tense, is a journey written by a literary master, who weaves the traditional Arthurian saga into a powerful tale that keeps you captivated until the end.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new cosmology and a great read, April 4, 2002
This review is from: The Dragon and the Unicorn (Mass Market Paperback)
I've read at least a dozen tellings of the story of Merlin and Arthur, but this is by far the most original. Attanasio weaves together Norse and Celtic beliefs with elements of Christianity to create a rich and fascinating cosmic struggle. This new mythology, starting at the beginning of time, provides a backdrop for the "birth" and development of Merlin.
The writing is exceptional... fluid and magical. The characters are engaging and complex.
This book is a great read by itself, as well as a wonderful introduction for Attanasio's later books.
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