The Fires of Merlin (DIGEST) (Lost Years of Merlin) [Paperback]

T. A. Barron (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Series: Lost Years of Merlin

Wings of Fire, the sleeping dragon, has awakened, threatening to revenge himself against all of Fincayra. Only young Merlin has the power to stop him-though the price may be his very life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-This third installment in what is slated to be a five-book "epic" finds the still-untried Merlin battling the great dragon Valdearg, who was put to sleep by Merlin's grandfather many years ago. The young wizard hopes to save the magic island of Fincayra from the wrath of this creature who is awakened when someone destroys the eggs containing the last of his offspring. According to an ancient prophecy, Merlin will perish in the battle, but he persists with the help and hindrance of a varied cast of characters. To make matters worse, he seems to have lost his magic. Still, he perseveres. There are no surprises here, but that is precisely what will appeal to fans of the series. Sometimes the prose is overwritten in an attempt to sound properly grave and ends up reading a little like a parody of the genre, but the constant action and flow from one predicament to another keep the story going. Because the frequent references to prior events will confuse those who haven't read the previous titles, this book is best read in conjunction with the others.
Carrie Schadle, Beginning with Children School, New York City
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-10. With each book, Barron's Lost Years of Merlin saga just keeps getting richer in characterization, ambience, and Celtic lore. Taking up where The Seven Songs of Merlin (1997) left off, the third book sees young Merlin meet even more challenges, particularly as the dragon Valdearg, the last emperor of the dragons, awakens to once again threaten the entire land of Fincayra. Gulled into thinking that Merlin is the one who had slaughtered his dragon hatchlings, Valdearg searches for the young, unproven magician. Fire plays a heavy metaphorical role in the story, with Merlin facing the incomprehensible burning of his newly crafted harp, the fire of lava, and the awakening fire of passion within himself as well as the dragon's flaming breath--all of which leads to Merlin's eventual discovery of a power still higher. The plot is complex, involving not only Valdearg but also the treacherous enchantress Urnalda; the ancient sorceress Domnu, with whom Merlin becomes a reluctant ally; and an enigmatic, primordial oracle. Also, who has been breeding Kreelixes, unnatural beasts that feed on the magic of others, and has set them against Merlin? Fans will definitely be clamoring for more. Sally Estes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ace; Reissue edition (June 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441009573
• ISBN-13: 978-0441009572
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,503,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Arthurian

More About the Author

T.A. Barron is the award-winning author of fantasy novels such as The Lost Years of Merlin epic--soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards including The Nature Conservancy and The Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, and is the founder of a national award for heroic children. Following a life-changing decision to leave a successful business career to write full-time in 1990, Barron has written seventeen books, but is happiest when on the mountain trails with his wife, Currie, and their five children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really, really great book!, July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fires of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin) (Hardcover)

this book gives another level of understanding Merlin a littie bit more.I've also read the other two books in this series, but I think this one is a must read for fantasy lovers(Ialso think you should read the other ones in order before you read this one).I can't wait to read The Mirror of Merlin.I like the way this book explians why everyone is trying to kill him or give him to the dragon.This book ,and all of the rest of The Lost Years of Merlin books,always explian whats going on so you arent left in the "dust".

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fiery "Merlin", August 11, 2000

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Fires of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin) (Hardcover)

The ancient dragon Valdearg was briefly introduced in T.A. Barron's "Seven Songs of Merlin." So guess what the antagonist of "The Fires of Merlin" is!

The third volume of this Arthurian fantasy epic introduces some nasty new beasties, magical threats and some explosive dragon action. Barron seems to have overcome his initial roughness, and allows the plot to flow as smoothly as his nature-based writing, as well as the introduction of some interesting new characters.

After barely saving his mother's life, Emrys Merlin is relaxing with his family... only to have their peace destroyed when a monstrous magic-sucking monster called a kreelix appears. They were supposedly extinct, but have somehow reappeared -- and to make matters worse, Valdearg (aka "Wings of Fire") has awakened from his slumber, and is on the warpath for whoever killed his hatchlings.

The problem is that there is a prophecy that Wings of Fire's clash with his old enemy (presumed to be a wizard) will result in both of them dying. So Merlin sets out to discover what is happening on "Fincayra's darkest day," and finds himself enmeshed with strange sorceresses, a magical conspiracy, a pair of deer-people, and eventually with the ancient dragon himself...

"The Fires of Merlin" sets aside the foresty Celtic symbolism of the previous two books, in favor of fire -- harps burn, lava burns, dragons blast fire, and homicidal anger rages out of control. He also seems to have exhausted his mythological store for the moment, because most of the magical goings-on in this book are pretty original creations.

Barron's writing sometimes gets a bit overlush, but it's loaded down with haunting, detailed moments (the deer-people's transformations), eerie threats, and the occasional moment of comic relief (the baby dragon). But the story is overall very grim, particularly since this is the first of Merlin's stories in which his death seems to be assured. Whether or not he will actually die, there's a dark cloud hanging over everything he does.

The biggest problem is perhaps the kreelixes -- they're an interesting idea, but they sound more like something out of Star Trek than Arthurian legend. I'm just saying.

Merlin is a little older and wiser in this one, and he seems to be feeling the first stirrings of romantic feelings for the bland deer-woman Hallia. And Valdearg is a wonderful antagonist -- he'a an aggressive killer, but he's not evil and at times he even shows signs of dignity and endearing sentiment.

"The Fires of Merlin" temporarily ditches the Celtic myth'n'legend, in favor of dragons and a few new inventions of the author's. A solid, richly-written fantasy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Author, September 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fires of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin, Bk. 3) (Paperback)

This book is the 3rd book in a 5 book series (the last hasn't been published yet). It is the continuation of the story of Merlin before he became aurthur's mentor. In this book Merlin has just completed training as a wizard which includes making an instrument. Just as Merlin is about to test his instrument and see if he can indeed be a wizard. Urnalda of the dwarves who readers met in the last book summons Merlin to help save her people. As it turns out the "darkest day"on Fincayra has come and the greatest of all dragons, Valdereg, has awoken from the enchanted sleep he had been put in by Merlins grandfather, Tuatha. As Merlin reaches Urnalda he realizes he has walked right into a trap. He escapes and a random act of kindness doesn't go unrewarded. The prophesy speaking of Valdereg's awakening and of the only way to defeat him and who the only one to defeat him can be is interpted all wrong and Merlin sets out to find out why it was the dragon and Fincayra's darkest day and on the way meets many strange and ineresting characters and a new race of people is introduced. Merlin must trust his own wit, instinct, and his heart to find out more about the dragon and a suspious race of winged creatures, magic eaters, that were supposedly extict long ago but now roaming Fincayra in ever increasing numbers. This book combines wit, humor, fantasy, love, terror, revenge, and true kindness in a wonderful blend that keeps the reader entralled throughout the story. This is a must read book and once you start you can't put it down. The only unsatifying bit is that Rhia who readers will remember from the first 2 books has a very small part in this book which is upseting since she is a terrific character and the female who takes her place in these books is not as fully developed.