Guardian of the Balance (Merlin's Descendants, Vol. 1) [Paperback]

Irene Radford (Author)

Book Description

Series: Merlin's Descendants | Publication Date: March 1, 2000

In volume one of Irene Radford's magnificent new saga, Merlin's Descendants, Merlin's daughter, Wren, is more powerful than even The Merlin can perceive. And she must learn to master these talents, for soon she will be called upon to serve as both sword and shield for The Merlin, for Arthur, and for the people who would be put in her charge....

"An ambitious project that should have certain appeal for fans of Aruthurian legend..."--Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The protagonist of this first novel in a fantasy series of the tales of King Arthur is Arylwren, nicknamed Wren, daughter of Myrddin Emrys, The Merlin, and Deirdre, high priestess of the Druids. Raised among her father's wards, Wren falls in love with one such ward, Curryl, who, to no reader's surprise, turns out to be the eventual Arthur, Ard Rhi (High King) of Britain. Meanwhile, to protect her from political and religious intrigues, her father forces Wren into marriage with the abusive Carradoc, already involved in an incestuous affair with his demon-ridden, promiscuous, magic-working daughter, Nimue. Arylwren has a long and difficult journey through life, rescuing her father from Morgaine (in the novel as in legend, a sorceress) and her retainers from her husband, and eventually dying while bearing Arthur's child. This is not an impressive addition to the canon of Arthuriana, despite obvious folkloric expertise and several good passages (the two rescues head the list). Wren is more a collection of virtues than a believable human being. The author seems torn between scholarship about the Celts and modern neopagan images of them. And the sexual politics are piled on with an overly lavish hand. Much of the legend is here, including the extraction of Excalibur from the stone and the love of Lancelot and a Guinevere so pathetic one wonders what the man saw in her. Unfortunately, all the elements are so jumbled together that much of the spirit of the classic legend gets buried.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

As the daughter of Merlin and the goddess whom he serves, Wren grows up in the shadow of the boy who will one day inherit the title of Pendragon. Despite a loveless marriage and the enmity of her husband's family, Wren pursues a destiny spun for her by the goddess of the land. With this first in a series of novels focusing on the mythical bloodline of Merlin, Radford embarks on an ambitious project that should have certain appeal for fans of Arthurian legend and goddess-centered magic. A good choice for most libraries.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: DAW (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886778751
• ISBN-13: 978-0886778750
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Historical

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cool idea, but-, September 23, 2001

By 

Ariana Mortmain (United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Guardian of the Balance (Merlin's Descendants, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

I think that the author had a really excellent idea, but I don't think it was developed very well. There were parts of it that didn't really make sense to me, like how Morgaine, who is in most cases called the Fairy, was against fairies. But there were also parts that were fully engrossing and I really enjoyed. To me, it read like a first draft. It was, however, one of the few King Arthur stories that I could stand to read all the way through. I would have liked to see Arylwren as a slightly more flawed character- she seemed too perfect and benign to be true, while everyone else was a bit of a mess. I think it had gaps, as well. I don't think I would recommend it to other people, but if you enjoy King Arthur tales, then maybe you'll find it better that I found it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Every Minute of your Time, April 7, 2000

By 

Jodi L. Keller (Washinton State) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Guardian of the Balance (Merlin's Descendants, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

I just have to say that I could not put this book down. I read the entire thing in one night. If you are a fan of Arthurian Legend this is one of the better fantasy books I have read. The characters draw you in and then you're hooked!

4.0 out of 5 stars A new take on the legend of Arthur, September 16, 2009

By 

William Sugarman "nprfan1" (Great Neck, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Guardian of the Balance (Merlin's Descendants, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

Radford deviates quite liberally from the Arthur legend we all know, but not enough so that the story isn't recognizable. And she takes one liberty that is essential to the plot of this and the other books in this series. In the actual legend Merlin never married, nor did he have any children - though the woman Nimue did indeed cause his downfall by seducing him. Here, Merlin breaks his vows of celibacy before the story of Arthur begins (which we learn in a brief prologue) and is punished for it by the gods.

The result of that breach of faith is his daughter, Arylwren (Wren for short), who is the actual central figure of this story. She wanders the country with her father, studies in Avalon for several years, and becomes a powerful sorceress in her own right - powerful enough to challenge both Nimue and the woman history will know as Morgan Le Fey. But her life is not a happy one. She is forced into marriage with a man she cannot love and who treats women like cattle, while the man she truly loves marries a lady named Guinevere. Nevertheless, Wren does her part to hold Arthur's Britain together for as long as she and her Da can - but in the end, as we all know, the Golden Age is doomed. Not, however, before Wren finds some happiness by perpetuating her family's line.

Radford's first book in the series "Merlin's Descendants" is a grand beginning to what promises to be a wonderful story. This is by far the best feminist take on the Arthurian legend since Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon" and its succeeding tales. I definitely look forward to the next book.