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23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enchanted adventure, March 4, 2002
"Lost Years of Merlin" is one of the few genuinely new pieces of Arthurian fiction out there. Most either retread old ground or try for realism. T.A. Barron does just the opposite, utilizing his sense of magic and knowledge of Celtic mythos for a delightful fantasy/Arthurian book.An amnesiac boy washes up on the shores of Wales, with a golden-haired woman nearby. She says that their names are Branwen and Emrys, but somehow he doesn't believe her. Merlin - with his slightly odd appearance, hermit-like mother, and growing supernatural powers - is an outcast from the village. One day, a group of boys' taunting goes horribly wrong. Merlin and Branwen go to a nearby convent, where he finds that he has lost the use of his eyes. Despite his fear of his powers, his "second sight" asserts itself and allows everyday life. But Merlin isn't content to stay with the nuns, as Branwen seems to be. He goes off on a journey, and on a hunch rafts himself off to sea - and lands again on a foreign shore, that of the mystical isle of Fincayra. This time, however, there are intelligent hawks attacking rats, girls gowned in leaves, and trees that block his path. He lands in the middle of the Druma Wood, where he meets a strange woodland girl named Rhia. Rhia and Merlin encounter trouble (two kinds - the hawk is also called "Trouble") when they find that evil things and a sinister blight are creeping across the River Unceasing - and then a band of goblins try to kidnap Merlin. With the help of a diminuative giant named Shim, Merlin must find use his heart, brain, powers, and the mysterious Galator pendant to defeat the evil Rhita Gawr, find the Seven Treasures, and save Fincayra. Barron's prose is one of the rare kinds that becomes intoxicating when he really gets going. It's fortunate that much of this book takes place outdoors, as his nature descriptions are amazing and the character interactions concerning trees, especially, are delightful. He utilizes Celtic myths and legends - such as the name Branwen and the legendary Dagda - to good effect, as well as he did in "Merlin Effect." Humor is present in the form of Shim the tiny giant (so tiny that he still wears giant baby clothes) but it never becomes annoying. Characterizations? Merlin is entirely believable as an outcast boy afraid of himself, and of what he might become if he allows his powers to run rampant. Rhia is just a little out of sync with him, enough to make it believable that she grew up in the woods. Shim doesn't experience quite the same level of interest, but he's a good supporting character. And characters like Domnu, the Grand Elusa, and Cairpre help round out the story with a bit of realistic weirdness. Even evil characters like Stangmar are more developed than the usual ... dark lords. Perhaps the main flaw of this book is that the pacing feels a bit off, as compared to the next four books. We go at a moderate pace, but after Domnu appears we zip through the rest of it, especially the last twenty pages. And of course, it leaves you wanting more. I would like to address the claims that this story rips off Lloyd Alexander: Barron has obviously done his homework on Welsh and Irish legends, as Alexander did, and such things as the cauldron and the treasures probably stem from those. There is also a little dash of speculation on "sacred" and "historical" time that may intrigue adults, but be over younger kids' heads. Examine the plotlines and mythical objects of both serieses, and you'll see very little similarity in how Merlin and Taran must overcome their problems and foes. As for the idea that Mary Stewart "covered" Merlin's childhood - good gravy, people, that was HER fictional retelling, not a legend in its own right. Barron's has just as much right to be read - maybe, given his writing and research, even more! For fans of wizards and Arthuriana (though not the gritty kind), this book cannot be beat. I will add my voice to the chorus that says: This book, and the four that follow (a five book trilogy!), is vastly superior to Harry Potter.
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