23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Romantic suspense from the Dragon Lady, March 12, 2002
The Mark of Merlin is a fun, quick read, packed with mystery, a wonderful dog, and great characters. The romance is mild enough for a mom to hand this book to a twelve-year-old with no qualms whatsoever. It's an early work for McCaffrey, before she created Pern and its marvelous dragons, but her fans will find strong, quirky characters, empathy between humans and animals - a lot of the same qualities that make her science fiction so much fun to read. I'm so glad this is being published again!
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Early work of Anne McCaffrey that shows her potential, June 11, 2002
This gothic romance/ mystery is one of my all time favorite books. This book was originally published in 1971, and even at this early in Ms. McCaffrey's career, her talent and maturity as a writer is already apparent. The characters are vivid and well balanced. The plot does not drag or falter. All in all a very good read!
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Merlin left his mark, March 22, 2000
By A Customer
I'm a McCaffrey fan, and this story shows that Anne McCaffrey can pick any genre and succeed.
It's set just after WWII, and stars a young girl down from university, who is the daughter of a military man, just killed in the war. It also stars her fabulous dog Merlin, and several of her father's collegues, including one who has just taken her on as his ward, but doesn't realise that James Carlise is actually female!
It's probably best described as a mystery, with wonderful characters popping in and out. Watch out in particular for the Vet.
The descriptions of the countryside, and the way the characters relate their war experiences makes this a gripping read, and this is one book that I keep returning to - after all, if you're in need of a McCaffrey fix, it's much quicker to read one book than re-read the start of the series, and then get so involved you read them all again.
This is the book to start with if you love a good writer, but aren't into sci-fi/fantasy, or if you are, and want a change of pace. It's a definete must for anyone who likes McCaffrey's stuff -Enjoy!
P.S. In Australia, this story is packaged in a book with two others. It's the best of them, but the others are also interesting. Three for the price of one!
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