Customer Reviews

The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well (Joan of Arc Tapestries, Book 1)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I borrowed this book from the library and found it so captivating and enjoyable that I plan to buy. It is definitely a book you would likely read more than once.

The basis of the book is a story of pagan religion & magic in France -- it is told from the point of view of the main character (a child) who grows up seeing horrible violence and wonderful magic. He learns about life and love and the wonders of magic and the world. Ann Chamberlin tells the story with such clarity that you can picture what it was like during that century, you can picture the fantastic situations as they happen -- a wonderful writer! Any fantasy enthusiast will enjoy this story. Wonderful book!

I look forward to book two with great enthusiasm!

By the middle of the fifteenth century, Christianity has strong roots in France. Most citizens, from the lowest peasant to Le Roi believe that pagan practices no longer exist in the nation. However, the ancient ways still keep the earth and related forces in harmony. Giles and Marie de Ross, two minor nobles, journey into a sacred forest and attempt to kill a stag.

A peasant child, Yann Le Drapier receives the call of the king stag and intercepts the arrow with his hand. MERLIN OF ST. GILES WELL, a descendent from the great Merlin, saves the lad who has the gift of sight. When Yann goes into an epileptic fit, he sees visions of the future. Merlin has a disciple tutor the lad in the old ways. The magician knows they prepare Yann to play a major role in upcoming events.

The "Joan of Arc" trilogy provides readers with a paradigm look at one of histories most courageous and renowned figures. Starting with the exciting MERLIN OF ST. GILES WELL, Ann Chamberlin focuses on a hypothesis that Marlin recruited Joan, a practitioner of the old ways. The clever intertwining of fantasy and history works extremely well as readers will fully relish this novel and foresee that the companion tales will be as great.

Harriet Klausner

It's not an easy feat to write a fantasy novel that will stand out from others, but that is exactly what Ann Chamberlain has done. She has adeptly managed to seamlessly blend truth, fiction and myth in a story that transports readers to another time and place. Although there are instances where the names and places were a bit confusing, it was easy to overlook that and focus on how skillfully the story was told. It read more like history than fantasy and at times I had to remind myself that the spells of magic in the book were fictional...or weren't they? That's what Ms.Chamberlain makes you think and feel. At some points in the book I felt the influence of pagan rites (for lack of a better term) and realized that she had successfully woven it into her story and managed to show it in a better light than others have previously done. In this story the heretical and heathenish behavior unfavored by the Catholic church was shown to the reader to have origins of good intentions--something that I'd never seen before in a book. Ms. Chamberlain's storytelling also was successful in creating characters that were extremely likeable and/or despicable. I pitied Jean Le Drapier and also liked and disliked Gilles, his milk-brother. I have yet to make a determination about his character until the next book, which unfortunately won't be out for several months. For me, this book is exceptionally good and I'll be sure to put it right next to my other favorite trilogy: The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series by Tad Williams.

Merlin of St. Gilles' Well blends Arthurian legend with the story of Joan of Arc's rise. History, fantasy and action blends in this opening book which represents the first of a focus on Joan of Arc. Here a boy's vision of a Maid and her powers slowly evolves to reality against a backdrop of change and discovery.

Only a minority of modern Christians seem aware of the blending and synthesis of the newer religion with the "pagan", that took place historically, and continues to occur to the present day. In this first volume of her Merlin series, Ann Chamberlin makes this fact the "weft" into which she weaves the story of Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years War. Yann le Drapier and Gilles de Rais, the two central characters, form opposite sides of the same coin. Their adventures, always challenging, dangerous and exciting, always have the good of France as their purpose. While working wholeheartedly toward the same goal, their paths diverge and the two young men develop in very different ways. This is a thoughtful retelling of an old story, an effective attempt at presenting familiar events from the perspective of the medieval mind. The legends surrounding Joan of Arc, who was not canonized until the 20th century, are full of misconceptions. The Merlin of St Gilles Well, although Joan is still a peripheral character at this stage, places her more firmly in her own time and place. For me, this makes her more human and more real. In a similar fashion, the legend of Bluebeard arose from the actions of Gilles de Rais, and it is also interesting to trace that legend from its source and discover how it was transformed over time. The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well can be read on several levels, all of them intriguing.

For historical and fantasy fiction lovers, "The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well" is right on target. And Ann Chamerlin begins a promising Joan of Arc series!

It is the early 15th century and is the story of Jean Le Drapier, who is a crippled man with his own "magical powers" (ala Merlin) and a French nobleman Gilles de Rais. Gilles is "destined" one day to fight alongside the Maid of Orleans herself; he will also become the progenitor of the Bluebeard legends! As in the actual story, this novel examines the internal political, social, and religious struggles among the people of France and does so in a most appealing manner!

As the story begins, Guy de Rais, who is poaching on illegal grounds, accidentally shoots in the hand a young peasant boy, Yann, who, naturally (or "unnaturally") becomes infected; the wound cripples him and he begins to have fits and see visions--he sees the salvation of France through Joan of Arc, among other "sights." There is the traditional hermit, who insists that de Rais become resonsible for the child's upbringing. (De Rais has a son named Gilles, who grows up with Yann.) And while this may be reminiscent of Mary Stewart's Merlin/Arthur trilogy ("The Crystal Cave," etc.), Chamberlin's story stands on its own.

As the story progresses Yann and Gilles explore--and embrace--the Old Religion and during ritual ceremonies, Gilles tatoos himself (chin: blue--hence, "Bluebeard"). Guy de Rais attacks these rituals (he is not an advocate of the Old Religion) and mortally wounds the hermit. Yann issues a curse (they all die soon after!) and inherits the shrine. The beauty of fiction is that the author is permitted to take liberties and Chamberlin does with the historical accounts; but no matter. This is fiction--and fantasy fiction at that--and as such the author has created an exciting, compelling work. We can only encourage her to publish the next episode. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

I really liked this book. It was interesting and seemed to keep to historical fact. I was happily surprised to find out that Gilles de Rais was a real person while looking through the bookstore shelves and finding a book about him in the History section! Those touches of reality always put something extra into historical fiction for me. The closer it follows the truth the better!

Ann Chamberlain has given us a wonderful gift: a vivid reminder of our vital ink to the earth lace with a compellingly readable historical adventure. This book continues to resonate in the mind long after the last page. I can't wait for the next "tapestry."

Compelling characters and vivid settings allow the reader to sink into the era of the story. Chamberlin is not only a devoted historian but a master story-teller.

I borrowed this book from the library and find it so captivating and enjoyable that I plan to buy it now.

Any fantasy enthusiast will enjoy this story of pagan religion mixed with magic. Wonderful book!

I look forward to book two with great enthusiasm!