Amazon.com Review
The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well is Book One of the Joan of Arc Tapestries--a new series in what you'd think would be a crowded fantasy subgenre. Surprisingly, fantastic treatments of this famous historical figure are pretty much confined to film. And Joan of Arc isn't actually a character in this book.
The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well is a St. Joan novel in the same sense that Mary Stewart's classic
The Crystal Cave is an Arthurian novel: both depict the early lives of the men and women (mostly men) who will foretell, instruct, and inspire the pivotal character appearing later in the series. Both novels also draw on Breton elements of the Arthurian mythos.
Set in the early 1400s, The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well portrays the origins of Jean Le Drapier, a maimed Breton with powers that may rival Merlin's, and Gilles de Rais, the French nobleman who will one day fight heroically beside Joan and commit the sadistic murders that spawned the Bluebeard legend. The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well also depicts the deadly political struggles between the king and lords of France and (with far less historical basis) between the powerful Christian church and a coexisting underground Celtic paganism. This novel may annoy historical-fiction readers who demand characters with pure period mindsets, but it will please many fans of high fantasy, historical fantasy, alternate history, secret history, and Arthurian fiction. --Cynthia Ward
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
A rich weaving of fantastic elements with accurate historical detail and imaginative reinterpretation, this series launch covers the years 1404-1415. Yann, a Breton merchant's three-year-old son prone to fits and visions, is accidentally wounded with an arrow lofted by Sire Guy de Rais near the shrine of St. Gilles. The Hermit of St. Gilles, a clandestine practitioner of the pagan Old Religion, saves the child's life and recognizes his prophetic/clairvoyant gift. Yann's mother, Gulliamette, becomes the confidante of Madame Marie de Rais and wet nurse to Marie's son Gilles, while Yann is raised with the young lord. Guided by the Hermit and Michel, another Master of the magical almost-forgotten ways, Yann has a vision that France's salvation lies in the form of La Pucelle, an as-yet-unborn maid from Lorraine, whom he must someday assist. As Yann is trained to use his Sight, Gilles, destined to be a warrior, is also introduced to the old beliefs. Both must play a role in trying to bring balance to their land and people, a balance that requires sacrifice. The underlying themeAthat good and evil are a jumble and for every dazzle there must be a shadowAshould prove particularly intriguing as future volumes elaborate more of this fictional version of the historical lives of Joan of Arc and the much-maligned Gilles de Rais, as well as of the imaginary but compelling Yann. Though this volume bogs down in a predictable pagan ritual, then comes rapidly to a stopping point, it offers an expertly tailored historic setting and plausible extrapolation to support sound storytelling. Obviously meant to represent an alternative to standard history and religion, to challenge perceptions of gender roles and to comment by analogy upon modern equivalents of witch-hunting, demon seeking, hypocrisy and ignorant condemnation, this first fantasy from the author of several well-received historicals, including Sofia, the Sultan's Daughter, edifies as it entertains. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
