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The Coming of the King
The legend of Merlin is one of the greatest and most mysterious of all literature. This novel is a reimagining of his life and impact on Celtic Britain, bringing to life the world of the Celts in all its valor and violence, love and lust, poetry and profanity.
671 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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1337 people want to read
About the author
Nikolai Tolstoy
33 books35 followersCount Nikolai Dmitrievich Tolstoy-Miloslavsky (Russian: Николай Дмитриевич Толстой-Милославский; born 23 June 1935) is an Anglo-Russian author who writes under the name Nikolai Tolstoy. A member of the Tolstoy family, he is a former parliamentary candidate of the UK Independence Party.
Source: Wikipedia
The photograph by Justin K Prim.
Source: Wikipedia
The photograph by Justin K Prim.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 11, 2013
Originally published on my blog here in December 2001.
This novel, the first of a projected trilogy which hasn't yet appeared (and probably never will), made quite a stir among my more literary friends when I was a student. As Arthurian fantasy goes, it is unique in several ways, and, while tedious in places, it is generally engrossing.
The title leads the reader to expect a Sword in the Stone scenario, with Merlin tutoring the boy Arthur, but in fact Tolstoy has completely separated the two characters, making the king precede the wizard by about fifty years. The king of the title is not Arthur, but an even later ruler who, at the beginning of the novel, goes to Merlin's grave to consult with the ghost of the enchanter.
The Coming of the King is one of the most difficult novels about the Celtic Dark Ages to read, making almost no concession to the modern reader. Names and, frequently, concepts such as fate are given only in Celtic forms, and then not even in the ones most likely to be familiar to readers. There is a pronunciation guide, but no glossary. Forms of Celtic literature are imitated in ways which are sometimes disconcerting or off-putting (it certainly helps if you have read, say, the Mabinogion). In one way, this is a virtue: it makes the novel atmospherically Celtic; but The Coming of the King is not an easy read. (Traditional tales from other cultures are also worked in, including Beowulf and a touch of the Kalevala; these borrowings are more interesting to catalogue than to read.)
The best sections of this novel are the least portentous: the amusing story of Merlin as a precocious baby and the exciting siege of Deinerth. This is where Tolstoy forgets that he is writing mythology and gets carried along by his own story. (To try too hard to produce mythology is a common fault in modern fantasy authors, one which is an annoying legacy of Tolkien's influence. Even if there is something in the reader which is stirred by the epic ideas, this is stifled when these are expressed in turgid prose.)
Tolstoy went on to become involved in one of the bigger libel cases of the 1990s, when he was sued after suggesting that British officers handed over Yugoslav resistance fighters to Tito after the end of the war knowing that they would be massacred. The second and third books of this trilogy seem to have been forgotten in the stress of the massive damages awarded against Tolstoy; a pity. The Coming of the King, as a result, stands as a unique and different Arthurian fantasy, and this alone is a considerable achievement.
This novel, the first of a projected trilogy which hasn't yet appeared (and probably never will), made quite a stir among my more literary friends when I was a student. As Arthurian fantasy goes, it is unique in several ways, and, while tedious in places, it is generally engrossing.
The title leads the reader to expect a Sword in the Stone scenario, with Merlin tutoring the boy Arthur, but in fact Tolstoy has completely separated the two characters, making the king precede the wizard by about fifty years. The king of the title is not Arthur, but an even later ruler who, at the beginning of the novel, goes to Merlin's grave to consult with the ghost of the enchanter.
The Coming of the King is one of the most difficult novels about the Celtic Dark Ages to read, making almost no concession to the modern reader. Names and, frequently, concepts such as fate are given only in Celtic forms, and then not even in the ones most likely to be familiar to readers. There is a pronunciation guide, but no glossary. Forms of Celtic literature are imitated in ways which are sometimes disconcerting or off-putting (it certainly helps if you have read, say, the Mabinogion). In one way, this is a virtue: it makes the novel atmospherically Celtic; but The Coming of the King is not an easy read. (Traditional tales from other cultures are also worked in, including Beowulf and a touch of the Kalevala; these borrowings are more interesting to catalogue than to read.)
The best sections of this novel are the least portentous: the amusing story of Merlin as a precocious baby and the exciting siege of Deinerth. This is where Tolstoy forgets that he is writing mythology and gets carried along by his own story. (To try too hard to produce mythology is a common fault in modern fantasy authors, one which is an annoying legacy of Tolkien's influence. Even if there is something in the reader which is stirred by the epic ideas, this is stifled when these are expressed in turgid prose.)
Tolstoy went on to become involved in one of the bigger libel cases of the 1990s, when he was sued after suggesting that British officers handed over Yugoslav resistance fighters to Tito after the end of the war knowing that they would be massacred. The second and third books of this trilogy seem to have been forgotten in the stress of the massive damages awarded against Tolstoy; a pity. The Coming of the King, as a result, stands as a unique and different Arthurian fantasy, and this alone is a considerable achievement.
July 5, 2010
This book had huge amounts of potential that it didn't quite live up to. Tolstoy has wrote some great non fiction on British Dark Ages history and pre-Christian European religion (do your self a favor and read his book Quest for Merlin!) but as far as fiction his writing style just didn't flow well. It took some determination for me to get through it and I have a huge interest in the type of subject matter covered in this book. I'm not at all saying this book is bad, its just a disappointment compared to what I thought it could have been. If you have a big interest in Dark Ages British history, Welsh and/or Arthurian lore, or pre-Christian European religion then you may enjoy this. If your more a casual fan of that type stuff then you will probably want to skip it.
January 28, 2016
A very weird book. I don't think it would appeal to all that many people, as it is very dense and confusing. The parts I liked were really only appealing because they were all obscure references that only someone, like me, who has read a considerable amount of medieval literature is likely to understand. There is a scene quoting the Saga of Grettir the Strong almost word for word, for example. It draws from numerous, disparate medieval sources.
SPOILERS are recommended, because you are going to need them if approaching this book with no medieval background: the tale follows young Merlin as he gains the mystical powers necessary to serve as advisor to the high King, who is Maelgun, not Arthur. Merlin is the son of a virgin and incubus/pagan God and a child of prophesy. After baptism, he is thrown into the sea, so he learns how to turn into a fish and does that for many years. Then, eventually, he is caught in the weir of Gwyddno Garanhir (a weir is a wooden fishing barricade in an estuary, btw), and rescued by Gwyddno's son Prince Elfin. At Gwyddno's court, the child Merlin is a curiosity to most, and a colleague to the bard Taliesin, who is another vessel of the Gods. Eventually, Merlin proves his use by helping Elfin get out of an embarrassing political blunder with neighboring Prince Rhud. Thus, when the princes are called to muster for campaigns against the Saxons with King Maelgun, both Merlin and Taliesin go along for the ride.
On the way to Gwynedd, Merlin has an out-of-body experience in which he and Taliesin journey into the wilderness and play Gwyddbwll (aka the historical game Tafl in Tolstoy's interpretation), the game of Fate, determining in advance the outcome of the campaign--it doesn't look good. Taliesin's shade vanishes, leaving Merlin alone on the mountain, only to be rescued by a great falcon, which also happens to steal Merlin's eye without permission in order to drop it in the well of wisdom and earn Merlin the Second Sight, even greater than what he was born with.
Upon reaching Gwynedd, Merlin meets an old Roman centurion (V-something. I don't have the book on me). They initially hit it off well, and V tells Merlin his life story for a very long time, stopping only when Merlin is suddenly gripped by the Sight and the other world. Since Merlin is mysteriously comatose, V naturally wanders off--I said it was weird. Merlin then goes on a psychological journey into the layers of his own mind and the underworld, finally battling the grotesque ruler of the dead. He is aided back to the real world by his mysterious love interest star-maiden. Anyhow, the upshot is that now Merlin can not only See events, he can influence them too.
The army sets out to head off the Saxons, but the Saxons also send for reinforcements from the continent, including the legendary Beowulf. The Saxons literally have Odin on their side firing up the army. Meanwhile, Merlin decides to do some reconaissance, so he travels into enemy territory as a fish. He does discover what is happening (turns out the Saxons were ready for them), and he has another mystical experience to try to change the fate he and Taliesin foresaw. He ends up very weak and half mad by the time he makes it back to warn the king. Unfortunately, the king is also ailing, and Merlin's information rapidly becomes useless. Merlin and Maelgun and V must whether a siege in an old decrepit fort without hope of relief. Fortunately, Elfin actually manages to pull a fast one and get put to fetch reinforcements. The siege is lifted, and Merlin battles Odin himself to ensure victory.
SPOILERS are recommended, because you are going to need them if approaching this book with no medieval background: the tale follows young Merlin as he gains the mystical powers necessary to serve as advisor to the high King, who is Maelgun, not Arthur. Merlin is the son of a virgin and incubus/pagan God and a child of prophesy. After baptism, he is thrown into the sea, so he learns how to turn into a fish and does that for many years. Then, eventually, he is caught in the weir of Gwyddno Garanhir (a weir is a wooden fishing barricade in an estuary, btw), and rescued by Gwyddno's son Prince Elfin. At Gwyddno's court, the child Merlin is a curiosity to most, and a colleague to the bard Taliesin, who is another vessel of the Gods. Eventually, Merlin proves his use by helping Elfin get out of an embarrassing political blunder with neighboring Prince Rhud. Thus, when the princes are called to muster for campaigns against the Saxons with King Maelgun, both Merlin and Taliesin go along for the ride.
On the way to Gwynedd, Merlin has an out-of-body experience in which he and Taliesin journey into the wilderness and play Gwyddbwll (aka the historical game Tafl in Tolstoy's interpretation), the game of Fate, determining in advance the outcome of the campaign--it doesn't look good. Taliesin's shade vanishes, leaving Merlin alone on the mountain, only to be rescued by a great falcon, which also happens to steal Merlin's eye without permission in order to drop it in the well of wisdom and earn Merlin the Second Sight, even greater than what he was born with.
Upon reaching Gwynedd, Merlin meets an old Roman centurion (V-something. I don't have the book on me). They initially hit it off well, and V tells Merlin his life story for a very long time, stopping only when Merlin is suddenly gripped by the Sight and the other world. Since Merlin is mysteriously comatose, V naturally wanders off--I said it was weird. Merlin then goes on a psychological journey into the layers of his own mind and the underworld, finally battling the grotesque ruler of the dead. He is aided back to the real world by his mysterious love interest star-maiden. Anyhow, the upshot is that now Merlin can not only See events, he can influence them too.
The army sets out to head off the Saxons, but the Saxons also send for reinforcements from the continent, including the legendary Beowulf. The Saxons literally have Odin on their side firing up the army. Meanwhile, Merlin decides to do some reconaissance, so he travels into enemy territory as a fish. He does discover what is happening (turns out the Saxons were ready for them), and he has another mystical experience to try to change the fate he and Taliesin foresaw. He ends up very weak and half mad by the time he makes it back to warn the king. Unfortunately, the king is also ailing, and Merlin's information rapidly becomes useless. Merlin and Maelgun and V must whether a siege in an old decrepit fort without hope of relief. Fortunately, Elfin actually manages to pull a fast one and get put to fetch reinforcements. The siege is lifted, and Merlin battles Odin himself to ensure victory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2011
The medieval French interpreters of the Matter of Britain drew heavily upon the Celtic myths and folktales of Brittany and Great Britain when they wrote their own chivalric stories. The heroes of those earlier tales were seen by the French as uncouth and unchristian and they generally cast the native heroes as boorish and unmannered when compared with the "new" cultured French heroes.
Tolstoy has taken back the original traditions and shows these characters, warts and all, as people set within their own culture. Based on Welsh and Germanic mythology, the manners and mores might not be what we have come to expect from Arthurian heroes, but the combination of earthy humour and high mysticism strikes a chord of realism, despite the fantasy setting. The kings and warriors aren't paragons of chivalric virtue, but then they pre-date the chivalric ideal and demand to be treated on their own terms.
It's such a shame that Tolstoy's legal difficulties at the time of the publication of this first volume in an intended trilogy prevented him from continuing the series.
Tolstoy has taken back the original traditions and shows these characters, warts and all, as people set within their own culture. Based on Welsh and Germanic mythology, the manners and mores might not be what we have come to expect from Arthurian heroes, but the combination of earthy humour and high mysticism strikes a chord of realism, despite the fantasy setting. The kings and warriors aren't paragons of chivalric virtue, but then they pre-date the chivalric ideal and demand to be treated on their own terms.
It's such a shame that Tolstoy's legal difficulties at the time of the publication of this first volume in an intended trilogy prevented him from continuing the series.
September 1, 2009
This book introduces the unfortunate phrase "trouserful of wantonness" in perhaps one of the worst descriptive paragraphs I've ever read. The entire book is yet more of the same. If English was the author's second language I might understand.. oh wait, he's from England. There is no excuse. (If you do read this book and come across the paragraph I mentioned, read it aloud to your best friend. See if they don't smack you.)
November 9, 2021
This version of the traditional Celtic mythology adds a new twist to the Arthurian tales by adding in hints, bits and suggestions from Scandinavian and Russian mythologies as well as the original Celtic tales. This combination makes for a unique series of stories that follows the king of the title (not the one you think) as he begins his quest to achieve power and rule his peoples well. In doing so he arrives at Merlin's grave where he speaks to his ghost rather than the man himself. This is a hard read, especially for those not familiar with the original tales as Tolstoy hasn't altered the style or language to suit today's reader. Personally I don't mind this, having read the Mabinogion and other such Celtic tales I'm quite familiar with many of the terms used but it would've been good to have a glossary for those not so familiar with these (I did refer back to my Mabinogion on occasion to remind myself of a few I'd forgotten). Vividly written and enthralling, especially if you can get over the language barrier.
April 9, 2018
Nikolai Tolstoy draws from the Mabinogion, Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, Beowulf, and the Norse Eddas to tell a story of post-Arthurian Britain through the eye of Merlin. This Merlin isn't the advisor of Arthur we've come to expect from works like The Once and Future King, but rather a shaman living nearly a century after Arthur's defeat at Camlan. The book runs the gamut from action, to ribald humor, to surreal visions. I especially loved the fact that one of Merlin's teachers is the Salmon of Lyn Liw. At times this is a dense and challenging read and I'm not sure I would have gotten as much out of it if I hadn't read several of the stories of the Mabinogion plus some of the Norse Eddas. Still, I found this a compelling look through the eyes of a Celtic shaman and may have to give this another read in the future.
December 28, 2012
Excellent vision of the post-Arthurian Briton and the way and magic of the druid Myrddin. Highly reccomended for those interested in this area of fantasy or historical fiction. Explore everything Arthurian and ancient British from druidic shape-changing to Roman military science to Celtic lifestyles.
November 25, 2008
It took me forever it read this freaking book! So dense and chewy. Oh, its about Merlin not God, deceptive title.
April 9, 2019
This novel is rather an acquired taste. Partly fantasy, partly a historical novel, partly a fanciful reflection upon the defunct pagan religions of Britain and its Germanic invaders, to best appreciate "The Coming of the King," one should first read (and probably study) and get the general "feel" of the tales, legends, and genealogies in Nennius' Historia Brittonum and the Welsh Annals, the sermon of St. Gildas on the downfall of Britain, the Mabinogion, the Welsh triads, the bardic poems in the Four Ancient Books of Wales, the early medieval entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the Anglo-Saxon poems Beowulf, Widsith, Deor, and Finnsburh. Drawing on those hoary texts from Britain's Dark Ages -- the chaotic transitional period following the collapse of Roman authority when the various early medieval British (Welsh) and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms took shape -- Tolstoy does a masterful job of weaving together and crafting a mythic-themed story set in the reign of Maelgwn the Tall, King of Gwynedd, who was the most powerful king in Britain during the latter 500s A.D. In this novel, Tolstoy also experiments with and explores his own theories about the origin, nature, and development of the Merlin myth, and particularly fascinating was his adaptation of the Beowulf story, with imaginative depictions of the half-Christian/half-pagan culture of the late Roman/early medieval Britons or Welsh, and the brutally pagan culture of the Anglo-Saxons. However, the book could have really done without the chapter in which the pagan mystical/mythical union of the divine masculine figure of Merlin with the divine feminine figure of his sister Gwendudd is graphically sexualised as an incestuous encounter. Undoubtedly that chapter is the worst passage of the novel and reads and feels like an intrusion into the story (did Tolstoy think he needed to add a sex scene to help him sell books?) -- one may skip right over that chapter and continue reading and not miss anything essential to the plot or character development.
December 10, 2012
This is a masterpiece, Nikolai Tolstoy did a tremendous amount of research to write this, the amount of imagination and detail that went into this book is astounding.
I really liked Michael's review.
I really liked Michael's review.
May 23, 2018
Enjoyable but hard to follow at times. Sad that he didn't finish the series.
February 7, 2016
Самое ужасное не то, что это начало очередного цикла, а то, что автор дальше писать не стал.
Густой замес из кельтских саг, Мабиногиона, скандинавских и древнегерманских сказаний, Калевалы, и чего еще только не. Пища не для слабых, потому что автор - отличный стилист. Я в какой-то момент пресытилась, книгу отложила, но день спустя вернулась: невозможно же не узнать, чем все закончилось, и кто победил.
Британия, остров Придайн, неподвижна в окружающем ее потоке времени. Во внешнем мире время неудержимо катится вперед, здесь же оно идет по спирали, привольно расстилаясь во все стороны. Колесо года совершает свой оборот, чтобы снова пришли весенние праздники, а потом осенние, когда в самую темную ночь Дикая Охота может вступить в королевские чертоги и потребовать сыграть с ними в гвиддилл. Здесь все юноши отважны, а девы прекрасны. Здесь процветание земли напрямую зависит от здоровья короля и соблюдения им всех запретов и правил. В очередной раз здесь рождается Мирддин Эмрис, поэт и чародей. Битва при Камлане уже отгремела, Артур и прочие герои мертвы. Но история повторяется: если появился Мерлин, значит, скоро появится и новый Артур.
Роман все же не о пришествии короля (точнее, не того короля, о котором все думают). Это подробная и довольно хвастливая повесть Мирддина о своем рождении, о том, каким "чудесным дитятей" он был, о поиске своего пути и игре, ставкой в которой - судьба острова Придайн и всех его Тринадцати Сокровищ. Он так же, как и сам остров, передвигается во времени не реальном, но мифологическом. Вот младенца Мирддина находят в запруде, а вот он сопровождает королевское войско несколько месяцев спустя, и никого не удивляет, что он - уже старик. Вот он вспоминает о совсем легендарных событиях как их современник и ему открыты все тайны, а вот - бессилен понять, чем закончится поход войск кельтов против саксов, хотя все подсказки перед ним.
Время начинает обретать приметы реальности, когда к войску кельтов присоединяется римский трибун Руфин. И он мой самый любимый герой здесь, человек, которому "нравится делать сложные вопросы простыми и наводить порядок там, где его нет". Наконец, становится понятно, что творится во внешнем мире: Руфин воевал под началом Велизария и знает, чем заняты по ту сторону пролива. Он говорит просто и понятно, при этом его история - одна из самых трогательных. Посреди кельтских изгибов и скандинавских кеннингов (о том, как собирались на войну саксы, весь Север, от пиктов до лапландских колдунов и Беовульфа, мы тоже узнаем), встает римский здравый смысл. Когда Мирддин прибегает к кельтам и говорит: ребята, надо уходить, тут скоро будет все войско саксов, а нас всего три сотни. Когда кельты отвечают: нет, у короля девятидневная скорбь, не можем уехать, пока она не закончится, и вообще, погибнуть с честью - это прекрасно. Один Руфин посреди этого безобразия ходит и говорит: вот здесь копаем еще одну траншею, и разберитесь уже с порядком дежурств.
Я рекомендую, если вам нравится вся литература, упомянутая во втором абзаце и римские трибуны.
Густой замес из кельтских саг, Мабиногиона, скандинавских и древнегерманских сказаний, Калевалы, и чего еще только не. Пища не для слабых, потому что автор - отличный стилист. Я в какой-то момент пресытилась, книгу отложила, но день спустя вернулась: невозможно же не узнать, чем все закончилось, и кто победил.
Британия, остров Придайн, неподвижна в окружающем ее потоке времени. Во внешнем мире время неудержимо катится вперед, здесь же оно идет по спирали, привольно расстилаясь во все стороны. Колесо года совершает свой оборот, чтобы снова пришли весенние праздники, а потом осенние, когда в самую темную ночь Дикая Охота может вступить в королевские чертоги и потребовать сыграть с ними в гвиддилл. Здесь все юноши отважны, а девы прекрасны. Здесь процветание земли напрямую зависит от здоровья короля и соблюдения им всех запретов и правил. В очередной раз здесь рождается Мирддин Эмрис, поэт и чародей. Битва при Камлане уже отгремела, Артур и прочие герои мертвы. Но история повторяется: если появился Мерлин, значит, скоро появится и новый Артур.
Роман все же не о пришествии короля (точнее, не того короля, о котором все думают). Это подробная и довольно хвастливая повесть Мирддина о своем рождении, о том, каким "чудесным дитятей" он был, о поиске своего пути и игре, ставкой в которой - судьба острова Придайн и всех его Тринадцати Сокровищ. Он так же, как и сам остров, передвигается во времени не реальном, но мифологическом. Вот младенца Мирддина находят в запруде, а вот он сопровождает королевское войско несколько месяцев спустя, и никого не удивляет, что он - уже старик. Вот он вспоминает о совсем легендарных событиях как их современник и ему открыты все тайны, а вот - бессилен понять, чем закончится поход войск кельтов против саксов, хотя все подсказки перед ним.
Время начинает обретать приметы реальности, когда к войску кельтов присоединяется римский трибун Руфин. И он мой самый любимый герой здесь, человек, которому "нравится делать сложные вопросы простыми и наводить порядок там, где его нет". Наконец, становится понятно, что творится во внешнем мире: Руфин воевал под началом Велизария и знает, чем заняты по ту сторону пролива. Он говорит просто и понятно, при этом его история - одна из самых трогательных. Посреди кельтских изгибов и скандинавских кеннингов (о том, как собирались на войну саксы, весь Север, от пиктов до лапландских колдунов и Беовульфа, мы тоже узнаем), встает римский здравый смысл. Когда Мирддин прибегает к кельтам и говорит: ребята, надо уходить, тут скоро будет все войско саксов, а нас всего три сотни. Когда кельты отвечают: нет, у короля девятидневная скорбь, не можем уехать, пока она не закончится, и вообще, погибнуть с честью - это прекрасно. Один Руфин посреди этого безобразия ходит и говорит: вот здесь копаем еще одну траншею, и разберитесь уже с порядком дежурств.
Я рекомендую, если вам нравится вся литература, упомянутая во втором абзаце и римские трибуны.
August 26, 2015
This book was written in the style of the Norse sagas. I think Tolstoy often got carried away with this style and didn't pay enough attention to the subject matter and the plot. It seems as if about 200 pages or so of "style" could have been cut out and it would have made the book far more interesting and readable. Merlin as a baby and the final battle were very interesting sections but there was much more of the book that I felt as if I was slogging through. I rarely quit reading a book but I almost gave up on this one. I read this was the first in a trilogy. I won't be reading the other two. I'm only giving it a three because of the attempt at the style of the Norse sagas and those parts that were interesting and good reads.
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April 5, 2020This is going to be a DNF - apart from bits of plot there were many sections that read like: The musky musical multiple mugwumps plumped forcewith with force forged forcefully fast fixed financial fickle facts found fearless features for fooling fun dugouts dug deep down despite desperate decisions dutifully devoured before assaulting afterthoughts throughout outer order odours outlandishly ostrcized over other tidings amidst grief and grumpiness gathered gratefully grandily at the outset.
Without the alliteration
Don't sake my words for it, here is a sampling from page 8 "Among the boulders of the moor and the brakes of the forest flit pale gwyllion, shades of the dead, sqeaking faint as bats, amidst the growling of storm clouds and the howl of moorland winds."
Without the alliteration
Don't sake my words for it, here is a sampling from page 8 "Among the boulders of the moor and the brakes of the forest flit pale gwyllion, shades of the dead, sqeaking faint as bats, amidst the growling of storm clouds and the howl of moorland winds."
November 13, 2011
Professor of Arthurian Mythology has a crack at writing the historical fiction version of Arthur. The telling point of how well this was received is that the book calls itself "The First Book of Merlin". There was never a second. If The Sword in the Stone or Excalibur is your taste for Arthurian fiction then this is not the book for you. It's heavy on Celtic imagery, and the real world explanations of various Arthurian myths and elements may leave the unfamiliar scratching their heads.
March 28, 2018
Wow, this was not an easy read at all. It was on my "to-read" list for at least 20 years, so I was determined to get through it. And it has a great story, but the level of description sometimes got to the point of being painful. This one is not recommended for casual fans of Arthurian or Merlin stories. It would probably be helpful to have a lot of knowledge of ancient Celtic history, as well. A lot of the references went over my head, but that did not detract - much - from the story.
January 24, 2013
Descent book. It was like reading a mythology book. Very creative story and very in depth history of Merlin the magician. Some of the chapters were right out of a bad acid trip but very entertaining none the less. It took so long to finish this book because I kept going what the f#©k? Just read it for what it's worth and just ride the snake. Too detailed for me but some might disagree.
Read
May 6, 2022I have been fascinated with the Arthurian legends since I was quite young, but started reading this and didn't even get past the first chapter. Just too many names thrown out in just a couple of paragraphs with virtually no context the writing style was just a bit awkward for my taste. I simply could not wrap my head around what I was reading so I abandoned this almost immediately.
March 30, 2016
I. Like. This. Book. A. Lot. Why. Because. It. Has. A. Great. Beganning. And. Great. Ending.
June 15, 2023
If I were reviewing only the last four chapters, this would have gotten five stars. The first half of this novel meandered a bit with a few high points of poetic writing and humor, but it was largely disjointed, and it appeared to have the sole purpose of correcting Count Tolstoy's historical scholarship on Merlin, framed in a fictional novel (he is on the record stating as such). The first four chapters appear to be re-tellings of several tales of myth associated with Merlin and Taliesin, who is another character in this novel. It meanders a bit from there, with some very interesting alliterative passages sprinkled in, a supernatural gwyddbwyll match between Elffin mab Maelgwyn and Gwynn mab Nud, who is a Celtic harbinger of doom, and a scene in which Merlin's eye is removed by a divine hawk who then buries it beneath the World Tree, which is the source of Merlin's ability to see the future.
This novel is a unique entry in the Matter of Britain. First, rather than advise Arthur, Merlin advises Maelgwyn Gwynnedd, as Welsh king who lived after the common timeline of Arthur. In fact, Arthur is assumed to have come and gone in the timeline of this story. Second, tale is littered with poetic passages ranging in skill between high poesy and sheer doggerel. And third, the historical backdrop embraces both historical trappings and the supernatural world of Celtic myth, and mortals interact with the gods regularly as in ancient tales. Many 20th century stories that treat the matter of Britain are much more subtle when they interject magic in their stories, and the authors either emphasize a historical backdrop or the magic of the Arthur we are familiar with from Sir Thomas Malory or Alfred Lord Tennyson.
My read-through of this novel left me with some fuzzy impressions of Merlin's early life. In the first chapter, Merlin tells us that Custennin of Cernieu (Cornwall) cast him away to sea as an infant, and yet we see an infant (I think) conversing as a mature, grown man with a priest who ensures his survival on the waves until he comes to the shores of Wales to be found by Gwydno Garanhir. I missed the part where Merlin was 40 years old and at the court of Maelgwyn Gwynned, but that was the point where the narrative tightened up.
The latter half of this novel was paced very well and climaxes with the great battle between the forces of Maelgwyn at Dineirth and the Saeson (Saxon) host led by Cynurig (Cynric) and his Geatish champion Beowulf. The action of the battle is incredible and gripping, and the concluding chapter ends with the Roman tribune Rufinius dying in Merlin's arms. All this latter part of the novel would make excellent fodder for a brilliant film. But I have my doubts that any such film would be made. The cultural landscape is hostile to a story like this.
My ding in my review comes only because of the fuzzy presentation and choppiness of the first half of the novel. The second half is brilliant.
This novel is a unique entry in the Matter of Britain. First, rather than advise Arthur, Merlin advises Maelgwyn Gwynnedd, as Welsh king who lived after the common timeline of Arthur. In fact, Arthur is assumed to have come and gone in the timeline of this story. Second, tale is littered with poetic passages ranging in skill between high poesy and sheer doggerel. And third, the historical backdrop embraces both historical trappings and the supernatural world of Celtic myth, and mortals interact with the gods regularly as in ancient tales. Many 20th century stories that treat the matter of Britain are much more subtle when they interject magic in their stories, and the authors either emphasize a historical backdrop or the magic of the Arthur we are familiar with from Sir Thomas Malory or Alfred Lord Tennyson.
My read-through of this novel left me with some fuzzy impressions of Merlin's early life. In the first chapter, Merlin tells us that Custennin of Cernieu (Cornwall) cast him away to sea as an infant, and yet we see an infant (I think) conversing as a mature, grown man with a priest who ensures his survival on the waves until he comes to the shores of Wales to be found by Gwydno Garanhir. I missed the part where Merlin was 40 years old and at the court of Maelgwyn Gwynned, but that was the point where the narrative tightened up.
The latter half of this novel was paced very well and climaxes with the great battle between the forces of Maelgwyn at Dineirth and the Saeson (Saxon) host led by Cynurig (Cynric) and his Geatish champion Beowulf. The action of the battle is incredible and gripping, and the concluding chapter ends with the Roman tribune Rufinius dying in Merlin's arms. All this latter part of the novel would make excellent fodder for a brilliant film. But I have my doubts that any such film would be made. The cultural landscape is hostile to a story like this.
My ding in my review comes only because of the fuzzy presentation and choppiness of the first half of the novel. The second half is brilliant.
June 8, 2024
DNF.
It is possible to have too much of a good thing, and The Coming of the King is a prime example of this - at least 400 pages too much in an 800+ pages novel.
It is set a few hundred years after the death of 'Emperor' Arthur (so the titular king isn't THAT king, as you may at first expect (indeed, as I did)), and seen from the viewpoint of a twice-resurrected Merlin. It's a mashup of the legends, beliefs, and peoples of that time and before, so there are references to red and white dragons, Beowulf (though I didn't get that far myself), Christianity (a running joke is the various spellings of Christ), demonic visitations, Byzantine Romans, the underworld.
Tolstoy's writing is gorgeous, lyrical, funny, erudite... and takes no prisoners. To get even half of the references and hints in TCotK a thorough knowledge of The Mabinogion and other similar texts is required. It is full of Welsh names, and though a pronunciation guide is provided at the end (better placed at the beginning, surely?), any non-Welsh speaking reader is going to find themselves continually stumbling, continually thrown out of the story - which itself often jumps into unexpected asides that can last for chapters, confounding matters even further.
All too often my mind glazed over, my eyelids slowly dropped. I knew I was reading something special, something unique... but I was also becoming exhausted by the sheer immensity -and density- of it. I had stopped enjoying the process. The prospect of another 400 pages of the same was too much to contemplate... so I didn't. I removed my bookmark and closed the book. Possibly my loss. Possibly not. Done now.
It is possible to have too much of a good thing, and The Coming of the King is a prime example of this - at least 400 pages too much in an 800+ pages novel.
It is set a few hundred years after the death of 'Emperor' Arthur (so the titular king isn't THAT king, as you may at first expect (indeed, as I did)), and seen from the viewpoint of a twice-resurrected Merlin. It's a mashup of the legends, beliefs, and peoples of that time and before, so there are references to red and white dragons, Beowulf (though I didn't get that far myself), Christianity (a running joke is the various spellings of Christ), demonic visitations, Byzantine Romans, the underworld.
Tolstoy's writing is gorgeous, lyrical, funny, erudite... and takes no prisoners. To get even half of the references and hints in TCotK a thorough knowledge of The Mabinogion and other similar texts is required. It is full of Welsh names, and though a pronunciation guide is provided at the end (better placed at the beginning, surely?), any non-Welsh speaking reader is going to find themselves continually stumbling, continually thrown out of the story - which itself often jumps into unexpected asides that can last for chapters, confounding matters even further.
All too often my mind glazed over, my eyelids slowly dropped. I knew I was reading something special, something unique... but I was also becoming exhausted by the sheer immensity -and density- of it. I had stopped enjoying the process. The prospect of another 400 pages of the same was too much to contemplate... so I didn't. I removed my bookmark and closed the book. Possibly my loss. Possibly not. Done now.
August 29, 2020
Hmmmm. This one has been on my bookshelf for about 28 years, I started it a couple of times in the past but didn't get very far. This time I was determined to finish. It's a towering, ultra-dense work of imagination and history. I loved it, not so much when in the middle 300 pages of visions and dreams with references to eight different welsh names in each sentence, but overall I'm glad I finally read the whole thing. It's such a shame there will probably be no book two or three to carry on the story. Tolstoy has constructed a vision of ancient Britain which is incredible. I didn't take the time to check the references of every place or person mentioned, that would have taken another 28 years but the atmosphere evoked is magnificent and terrifying. Read it if you have a lot of time. I'm thinking about finding the audiobook, something tells me it would be fascinating.
May 29, 2025
This novel landed in my littlefreelibrary.org outside my home. I have zero knowledge of Celtic, British, Russian Druidic, or Christian history, mythology of the Dark Ages. The fact that the book begins with several pages of glossary should have been a warning that this would be a challenging read. The writing is unbelievably dense and tedious. The flow is sometimes sweeping and wondrous in ways I've experienced with no other author. By the time I had slogged through 8 chapters, I concluded that I had so few threads connecting my knowledge and experience to the novel that I put it down. I'm confident that those dredged in the history and mythology of the dark ages will find it riveting. For the casual reader, this is certainly not the book to begin one's exposure to the topic.
October 26, 2022
With its heavily stylised prose and proper nouns almost exclusively in Welsh, Nikolai Tolstoy's tale of Merlin's (or "Myrddin's") life and times was never going to be an easy read. Told in the form of a rambling monologue delivered by the folkloric figure himself, the focus is on description and ambiance over plotlines, which interweave and dangle loosely, only to be picked up again seemingly randomly. It can be a bit confusing but with all this walling its usually ok to skip a bit without losing out too much, unless total immersion into the mythopoeic trance state is your thing - then go for it. There's only one Coming of the King. It's a fantasy classic: unmissable.
July 3, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up
Disappointing, and long winded, with periods of boredom. Adds very little to any of the myths written better elsewhere. Although I have waited years to get this one, it didn’t live up to expectations.
Disappointing, and long winded, with periods of boredom. Adds very little to any of the myths written better elsewhere. Although I have waited years to get this one, it didn’t live up to expectations.
February 13, 2021
Too much lore without enough background knowledge makes the book alien and inaccessible. I nearly fell asleep on the first page and that is never a good sign. And don’t you hate it when authors include Latin but not the translation?
September 22, 2025
I read the first few pages 5x over. So many names and places thrown out with zero context. Skipped to the next chapter and read 2 pages. I immediately knew I'd never get through 600+ pages. Too many good books to read out there to waste my time with this one.
November 17, 2020
I did not know enough Welsh or mythology for this book. Read for class.
June 16, 2021
What is it about Arthurian legends that every version of them I read is turgid?
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