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The Crystal Cave

(Arthurian Saga #1)

Mary Stewart,

Derek Perkins (Narrator)

4.13 · Rating details · 42,378 ratings · 1,737 reviews

Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myrdden Emrys - or as he would later be known, Merlin - leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon, and the conception of Arthur, king for once and always. ...more

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Published October 3rd 2016 by Blackstone Audio (first published January 1st 1970)

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Feb 01, 2008 L.J. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I actually read this book first when I was 11 or 12 and would have rated it a 5 with that self. When I was a girl I was lucky enough to be a tomboy and have male figures in my life who taught me the things I would later realize were traditionally "guy stuff". I remembered this book with a mystical fondness because I remember absolutely identifying with the character of Merlin and cast myself in the role of boy adventurer.

Unfortunately, I have to now temper that literal reading with things I am a ...more

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Mar 21, 2015 Candi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: winter-mini-challenge-2015-2016, buddy-read, historical-fiction, fantasy, favorites, book-i-own

5 enthusiastic stars!

"The first memory of all is dark and fireshot. It is not my own memory, but later you will understand how I know these things. You would call it not memory so much as a dream of the past, something in the blood, something recalled from him, it may be, while he still bore me in his body. I believe that such things can be. So it seems to me right that I should start with him who was before me, and who will be again when I am gone."

Wow! This book was exceptional! I was admitte 5 enthusiastic stars!

"The first memory of all is dark and fireshot. It is not my own memory, but later you will understand how I know these things. You would call it not memory so much as a dream of the past, something in the blood, something recalled from him, it may be, while he still bore me in his body. I believe that such things can be. So it seems to me right that I should start with him who was before me, and who will be again when I am gone."

Wow! This book was exceptional! I was admittedly quite surprised at just how much I enjoyed reading this. By no means an expert in Arthurian legend, far from it in fact, I wondered if this book would really hold my attention or not. Well, it most certainly did! Do I dare say I was enchanted?!

The Crystal Cave is a wonderful blend of history and mythology. Recounted through the voice of Merlin himself, this first book in Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga takes us through his young boyhood as a bastard child living under the roof of his grandfather, a crowned king of Wales, right into his adulthood and ending with the conception of King Arthur. My preconceived notion of Merlin, based on my scant knowledge, was of an eccentric and perhaps shifty and ruthless wizard. Ms. Stewart, however, introduces us to a very human, intelligent, and compassionate individual who is born with the gift of prophecy. He is a friend to his servants, an avid learner, a loving son, and a very capable young man. He first begins to truly understand his gift under the guidance of Galapas, an old and wise man that Merlin meets after discovering the Crystal Cave. Educated in the fields of magic, medicine, languages, religion, math and engineering, Merlin is quite versatile thanks to the teachings of mentors such as Galapas and others. Most importantly perhaps are the words instilled within him from the mouth of Galapas himself: "The gods only go with you if you put yourself in their path. And that takes courage." Merlin throughout his adolescence comes to learn about the ancient religions as well as the new religion brought to Britain from Rome. Always keeping an open mind, Merlin is able to absorb the best of these and remain true to himself and his calling. "But there's nothing in this world that I'm not ready to see and learn, and no god that I'm not ready to approach in his own fashion. I told you that truth was the shadow of God. If I am to use it, I must know who He is."

Eventually Merlin arrives on the shores of Less Britain and into the hands of the exiled king Ambrosius and his brother, Uther, both predecessors to the legendary King Arthur. Here he becomes involved in a grand plot to unite Britain and rid the people of the treachery and turmoil of the current leader, King Vortigern. Merlin must use all his power- and not simply magic, but his intellect, clear judgment and cunning to not only save himself but to pave the way for the great king yet to come. There ensued a fabulous dose of adventure and plenty of suspense which kept the pages turning. I was thoroughly riveted! The pacing of this novel was superb; I never became bored and never once got bogged down in any of the historical details. Each character was so expertly depicted and the writing is so wonderfully vivid and descriptive that one could feel transported back to this very place and time. I really became attached to not only Merlin, but some of the more minor characters as well. The banter between Merlin and some of his companions was often witty and added an appreciated lightheartedness to the narrative from time to time.

Undoubtedly, Mary Stewart is a master storyteller. She weaves together the threads of history and mythology in such exquisite fashion that this book should interest a broad range of readers. I am puzzling over why this book is not more widely read. It never felt dated; rather, it seems timeless. You do not need to be a fantasy buff by any means to read this book. If you enjoy a great historical piece with well-developed characters, effortless pacing, and vivid descriptions then this book is for you. I highly recommend you do yourself a favor and pick this one up. As for me, this book is going on my favorites shelf while its sequel, The Hollow Hills, should be arriving at my doorstep any day now.

"What god are you talking about?... I think there is only one. Oh, there are gods everywhere, in the hollow hills, in the wind and the sea, in the very grass we walk on and the air we breathe, and in the bloodstained shadows where men like Belasius wait for them. But I believe there must be one who is God Himself, like the great sea, and all the rest of us, small gods and men and all, like rivers, we all come to Him in the end."
...more

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Nov 18, 2014 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, on-hiatus, camelot

The Crystal Cave is a lush, detailed historical fantasy about Merlin the magician, from his boyhood through when he was a young man (before Arthur comes on the scene). It's well written and richly imagined but the pace is rather slow, or "deliberate" if I'm being nice.

So I've been having some issues with this book (which is kind of embarrassing since I'm a moderator of the Mary Stewart GR group). I got about halfway through this book a few months back and then stalled out. It's been sitting unde ...more

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May 26, 2011 Sara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Lovers of Historical Fiction or anything Arthurian

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites, 2020-aty-challenge

With COVID-19 threatening all of us and altering our lives, I have found it hard at times to concentrate on the reading I had planned. I was once asked "if you were stranded on an island, what book would you take with you?" and I responded this one. Well, I am on an island, in a way, and I needed an old friend, so I pulled out my Merlin trilogy and just finished this first book. It is a great book for reminding you what you can overcome if you have God on your side. It was time...I like to meet With COVID-19 threatening all of us and altering our lives, I have found it hard at times to concentrate on the reading I had planned. I was once asked "if you were stranded on an island, what book would you take with you?" and I responded this one. Well, I am on an island, in a way, and I needed an old friend, so I pulled out my Merlin trilogy and just finished this first book. It is a great book for reminding you what you can overcome if you have God on your side. It was time...I like to meet up with Merlin once every few years in any case.
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Who was Merlin? Most of us know the Arthurian tales in some aspect or another, and in them each of us has an idea of the role of Merlin, the great wizard who guides Arthur to be a great king. Few of us have ever stopped to think that legends spring from men and to wonder who the man was who was Merlin. Mary Stewart stopped to ask that question, and then proceeded to answer it with such finesse and glory and brilliance that whatever image of Merlin you have ever held will be dispelled and only her version will ever feel satisfactory thereafter.

She begins with Merlin as a boy, a bastard born to Niniane, a Welsh princess. Because of his ignoble birth and the looming threat of his unknown heritage, he is either mistreated, ignored, or feared in his home and becomes solitary in his character. Were he a simple boy, he would never survive his childhood, but like his mother, he is blessed (or cursed) with the “sight”, an ability to know more than his five senses might tell him.

Through a set of unique circumstances and a bit of fate, he comes to be in service to a great king, Ambrosius, and in intimate contact with the volatile and often callous Uther Pendragon, the man destined to father Arthur, the greatest of British Kings.

Where Stewart takes us next is on a very believable, fascinating journey--that is magical in a way that has little to do with magic. She breathes life into every character she presents, not only Merlin but Ambrosius, the King; Uther, his brother; Cerdic and Cadal, Merlin’s servants; Galapas the keeper of the cave, and even the more minor characters like Belasius and Ulfin. There is not one character, no matter how minor his role, that does not serve his function and move the story forward to its pre-ordained end.

Stewart has a sweeping command of the history she presents and an undeniably smooth and fresh writing style that puts you right there in the history, sharing the moment. She has, as well, a deep understanding of what it is to be both human and exceptional, and we understand Merlin on both levels. Then there is the charm of her subtle humor that is always so well placed and so perfectly timed that she has made me chuckle aloud and pathos so real that it has brought me to tears.

In the end, while explaining man, she also explains the unexplainable that is God and how He works in the lives He bestows:

Mithras, Apollo, Arthur, Christ--call him what you will,” I said. “What does it matter what men call the light? It is the same light, and men must live by it or die. I only know that God is the source of all the light which has lit the world, and that his purpose runs through the world and past each one of us like a great river, and we cannot check or turn it, but can only drink from it while living, and commit our bodies to it when we die.”

I first read this book in 1970, at its initial publication. I can remember waiting with great impatience for the next volume to become available and feeling elated by the words between the covers. It was the same response that I had to Tolkien when I discovered him, and while Tolkien has found his audience at last, Stewart is still searching for hers. Stewart deserves a lot more praise and a wider audience in my view. I have read these books over again several times since my first reading and find them undiminished in the enjoyment they bring. They possess the power of a very good and ancient tale told in a new and fresh way. They are a gift you should give to yourself. ...more

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Aug 15, 2007 Savannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: fantasy lovers, Historial fiction lovers, historians on vacation, arthur nuts

Shelves: majorinfluences

I love Mary Stewart's work. She always mixes the right amount of supernatural and realism, and here is no exception.

Throw out your previous ideas of Merlin, Arthur, and Magic. Here's something a little more Organic. In her Arthurian Saga, Stewart mixes historical figures with figures of myth in a way that is pleasing to the historian's eye. I don't mean in a true historically accurate sense, but in a way that allows you to fall into the world. Details of what was left behind from Roman Rule in I love Mary Stewart's work. She always mixes the right amount of supernatural and realism, and here is no exception.

Throw out your previous ideas of Merlin, Arthur, and Magic. Here's something a little more Organic. In her Arthurian Saga, Stewart mixes historical figures with figures of myth in a way that is pleasing to the historian's eye. I don't mean in a true historically accurate sense, but in a way that allows you to fall into the world. Details of what was left behind from Roman Rule in England cement this further, and issues that actually existed at the supposed time are woven in rather then ignored.

For those un-familiar with the time period, Arthurian legend is supposed to have taken place in the early dark ages- from the fall of the Roman Empire around 500 to almost 700 is an appropriate range. This setting is not one that is conducive to a lot of what we think of as Arthurian Ideals- Those weren't even introduced until the Victorian age of Romanticism. Instead we are in a land where there are shambles of government, Generals without direction, old roman baths and homes from several generations ago being reused or used as a base for newer buildings, and many superstitions and beliefs that are slowly starting to meet and undergo a mutation into Christianity. It is a time of Transition.

Our Merlin (or Myrddyn if you're into the Welsh part) is just as human as those around him here. He is a bastard son from a roman general who had an affair with a young woman- who then let everyone believe her son was devil spawn rather then admit she'd slept around. hm. OH, and did I mention that the general was Arthur's Uncle? And it gets more convoluted on a human level.

But Magic! where's the MAGIC? Oh young grasshopper, that's where Stewart handles this best. You see, rather then the all mighty mystical Merlin from Sword in the Stone, We have a young Boy who learns Tricks and illusions from an aging teacher, with a little bit of pagan magical practice as well. In fact, the first thing he learns is fire starting. Overall, this is a more human approach, and I prefer it.

Another point to note- This isn't Arthur's story. This, my friends, is Merlin's. The first book (this one) follows him from a young boy through his coming of age- Identity issues and all. Coincidentally, This first book ends at the Conception of Arthur. ...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Leila rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, historical-fiction, my-wow-books, my-challenge-books

I have spent most of this morning reading this book right to the end. It is an outstanding book and the author Mary Stewart has done a brilliant job in the writing of it.

The Crystal Cave is the first of Mary Stewart's excellent Arthurian books, telling the story of King Arthur this time from the exciting perspective of the great wizard Merlin. We are so used to reading books about Arthur and Merlin where Arthur is the key figure but this book is definitely Merlin’s story and I loved reading it. ...more

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Dec 11, 2019 Adrienne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favourites, fantasy

The Crystal Cave, book1, Arthurian Novels.
A fantasy story of King Arthur and Merlin. Absolutely wonderful. A fascinating read. Made all the more intriguing because it 'reads' as historical fiction. This was my first 'fantasy' read. I expected looseness of writing and a plot that wobbled. This despite the great reviews I had read. And that Mary Stewart is the author.j
BTW Mary Stewart based her characters on Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain. Which she asserts is not held in h ...more

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Oct 27, 2008 Jackie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: King Arthur enthusiasts

Shelves: fantasy, arthurian, celtic, historical-fiction

One of the best Authurian saga I've ever read.
It felt as if I were there watching the events unfold before my eyes.
...more

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Sep 19, 2010 Nicky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, arthurian, based-on-myth-saga-etc

It's hard to put my finger on what bothered me about The Crystal Cave. On the surface, it's something I should love: other people whose taste I trust loved it, and tore through it; it deals with Merlin, whose life I'm interested in; it's set in Wales; I enjoy elaborations on less explored facets of the legends... But somehow, it just took me far too long to get through it, and I happily abandoned it for whatever else looked interesting, given half a chance.

Merlin's voice never quite felt real to ...more

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Feb 16, 2016 ❀Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5 I struggled a bit on how to rate this even though I think Mary Stewart is an amazing storyteller. This is the first in the Arthurian Saga series, told from the perspective of Merlin from the age of a young boy into early adulthood. I was really taken in by the story of Merlin himself and the people he encountered. I liked learning about the humanity of his character and what his magic was really about, and reading about the mystery behind his father. Some of the parts on war and politics wer ...more

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Dec 07, 2014 Margitte rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: action, vintage-classics, adventure, 2014-read, british-author, british-novels, historical-fiction

BLURB:

Who was Merlin? Was the famed magician of Camelot & King Arthur's court really a sinister, all-powerful being from another world? Was he truly a Prince of Darkness? Or was he a man with the passions of other mortals? A man with unique intelligence & unusual gifts? Why was he so feared? How did he come by his occult powers? Why was the crystal cave so important to him?

5th century Britain is a country of chaos & division after the Roman withdrawal. Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess wh

BLURB:

Who was Merlin? Was the famed magician of Camelot & King Arthur's court really a sinister, all-powerful being from another world? Was he truly a Prince of Darkness? Or was he a man with the passions of other mortals? A man with unique intelligence & unusual gifts? Why was he so feared? How did he come by his occult powers? Why was the crystal cave so important to him?

5th century Britain is a country of chaos & division after the Roman withdrawal. Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess who will not reveal to her son his father's true identity, Myridden Emrys--or as he would later be known, Merlin--leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents & visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon & the conception of Arthur--king for once & always.

The author based this novel on a semi-mythological, romantic account, written in Oxford by a twelfth-century Welshman (or possibly Breton). As there was quite a measure of chaos after the withdrawal of the Romans from Britain, many place names suffered for it, since Celt, Saxon, Roman and Gaul shuttled to and fro across the turbulent and divided Britain.

The novel relates the events prior to the birth of King Arthur, estimated around A.D. 470. It is a fictitious tale that bears no historical accuracy. The historical events was taken from Geoffrey Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, which was semi-fictitious as well.

It was a good read. I am not interested in kings of any kind, might be a stupidity of mine, which I duly acknowledge, but enjoyed most of the book.

Fascinating history, really. However, I lost interest in the last 150 pages of the book and skip-read most of it, since it was all about war and war and war. It ends with a prediction of the coming birth of King Arthur and in the end felt like reading history in novel form. I was not impressed enough by the closure to rate it higher. The ending bored me to tears.

This is the second book of Mary Stewart that I have read. The author is a 'new' selection of the golden oldies I wanted to add to my reading.

...more

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Jan 07, 2016 Gary rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In the early Dark Ages Britain has fragmented into a number of kingdoms and tribal entities, as the island struggles to resist invasions by the Saxon tribes from Germany which are slowly colonizing south-east England and in the west marauders from Ireland.
The fatherless son of the Welsh princess Niniane, Myrriden Emrys - better known as Merlin faces a perilous and unwanted and dangerous childhood and on the death of his grandfather the king of Dyfed must flee for his life from the murderous plan In the early Dark Ages Britain has fragmented into a number of kingdoms and tribal entities, as the island struggles to resist invasions by the Saxon tribes from Germany which are slowly colonizing south-east England and in the west marauders from Ireland.
The fatherless son of the Welsh princess Niniane, Myrriden Emrys - better known as Merlin faces a perilous and unwanted and dangerous childhood and on the death of his grandfather the king of Dyfed must flee for his life from the murderous plans of the new king, his uncle Camlach. Captured by pirates, he takes a perilous journey to Brittany where he joins the service of King Ambrosius, who learns that he can benefit from Merlin's psychic abilities (the sight). He discovers the identity of his true father. Five years later he is a powerful young nobleman and 'magician'and returns to Britain where he is captured by the power-mad High King Vortigern, and prevents being put to death by the latter when he discovers through his mazing abilities why the great castle the king aims to build keeps collapsing. He also prophesies the death of Vortigern and the great battle between the 'red and white dragons' which will ravge the country and end with the victory of the red dragon. He sees his mother Niniane at the abbey she has retired to and experiences a hint of romance with a young girl serving there by the name of Kerridwen.
After Vortigern is defeated and killed by Ambrosius, Merlin travels with Ambrosius to Ireland to obtain a great treasure which the High King believes will give him greater power, and Ambrosius meets his end there. The novel ends with Merlin helping the new King Uther to lie with the Cornish princess Ygraine, who Uther has become besotted and obsessed with. This results in bloodshed and conception of the the future saviour of Britain Arthur.
The book is written in a way that is highly accessible to modern readers without losing the magic, mystery and awe. The characters are engaging and one really gets a feel for them. A skilled blend of history, mythology and imagination, Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy is perhaps the greatest work of historical fantasy written in the 20th century. ...more

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Jun 27, 2007 Wealhtheow rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The first, and one of the very few, books that has ever reconciled me to Arthurian myth. After slogging through hideous Victorian sentimental priggishness everywhere else, this is a breath of fresh and magical air into a tired story.

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Sep 14, 2011 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, 2fiction, 1audio, 3series

I first read this back in the 70's & it was a favorite. Merlin tells his story from his boyhood. Read by Stephen Thorne, it's even better.

Merlin tells this tale in his old age, but usually the story moves along as if it were in the present. I liked that perspective, but it means you do have to listen closely at times. He glosses over much of his 'magic' at times, explains it at others, & that generally makes for a sense of mystery that would have otherwise have been lacking in a more straight f ...more

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Jun 08, 2014 Wayne Barrett rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series, fantasy, five-star-favorites, magic, re-read, 2015, arthurian, mythology

This was a reread for me. It didn't quite thrill me as much as it did the first time I read it but I still think it rates a 5.

I love Mary Stewarts take on the Arthurian tale in this series, especially this opening book where she she begins with Merlin as a child and draws out the history through him. Stewart has taken some liberties and added her own special twist to the story which, to me, brings a unique viewpoint to the legend.

Enter the pages of this series and discover the true creator of S ...more

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Mar 26, 2018 Jeanette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was done so beautifully yet holding such immense intelligence cognition/ definition that I will think about this for some long hours as I write this. It's a composite of a man who was a poet, priest, scholar, engineer, doctor, sometimes Prince, and wholly too a massive and ultimate manipulator. Merlin is done here to his humanity as much as to his wizardry. The language skills and descriptive sense of surroundings to grasp the internal meanings are fully poetic. Sometimes expressed in poetr This was done so beautifully yet holding such immense intelligence cognition/ definition that I will think about this for some long hours as I write this. It's a composite of a man who was a poet, priest, scholar, engineer, doctor, sometimes Prince, and wholly too a massive and ultimate manipulator. Merlin is done here to his humanity as much as to his wizardry. The language skills and descriptive sense of surroundings to grasp the internal meanings are fully poetic. Sometimes expressed in poetry forms and sometimes not.

So here it is, my reaction:

This is extremely complex. As complex as the man. The man himself without a father, Merlin. This is his first 23 years; those years before the days of his longer life goal/ fate with the once and future king.

I've read the other reviews. My take on this book was rather different from most other readers. I've had too much Cognitive and Social Psychology practice, possibly? What I learned from the read was that the mixture of the eventual man, Merlin- it's functionally cored on separateness and also a wholly formed self-identity BY the self alone. And he becomes the ultimate manipulator from that arrogance of knowledge of "nothing to lose" in connection to the humans of his youth. His personality also and always stays clasped to the internal spirit "sight"embedded in his physical reactions. One that relates feelings of intuition to him, and also visions of past or forward coming events? But always with Merlin himself on the "outside" looking in. An observer, not the "doer" until there is a specific physical task.

And all of his most loved and closest to friendship and devoted in servitude? All those become destroyed by his usual "modus operandi". Even from his childhood there is never direct opposition to the bully or the "trouble" by Merlin himself, but another is placed to counter that negative case or outcome "for" Merlin. Hmmm!

This writing was masterly. And the portrayals of his mother, his kings, his servants, his teachers of every sort- just beyond perfect. They were.

And still Merlin is "outside" of their sphere. All of them, regardless if he becomes embedded within associated plans. Skills. Or practices. Every time, he is alone. And changes also the directions of "truth" conveyed at any one time and within several greater powers of authority. And not only because he can. It's also growing his own hypnotizing domination when he fails to appear or speak.

Mary Stewart hit the power embedded in his wizardry in this book from his earliest days and within a type of thought pattern practiced and practiced. One that did not accept any negativity of a victim mental status or "eyes", but instead became "outside" and "over" the sensibilities of the lowly "feelers" all around him. Not just a single or a dual thing to be "separate" from either. And one that is untouched by the deep feelings of sexual contact, sibling type affection, family devotion or truly any singular loyalty to a godhead or any "we think" agenda. It's all combined to "what works" that he wants to know. Not just the facts but the processes to apply them. He wants a REAL bite from that "Tree of Knowledge" in the Garden of Eden. And he needs no "other" to divert him from the snake's distraction that other men seem to fall for, either.

So now he has contrived to receive a baby at the bottom of the stairs. So I'm looking forward to book #2 of the Arthurian Saga.

Let others tell you of the exquisite word and ethnic trilling in 4 or 5 kinds of tribal and identity languages: this is beyond me to translate. But the magic of his mind- it's there. And it is not kindly as much as others think it is. ...more

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Aug 15, 2015 Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: myth-legend

4.5*

How does Mary Stewart do what she does?

With the best of her books she takes me into another world so completely that I am snarling "What???" at anyone foolhardy enough to try to make me look up from the pages of her book.

The descriptions are beautiful & often poetic.

Consider this;

Then she saw me watching her. For perhaps two seconds our eyes met and held. I knew then why the ancients armed the cruellest god with arrows; I felt the shock of it right through my body.

I wasn't familiar with the ...more

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Mar 14, 2017 Oliviu Crâznic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy

Exquisite tale, exceptionally well written, very suspenseful and pretty close to the legend.
It probably inspired the best „Merlin” series - the Sam Neill one and the BBC „(Young) Merlin”.
However, one star out for the occasional (thank goodness: one or two more would have ruined the book!) anticlerical, antiChristian and also historically false remarks (e.g. it is very well known to everyone who reads history the fact that, contrary to misconception and propaganda, Christian Church was not again ...more

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May 06, 2018 Stephen Robert Collins rated it liked it · review of another edition

I know read this but years ago & the author died in 1983 so this new edition it in style of T H White not brilliant it's no Karelian Maitland more Pear S Buck romantic than true lot of Barbra Cartland than 'real' villant knights what some people claim 'a woman's book' ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Nicky rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, arthurian, based-on-myth-saga-etc, historical-fiction-alternatehistory

There's still a lot about The Crystal Cave that bothers me, but I think, on balance, I liked it better now than I did the first time I read it. As I've said, it's Misogynistic Merlin, which is my least favourite flavour -- you have some clear-headed, quick-thinking, powerful women, but then you have lines like this: "Duchess and slut alike, they need not even study to deceive." And the whole bit about weak female magic and Merlin needing to be a virgin and blahblahblah. Could definitely have don There's still a lot about The Crystal Cave that bothers me, but I think, on balance, I liked it better now than I did the first time I read it. As I've said, it's Misogynistic Merlin, which is my least favourite flavour -- you have some clear-headed, quick-thinking, powerful women, but then you have lines like this: "Duchess and slut alike, they need not even study to deceive." And the whole bit about weak female magic and Merlin needing to be a virgin and blahblahblah. Could definitely have done without that.

Still, not having recently read Sword at Sunset, or anything else of Rosemary Sutcliff's, this managed to have something of that flavour without the narration, and the characterisation of Ambrosius, being too much overshadowed by Sutcliff. I know for sure which one is the better book, and which one I enjoy more, but this doesn't stand up so badly when it's not right up against something by a master like Sutcliff. I got more into the relationships this time, though I wish Merlin didn't leave such a trail of servant characters dead in his wake. I liked Cerdic, liked Cadal; their deaths because of their faith in Merlin were pretty hard to take. I know he does acknowledge a measure of that but still, gah. The relationship between Merlin and Ambrosius really does work, though, the slow realisation of what's going on there, and their closeness. Also the fact that Merlin isn't forced to be a warrior (though that makes the ending, where he is, doubly odd).

The mix of magic and science here is a little weird. The standing stones are raised using math, but the prophecy really is second sight; the dragons are just symbols, but the vision is real. It's like a step between out-and-out fantasy and realism. There's nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but I tend to prefer things that go at it a bit more unequivocally! If Merlin can see the future, why is there no other magic in the world?

Anyway, I'm going on to the other books now, though I seem to recall from summaries there's more flavours of misogynistic Merlin awaiting me. ...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Chrisl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1970s, britain, hf-euro, sff

By far my favorite Arthurian era novel. Multiple reread.

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Mar 18, 2012 Louise rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, british-fiction, 20th-century, fantasy, will-not-read-sequels, first-in-series, historical-fantasy, female-authors, reviewed, read-2012

Crossposted from my blog

2 Stars

I’ve spoken about my love of all things Arthurian before, so I was really expecting to enjoy this book. All the ingredients are there – it’s centered on a character I normally like, on events that are often just skated over as prologue, and grounded in more unique ‘realistic’ Dark Age Britain than the typical ‘castles and knights’ setting. It was also pretty popular back in its day. Alas, I learn, yet again, that popularity often has little to do with quality. It’s ...more

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Sep 28, 2016 Obsidian rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genres-for-everyone-dws

I read this for the Dead Writers Society Genres for Everyone September 2016 challenge.

You know when I was a young girl the story of King Arthur and his knights of the round-table fascinated me. I read every book about Arthur I could find and even read Le Morte d'Arthur and had to go digging in my dictionary to figure out certain words. There was something about Camelot, the idea that a King who believed in truth and justice and was surrounded by men who were loyal to him (we will discuss Lancel I read this for the Dead Writers Society Genres for Everyone September 2016 challenge.

You know when I was a young girl the story of King Arthur and his knights of the round-table fascinated me. I read every book about Arthur I could find and even read Le Morte d'Arthur and had to go digging in my dictionary to figure out certain words. There was something about Camelot, the idea that a King who believed in truth and justice and was surrounded by men who were loyal to him (we will discuss Lancelot later) that inspired everyone around him. I also kind of hated Guinevere. I just never got how she and Lancelot did what they did and I was also not a fan of Merlin. In every story of Merlin, he was always a manipulator of everyone around him and didn't seem to really care for Arthur all that much either.

This work by Mary Stewart really goes into Merlin's backstory, who he was, who his family was and how he is also related to King Arthur (which I loved).

Told in the first person, we follow Merlin from when he was a young boy til he is in his 20s (I am guessing here in the end). Merlin is despised by his maternal grandfather, a man who is a Welsh King. Technically Merlin is a son of a princess, but his mother refuses to name his father, so he is harassed and beaten by those around him for being nothing more than a bastard. When Merlin's uncle Camlach comes home, Merlin hopes this means better things for him and his mother. Instead, he realizes he is seen as a threat to his uncle and eventually he will be done away with.

I really thought the character of Merlin was so complex in this book. He wants to just serve someone, anyone, and have just a drop of affection spilled his way. Hell I thought his mother, Niniane barely spoke of any love for her son. She saw and had to know what was being done to him, and she just wanted to be off to a convent and didn't seem to really care about what would happen to her son until way later in the story.

When Merlin finally manages to escape from his uncle's clutches, he finds himself off and figuring out who his real father is. I thought that was a great surprise and I loved how Mary Stewart weaved everything together.

I liked a lot of the secondary characters in this one like the servants who love and will die for Merlin (Cedric and Cadal) and he does find himself a purpose.

I really wish we had gotten a point of view or something from Merlin's mother though. I definitely felt like I got insight into his father's character throughout the book. But Niniane remained a mystery to me even after we figure out who Merlin's father is and why she never said his name. She just seemed really focused on joining a convent and that was it (foreshadowing to Guinevere maybe?)

We get introduced to Arthur's parents in this one, and wow I still hate the characters of Uther and Ygraine no matter what book I read. These two are seriously selfish. And their justification for the crap they do (love) and then how Uther tries to blame Merlin I pretty much rolled my eyes too.

A lot of the writing in the book I thought was a bit too hazy on details and often we just skipped over things that I wish we had spent more time on. I wish we had not fast forwarded through Merlin's years with his father. I would have loved to read more about that. Frankly I wish the first book had not ended the way it did, but I guess we had to get to the whole subject of Arthur much faster in book number two.

The flow was pretty slow though throughout the book (one of the only reasons why I am giving this four stars). I loved what I was reading, but after a while my eyes did start to glaze over a bit. It only really gets going when Merlin is interacting with others. Otherwise there is just a lot of and then this happened, and then this other thing happened, and oh yeah one more thing happened.

The setting of a Britain prior to it being unified under one King was something else. And I do recall reading about the Saxons later on in high school and college, but seriously all of the battles started to run together to me. I got so bored and was glad when I got past those.

The ending set things up for book #2 with Merlin knowing that he is going to be given Arthur and mold him to be king one day. ...more

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Apr 14, 2018 Gabrielle rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: uk, reviewed, fantasy, read-in-2018, own-a-copy

I have always loved the Arthurian legend : whether you like fantasy, adventure, romance, crazy family sagas or war stories, you’ll find something to like on that classic tale of wizards, questing knights, fainting ladies and court plotting. The problem is always finding a version of the story that manages to balance these elements out and keeps the story engaging at the same time. My favorite used to be “The Mists of Avalon”, but a re-read last year made me feel like it didn’t stand the test of I have always loved the Arthurian legend : whether you like fantasy, adventure, romance, crazy family sagas or war stories, you’ll find something to like on that classic tale of wizards, questing knights, fainting ladies and court plotting. The problem is always finding a version of the story that manages to balance these elements out and keeps the story engaging at the same time. My favorite used to be “The Mists of Avalon”, but a re-read last year made me feel like it didn’t stand the test of time very well (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). A friend of mine recommended the Mary Stewart’s “Merlin Trilogy” as one of the better versions out there and I decided to check it out.

Merlin is the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess, and because of the dishonor his birth brought to his family, he is more often than not left to himself, and grows up solitary and bookish. On one of his lonesome wanderings outside the castle walls, he meets an old hermit named Galapas, who immediately notices that the young boy is not like others, but blessed with the Sight. Galapas teaches young Merlin not only how to better use his gift, but also to be at the right place at the right time, which proves to be just as important a skill…

This first tome covers the life of Merlin from his birth until the birth of Arthur, and the central plot point is the struggle between King Vortigern and Ambrosius for the throne of England – those who are familiar with Arthurian stories know Merlin plays a key part in this conflict – which Stewart paints as more political and military than supernatural. The tone of the book is generally more historical than fantastical, subtly weaving element of Dark Ages superstition and folklore rather than playing the high fantasy card, which I appreciate.

But to be honest, I was mostly disappointed by this novel, which while promising, turned out to have under-developed characters and uninteresting writing.

I was a bit surprised by how clumsily written some passages were: it took reading the paragraphs a few times to make sense of what was going on and I wasn’t getting a sharp sense of settings or events. The pacing is generally quite good, moving the plot forward fast without any real lags in the narrative; but every once in a while, elements that could have been very interesting are just skipped over in a few sentences as where other irrelevant details are developed much longer than necessary.

I think that what bothered me the most was that the story and characters lacked in moral ambiguity and dimension. Merlin is basically buoyed through the events by a sense of destiny, which weakens his agency. I thought that was odd, but perhaps that opinion is tainted by my idea of a Merlin who usually knows much more than he lets on and is usually the one pulling a few invisible strings to move things along. He is also considered incredibly wise, yet has extremely limited life experience to develop his wisdom from... Merlin's attitude about sex is also incomprehensible to me: the author writes in her afterword that she based that on some of the legends, since it was falling in love that made him lose his powers, but here I thought re-telling meant you could move away from the blueprint and make stuff up...

The other characters are not developed either, whether male or female - but as other reviewers have pointed out, the women in this book definitely don't do much besides giving it up to men, as if sex and fertility were the only value and power they have to work with. The final conversation with Ygraine is interesting, but not enough to redeem the book. I might have overlooked that if Merlin hadn't been drawn up in such a wooden and boring way, but the combination ruins a story that could have been very interesting.

It's really a shame to retell a story of such potential by simply keeping to the stereotypical tropes and not trying to think outside the box. It would appear that my quest for a layered and engaging version of the Arthurian legend is not over... I don't think I'll be reading the rest of this series. ...more

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May 08, 2013 Maureen added it · review of another edition

Shelves: arthurian-legend

As a child, I loved this series to death. I can blame Mary Stewart and Hallmark's telemovie, Merlin, for my obsession with a historical basis for the Arthurian legend, and in particular, for my obsession with a realistic Merlin.

On re-reading, Stewart's prose is as lyrical and as lush as ever, with her love for Welsh place especially shining through. My favourite sections were those towards the beginning of the story before Uther and the familar tread of well worn legend kicked in. The attention As a child, I loved this series to death. I can blame Mary Stewart and Hallmark's telemovie, Merlin, for my obsession with a historical basis for the Arthurian legend, and in particular, for my obsession with a realistic Merlin.

On re-reading, Stewart's prose is as lyrical and as lush as ever, with her love for Welsh place especially shining through. My favourite sections were those towards the beginning of the story before Uther and the familar tread of well worn legend kicked in. The attention to historical detail makes some sections tough to get through, but the detail also adds a layer of authenticity to the proceedings.

Though some have criticised Stewart's portrayal of women, I found it to be far more believable than say, that attempted by Marion Zimmer Bradley in The Mists of Avalon. I don't think it is entirely fair to relegate Stewart's female characters to whore, witch or matyr. To some extent these are the problems any author who tackles Arthurian legend must face as the stories place women in these roles but of course, in recent times, people have challenged such premises. First of all, these books were published in the 70s when the idea of western gender equality was still quite new. Besides, I think that Stewart does challenge female roles but in a more subtle way than authors like Zimmer Bradley. I found the scene between Ygraine and Merlin towards the end of the novel to be especially illuminating.

The Crystal Cave and its sequels are stories of power; who has it and how people use it. Niniane is not denied further power because she is a woman, but rather because she turns to Christianity, a religion which does not allow for a power that requires belief in a different kind of God. Kerri tries to get power in the only way allowed to someone of her gender and station in that era- by sleeping with the right men. Merlin does not judge her because of this. Rather he is forced to let love go lest he follows in the footsteps of his mother. And Ygraine is wiser and stronger than Uther and Gorlois put together. She has a dream and uses that which is put in her path to follow that dream. These things are seen in small scenes because Merlin sees women briefly and this is his first person tale- not because Stewart is sexist- but because in Merlin's world of Dark Ages Britain, it is the man who directly have access to hard power and because Merlin is bound to the celibacy his mother forsook if he is to see his dream of a uniting British King come to fruition. ...more

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Nov 25, 2015 Samantha rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5/5 Yay! I finally finished a book!
The crystal cave is the first in an Arthurian retelling saga. Told from the perspective of Merlin, it follows him from a young boy to a young man in his late teens/early twenties.
Overall, I really enjoyed it! I love how she incorporated so many different elements from the original legends while still making them new.
I think my biggest complaint was lack of character development. Even Merlin didn't feel very developed and he was the one telling the story! It ...more

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Feb 14, 2018 Shannon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, 2018-books, england, fantasy, read-in-lafayette, series

I really loved this one. It kept my attention throughout, and I'm excited to read the rest of the series. King Arthur legends are always exciting and fun to read! ...more

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Oct 29, 2017 Emily rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, camelot

I recently saw Guy Ritchie's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which was batshit insane and thoroughly enjoyable. Alas, King Arthur bombed so hard that Guy Ritchie will not get to make his Merlin movie, which is too bad because (a) it would have been LIT and (b) it could have followed the plot of this book without straying too far out of Ritchie's universe. There are several plot elements in this book that make little to no sense (view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Lindsey Sablowski rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is fantastic. Mary Stewart obviously took the time to go through with a lot of researching of legends and so forth to form this saga. I never imagined there would be a book about King Arthur where I could be dying to know more. This saga is the reason I fell more in love with the stories of Camelot. Stewart brings forth a cast of familiar characters, and the adventure is very exciting. The story is told from Merlin's point of view, though in one of the stories the POV changes over. You ...more

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Jan 17, 2018 Sotiris Karaiskos rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mythology

From time to time I have read lot of modern works based on the history of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but all in the end all left me somewhat unsatisfied. T.H. White's classic version is very light, the very popular version of Marion Zimmer Bradley seemed to me too much New Age for my tastes, while the most recent of Bernard Cornwell is just a very... Cornwellish. So since I read these versions I was looking for something that would please me more. If I found it in what Mary From time to time I have read lot of modern works based on the history of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but all in the end all left me somewhat unsatisfied. T.H. White's classic version is very light, the very popular version of Marion Zimmer Bradley seemed to me too much New Age for my tastes, while the most recent of Bernard Cornwell is just a very... Cornwellish. So since I read these versions I was looking for something that would please me more. If I found it in what Mary Stuart offers me, it's still too early to know. What I know is that this series is considered by many to be the best contemporary version of King Arthur's history and the most faithful to the traditional description we know, through the modern light of the connection with the actual history after the Romans left Britain. In a few words it seemed to me to be exactly what I was looking for.

In the beginning, of course, things seemed to move away from expectations as I realized that the central figure is Merlin Merlin, and that through him the writer tells us the story. Starting from childhood, she improvises, as there are no relevant texts on that period of his life, but through this she finds the opportunity to make an introduction to the story, describing the situation that prevailed at that time, and introducing us some real persons who had a significant role in this dark period, personas who then unites them with the myth and thus make a very smooth transition. What I like, however, is that the writer does not fall into the trap that others are falling and so does not show things one-dimensional. While it is especially in fashion to see this story and as a conflict of Christianity with paganism, in which they present Merlin as a kind of pagan Taliban, the author goes to the very opposite end presenting a much more complicated situation. Thus, Merlin is presented as a seeker of the truth who moves somehow among the known religions trying to help as he can. Of course, because it is a more realistic rendition, magic has a more limited role, but it has and is at the discretion of every reader to understand if he reads about supernaturally things or a series of coincidences.

All well until this point but this long introduction maybe is too long and maybe at the end it becomes somewhat tiring. I can not say, it is quite moving to learn the story of a young child who knows rejection and suspicion in a particularly wild age, is definitely written with art and sensitivity but this book I started to read as a fictional illustration of the known events and we actually only get to them close enough to the end. There is, of course, a compensation as we come to the story of Uther and Arthur's conception where, although there is little variation, to make the story more realistic, its rendition by the author is excellent. Until then, however, I had been many times in need to read more quickly to get there.

So in the end it is definitely a very encouraging beginning with a book that is very close to the style that would like such a book to be. Of course, in some things I expect something more to give me, and reading so far has convince me that it is quite possible to meet it along the way. That's why I look forward to continuing.

Κατά καιρούς έχω διαβάσει αρκετά σύγχρονα έργα που βασίζονται στην ιστορία του βασιλιά Αρθούρου και των ιπποτών της στρογγυλής Τραπέζης, όλα, όμως, στο τέλος με άφηναν κάπως ανικανοποίητο. Η κλασική απόδοση του T.H. Whiteμου φάνηκε πολύ ελαφριά, η πολύ δημοφιλής εκδοχή της Marion Zimmer Bradley μου φάνηκε πολύ new age για τα γούστα μου ενώ η πιο πρόσφατη του Bernard Cornwell είναι απλά πολύ... cornwell-ική. Οπότε από τότε που διάβασα αυτές τις εκδοχές έψαχνα κάποια που θα με ικανοποιήσει περισσότερο, αν τη βρήκα σε αυτήν εδώ που μας προσφέρει η Μαίρη Στιούαρτ ακόμα είναι νωρίς για να ξέρω. Αυτό που ξέρω είναι ότι αυτή η σειρά θεωρείται από πολλούς η καλύτερη σύγχρονη εκδοχή της ιστορίας του βασιλιά Αρθούρου και η πιο πιστή στην παραδοσιακή εκδοχή που γνωρίζουμε, μέσα από το σύγχρονο πρίσμα της σύνδεσης με την πραγματική ιστορία μετά την αποχώρηση των Ρωμαίων από τη Βρετανία. Με λίγα λόγια μου φαινόταν να είναι αυτό ακριβώς που αναζητούσα.

Στην αρχή, βέβαια, τα πράγματα φαίνονταν να απομακρύνονται από τις προσδοκίες καθώς διαπίστωσα ότι το κεντρικό πρόσωπο είναι ο μάγος Μέρλιν και ότι μέσω αυτού η συγγραφέας μας αφηγείται την ιστορία. Ξεκινώντας από την παιδική ηλικία κυρίως αυτοσχεδιάζει καθώς δεν υπάρχουν σχετικά κείμενα με εκείνη την περίοδο της ζωής του, βρίσκει, όμως, έτσι την αφορμή για να κάνει μία εισαγωγή στην ιστορία, περιγράφοντας μας την κατάσταση που επικρατούσε εκείνη την εποχή και συστήνοντας μας κάποια πραγματικά πρόσωπα που πρωταγωνίστησαν σε αυτή τη σκοτεινή περίοδο, πρόσωπα που στη συνέχεια τα ενώνει με το μύθο και έτσι γίνεται μία πολύ ομαλή μετάβαση. Αυτό που μου αρέσει, όμως, είναι ότι η συγγραφέας δεν πέφτει στην παγίδα που πέφτουν άλλοι και έτσι δεν παρουσιάζει τα πράγματα μονοδιάστατα. Ενώ είναι ιδιαίτερα της μόδας να βλέπουν αυτή την ιστορία και ως μία σύγκρουση του χριστιανισμού με τον παγανισμό, στα πλαίσια της οποίας παρουσιάζουν τον Μέρλιν ως ένα είδος παγανιστή Ταλιμπάν, η συγγραφέας πηγαίνει στο ακριβώς αντίθετο άκρο παρουσιάζοντας μία πολύ περισσότερο περίπλοκη κατάσταση. Έτσι ο μάγος Μέρλιν παρουσιάζεται ως ένας αναζητητής της αλήθειας που κινείται κατά κάποιον τρόπο ανάμεσα στις γνωστές θρησκείες προσπαθώντας να βοηθήσει όπως μπορεί. Φυσικά επειδή πρόκειται για μία πιο ρεαλιστική απεικόνιση η μαγεία έχει πιο περιορισμένο ρόλο, ρόλο όμως έχει και είναι στην κρίση του κάθε αναγνώστη να καταλάβει αν διαβάζει για πράγματα υπερφυσικά ή για μία σειρά συμπτώσεων.

Όλα καλά ως εδώ αλλά όλη αυτή η μακρά εισαγωγή ίσως είναι υπερβολικά μακρά και ίσως στο τέλος γίνεται κάπως κουραστική. Δεν μπορώ να πω, είναι αρκετά συγκινητική η ιστορία ενός μικρού παιδιού που γνωρίζει την απόρριψη και την καχυποψία σε μία ιδιαίτερα άγρια εποχή, είναι σίγουρα γραμμένη με τέχνη και ευαισθησία αλλά αυτό το βιβλίο το ξεκίνησα για να διαβάσω μία μυθιστορηματική απεικόνιση των γνωστών γεγονότων και σε αυτά ουσιαστικά φτάνουμε μόνο αρκετά κοντά στο τέλος. Υπάρχει βέβαια τότε μία αποζημίωση καθώς φτάνουμε στην ιστορία του Ούθερ και στη σύλληψή του Άρθουρ, όπου αν και υπάρχει μία μικρή διαφοροποίηση, κυρίως για να εμφανιστεί η ιστορία πιο ρεαλιστική, η απόδοσή της από τη συγγραφέα είναι εξαιρετική. Μέχρι τότε, όμως, είχα βρεθεί αρκετές φορές σε θέση να διαβάζω πιο γρήγορα για να φτάσω μέχρι εκεί.

Οπότε στο τέλος σίγουρα πρόκειται για μία πολύ ενθαρρυντική αρχή με ένα βιβλίο που βρίσκεται πολύ κοντά στο ύφος που θα επιθυμούσαν να είναι ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο. Φυσικά σε κάποια πράγματα περιμένω κάτι παραπάνω ακόμα να μου δώσει και η ανάγνωση ως τώρα με έχει πείσει ότι είναι αρκετά πιθανό να τα συναντήσω στην πορεία. Για αυτό ανυπομονώ για τη συνέχεια. ...more

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About Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.

She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, an ...more