The Crystal Cave/The Hollow Hills/Wildfire at Midnight

by Mary Stewart

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1991

About the author

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

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, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.

Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.

Reviews

[Vivat Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, though it is out of my normal interest line. Well written, and interesting enough that I could not put it down. The fact that it was a book on King Arthur that I happened into made me buy all of Mary Stewart's Merlin Series:
1.) The Crystal Cave (1970)
2.) The Hollow Hills (1973)
3.) The Last Enchantment (1979)
4.) The Wicked Day (1983)
5.) The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I love these books! The King Arthur legend is one that will always be close to my heart and Mary Steward does an excellent job bringing it to life in these books.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in early college. My reading challenge was to read a book published the year I graduated from high school. I found that in 48 years I had forgotten most of the book. It wasn't until page 496 of 514 pages that I remembered what I had read. However, I loved this book as much in 2018 as in 1974. I began reading Mary Stewart books in early high school, and while I was teaching Language Arts, recommended them to many students. I'm so glad I was "forced" to pick it up again.

[Austin Kische · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time returning to fantasy in a while. I liked how it was essentially fanfiction set in the King Arthur universe. It’s inspired me to start reading the classic King Arthur tales soon.

Having recently read so many of the greatest books ever written, I could feel the drop in quality with this one. The characters are more shallow, and the dilemmas less challenging. Overall, it’s a good work for the purpose of entertainment."

[Daniel Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was 3 books in this book. The first 2 were the same story about merlin in the context of king arthur.

The third was completely unrelated but you could see the same style in the writing. Also it was interesting to see how language was used when the book was written. Particularly the word queer.

[M.A. McRae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary's Stewart's Merlin is still the best.
I have read this book so often that the front cover is missing and the whole thing yellowed and tattered - and it is as live and magical as it was the very first time I read it. The books that I love tend to feature a strongly realised main character, with strength and yet with a vulnerability. My heroes must have brains - one reason why a romance almost never does it for me.
Mary Stewart's Merlin has just that collection of characteristics that make this book a little piece of magic for me.

[Elizabetmarshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

My third reading of "The Crystal Cave" was a self-revelatory one. I have read the 3-book series twice and am now one book into a third round.

The magic I felt he first two times was gone for me this reading; I have moved on to a different kind of magic. Although this is a fictional work, I found the history/geography highly interesting.

I honestly don't know how I made it through the long descriptive paragraphs during the first two readings. As a more mature reader, I found the description wonderful.

I look forward to reading the next two books once again !

[Bookguide]

Find my review of Wildfire at Midnight listed as if I had read it in a standalone copy. It’s so different from the other two Arthurian novels. It’s like going to an orchestral concert where they play you two classical pieces and something modern to try to educate the public. Except this ‘contemporary’ crime novel (1956) is wonderfully written, but rather incongruous in this omnibus. It certainly makes to make me want to read more of her non-historical novels.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A peculiar omnibus, of 2 arthurian novels, and one "modern" thriller added to the story seemingly by chance.

[Rich]

Merlin #1

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also an old time favourite! Beautiful imagery...well developed characters and plausible storyline

[B.C. Deeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite trilogies of all time and it ignited a life long interest in Arthurian and medieval fiction.

[Thomas E Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Create series of books. Mary Steward brought Merlin to life. A very believable early life for him, that is assuming one believes in fantasy. ;-)