T.A. Barron Box Set
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Book Summary Information
Edition: HardcoverAudio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
ISBN: 0441012493
Book Reviews of T.A. Barron Box Set
Book Review: A classic in the making
Summary: 5 Stars
With the publication of T.A. Barron's "Child of the Dark Prophecy," it seems appropriate for the "Lost Years of Merlin" series to be rereleased as a box set. Beautifully written and laced through with Celtic myths, T.A. Barron's five book cycle is a thrilling fantasy ride that fills in the gaps of Merlin's youth.
In "Lost Years of Merlin," a young boy washes up on the coast of Wales, with no memory of who he is. A few years later, the blinded Merlin leaves the woman who claims to be his mother, to find out where he came from. He ends up on the magical isle of Fincayra, with a sprightly woodland girl called Rhia. But the evil Rhita Gawr is threatening to destroy the life of the island -- and may destroy Merlin as well.
"The Seven Songs of Merlin" opens where the first book left off. Merlin is determined to bring his mother, Elen, to Fincayra. But his magic attracts the attention of Rhita Gawr, who wants both mother and son dead. Soon Elen lies fatally ill, and Merlin has only one month to find a magical potion that will save her life. To do it, he will have to master the Seven Songs, and travel into the Otherworld...
As "The Fires of Merlin" begins, Merlin is relaxing with his mother and his sister Rhia, and honing his skills as a wizard. But he soon learns that things are about to get nasty -- he's being followed by creatures that suck away magic. Worse, he learns of a prophecy that he will fight the legendary dragon Valdearg, whom his grandfather defeated long ago. The problem is... neither he nor Valdearg will survive the battle.
"The Mirror of Merlin" dips into T.H. White territory. Merlin and his beloved Hallia head into the Haunted Marsh to find a missing sword. They find a young boy, Ector, lost in the marshes. But then Merlin is infected with the bloodnoose -- which will split his head in half if he can't find a way to stop it. Desperately, he accompanies Ector to find the boy's master -- and learns that the master is none other than the elderly Merlin himself.
"The Winds of Merlin" brings the series to a shattering climax. The spirit lord Dagda warns Merlin of the possible destruction of Fincayra. To protect Fincayra and defeat Rhita Gawr, Merlin must join together all of the peoples of that land -- but he must battle the dark figures from his past, who now have returned to see him dead.
Few fantasy series are as beautifully made as the "Lost Years" series. T.A. Barron takes his love of nature and a handful of Celtic legends, and blends them into an action-packed, magical fantasy. Not to mention a wicked coming-of-age story. Barron's writing is detailed and full of lush description, ranging from the barren wastelands to beautiful forests to the ghostly Otherworld.
And his characters are even better drawn -- Merlin is full of doubt and confusion at first, but he slowly gains strength and power. By the end of the series, it's not hard to imagine him as the wise old wizard. Supporting characters like Rhia and Elen are also well done, while the villains are given motives and reasons for acting as they do (revenge, saving their family).
T.A. Barron writes wizard books the way they were meant to be -- full of magic, struggles and adventure. With his beautiful writing and characters, the "Lost Years of Merlin" series is undoubtedly destined to be a classic.
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