The Hollow Hills
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 First edition cover |
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| Author | Mary Stewart |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Arthurian Saga |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Hodder and Stoughton Limited |
| Released | 1973 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 446 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| Preceded by | The Crystal Cave |
| Followed by | The Last Enchantment |
The Hollow Hills is a novel by Mary Stewart. It is the second in a quartet of novels covering the Arthurian Legends. This book is preceded by The Crystal Cave and succeeded by The Last Enchantment. The Hollow Hills was written in 1970.
[edit] Plot introduction
The protagonist of this story is a man named Merlin. Merlin is overseeing the birth and raising of Arthur Pendragon, because he has predicted that Arthur will become a great king.
[edit] Plot summary
This novel covers the time from when Arthur Pendragon was conceived to when he was crowned as King.
In this version, Merlin's father is Ambrosius Aurelianus, the Roman war leader; making Merlin Arthur's cousin. He is depicted as twenty-two years old at the beginning of the book, which opens on the morning after the conception of Arthur. This conception has taken place as a result, not of illusion or shape-changing, but of disguise and trickery. Duchess Igraine is said to have known who she was mating with and whose son she bears from the moment Uther came to her. Merlin goes into hiding, to avoid trouble. He learns that Uther wishes the child to be hidden, lest another (legitimate) son be born.
In later chapters, Merlin travels from one place to another, arranging for the upbringing of Arthur. He gives the child first to his own nurse Moravik, who after some years sends the boy to Count Ector of Galava to be trained as a man. Merlin sets off for Constantinople, accompanied by a small retinue of servants. In Constantinople, he learns from his host Adhjan that Magnus Maximus possessed an especially beautiful and well-made sword, which was taken back to Britain after Macsen Wledig's death. Merlin, inspired by a dream which he believes to be prophetic, returns to the North in search of this sword.
In Britain, Merlin finds the sword in a deserted temple or chapel, hidden beside a Greek drinking-vessel. He takes only the sword.
In order to hide from overly curious people, Merlin becomes a hermit in an obscure shrine, providing healing to the injured and advice to the insecure. He committs himself to no religion, but "allows" whatever god who is willing to receive the offerings at the shrine.
Later, Merlin becomes Arthur's tutor and that of two other boys, those being Arthur's foster-brother Cei and his friend Bedwyr. Out on a ride, Arthur discovers the sword of Macsen-- his ancestor and Merlin's-- hidden in a cave on an island in the center of a lake. With it, he proves his right to succeed Uther as High King before all of the assembled kings and chieftains.
