The Lost Years of Merlin
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| The Lost Years of Merlin | |
| Author | T. A. Barron |
|---|---|
| Country | U.S.A. |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Lost Years of Merlin |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Philomel Books |
| Publication date | 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 326 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-399-23018-1 |
| Preceded by | First in Series |
| Followed by | The Seven Songs of Merlin |
The Lost Years of Merlin is a work of children's literature by T.A. Barron, published by Ace.
The Lost Years Of Merlin tells the tale of the legendary Merlin's youth. In it Merlin searches for his true being while overcoming perilous odds. One can watch Merlin as he learns to use his powers for good and discovers his strengths and weaknesses. Merlin is also given the task of ending evil in the land and finds out secrets of his past that change his life. A screenplay is reportedly being written. [1]
[edit] Plot summary
The book covers the chronology of Merlin beginning with his birth and continuing through his adolescent and post-adolescent years. In the beginning of the book, we find that a young boy has just regained consciousness, and finds he, along with a woman with long blonde hair and a tattered blue tunic, are washed up on a beach. Seeing as it is raining, the boy takes the woman and he tries to climb into a big tree to seek shelter. Halfway there, he is stopped by furious boar. With tusks like razor blades, it charges at the boy. A beautiful stag leaps from the forest and stands in between the two. The stag and the boar fight. Angrily, the boar retreats. The stag looks at the boy with a gaze he would never forget. Years later, Merlin uses his magical powers to defend his mother against a terrorizing bully who is trying to burn her at the stake. Tragically, he accidentally sets a tree on fire that collapses on the boy whom Merlin tries to save and fails.
Merlin, attempting to save the boy, goes blind from this incident, but learns to see through a visual "second sight", after swearing never to use his powers again. After learning to sense well enough to be mobile, Merlin leaves his mother at the monastery where they had been staying, and sets out to find his true home.
Merlin builds a raft and floats to the magical and mythical island of Fincayra, which is somewhere between heaven and earth, also called the "in between," place.
There he meets his true sister, Rhiannon, a girl of the Druma, who agrees to help him find out who he truly is. He learns, from a wise Bard named Cairpre, who his mother is, and to his shame, his own father: Stangmar, an evil tyrant who is trying to take over all of Fincayra. He then chooses to try and stop his father, who has caused unknowingly, destruction to the magical realm. Merlin proves himself when he succeeds in this, with the help of Shim, a small giant, a trusty hawk, Trouble, and completing a prophecy of ancient times.
