The Lost Years: 01 (Merlin (Puffin))

I picked this book up in a charity sale at work as I've always been fascinated by the tales of King Arthur, and thought that my nephew might enjoy it.Even though it looked like a children's book - the synopsis intrigued me - and I thought I'd read a few pages before passing it on (after all , I really enjoyed Harry Potter!!). I couldn't put it down 'til I reluctantly reached the end - it was brilliant!!!If you enjoy fantasy, myths & legends, magic & mystery and vivid, imaginative writing you will not be disappointed! Wonderful! Buy it now, you're in for a treat!I was delighted to find that this is only the first of a series and they were all available on Amazon - I couldn't find them anywhere else as I think they are printed in the USA - I instantly ordered the lot and can't wait to read them. (I don't understand why this author is not more popular over here (UK).)I also ordered a few copies of this book for friends and relatives!!!Thank you Amazon and thank you T A Barron for giving me one of the most enjoyable reads ever!!!!

Good book

Merlin is a character who has fascinated people for centuries -- a powerful wizard who shaped the legendary King Arthur. And T.A. Barron gives his densely, mythologically fantastical take on Merlin in "The Lost Years," a colorful and lushly-detailed novel about the teenage wizard's formative years. The "Star Wars" twist is rather predictable, but otherwise it's a delightful story.Years ago, the boy Emrys was washed up on the shores of Wales, along with an equally mysterious woman named Branwen. He can't remember her, or anything else from his prior life.And for some years, he and Branwen live in a small Welsh village, where they are reviled because of their strangeness. When some village boys attack Branwen, Emrys' magical powers are unleashed -- and he ends up blind, but able to use his "second sight." Since Branwen refuses to tell him anything about his past, Emrys sets off on his own quest.He ends up on the shores of the magical land of Fincayra, where he meets the quirky woodland girl Rhia. Unfortunately, Fincayra is slowly being withered by a magical blight. With the help of Rhia and a diminuative giant named Shim, Merlin must find use his heart, brain, powers, and the mysterious Galator pendant to defeat the evil Rhita Gawr, find the Seven Treasures, and save Fincayra.T.A. Barron obviously loves two things -- myth'n'legends, and nature. "The Lost Years" is soaked in both these things. He writes in a lush, intoxicatingly detailed prose, with the overhanging presence of living trees, cool leaves and wild magical places. It's a bit like wandering into an enchanted grove, and watching the epic story unfold outside.Like his prior novel "The Merlin Effect," Barron laces it softly with Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend (such as the magic cauldron and the god Dagda), as well as some interesting ideas of his own ("historical" versus "sacred" time). The only problem is that Barron pulls a "Star Wars" twist out of his hat late in the novel, which is one of the few rampant cliches in here. Come on, couldn't he have done something a LITTLE more imaginative?And Barron's Merlin is a powerful reimagining of the legendary wizard -- this Merlin is a confused, outcast boy who is terrified of his own dangerous magic. Rhia is a likably quirky supporting character, just odd enough that she seems like a convincing forest baby, and there are a number of eccentric characters -- the Grand Elusa, Domnu and Cairpre -- that really draw in the reader."The Lost Years" is a striking, lushly-written fantasy novel that adds new mythical dimensions to our favorite Arthurian wizard. Wondrous, magical and lovely.

This Merlin story is OK, but definitely not worth 5 stars that it regularly seems to get. It is actually difficult to write a review for this since I have no strong feelings about it, there is nothing brilliant, but neither is it entirely terrible.There are a couple of minor niggles - the writing style irritated me regularly, but I would probably have to do a degree in English Literature to explain why. The very silly sentence constructions of the various non-human creatures seemed almost racist. Too strong a word to be sure, but do all non human races have to speak so badly?The other point is Merlin himself. I had the feeling he spent a lot of time resting on laurels he hasn't got yet. Sure, we know Merlin is going to be a brilliant wizard, but why is this so apparent to everyone else in the story. The result is a number of situations which don't come across too believably.Probably OK for a light read, but don't expect it to blow you away.

Very childish. Not engaging at all. I couldnt suspend disbelief at all. Its just not very good.