Merlin’s Blade Book Description:
When a meteorite crashes near a small village in fifth century Britain, it brings with it a mysterious black stone that bewitches anyone who comes in contact with its glow – a power the druids hope to use to destroy King Uther’s kingdom. The only person who seems immune is a young, shy, half-blind swordsmith’s son named Merlin.
As his family, village, and even the young Arthur, are placed in danger, Merlin must face his fears and his blindness to take hold of the role ordained for him. But when he is surrounded by adversaries, how will he save the girl he cherishes and rid Britain of this deadly evil… without losing his life?
About the Author:
Robert Treskillard has been crafting stories from his early youth, and is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith. He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country near St. Louis, Missouri.
Series: The Merlin Spiral
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Blink (April 20, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310735076
ISBN-13: 978-0310735076
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
Retail Price: $9.99
Kindle edition also available
My Thoughts:
Travel back in time to old Britain – a time of knights, druids, magic…. In this tale of Merlin, Merlin is a young Christian boy who is partially blind due to an attack. Arthur is just a baby. King Uther is a Christian king who has angered the pagan druids and other pagan leaders who are coming together to take him down along with other Christians.
I admit that I really enjoy the tales of Merlin, so I was excited to see how this book would come together. I’m always on the lookout for a new series for my daughter who also loves the medieval time period and Merlin. This book will be added to her “to read” pile as I know she will enjoy this twist on the Merlin story.
Robert did a nice job with the story line, character development, and relationship development. The story was not predictable which I truly enjoyed. Christianity is woven throughout the story, but it’s done in a way that makes sense in the story. It’s not over-the-top. The characters struggles with faith are real and thus believable. The Christians in the story are not exempt from horrible things happening, and their lives are not easy.
It is important to note that there is magic, evil, violence, darkness in this story. Many parents will want to read the book first to verify they are comfortable allowing their child to read this particular story. That being said, I felt the topics were handled in a way that brought the importance of faith in the one true God to light. Even so, this story will not be for everyone.
The book does include a pronunciation guide, a map, and a glossary that contains information about key places and names. Some people may struggle with the different dialects in the book as it can be difficult to read.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books in The Merlin Spiral series.
