By The Book

Haunted by the past, chased by the present.

Arthur is now eighteen, and Merlin, tired of hiding and running from his enemies, wants nothing more than to spend his days with his family and train Arthur for his rightful place as king. But when Arthur goes missing, a desperate Merlin must abandon all other quests to find him before a shadowy pursuer catches Arthur first.

Having everything to fight for, and almost nothing to fight with, Merlin and Arthur must rally Britain’s warriors against three overwhelming enemies: Saxenow hordes in the south, Picti raiders in the north, and a chilling new enemy that has arisen in the west.

At the same time, Mórgana brings Merlin’s deepest fear to life and sets a horde of werewolves loose to destroy Britain. But when the secret purpose of this nightmare is finally revealed, will Merlin and Arthur find a way to survive—without unleashing an even greater evil?

My Impressions:

Robert Treskillard‘s Merlin Spiral is an outstanding series featuring meticulous research of Britain in the 5th century AD — language, customs, warfare — as well as the traditions of the Arthurian legends he uses as its foundation. I am going to leave it to others on the tour to discuss the symbolic and spiritual aspects of the book. What impressed me the most is that Merlin’s Nightmare is a man’s book. Yes, there is a lot of warfare described in bloody, if not gory detail, but it is the strong male characters and their development that stand out the most. In this time of marginalization of men, when even TV commercials depict men as silly and weak, it is refreshing to see men acting like men, real men.

First there is Merlin, a now experienced leader and advisor. He is also a committed man — to family, country and king. He struggles with fears (don’t we all) and is reluctant to face them head on. But it is his commitment to God’s will and leadership in his life that causes Merlin to step beyond himself, his yearning for peace and comfort, and into the purposes and plans placed before him.

Arthur is now an eighteen year old — brash, reckless and a bit naive. His emotions spur him into action. But as the book progresses, Arthur learns the true costs of being a man. He has to make tough decisions and put others ahead of himself. Although he has a long way to go, this servant-king is committed to his people.

Commitment is the keyword for Merlin’s Nightmare. Loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness are on display, and what great lessons for the young men in our lives. There are some great female characters as well, but in this book the men shine. So go out and get all three books in The Merlin Spiral and make sure your sons and daughters read them. Girls need to know what real men look like too! 😉

Highly Recommended. 

Audience: Young adults and adults

(Thanks to Blink in conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour for a review copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase this book, click on the image below.

CSFF Blog Tour Participants:

Jeff Chapman
Vicky DealSharingAunt
April Erwin
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rebekah Gyger
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Emileigh Latham
Jennette Mbewe
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirriam Neal
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Audrey Sauble
Chawna Schroeder
Jojo Sutis
Robert Treskillard
Phyllis Wheeler
Elizabeth Williams

Tags: Arthurian legend, Robert Treskillard, YA Fantasy

Betrayal. 

After destroying the sinister Druid Stone and freeing his people from its dark control, Merlin finds himself to be a royal advisor without a king. Along with his friend Garth and Natalenya, his betrothed, Merlin treks north with the orphaned Arthur in hopes of keeping the young ruler safe from soldiers misled by their turncoat captain. Relentlessly pursued by his nemesis Vortigern, Merlin and his band make for the fortress of Dintaga.

But dangers multiply when Merlin realizes that Vortigern is not his only enemy. Even his own sister appears bent on Merlin’s destruction. As the threat on all their lives increases, Merlin discovers their only hope is sailing to the lands of eternal darkness and once again cleansing the world from an ancient and powerful evil.

Robert Treskillard (from his website) is a Celtic enthusiast who holds a B.A. in Biblical & Theological Studies from Bethel University, Minnesota.  He has been crafting stories from his early youth, 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 outside St. Louis, Missouri.

My Impressions:

Merlin’s Shadow is the second book in The Merlin Spiral series by Robert Treskillard. Using a framework of Arthurian legend and Druid mythology, the book presents a tale of Merlin’s early protection of the young King Arthur. Orphaned through the betrayal of his uncle, Arthur is rescued by Merlin and a diverse group (bards, Christians, druids, and warriors) all with Arthur’s survival as their focus. Forced from their home to a strange and dark land, the band meets with treachery and danger at every turn.

Merlin’s Shadow is a very dark book, not only in its setting, but in the evil that surrounds those seeking to kill Arthur. Faith in Christ is sorely tested and attacked. And while the character of Merlin is central to the story, it is his sister, Ganeida (Morgana) that I was drawn to. A young girl at the beginning of the story, she is lured into evil by her grandfather and a mysterious Voice that provides her with visions and power. I found her story very compelling, even as she sinks deeper and deeper under the thrall of evil.

If you like Arthurian legends and are looking for something that presents a new twist, then I recommend you try Merlin’s Shadow. But be sure to read book 1, Merlin’s Blade first.

(Thanks to the CSFF Blog Tour for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

For what others on the tour are saying, click on the links below.

Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Jeff Chapman
Pauline Creeden
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Jennette Mbewe
Amber McCallister
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Jalynn Patterson
Writer Rani
Nathan Reimer
Chawna Schroeder
Jacque Stengl
Jojo Sutis
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
Deborah Wilson

Tags: Arthurian legend, Robert Treskillard, YA Fantasy