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Merlin the Wizard
A retelling of the prophecies and magical powers of Merlin, the famous magician in the Arthurian legend.
- GenresFantasy
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 1986
9 people want to read
About the author
Ann Lawrence
17 books10 followersAnn (Margaret) Lawrence was born in England in 1942. She wrote more than fifteen highly original fantasy novels and collections of stories for children, including The Hawk of May, which was highly commended for the Guardian Award.
Since her tragically early death in 1987 her work has continued to gain in reputation and has been published in the USA, Germany, Sweden and Japan.
Since her tragically early death in 1987 her work has continued to gain in reputation and has been published in the USA, Germany, Sweden and Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 19, 2024
An illustrated summary of the events immediately preceding Merlin's shady* conception, his birth and adoption, a few highlights of his life and rearing of Arthur, and his demise (bound in the Forest of Broceliande by Niniane).
(*if you don't read the text, it looks like Merlin's noble nun of a mother, a daughter of King Demetia, was visited in her convent cell in the night by a phosphorescent member of Led Zeppelin in drag for an unused Houses of the Holy cover image).
I don't have the background to dissect this condensed children's version of the Merlin and Arthur story academically. I am a big fan of Ann Lawrence, however. For context, almost all of my understanding of Arthurian myth is thanks to Susan Cooper (and The Dark Is Rising Sequence).
I did have an interest in Old and New Kingdom Egyptology as a youngster, though, so I can comment on the symbology borrowed from those cultures. You can see Merlin with an Ankh around his neck on the front cover image (and a wings-of-Ra inspired neckpiece). The Wedjat Eye of Horus is also on his tunic, as is a six-pointed star (Star of David - not Egyptian, of course, but Judaic). There's also Bast/Bastet (golden earringed black cat with gold Wedjat Eye pendant) attending the Alchemy scene with Merlin and young Arthur.
Interestingly, in terms of illustrated symbology, I didn't see a single pentacle or pentagram (though I could spot a Ying-Yang), and the odd filled-in 5-pointed star shows up in the background here and there. But, again, not the pentacles, Celtic triskele, druidic or runic symbols (vegvisir?) I'd have expected. And the back of Merlin's cape, while he's performing sorcery for 'Lady of the Lake' Niniane (related to/conflated with/a.k.a. Nimue &/ Viviane), who looks an awful lot like Hathor or Isis in dress and headpiece to me, has the six-pointed Star of David with the Wedjat Eye of Horus planted firmly in its centre. It's... unexpected. There are almost no early Christian symbols, Star of David not withstanding.
I suspect the symbology displayed has a lot more to do with this being published in 1986 and the choices of the artist Susan Hunter, than any conspiratorial take on some already fraught mythology. I know at least enough of the Arthurian legends to see that creative license and entertainment value in retellings has added to and diverted from the sparse historical records on Arthur's reign. So of course any presentation of any of the Arthurian myth is going to be at odds with another previously published or accepted narrative. It's like Robin Hood - it's mythology, and it is therefore dynamic. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in this, nor would I seek to find a 'Christian' undercurrent in the ancient history of the pre-Roman Britons as it was... Deuteronomy 4:2 for a scriptural basis, in case that's important to anyone reading). ;)
According to this story, Stonehenge was previously known as the Giant's Dance, of Mount Killaraus, Ireland, and was fought for by Uther's army and pillaged and brought to Salisbury at Merlin's behest to mark the graves of Vortigern's forces treacherously murdered by Hengist's Saxon goons. Aurelius is later buried in the stone circle as well.
Not a read I'd recommend for Lawrence fans (it almost reads like a history textbook - it's not bad, it's just very bare bones - I suspect it's much the same as Josephine Poole's picture books. Big fan of hers, but wondering if it's worth me tracking down Joan of Arc, for example), and the illustrations were just not for me. I really disliked them, all around, with the exceptions of the portrait of the lovely Ygraine (Mucha-inspired?), Niniane's arm extending from the lake holding Excalibur (just pretty all around), and the dueling dragons (because... duelling dragons). Uther was kinda hot. However, it jarred like crazy that Merlin of the dark ages of Wales looked like he was a big fan of Aleister Crowley and dressed like Dirk Gently when he was telling fortunes in a pub garden in drag between detective jobs (and those are books I really can recommend, though they've nothing to do with Arthurian legend: The Dirk Gently Omnibus).
TL:DR - Missable. Merlin looks New Agey and Ankh-obsessed.
(*if you don't read the text, it looks like Merlin's noble nun of a mother, a daughter of King Demetia, was visited in her convent cell in the night by a phosphorescent member of Led Zeppelin in drag for an unused Houses of the Holy cover image).
I don't have the background to dissect this condensed children's version of the Merlin and Arthur story academically. I am a big fan of Ann Lawrence, however. For context, almost all of my understanding of Arthurian myth is thanks to Susan Cooper (and The Dark Is Rising Sequence).
I did have an interest in Old and New Kingdom Egyptology as a youngster, though, so I can comment on the symbology borrowed from those cultures. You can see Merlin with an Ankh around his neck on the front cover image (and a wings-of-Ra inspired neckpiece). The Wedjat Eye of Horus is also on his tunic, as is a six-pointed star (Star of David - not Egyptian, of course, but Judaic). There's also Bast/Bastet (golden earringed black cat with gold Wedjat Eye pendant) attending the Alchemy scene with Merlin and young Arthur.
Interestingly, in terms of illustrated symbology, I didn't see a single pentacle or pentagram (though I could spot a Ying-Yang), and the odd filled-in 5-pointed star shows up in the background here and there. But, again, not the pentacles, Celtic triskele, druidic or runic symbols (vegvisir?) I'd have expected. And the back of Merlin's cape, while he's performing sorcery for 'Lady of the Lake' Niniane (related to/conflated with/a.k.a. Nimue &/ Viviane), who looks an awful lot like Hathor or Isis in dress and headpiece to me, has the six-pointed Star of David with the Wedjat Eye of Horus planted firmly in its centre. It's... unexpected. There are almost no early Christian symbols, Star of David not withstanding.
I suspect the symbology displayed has a lot more to do with this being published in 1986 and the choices of the artist Susan Hunter, than any conspiratorial take on some already fraught mythology. I know at least enough of the Arthurian legends to see that creative license and entertainment value in retellings has added to and diverted from the sparse historical records on Arthur's reign. So of course any presentation of any of the Arthurian myth is going to be at odds with another previously published or accepted narrative. It's like Robin Hood - it's mythology, and it is therefore dynamic. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in this, nor would I seek to find a 'Christian' undercurrent in the ancient history of the pre-Roman Britons as it was... Deuteronomy 4:2 for a scriptural basis, in case that's important to anyone reading). ;)
According to this story, Stonehenge was previously known as the Giant's Dance, of Mount Killaraus, Ireland, and was fought for by Uther's army and pillaged and brought to Salisbury at Merlin's behest to mark the graves of Vortigern's forces treacherously murdered by Hengist's Saxon goons. Aurelius is later buried in the stone circle as well.
Not a read I'd recommend for Lawrence fans (it almost reads like a history textbook - it's not bad, it's just very bare bones - I suspect it's much the same as Josephine Poole's picture books. Big fan of hers, but wondering if it's worth me tracking down Joan of Arc, for example), and the illustrations were just not for me. I really disliked them, all around, with the exceptions of the portrait of the lovely Ygraine (Mucha-inspired?), Niniane's arm extending from the lake holding Excalibur (just pretty all around), and the dueling dragons (because... duelling dragons). Uther was kinda hot. However, it jarred like crazy that Merlin of the dark ages of Wales looked like he was a big fan of Aleister Crowley and dressed like Dirk Gently when he was telling fortunes in a pub garden in drag between detective jobs (and those are books I really can recommend, though they've nothing to do with Arthurian legend: The Dirk Gently Omnibus).
TL:DR - Missable. Merlin looks New Agey and Ankh-obsessed.
July 7, 2014
A companion to "The Sword and the Stone" picture book I reviewed earlier (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), but by a different writer continues to look at Mallory's "Arthur" from Merlin's POV. The previous book by Christine Storr was delightfully pro-church , reminding me of Pyle's Arthur and other Victorian Arthurian publications. This companion however, seems to stick more to Mallory's text (which as of this writing I've not read fully). I'm amused and slightly shocked how subtly blunt this book is about Merlin. He's rumored to be the son of the Devil, and was born by his mother in a convent (!) By a ghost-like angel spirit -_thing (!!!!!!!!!!!!!). The book tries to explain it as some spirits "between earth and moon" are something akin to half angels, half man. This reminds me of the giants of the old testement, but is in no way theologically sound. The book also covers Uther's rape/subduction of Igraine , but tastefully by explaining his disguise and that they end up having a baby which surprises Igraine when her Hus and is discovered dead. I'm certain some brighter kids would certainly starting asking questions , so parents be warned. We also see via illustrations some bloody fights, and Adult Merlin shows up with his vague-pagon costume from "Stone".amusingly the Star of David is used in a circle in both Merlin's cloak, and in a witches circle to suggest a pentegram. The Ankh (Egyptian cross) is also worn by Merlin as a child, as well as an adult. We also see his " spirit" (Demon?) Father wearing one as he appears to Merlin's mother at the alter she's praying at (and no she's dressed as a lady not a Nun).
The book slowly covers the history of Britian after the Romans leave, to uther's reign (including a long side story about moving Stonehenge from Ireland, due to Merlin's coaxing of its religious and other importance). Merlin as a child revealing dragons underground and predicting prophecy that he speaks under force (demons? Godly prophecy?). We see him showing teenage Arthur a vague laboratory (science or magic lesson?), and we eventually get to Excalibur. Nimue appears, and then strangely takes the traditional Vivian role binding Merlin in an invisible tree tower.
It was interesting, and this illustrator is just amazing but I have a funny feeling my parents wouldn't have let me read this book ad a child. I'd advise the same, unlike "Sword" where merlin is a "magician" and does nothing inhuman , this book seems to put too much stock in Merlin's vague pagan powers. That might have been present in Mallory's original but not without the Christian Arthur's side of the story which is largely absent here.
The book slowly covers the history of Britian after the Romans leave, to uther's reign (including a long side story about moving Stonehenge from Ireland, due to Merlin's coaxing of its religious and other importance). Merlin as a child revealing dragons underground and predicting prophecy that he speaks under force (demons? Godly prophecy?). We see him showing teenage Arthur a vague laboratory (science or magic lesson?), and we eventually get to Excalibur. Nimue appears, and then strangely takes the traditional Vivian role binding Merlin in an invisible tree tower.
It was interesting, and this illustrator is just amazing but I have a funny feeling my parents wouldn't have let me read this book ad a child. I'd advise the same, unlike "Sword" where merlin is a "magician" and does nothing inhuman , this book seems to put too much stock in Merlin's vague pagan powers. That might have been present in Mallory's original but not without the Christian Arthur's side of the story which is largely absent here.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews