The Broken Kings

The Merlin Codex #3

by Robert Holdstock

Argo, the ancient ship, has returned and hides beneath Urtha's fortress in Alba. Jason and the Argonauts are aboard her, enchanted into sleep. Niiv is still Merlin's lover, still seeking magic and mysteries, still a delight and torment to him.

Something is wrong in Alba. An unknown force is affecting the land. The omens are frightening. The feckless Sons of Llew arrive, having stolen their uncle's chariot and horses once again. They bring news of hostels, gateways between the worlds of the living and the dead. An enormous gathering of the Shades, of the dead and the unborn, are being drawn to them.

Meanwhile, Kymon and Munda, Urtha's son and daughter, are coming of age. Kymon is angry, boastful, ready to fight the Shades of Heroes, and violently annoyed by his father's diplomacy. Munda, on the other hand, is possessed of the Sight and welcomes the new, strange force in the land. She breaks taboo to visit one of the hostels. She comes back speaking of the Killer of Kings, the son of Jason.

And as Merlin walks in and out of time, clinging to his magic and the remains of his youth, the forces set in motion will determine the fate of kings and kingdoms alike.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Arthurian, Science Fiction Fantasy, Mythology

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Robert Paul Holdstock was an English novelist and author who is best known for his works of fantasy literature, predominantly in the fantasy subgenre of mythic fiction.

Holdstock's writing was first published in 1968. His science fiction and fantasy works explore philosophical, psychological, anthropological, spiritual, and woodland themes. He has received three BSFA awards and won the World Fantasy Award in the category of Best Novel in 1985.

Pseudonyms are Chris Carlsen, Robert Faulcon,Robert Black, Steven Eisler and Richard Kirk.

Reviews

[Gala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я вирішила написати відгук на всю трилогію відразу, оскільки вона справила на мене доволі цілісне враження. Сюжет рухався, персонажі та їх стосунки розвивалися і все це було на приблизно однаковому рівні майстерності, краси тексту, оригінальності ідей та. ін.

В книгах немає нічого зайвого чи взятого нізвідки, я вперше зустріла ідею поєднати артурівських персонажів та грецьку міфологію і вийшло це в автора красиво й цікаво. Це ще одним, досить нетиповий погляд на питання "хто такий Мерлін". Що до Артура і всіх атрибутів його міфу, то вони тут практично відсутні - це самостійна історія Мерліна. Дуже моторошна і містична - у потойбіччі вона розвивається не меншу часу, ніж в реальності. Крім того це ще й історія про спробу повернути минуле, та про поступову відмову від помсти, не так про прощення, як про відпускання.

З того що мені не сподобалося - то це стосунки Мерліна з Ніів. Перші два томи він рішуче каже "ні" усім її домаганням та переслідуванням. Вона ж окупує і його дійсність, і сни, а оточуючі звнинувачують його у жорсткосендності. Мерлін чесно каже, що боїться її, я б теж боялася, якби хтось невідступно пересувався за мною усім відомим світом і пірнав мені під ковдру щойно я задрімаю, незважаючи на чітко висловелену відмову. Ніів тут, щонайменше, сталкер. І ця досить моторошна історія закінчується тим, що Мерлін таки здався та полюбив її. Їх історія навіть більш чи менш щаслива у третьому томі, але для мене це досить сумнівний фінал.

Що було дивно для мене, попри улюблену тему та хорошу історію, книга знайшла в мені дуже мало емоційного відгуку, я милувалася її красою, дивувался оригінальним ідеям та поворотам, але мало співпереживала і героям, хоча з ними все ок - вони живі й різносторонні.

[Miriam Cihodariu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a nice tie-up to the series, but even though Holdstock is often said to drag it out too much, this story could have done with 2 or 3 more books for the same plot.

As in the previous book, I loved all the references to Celtic society and culture (the women with the Sight, the youth rite of passing with cutting the other boy's chin, and so on). I also loved the idea of these hostels between Ghostland and the world of the living - very compelling imagery.

[lili.darknight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knihu som mala rozčítanú na moje pomery až neskutočne dlho (nejaké štyri mesiace). Nie snáď preto, že by ma to nebavilo. Lebo Holdstock ma skrátka baví. To, ako tvorí kultúry, ktoré dýchajú starým svetom a folklórom a mágiou a istou divokosťou. To, aká veľkolepá a zároveň nenápadná vie byť mágia v jeho svetoch. To, ako každý príbeh pôsobí ako vytrhnutý z mytológie, no predsa dýcha drsnosťou života.

Skrátka, táto séria toho ponúka mnoho. Postavy, odbočky, témy, spracovania. A možno to bol pre mňa ten dôvod, prečo mi čítanie trvalo tak dlho. Že sa tam toho deje toľko na toľkých miestach. Že sa ten dej rozutekal do toľkých kútov, až mi niektoré maličkosti nechtiac aj unikli.

Som si istá, že aj to je dôvod, pre ktorý sa k tejto sérii ešte niekedy vrátim.

[Vít · Rating 5 out of 5]

Závěr Merlinova kodexu vás zavede opět na řadu míst v tomto a jiných světech i časech. V Albě bojuje velekrál Urtha a jeho děti s invazí mrtvých i nezrozených hrdinů. V podzemí se setkáte s Urthovým předkem Durandondem a prožijete s ním dávné stěhování národů na západ až přes moře do tajemné Alby. A v minojské Krétě se setkáte se zakladatelem steampunku Daidalem a jeho úžasnými výtvory ze dřeva, bronzu a mědi. Do toho pokračují příběhy Iásóna, Médey a jejich dětí, vztah Merlina a Niiv a tak dále. Musí se tu toho zkrátka spousta vyřešit a uzavřít, než se Argó zase vydá na cesty a totéž platí o věčném tulákovi Merlinovi.
O téhle trilogii se často říká, že je vhodná především pro fanoušky Holdstocka, čili lidi, kteří ho už mají nějak načteného. Může to být pravda, konečně já rozhodně Holdstockův fanda jsem. Ale myslím, že je to skvělá volba pro každého náročnějšího čtenáře fantasy s nějakým povědomím o historii a (hlavně) řeckých mýtech.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the ninth book in a series I'm calling "quarantine life." With the Coronavirus pandemic, all of our public libraries are closed and I have turned to my bookshelf to find books that I haven't read yet.

This was a great ending to an utterly astonishing series - rarely do I read books in this genre, or any genre, that are done so well and have such depth. This is the type of fantasy that should rule the sales charts and it saddens me that this is not better known. Truly outstanding.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a disappointing ending to an otherwise solid trilogy. Without spoilers I can't say too much, but if it were a storyless journey, it would be all right, but the various story threads gradually fizzle away until you're left wondering what was the point of the details?
The other issue I had may be a perceptual one, but the emotional engagement with the protagonist (surely one of the more important reasons for running with a first-person account?) was, until the final few dozen pages, absolutely non-existent.
The story as a whole cannot finish, due to who Merlin is and what he will become, but I did expect some sort of dramatic denouement that would grip; me. It did not, I am afraid to say, which is very disappointing, because the first book in the trilogy was so good.

[Holly Lindquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the final book of The Merlin Codex, Greek and Celtic myth continue to exist in a kind of vertigo-inducing disharmony. The descriptions are lovely (as they were in the first two books), but the storyline is as elusive as a Will-o-the-wisp.

We finally discover who's been causing the kerfuffle in Ghostland, but that revelation only brings up more questions. Why that particular character? Why do I feel like it was randomly plucked from the mythological grab-bag?

So, to sum up: Ambiguous mythological allusions float past on a sort of poetic promenade and eventually disappear into the fog of a largely amorphous plot.

[Silvio Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last book of the series. The troubles with Ghostland continue, and the search for their cause takes Merlin, Jason, Urtha, Niiv, and Argo on another southward voyage. A fascinating revised version of the myth of Daidalos is involved.

This is the most emotionally varied of the books. Unfortunately, the hints of setting and background history stay hints and no more, with just enough revealed to explain the plot. Some of them seem to be references to other books of Holdstock's, so maybe if I read any of them I can find out more.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

The third book of the Merlin Codex concludes the story of Medea, Jason and her sons but suffers the same problems as volume 2 - Urtha's land is under threat again but he is given very little to do and is something of a non-entity. The growing animosity between him and his own son never really goes anywhere and the plot rambles.

Only the first volume of this series shows Holdstock at his best.

[Aharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Broken Kings is perhaps Holdstock's most complicated novel so far. Published two years before his death, the novel weaves many of the ideas first explored in earlier novels. The structure of the work itself is labyrinthine, rewarding readers patient enough to follow his storyteller's saga through mythopoesis until it reaches its heart.

[Stephen Hampshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this (partly because it's been a while since I read the first two in the series I guess), but when I did I really enjoyed it. Not sure how much sense some of it would make unless you've read Holdstock's other stuff...but you should anyway, so tough!

[Taldragon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 3 of the Merlin Codex - i've read book 1, but not 2.

more of Merlin's adventures. a rather meh book, nothing seemed to happen and there was no conclusion.

hopefully book 4 will be better.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

See review on Celtika, Bk. 1

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this one off, and while parts of it were just as tedious as the first two in the trilogy, I really liked the ending and that totally made up for the rest of it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this series, the way that the story and mythology are weaved together

[Jocelyn Montalvo Cullum]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13013731