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The Merlin Conspiracy
When the Merlin of Blest dies, everyone thinks it's a natural death. But Roddy and Grundo, two children traveling with the Royal Court, soon discover the truth. The Merlin's replacement and other courtiers are scheming to steal the magic of Blest for their own purposes. Roddy enlists the help of Nick, a boy from another world, and the three turn to their own impressive powers. The dangers are great, and if Roddy, Grundo, and Nick cannot stop the conspirators, the results will be more dreadful than they could possibly imagine.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
144 people are currently reading
3433 people want to read
About the author
Diana Wynne Jones
149 books12k followersDiana Wynne Jones was a celebrated British writer best known for her inventive and influential works of fantasy for children and young adults. Her stories often combined magical worlds with science fiction elements, parallel universes, and a sharp sense of humor. Among her most beloved books are Howl's Moving Castle, the Chrestomanci series, The Dalemark Quartet, Dark Lord of Derkholm, and the satirical The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Her work gained renewed attention and readership with the popularity of the Harry Potter series, to which her books have frequently been compared.
Admired by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling, Jones was a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, two Mythopoeic Awards, the Karl Edward Wagner Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2004, Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, further expanding her global audience.
Jones studied at Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. She began writing professionally in the 1960s and remained active until her death in 2011. Her final novel, The Islands of Chaldea, was completed posthumously by her sister Ursula Jones.
Admired by authors such as Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling, Jones was a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, two Mythopoeic Awards, the Karl Edward Wagner Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2004, Howl's Moving Castle was adapted into an acclaimed animated film by Hayao Miyazaki, further expanding her global audience.
Jones studied at Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. She began writing professionally in the 1960s and remained active until her death in 2011. Her final novel, The Islands of Chaldea, was completed posthumously by her sister Ursula Jones.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
February 2, 2025
Chaotic is probably the best word I can find to describe this book.
Chaotic and erratic. Overall fun - but anxiously so.
I felt a bit like one must on a whirlwind tour trying to visit ten countries in ten days, stopping by a place, rushing to get a souvenir and take a photo with a few historic sites and monuments, and then doing a mad dash to the next place. The highlights are fun, and you sense that there’s way more there if you just took the time to slow down and explore some more and stop worrying about the frantic itinerary but perhaps wander off the beaten track onto a quiet side street for a moment.
It almost feels like there should be a few more books that would take us to the places where we made pit stops in this one. The terraced radiation-filled world of Loggia that got upturned by workers organizing merits more than a passing glance, and Plantagenet Empire, and Romanov, and spirits of London and Salisbury would be enough to support an entire book by themselves — developed and thought-out, that is, and not rushed by in a highlights reel.
Also, the supremely annoying twins. What in the world possessed Jones to throw in these most annoyingly migraine-inducing annoyances masquerading as book characters here instead of focusing on something better, like the Lord of the Dead/grandfather or King Arthur’s spirit, or that blasted Dragon of Blast who could have got more than half a page if the twins were expunged??? And take Toby and Dora with them because why are they in the book? Too many characters add to the erratic feel here, and it gives me a headache.
It’s still a decent book though, and even frantic fun is still fun, and probably would give hours of enjoyment to young readers, but I need a breather.
3 stars.
Buddy read with Nastya.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
Chaotic and erratic. Overall fun - but anxiously so.
I felt a bit like one must on a whirlwind tour trying to visit ten countries in ten days, stopping by a place, rushing to get a souvenir and take a photo with a few historic sites and monuments, and then doing a mad dash to the next place. The highlights are fun, and you sense that there’s way more there if you just took the time to slow down and explore some more and stop worrying about the frantic itinerary but perhaps wander off the beaten track onto a quiet side street for a moment.
It almost feels like there should be a few more books that would take us to the places where we made pit stops in this one. The terraced radiation-filled world of Loggia that got upturned by workers organizing merits more than a passing glance, and Plantagenet Empire, and Romanov, and spirits of London and Salisbury would be enough to support an entire book by themselves — developed and thought-out, that is, and not rushed by in a highlights reel.
Also, the supremely annoying twins. What in the world possessed Jones to throw in these most annoyingly migraine-inducing annoyances masquerading as book characters here instead of focusing on something better, like the Lord of the Dead/grandfather or King Arthur’s spirit, or that blasted Dragon of Blast who could have got more than half a page if the twins were expunged??? And take Toby and Dora with them because why are they in the book? Too many characters add to the erratic feel here, and it gives me a headache.
It’s still a decent book though, and even frantic fun is still fun, and probably would give hours of enjoyment to young readers, but I need a breather.
3 stars.
Buddy read with Nastya.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
June 23, 2011
The first time I read this book I was ten and I did not like it at all. Things have changed.
10-year-old me: Computers? In my fantasy book? Sacre bleu!
14-year-old me: Magic + technology = pretty damn cool. Refreshing.
10yom: Multiple magic systems? Booooo.
14yom: Multiple magic systems? Awesome layering effect.
10yom: Roddy and Nick are both unheroic heroes who whine!
14yom: It's interesting how characters who are perfectly sympathetic when viewed from within their own POV can seem difficult or annoying from the other person's POV. Besides, their shortcomings are realistic. And their descriptions of what it's like to be disliked/looked down upon/hated/disdained strike uncomfortably close to home - a sure sign of strong characterization.
10yom: Copout! Irrelevant! Distracting!
14yom: Um. Kinda. Though the reveal of this does add a layer to Roddy's insecurity. This revelation could have come at a later time, though.
10yom: Random plot threads! Digressions! RAEG!
14yom: In the earlier part of the book it is rather difficult to see the big picture. It's only at the end that there's cohesiveness - and, as Nick noted, it's interesting to see how small things caused big changes.
10yom:
14yom: ...that's a fair point.
10yom: I didn't like the ending line.
14yom: I didn't either.
10yom: This book was boooooring.
14yom: No, it wasn't. It was actually pretty interesting. And you, dear younger self, are a brat.
10-year-old me: Computers? In my fantasy book? Sacre bleu!
14-year-old me: Magic + technology = pretty damn cool. Refreshing.
10yom: Multiple magic systems? Booooo.
14yom: Multiple magic systems? Awesome layering effect.
10yom: Roddy and Nick are both unheroic heroes who whine!
14yom: It's interesting how characters who are perfectly sympathetic when viewed from within their own POV can seem difficult or annoying from the other person's POV. Besides, their shortcomings are realistic. And their descriptions of what it's like to be disliked/looked down upon/hated/disdained strike uncomfortably close to home - a sure sign of strong characterization.
10yom: Copout! Irrelevant! Distracting!
14yom: Um. Kinda. Though the reveal of this does add a layer to Roddy's insecurity. This revelation could have come at a later time, though.
10yom: Random plot threads! Digressions! RAEG!
14yom: In the earlier part of the book it is rather difficult to see the big picture. It's only at the end that there's cohesiveness - and, as Nick noted, it's interesting to see how small things caused big changes.
10yom:
14yom: ...that's a fair point.
10yom: I didn't like the ending line.
14yom: I didn't either.
10yom: This book was boooooring.
14yom: No, it wasn't. It was actually pretty interesting. And you, dear younger self, are a brat.
October 11, 2011
In Diana Wynne Jones' "multiverse," a series of parallel universes, a couple of kids discover a conspiracy to take over the magic of Blest, a key world in the multiverse -- but of course, none of the adults believe them. In the course of unraveling the conspiracy, Roddy discovers strange things about her family, takes on a painful magical heritage, and summons a magician from another world to help her, only to find that it's just a boy scarcely older than herself, and far behind her in magical knowledge. Nick is doubly handicapped in the adventure: first, he comes from our world, so he's only recently discovered that magic exists, never mind how to work with it; second, he's infatuated with Roddy at first sight but utterly unsure what to do about it.
It's a strange book: the two protagonists' viewpoints alternate, but for a long time they seem to be in separate stories, and even after they become aware of each other on the "dark paths" between worlds, they don't reach each other until late in the book. The plot is exceedingly complicated for a middle grades book.
Despite its oddities, or perhaps because of it, this is a riveting story. I read it aloud to my 8-year-old son (suppressing a couple of fleeting references to sex, a few "damns," and one or two gory bits), and he was completely fascinated throughout the 400-plus pages of The Merlin Conspiracy. And I was equally fascinated, happily devouring it twice in quick succession to savor every twist and turn. The characters are engaging, and the theme of taking responsibility to use power wisely (a common theme in DWJ's books) gives The Merlin Conspiracy a significance and grandeur lacking in many so-called adult novels I've read.
Readers of Jones' other books may recognize Nick as a secondary character from _Deep Secret_, another wonderful novel that I recommend reading before this one (unless you are under 12. I think certain scenes, including the first chapter, may be a bit too grim and gory for preadolescent children).
A biographical note of interest: in this book Diana Wynne Jones, an author troubled by dyslexia in childhood, writes about a dyslexic young wizard whose magic keeps coming out "back to front."
It's a strange book: the two protagonists' viewpoints alternate, but for a long time they seem to be in separate stories, and even after they become aware of each other on the "dark paths" between worlds, they don't reach each other until late in the book. The plot is exceedingly complicated for a middle grades book.
Despite its oddities, or perhaps because of it, this is a riveting story. I read it aloud to my 8-year-old son (suppressing a couple of fleeting references to sex, a few "damns," and one or two gory bits), and he was completely fascinated throughout the 400-plus pages of The Merlin Conspiracy. And I was equally fascinated, happily devouring it twice in quick succession to savor every twist and turn. The characters are engaging, and the theme of taking responsibility to use power wisely (a common theme in DWJ's books) gives The Merlin Conspiracy a significance and grandeur lacking in many so-called adult novels I've read.
Readers of Jones' other books may recognize Nick as a secondary character from _Deep Secret_, another wonderful novel that I recommend reading before this one (unless you are under 12. I think certain scenes, including the first chapter, may be a bit too grim and gory for preadolescent children).
A biographical note of interest: in this book Diana Wynne Jones, an author troubled by dyslexia in childhood, writes about a dyslexic young wizard whose magic keeps coming out "back to front."
April 30, 2022
YES TO THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!! <3
I need an elephant. AN ELEPHANT.
Also Romanov. Yesssss.
ACK DIANA WYNNE JONES BOOKS ARE LIFE I TELL YOU.
(I may coherent a review someday.)
ROMANOV.
I need an elephant. AN ELEPHANT.
Also Romanov. Yesssss.
ACK DIANA WYNNE JONES BOOKS ARE LIFE I TELL YOU.
(I may coherent a review someday.)
ROMANOV.
May 13, 2022
Well, who would have thought? I certainly didn't see myself DNFing a Diana Wynne Jones book. I got halfway through this one and it's been such slow labour getting through it, I just realised I don't even care where this is headed. The sad thing is that I don't even know why - there's nothing wrong with it. The characters are fine, the setting is fine, the plot is fine... it's got Diana Wynne Jones' whimsical writing and generally has all the makings of a book I would normally like.
Perhaps I picked this one up at the wrong time in life - things are a bit tough right now. That would normally be a cause for me to delve even deeper into a book, but somehow The Merlin Conspiracy is neither holding my attention, nor is it providing me with a much-needed distraction. I am sorry to say that this is the first of her works that I had to drop and I don't even have a proper reason beyond the book and I didn't click. 2.5 stars for the benefit of doubt.
December 10, 2022
Roddy lives on the Isles of Blest, a place where magic is everywhere, and she follows the King's Progress as he travels the land. Nick lives in a world much like our own, but he knows about magic and is desperate to become a wizard. One day, their paths interconnect: Roddy uses a spell to call for help, and it finds Nick, much to his surprise. Two stories run parallel -- Roddy's desperate attempts to untangle a plot that may dismantle the magic in all of the universes, and Nick's travels from world to world as he tries to escape assassination and bring aid to Roddy. This sounds complicated, but goodness, this book is SO MUCH FUN. Jones creates a fascinating world in Blest, which feels like a genuinely inhabited place: Roddy's relations, the progress of the King, the histories of the landscape, the roots of magic, are all fascinating, and though complex, are woven together completely believably. Roddy is fierce, competent and utterly believable. Every glimpse we get into Blest makes me want to learn more! Meanwhile, Nick's journey is vivid and engaging, especially when he teams up with an elephant. Although this is almost 500 pages long, I loved it and desperately wanted it to be longer. It's a very good time.
Read
October 5, 2016This book is one of my favorite by Diana Wynne Jones, and I always return to it every year or so, just to remind myself how amazing and enchanting it is. The Merlin Conspiracy follows heroine Roddy as she tries to uncover the magical conspiracy going on in the royal court. Her path intersects with the world-traversing, accidentally magical Nick, who is pretty much the definition of an unimpressed teenage boy. Sorcerous intrigue, sharp-tongued snark, and mindblowing worldbuilding ensues. It’s everything you would want in a fantasy book.
— Jessica Yang
from The Best Books We Read In August 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/31/riot-r...
— Jessica Yang
from The Best Books We Read In August 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/31/riot-r...
June 17, 2020
This is definitely not my favourite series by Diana Wynne Jones, but I did like this book more than its predecessor and there are still some fun bits all through.
March 30, 2021
Better than Deep Secret in every regard, starting with the title. For one, it does the “everything comes together at the end” better; for another, every character is more compelling.
Including Nick, who is even more self-centered than Rupert. Is such a thing even possible?! Here is how he ends his own story:
And then there’s Romanov, who might be the best character in these books. And it’s Nick’s shifting narration which makes him so: the way Nick first describes him, the way he changes in Nick’s estimation, the way he almost bulldozes his way past all of it.
I’m less enamored of Roddy, who inherits vital information despite never working for it at all, and whose conflict is literally “the entire world is against me and now we’ve been abandoned by the side of the road!” Ehhhh. And her world is such a vital counterbalance to Nick’s craziness! I don’t know why it doesn’t make more of an impact when it’s literally the center of the conspiracy - but they’re away from it for so much of the story, and so many details are never followed up on (the Scottish king - Alicia - the Dimmer regalia - the essentially unrecognized female equivalent to the Merlin; how did they know about her?). Somehow the setting works as the linchpin of the entire story despite also being the least interesting part of it.
The myth aspects are better integrated here. I wonder if that’s because this doesn’t take place on Earth, and there’s no attempt to fit it in with everyday life?
In a weird way this reads as a precursor to Power of Three. I think it’s the glamours? The family dynamics? Maybe the myth? And yet Power of Three is set on Earth, and successfully pulls off a lot of things I dislike about Deep Secret, which this book’s different approach seems to fix. Hmmm.
Including Nick, who is even more self-centered than Rupert. Is such a thing even possible?! Here is how he ends his own story:
I’ll go when I’ve made sure that my dad will be all right for the rest of his life.I mean. It’s unimpressive. But he’s a great narrator for all that. He does some of that annoying “this would turn out to be a big mistake, which I would find out later” (I always hate that), but he does grow - as a narrator, at least - and it makes his storytelling interesting.
And then there’s Romanov, who might be the best character in these books. And it’s Nick’s shifting narration which makes him so: the way Nick first describes him, the way he changes in Nick’s estimation, the way he almost bulldozes his way past all of it.
I’m less enamored of Roddy, who inherits vital information despite never working for it at all, and whose conflict is literally “the entire world is against me and now we’ve been abandoned by the side of the road!” Ehhhh. And her world is such a vital counterbalance to Nick’s craziness! I don’t know why it doesn’t make more of an impact when it’s literally the center of the conspiracy - but they’re away from it for so much of the story, and so many details are never followed up on (the Scottish king - Alicia - the Dimmer regalia - the essentially unrecognized female equivalent to the Merlin; how did they know about her?). Somehow the setting works as the linchpin of the entire story despite also being the least interesting part of it.
The myth aspects are better integrated here. I wonder if that’s because this doesn’t take place on Earth, and there’s no attempt to fit it in with everyday life?
In a weird way this reads as a precursor to Power of Three. I think it’s the glamours? The family dynamics? Maybe the myth? And yet Power of Three is set on Earth, and successfully pulls off a lot of things I dislike about Deep Secret, which this book’s different approach seems to fix. Hmmm.
Read
November 28, 2018Ne može svaka Dajanina knjiga da bude najbolja :'(
I ova, eto, nije najbolja, ali nije ni najslabija, nego je taman negde na pola puta. Ima sjajan koncept, ne, u stvari, ima desetak sjajnih koncepata, počev od sveta u kome se odvija najveći deo radnje pa do istorijata pojedinih epizodnih likova. Ali ne funkcioniše sasvim kao celina - različiti podzapleti nisu dovoljno integrisani - i nije dovoljno zaokružena, i ti pojedinačni sjajni epizodni likovi naprosto ne dobiju dovoljno prostora, a pojedini bitni junaci su neuverljivi ili samo funkcionišu kao potreban točkić u zapletu (Romanov pogotovu).
Ali ima dovoljno uspešnih momenata i humora i topline da se slabosti uglavnom prevaziđu - i na kraju, možda na primeru ovakvog blagog podbačaja bolje vidi koliko je roman poput Heksvuda ili Vatre i kukute jedan tour de force od uspešnog preplitanja svega i svačega i koliko ga je teško ostvariti.
I ova, eto, nije najbolja, ali nije ni najslabija, nego je taman negde na pola puta. Ima sjajan koncept, ne, u stvari, ima desetak sjajnih koncepata, počev od sveta u kome se odvija najveći deo radnje pa do istorijata pojedinih epizodnih likova. Ali ne funkcioniše sasvim kao celina - različiti podzapleti nisu dovoljno integrisani - i nije dovoljno zaokružena, i ti pojedinačni sjajni epizodni likovi naprosto ne dobiju dovoljno prostora, a pojedini bitni junaci su neuverljivi ili samo funkcionišu kao potreban točkić u zapletu (Romanov pogotovu).
Ali ima dovoljno uspešnih momenata i humora i topline da se slabosti uglavnom prevaziđu - i na kraju, možda na primeru ovakvog blagog podbačaja bolje vidi koliko je roman poput Heksvuda ili Vatre i kukute jedan tour de force od uspešnog preplitanja svega i svačega i koliko ga je teško ostvariti.
October 11, 2017
I loved this one! It's full of wonderful and lively characters - I like Roddy, Grundo and Nick but the elephant is probably my favourite!
Nick had a backstory that I thought was a bit vague until I realised this is actually a sequel. I'll have to go back and read the first book now, but I don't think it's necessary to read it first because everything else made sense.
Romanov is a very interesting character. I would have liked to have seen more about him and his background. It's such a packed story that I think he got pushed to the side a bit and ended up not really doing much.
Grundo is dyslexic and his magic comes out back to front!
But what happened to the panther? Nick meets it once and it seems like it might be quite important but then never reappears.
Seeing the narrators from other characters point of view is reveals more about them. Roddy seems sensible and kind from her own point of view but, from Nick's perspective, she's quite cold and bossy. Roddy's grandad I expected from Roddy's mother's description to be cold and cruel but Roddy finds that he actually is caring in his odd own way. They all have layered personalities like real actual people and it also shows that one person's view of events is never the whole story.
The worldbuilding for Blest is brilliant, I could almost feel the sunshine and at one point I felt like I had wasps buzzing around me the way the characters did. When Nick travels through different worlds they all felt realistic too, even the place where Romanov lives that changes according to Romanov's whims.
The plot is deeper, darker and more intelligent than most adult books. It felt very English (lot's of tea and sandwiches!) and it almost lulled me into thinking it's a cosy adventure but then the characters face real danger and the villains are scary enough to banish the cosy feel.
Diane Wynn Jones is very good at plot twists and including little, seemingly throwaway things that end up having big, unexpected effects and being important to the story. It's a complicated plot but I never felt lost and I love the way it all comes together at the end.
I feel like there should have been a sequel to find out what happens next to Roddy and Nick (and the panther!) and to fill in a bit more about Romanov. That may be just because I want to know more about the characters though because the story does has a definite ending.
This was wonderful to lose myself in for a couple of days, and it's one that I will be keeping to reread.
Nick had a backstory that I thought was a bit vague until I realised this is actually a sequel. I'll have to go back and read the first book now, but I don't think it's necessary to read it first because everything else made sense.
Romanov is a very interesting character. I would have liked to have seen more about him and his background. It's such a packed story that I think he got pushed to the side a bit and ended up not really doing much.
Grundo is dyslexic and his magic comes out back to front!
But what happened to the panther? Nick meets it once and it seems like it might be quite important but then never reappears.
Seeing the narrators from other characters point of view is reveals more about them. Roddy seems sensible and kind from her own point of view but, from Nick's perspective, she's quite cold and bossy. Roddy's grandad I expected from Roddy's mother's description to be cold and cruel but Roddy finds that he actually is caring in his odd own way. They all have layered personalities like real actual people and it also shows that one person's view of events is never the whole story.
The worldbuilding for Blest is brilliant, I could almost feel the sunshine and at one point I felt like I had wasps buzzing around me the way the characters did. When Nick travels through different worlds they all felt realistic too, even the place where Romanov lives that changes according to Romanov's whims.
The plot is deeper, darker and more intelligent than most adult books. It felt very English (lot's of tea and sandwiches!) and it almost lulled me into thinking it's a cosy adventure but then the characters face real danger and the villains are scary enough to banish the cosy feel.
Diane Wynn Jones is very good at plot twists and including little, seemingly throwaway things that end up having big, unexpected effects and being important to the story. It's a complicated plot but I never felt lost and I love the way it all comes together at the end.
I feel like there should have been a sequel to find out what happens next to Roddy and Nick (and the panther!) and to fill in a bit more about Romanov. That may be just because I want to know more about the characters though because the story does has a definite ending.
This was wonderful to lose myself in for a couple of days, and it's one that I will be keeping to reread.
February 7, 2017
As a big fan of Diana Wynne Jones, I had hoped for an absorbing and well characterised story. I wasn't sure what audience this would be pitched at, initially, because it is set in the same magical system as an earlier book, Deep Secret, which is aimed more at adults and YA. This book seems to be for a younger audience. Firstly, the two viewpoint characters who narrate the story in first person in alternate sections are mid-teens: at least, Nick is definitely 14-going-on-15, as he is a character from Deep Secret and it is set a year after those events. Secondly, the only vague approach to sexuality is that Nick fancies the other POV character Arianrhod (Roddy as she prefers to be known) whereas she thinks he's just odd.
Roddy lives on yet another of the worlds within the multiverse introduced in Deep Secret. In this, a version of Britain exists called the Isles of Blest. England is ruled by a king who travels the land with his court, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth I's progresses, but the parliament is at Winchester, harking back to the time of King Alfred in our own world. However, the technology is an alternative version of what was current at the time of the book's publication (2003) including buses and cars for transport although they don't use the internal combustion engine, and the court officials work on laptops though they have to rough it with bathrooms set up in tents etc. An analogue to the landline phone exists called a far-speaker, but their version of TV only shows news and sport and they have no internet, mobile phones or the like.
Roddy and her parents - her father is the court weather mage and her mother works on the admin side - are part of the massive traveling court, as are an unpleasant woman called Sybil and her two children, snooty and unpleasant Alicia and neglected son Ambrose, nicknamed Gundro by Roddy. Gundro is dyslexic in effect - his magic works 'backwards' and he is slow to progress so he is scorned by his mother and sister. Roddy has made it her mission in life to look after him and give him the attention he lacks.
As the story opens, the court Merlin (a post denoting the head of the male wizards) suffers what appears to be a heart attack at a meeting of the English king with the Scottish king, nearly occasioning a diplomatic incident. A new Merlin is brought to court by Roddy's grandfather. This grandfather is eventually revealed to be a Magid, one of the magicians who ensure that the multiverse is kept in balance. But Roddy and Grundo soon realise that the Merlin is conspiring with Sybil and Sybil's nasty boyfriend. None of the adults they confide in believe them - they all think the Merlin is incorruptible and therefore, despite what the children witnessed they must have somehow misunderstood.
Meanwhile, on our Earth, Nick is whisked away by an unseen person to another world where he is forced to pass himself off as part of a wizard squad sent to provide magical protection to a different prince. He soon meets a very powerful magical user called Romanov who tells him he was offered money to kill Nick, but has decided to turn down the job as Nick is obviously clueless and no threat to anyone. Eventually Nick is uncovered as an imposter and forced to flee, so he goes in pursuit of Romanov, which is where his misadventures begin and where he is eventually brought into contact with Roddy.
There are some nice ideas in this and good writing as we expect from DWJ. The trouble is, the book piles in everything including the kitchen sink. Nick discovers he can understand the thoughts of animals, so he forms a close friendship with an escaped circus elephant Mini - who was one of my favourite personalities in the book. Early on, he is helped by a black panther - which never appears again, seemingly a forgotten plot thread. Nick can't travel the worlds as a Magid does although he wants to be trained to be one but he has the ability to travel a different way along what is known as 'dark paths' that appear at angles to the normal world and are reminiscent of the paths seen in the earlier book when Maree had to be taken to 'Babylon' to be reunited with her other self. Romanov lives on an island that consists of chunks from different worlds and has a magic shed which produces feed for his animals and the elephant on request, and a magic oven that produces bread. On the way there, Nick meets a drunk who tells him he must help three people before he can reach the island. Nick encounters an oppressive society that forces its workers to toil unprotected in a radioactive zone and is contacted by Roddy who has asked for someone beyond their world to help, before he meets Mini. All of this is quite enough to be expected to suspend your disbelief about.
But there is a lot more. A second grandfather of Roddy's is revealed as being much weirder than a Magid . The story features kidnapping, drought, invisible creatures that turn out to inhabit the whole world and also can animate vessels, a weird household which can only consist of three members and has odd rules about males, terrible twins who are awfully badly behaved and take turns to constantly swap roles, spells put on people to make them look after others without them knowing, a ruined village where a wise woman lived who had had her hip deliberately broken to keep her there working for the villagers - . Oh, and there's an enormous dragon, an illegal trafficking in salamanders which are tortured to provide power, towns that are personified as enormous men, a weird religion in the tyrannical radioactive world and two altar boys . The story was just trying too hard and my eyes started to glaze over around the time I encountered a town called Salisbury and two others in short order after that.
The production of the hardback edition is rather lovely as each section of narrative from either Roddy or Nick has an introductory page which bears a graphic, in Roddy's case, a plant emerging from a vase, which becomes more florid and abundant as each of her sections progress, and in Nick's case, a Celtic styled motif which includes the various animal characters who appear - elephant and goat for example - until he and Roddy meet, at which point, their introductory graphics merge organically and finally develop into a sentient character . The production values also incorporate a different font used for the two parallel narratives and the book has a rather handsome cover too.
Unfortunately, the material within the cover didn't match up to all this gorgeous detail. It was a complete mishmash and it's no surprise that some of the elements didn't ring true or were lost threads such as the black panther which went AWOL after its first appearance. I also found it very difficult to 'place' Roddy whom I had envisaged as a younger child initially, around 11 or so. As Roddy, nearly 15 fancies her, I then had to readjust my perceptions to picture her around the same age as him, but that was an example perhaps of how the foundations of the story were not solid. Instead there was a lot of fancy filigree detail, rather like the book's graphics, and ultimately the story didn't deliver for me.
Roddy lives on yet another of the worlds within the multiverse introduced in Deep Secret. In this, a version of Britain exists called the Isles of Blest. England is ruled by a king who travels the land with his court, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth I's progresses, but the parliament is at Winchester, harking back to the time of King Alfred in our own world. However, the technology is an alternative version of what was current at the time of the book's publication (2003) including buses and cars for transport although they don't use the internal combustion engine, and the court officials work on laptops though they have to rough it with bathrooms set up in tents etc. An analogue to the landline phone exists called a far-speaker, but their version of TV only shows news and sport and they have no internet, mobile phones or the like.
Roddy and her parents - her father is the court weather mage and her mother works on the admin side - are part of the massive traveling court, as are an unpleasant woman called Sybil and her two children, snooty and unpleasant Alicia and neglected son Ambrose, nicknamed Gundro by Roddy. Gundro is dyslexic in effect - his magic works 'backwards' and he is slow to progress so he is scorned by his mother and sister. Roddy has made it her mission in life to look after him and give him the attention he lacks.
As the story opens, the court Merlin (a post denoting the head of the male wizards) suffers what appears to be a heart attack at a meeting of the English king with the Scottish king, nearly occasioning a diplomatic incident. A new Merlin is brought to court by Roddy's grandfather. This grandfather is eventually revealed to be a Magid, one of the magicians who ensure that the multiverse is kept in balance. But Roddy and Grundo soon realise that the Merlin is conspiring with Sybil and Sybil's nasty boyfriend. None of the adults they confide in believe them - they all think the Merlin is incorruptible and therefore, despite what the children witnessed they must have somehow misunderstood.
Meanwhile, on our Earth, Nick is whisked away by an unseen person to another world where he is forced to pass himself off as part of a wizard squad sent to provide magical protection to a different prince. He soon meets a very powerful magical user called Romanov who tells him he was offered money to kill Nick, but has decided to turn down the job as Nick is obviously clueless and no threat to anyone. Eventually Nick is uncovered as an imposter and forced to flee, so he goes in pursuit of Romanov, which is where his misadventures begin and where he is eventually brought into contact with Roddy.
There are some nice ideas in this and good writing as we expect from DWJ. The trouble is, the book piles in everything including the kitchen sink. Nick discovers he can understand the thoughts of animals, so he forms a close friendship with an escaped circus elephant Mini - who was one of my favourite personalities in the book. Early on, he is helped by a black panther - which never appears again, seemingly a forgotten plot thread. Nick can't travel the worlds as a Magid does although he wants to be trained to be one but he has the ability to travel a different way along what is known as 'dark paths' that appear at angles to the normal world and are reminiscent of the paths seen in the earlier book when Maree had to be taken to 'Babylon' to be reunited with her other self. Romanov lives on an island that consists of chunks from different worlds and has a magic shed which produces feed for his animals and the elephant on request, and a magic oven that produces bread. On the way there, Nick meets a drunk who tells him he must help three people before he can reach the island. Nick encounters an oppressive society that forces its workers to toil unprotected in a radioactive zone and is contacted by Roddy who has asked for someone beyond their world to help, before he meets Mini. All of this is quite enough to be expected to suspend your disbelief about.
But there is a lot more. A second grandfather of Roddy's is revealed as being much weirder than a Magid . The story features kidnapping, drought, invisible creatures that turn out to inhabit the whole world and also can animate vessels, a weird household which can only consist of three members and has odd rules about males, terrible twins who are awfully badly behaved and take turns to constantly swap roles, spells put on people to make them look after others without them knowing, a ruined village where a wise woman lived who had had her hip deliberately broken to keep her there working for the villagers - . Oh, and there's an enormous dragon, an illegal trafficking in salamanders which are tortured to provide power, towns that are personified as enormous men, a weird religion in the tyrannical radioactive world and two altar boys . The story was just trying too hard and my eyes started to glaze over around the time I encountered a town called Salisbury and two others in short order after that.
The production of the hardback edition is rather lovely as each section of narrative from either Roddy or Nick has an introductory page which bears a graphic, in Roddy's case, a plant emerging from a vase, which becomes more florid and abundant as each of her sections progress, and in Nick's case, a Celtic styled motif which includes the various animal characters who appear - elephant and goat for example - until he and Roddy meet, at which point, their introductory graphics merge organically and finally develop into a sentient character . The production values also incorporate a different font used for the two parallel narratives and the book has a rather handsome cover too.
Unfortunately, the material within the cover didn't match up to all this gorgeous detail. It was a complete mishmash and it's no surprise that some of the elements didn't ring true or were lost threads such as the black panther which went AWOL after its first appearance. I also found it very difficult to 'place' Roddy whom I had envisaged as a younger child initially, around 11 or so. As Roddy, nearly 15 fancies her, I then had to readjust my perceptions to picture her around the same age as him, but that was an example perhaps of how the foundations of the story were not solid. Instead there was a lot of fancy filigree detail, rather like the book's graphics, and ultimately the story didn't deliver for me.
April 25, 2022
Violating my no stars for nostalgia bait rule to say: forever and always ten stars
my only complaint is that there are only two books in this series because there are so many things hinted at or dropped as throwaway lines and I desperately want a full novel devoted to at least two dozen of them
my only complaint is that there are only two books in this series because there are so many things hinted at or dropped as throwaway lines and I desperately want a full novel devoted to at least two dozen of them
May 6, 2025
really marvelous!! this one is an ‘everything and the kitchen sink’ fantasy, just like its predecessor. i actually tried to get around reading the first book, but the first few chapters of this were so out-of-the-blue confusing that i had to give up and go back. this sequel is set in the same multiverse, but mainly in a modernized albion, which means rolling hills of heather, witch-women older than stonehenge, and the mabinogion. and rather unlike the stationary deep secret, this has a bit of a road-trip vibe, where everything sort of rumbles along dreamily at times and there are interludes in the most impossible places (and people lug along heavy knapsacks and end up floating about in the twilight sky and so on). the switching POVs don’t help this tipsy-turvy impression, nor the 100 different competing systems of magic (my favorite being the flower files 📂⋆｡𖦹°🌺｡⋆🌸⋆.°🍄). it’s pandemonium from get-go. i think it might be DWJ’s answer to “whatever happens in brazil after a butterfly flaps its wings in peking?” well, rather a lot.
March 23, 2017
I started reading this book without knowing that it was the second in a series. If I had known, I would have waited until I could get the first book. Even so, the story was pretty easy to follow once I got a grasp on the characters. I think that my favourites were Roddy's Welsh grandfather (who is truly dreadful, awful, and terrible in the original senses of the words, as well as being quite kind and gentle), Mini the elephant, and those incredibly annoying but also entertaining Izzys (think Lydia Bennet twinned, even more silly and obnoxious, and possibly on some sort of illegal drug--speed? Crack? I'm not really an expert on that stuff. Anyway). Oh, and the goat. I am very fond of goats, grew up with them, and can definitely say that that was a realistic goat portrayal. I didn't really find myself too interested in any of the main characters, which is a shame. Roddy in particular I rather disliked for her haughtiness and judgmental nature.
I was a little put off by the way the book skips back and forth between two (at first very different) viewpoints, especially even after the characters meet and are in the same place. The system of magic was vaguer than I would have liked, but it is probably explained in more depth in the first book. The salamanders were a very interesting touch, though towards the end it became painful to read about them.
This was a typical book from this author in that just about everything ended up having a purpose and a reason, and it all worked together in the end. The problem is that there were still loose threads and unanswered questions. I'm guessing that's to make you read book 3, but it kind of ticked me off.
Okay, now for
SPOILERS
There was so much I was looking forward to in this story that just never happened. Most of all I wanted Grundo's backwards magic to end up being important, and it just wasn't. In fact, Grundo himself was pretty unimportant; set dressing, I guess. Sure, he turned out to be Romanov's son, but that didn't seem like enough justification to drag him through the whole ordeal with very little role to play except that!
Nick ends up with psychological damage, the book says, but we really don't get any idea of what that means for him, what he is suffering, whether this will affect his abilities, or what. Maybe it's just because I myself am officially psychologically disabled, but that bothered me. Mental illness isn't something to just throw into the story as a quick way of saying that someone was affected by an event and then go on as if nothing has happened, as if nothing has changed.
The whole raising the land thing was suggested so early that it was absolutely no surprise. If anything, the surprise would be in the overall lack of effect it seemed to have. It was all over very quickly too, a very rushed affair after the hundreds of pages leading up to it, and...it just seemed too easy! The baddest guys/girls get destroyed in one way or another and the ones you might feel some sympathy for are spared. After the dire warnings that just didn't seem right.
Oh, and why did we never find out why Romanov was playing bounty-hunter in the beginning for a group of people he apparently hated? If he is indeed a good guy, why is Nick sure that his cat is to be feared? Why did we never find out more about Nick's panther--why did he never call on such a useful creature in the midst of all of that danger?
Why is it that the only people who seem to have normal family ties the poor embroiderers on the roof?
Why does the book end with Nick saying he is going to have to make sure that his dad will be cared for all of his life? Why can't Nick go back and visit every now and then, even if he does decide to stay in Blest? Maybe I blinked and missed something but there was nothing to suggest that he cannot continue to travel between worlds. There seems to be absolutely no reason for this permanent goodbye. And what a weird, sad note to end a book on!
Conclusion: read it because it is by a great author. Read it because it is often unexpected, funny, and clever. But don't expect it to be Howl's Moving Castle. lol and if possible, read the first one first! That probably makes a difference.
I was a little put off by the way the book skips back and forth between two (at first very different) viewpoints, especially even after the characters meet and are in the same place. The system of magic was vaguer than I would have liked, but it is probably explained in more depth in the first book. The salamanders were a very interesting touch, though towards the end it became painful to read about them.
This was a typical book from this author in that just about everything ended up having a purpose and a reason, and it all worked together in the end. The problem is that there were still loose threads and unanswered questions. I'm guessing that's to make you read book 3, but it kind of ticked me off.
Okay, now for
SPOILERS
There was so much I was looking forward to in this story that just never happened. Most of all I wanted Grundo's backwards magic to end up being important, and it just wasn't. In fact, Grundo himself was pretty unimportant; set dressing, I guess. Sure, he turned out to be Romanov's son, but that didn't seem like enough justification to drag him through the whole ordeal with very little role to play except that!
Nick ends up with psychological damage, the book says, but we really don't get any idea of what that means for him, what he is suffering, whether this will affect his abilities, or what. Maybe it's just because I myself am officially psychologically disabled, but that bothered me. Mental illness isn't something to just throw into the story as a quick way of saying that someone was affected by an event and then go on as if nothing has happened, as if nothing has changed.
The whole raising the land thing was suggested so early that it was absolutely no surprise. If anything, the surprise would be in the overall lack of effect it seemed to have. It was all over very quickly too, a very rushed affair after the hundreds of pages leading up to it, and...it just seemed too easy! The baddest guys/girls get destroyed in one way or another and the ones you might feel some sympathy for are spared. After the dire warnings that just didn't seem right.
Oh, and why did we never find out why Romanov was playing bounty-hunter in the beginning for a group of people he apparently hated? If he is indeed a good guy, why is Nick sure that his cat is to be feared? Why did we never find out more about Nick's panther--why did he never call on such a useful creature in the midst of all of that danger?
Why is it that the only people who seem to have normal family ties the poor embroiderers on the roof?
Why does the book end with Nick saying he is going to have to make sure that his dad will be cared for all of his life? Why can't Nick go back and visit every now and then, even if he does decide to stay in Blest? Maybe I blinked and missed something but there was nothing to suggest that he cannot continue to travel between worlds. There seems to be absolutely no reason for this permanent goodbye. And what a weird, sad note to end a book on!
Conclusion: read it because it is by a great author. Read it because it is often unexpected, funny, and clever. But don't expect it to be Howl's Moving Castle. lol and if possible, read the first one first! That probably makes a difference.
February 20, 2016
Nick desperately wants to travel to other worlds. He's actually from another one, originally, and has traveled to a few. But that was in the (not-so-distant) past. Now he and his adopted dad live more or less peacefully on Earth, and for all Nick's scheming to be a Magid and once more walk the worlds, he seems destined for an ordinary life. Then someone sends him stumbling into a place quite different . . .
Roddy travels with the King's Progress all over England. In Blest, the king, the Merlin, and much of his court have to visit the country to keep it healthy. But foul schemes are afoot. When the Merlin unexpectedly dies, and things begin to go strange, Roddy and her friend Grundo may be the only two who notice what's happening. But how can two children turn things around when no one will listen?
This is by far the better Magids book, mostly because of Nick. That said, since it ties only very loosely to the first, you could read this as a standalone and never realize it's actually a sequel. Nick and Roddy alternate narrations, and it works pretty well (except the first time they meet is told twice, and is a bit awkward).
I liked Nick immensely in Deep Secret, and I'm glad he finally got a chance to shine. Nick's agreeable, seemingly passive, an absolute zombie in the morning without copious amounts of coffee, and fantastically ignorant about most of what he's up against. He's got a way of just stumbling into trouble, making it worse, then summoning up his innate slipperiness to wiggle out of it. His first time journeying into another world he's convinced it's all a dream. He's so convinced he plays along with everything just long enough to really dig himself in a hole. He also presents an amusing twist on the classic animal companion trope---his black panther scares him spitless, and the one time he tries to turn to the panther for help, it doesn't work.
Roddy's sections are not as much fun for me, because Roddy herself is more uptight, and she's a worrier. She provides a lot of needed perspective on the situation in Blest, and certainly interesting things keep happening around her.
The cast of characters is enormous, but it never gets confusing. Similarly, the magics are many and varied, but somehow it all works. I like the depth in the worlds and the characters, and how the story has so much humanity in all of its madcap adventure. I like how even the characters we don't see much of, such as Japheth, are sketched with the suggestion of a life beyond the page (as Maxwell Hyde puts it, although a little event may have triggered a big one down the road, that can't be all there is to the story). And the book packs in all kinds of humor.
I can't remember how many times I've re-read this, but I've enjoyed it every time. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
Roddy travels with the King's Progress all over England. In Blest, the king, the Merlin, and much of his court have to visit the country to keep it healthy. But foul schemes are afoot. When the Merlin unexpectedly dies, and things begin to go strange, Roddy and her friend Grundo may be the only two who notice what's happening. But how can two children turn things around when no one will listen?
This is by far the better Magids book, mostly because of Nick. That said, since it ties only very loosely to the first, you could read this as a standalone and never realize it's actually a sequel. Nick and Roddy alternate narrations, and it works pretty well (except the first time they meet is told twice, and is a bit awkward).
I liked Nick immensely in Deep Secret, and I'm glad he finally got a chance to shine. Nick's agreeable, seemingly passive, an absolute zombie in the morning without copious amounts of coffee, and fantastically ignorant about most of what he's up against. He's got a way of just stumbling into trouble, making it worse, then summoning up his innate slipperiness to wiggle out of it. His first time journeying into another world he's convinced it's all a dream. He's so convinced he plays along with everything just long enough to really dig himself in a hole. He also presents an amusing twist on the classic animal companion trope---his black panther scares him spitless, and the one time he tries to turn to the panther for help, it doesn't work.
Roddy's sections are not as much fun for me, because Roddy herself is more uptight, and she's a worrier. She provides a lot of needed perspective on the situation in Blest, and certainly interesting things keep happening around her.
The cast of characters is enormous, but it never gets confusing. Similarly, the magics are many and varied, but somehow it all works. I like the depth in the worlds and the characters, and how the story has so much humanity in all of its madcap adventure. I like how even the characters we don't see much of, such as Japheth, are sketched with the suggestion of a life beyond the page (as Maxwell Hyde puts it, although a little event may have triggered a big one down the road, that can't be all there is to the story). And the book packs in all kinds of humor.
I can't remember how many times I've re-read this, but I've enjoyed it every time. I rate this book Highly Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
May 7, 2011
My previous acquaintance with Diana Wynne Jones was through her The Tough Guide to Fantasyland (Vista 1996), a thoroughly enjoyable tongue-in-cheek encyclopaedic tour of the conventions of post-Tolkien fantasy writing. This outing for the much-published children's writer includes much of that irreverant humour (we meet an elephant called Mini and a coffee-addicted SF-detective writer called Maxwell Hyde, for example, whose name seems to be a compound of a well-known instant coffee and a literary split personality). And it all starts with the title, which is about a conspiracy concerning the Merlin.
From this we gather that the main setting for the plot is not Earth as we know it but an alternative world in a kind of Moorcock multiverse. Nick Malory (not his real name, by the way) is eventually propelled into this other Britain called Blest, a rather apt title not only for its Otherworld echoes in Greek and Celtic mythology but also because many of its denizens are witches and others adept at natural magic, such as the story's other protagonist Arianrhod. The conspiracy involves the replacement of the chief wizard of the country of Logres (England in our world) with a false Merlin, and the repercussions this has on Blest and it world and on parallel worlds. Oh, and did I mention time-travel as well?
This is a very readable novel which you may well get through in very few sittings, right up to its apocalyptic conclusion. It's a given that reviews of this type of fiction will include favourable comparisons with J K Rowling and Philip Pullman, but in truth Diana Wynne Jones has a well-warranted reputation which needs no such hype. For those with a penchant for legends a lot of the fun comes from spotting both the overt and subtler Arthurian references, along with the overtones of, among others, William Blake. Then it'll be time to search out those other titles of hers, such as Deep Secret, this book's prequel.
From this we gather that the main setting for the plot is not Earth as we know it but an alternative world in a kind of Moorcock multiverse. Nick Malory (not his real name, by the way) is eventually propelled into this other Britain called Blest, a rather apt title not only for its Otherworld echoes in Greek and Celtic mythology but also because many of its denizens are witches and others adept at natural magic, such as the story's other protagonist Arianrhod. The conspiracy involves the replacement of the chief wizard of the country of Logres (England in our world) with a false Merlin, and the repercussions this has on Blest and it world and on parallel worlds. Oh, and did I mention time-travel as well?
This is a very readable novel which you may well get through in very few sittings, right up to its apocalyptic conclusion. It's a given that reviews of this type of fiction will include favourable comparisons with J K Rowling and Philip Pullman, but in truth Diana Wynne Jones has a well-warranted reputation which needs no such hype. For those with a penchant for legends a lot of the fun comes from spotting both the overt and subtler Arthurian references, along with the overtones of, among others, William Blake. Then it'll be time to search out those other titles of hers, such as Deep Secret, this book's prequel.
April 28, 2009
I read the book sometime when I was in High School - there everyone would start guessing just how old I am. It's quite funny to think of that. Anyway. This is definitely my favourite genre. Fantasy and magic. Well, I am one of those who does have her head in the clouds and not afraid to actually admit it. I loved every character by the time I was finished with each line. Sure Nick was comical at some point I wanted to stab him, Roddy was being too weird for me and there was several time I really thought, "That's it, I'm never reading this bloody book again". Still, I pull through the very end. I don't think it had been an easy book to read from Diana Wynne Jones. It was a little bit too tangled up from several other books of hers - of course, that's just me. It had a highly imaginative storyline that kept you wondering - what if, exactly what if it was all real. I've always loved how Ms Jones kept inserting bits of the real world, even when it's filled with excessive amount of ludicrous amount fantasy dose.
January 19, 2022
I somehow missed this one back when I was reading and rereading all the Diana Wynne Jones I could get my hands on.
This one is more solemn and Dark is Rising -ish than much of DWJ, probably because it's aimed at older readers (YA instead of middle grade readers).
Flawed* but fun. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
*Alternating narrators had me making notes on whose wizarding uncle or force-of-life grandfather was whose. Also, just too many characters at the expense of character development.
This one is more solemn and Dark is Rising -ish than much of DWJ, probably because it's aimed at older readers (YA instead of middle grade readers).
Flawed* but fun. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
*Alternating narrators had me making notes on whose wizarding uncle or force-of-life grandfather was whose. Also, just too many characters at the expense of character development.
August 7, 2008
The Merlin Conspiracy was a romp, although I didn't find it to be as clever as some of her other books. The back and forth first person narration made it difficult to get a real feel for the main characters of the book, and some of the relationships seemed forced and one dimensional. However, the author's true gift is the way she can create other worlds and drop you into them seamlessly, without all the tiresome introductions. This was certainly a book that highlighted that strength, pulling multiple worlds into a single plot, but in the end there was little to draw me in.
April 17, 2016
I love DWJ's books (well, really her brain) so much now that I should start a cult. This one - this book - reminded me of Alan Garner's Owl Service, only bigger, wider, more imagination. It would make a tremendous movie. The two principal characters were suitably Young Adult, the child characters delightful (especially the vile Izzy's), and the wizardy types better than ever. What's WRONG with the BBC that they can't make a DWJ series?
August 12, 2019
Diana Wynne Jones creates the most incredible worlds and characters - it's always a pleasure to spend time with them. (10+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
February 6, 2017
Может быть, это не совсем пять, может быть, это четыре с половиной. Увлекательная добрая смешная сказка.
January 9, 2022
What better way to start the year than with one of my all-time favorite books? Diana Wynne Jones has written some fantastic books, and The Merlin Conspiracy does not disappoint. Every time, I'm surprised by each new detail I find in the plot of this intricately spun story. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves other worlds, magical creatures, mythology based magic, and having separate narrators whose stories suddenly and dramatically connect. Add in a dose of evil moms, living cities, scary magical grandfathers, nice magical grandfathers, weird systems of government, and an extremely dislikable pair of twins (with matching names) to get an altogether exciting and fun book!
January 15, 2024
I love how everyone in this book really leads with their personality flaws. The dual pov chapters often make it really sweet though, wish she wrote more of those but I think this is the only one (that I’ve read anyway)?
Reading the first book in the sequence doesn’t really help with understanding anything that’s happening which is also completely fine.
No notes, one of my favourites out of her books.
Reading the first book in the sequence doesn’t really help with understanding anything that’s happening which is also completely fine.
No notes, one of my favourites out of her books.
August 5, 2020
The good thing about not having read this earlier, is that I get to read it for the first time now. On lockdown, when I can't go many places… 🤷♀️
This book spans so many worlds, it's a fabulous way to escape reality for a bit. And it's made me nostalgic for all the books I used to read as a kid. Quite a lot of which are also by DWJ, I think there's more of her work in my near future.
This book spans so many worlds, it's a fabulous way to escape reality for a bit. And it's made me nostalgic for all the books I used to read as a kid. Quite a lot of which are also by DWJ, I think there's more of her work in my near future.
September 17, 2025
I wish I could give this five stars because it was so much fun to read. But it ended so abruptly, and it would've been so easy to make it a little more resolved or cathartic at the end (even if she'd only written two more paragraphs) but she didn't, so its just not quite there imo. definitely recommend and so thankful for authors like DWJ
April 13, 2014
In a neighboring universe, two children discover that their king's traveling court has been subverted from within. To rescue their country, Roddy and Grundo will have to muster strange powers through the aid (and occasional hindrance) of their scattered families, along with Nick, a boy from Earth who has magical ambitions.
It seems weirdly reductive to summarize the plot of The Merlin Conspiracy, because the book feels like dozens of tiny episodes nestled together. This impression is further exaggerated by all the universe-hopping in the book, which takes the time to design three or four alternate Great Britains. This is not a flaw in the book; rather, The Merlin Conspiracy is more about delightful moments and details (The personified cities! Roddy's deathly grandfather!) than the plot, which is nearly impossible to reconstruct in retrospect. Deep Secret, the book's predecessor, had a similar feel, but where "Deep Secret" chucked its complexity in the last acts, The Merlin Conspiracy just shovels on more. I enjoyed it, but don't ask me to diagram it.
It seems weirdly reductive to summarize the plot of The Merlin Conspiracy, because the book feels like dozens of tiny episodes nestled together. This impression is further exaggerated by all the universe-hopping in the book, which takes the time to design three or four alternate Great Britains. This is not a flaw in the book; rather, The Merlin Conspiracy is more about delightful moments and details (The personified cities! Roddy's deathly grandfather!) than the plot, which is nearly impossible to reconstruct in retrospect. Deep Secret, the book's predecessor, had a similar feel, but where "Deep Secret" chucked its complexity in the last acts, The Merlin Conspiracy just shovels on more. I enjoyed it, but don't ask me to diagram it.
September 17, 2011
So, I could have (and should have) written a whole post on Deep Secret because I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Maybe not quite as much as Howl, which is probably the epitome of Diana Wynne Jones. But Deep Secret…man, I love that book. Hence reading it twice. In one month. Basically Rupert Venables is amazing. And all the other characters are too, but I can’t say much more for fear of ruining it. The Merlin Conspiracy follows one of the main characters (Nick) from Deep Secret. READ IT SECOND. There are huge whacking great spoilers for D.S. all over the place. I loved it too, but I really wanted Rupert and *mumbledy mum because of spoilers* to be in it and they weren’t. Not even mentioned. Sigh. This was strange on one level but made sense on another because Nick is just about the most conceited being in the universe and it’s a bit out of sight out of mind with him. Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant, being my favorites of the Chrestomanci series (although The Pinhoe Egg is lovely too), were also amazing. [Jan. 2009]
September 11, 2014
It's really more like 3.5 stars, but it's Diana Wynne Jones, so I was always going to be erring on the generous side. This book hasn't quite grabbed me. I loved the universe, I loved the different types of magic, I loved the idea of the Magids keeping an eye on them all, and of course Romanov - free agent extraordinaire. I loved how Roddy got the magic from the past uploaded onto her brain, there was a lot I loved about the world mechanics. I just didn't hugely love the story, or the main characters.
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