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Merlin #6
The Dragon of Avalon
INTRODUCING BASIL...
Long ago, at the dawn of Merlin's world, a strange little creature named Basil appeared. Part lizard, part bat, his eyes glow with a mysterious light. When Basil discovers a threat to his world and to Merlin, he begins an epic journey that takes him from the Great Tree of Avalon to the outermost edges of the spirit realm. But his boldest journey will be to face his own deepest fears. And only if he survives can he save Merlin - and find his future.
"For those who love the Merlin and Great Tree of Avalon series, Basil will be a welcome new friend."
-VOYA
Long ago, at the dawn of Merlin's world, a strange little creature named Basil appeared. Part lizard, part bat, his eyes glow with a mysterious light. When Basil discovers a threat to his world and to Merlin, he begins an epic journey that takes him from the Great Tree of Avalon to the outermost edges of the spirit realm. But his boldest journey will be to face his own deepest fears. And only if he survives can he save Merlin - and find his future.
"For those who love the Merlin and Great Tree of Avalon series, Basil will be a welcome new friend."
-VOYA
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2008
88 people are currently reading
3255 people want to read
About the author
T.A. Barron
72 books1,311 followersT.A. Barron grew up in Colorado ranch country and traveled widely as a Rhodes Scholar. He is the winner of the de Grummond Medallion for “lifetime contribution to the field of children’s and young adult literature” and many other awards. T. A. Barron is the author of more than 30 highly acclaimed books, many of which are international bestsellers. They include The Lost Years of Merlin (now being developed into a feature film), The Great Tree of Avalon (a New York Times bestselling series), The Ancient One (the tale of a brave girl and a magical tree), and The Hero’s Trail (nonfiction stories of courageous kids).
Though he’d dreamed as a young man of becoming a writer, he couldn’t find anyone to publish his first novel. He joined a successful business, eventually became president, then decided to try again. So in 1990, he surprised his business partners by moving back to Colorado to become a writer and conservationist.
In 2000, he founded a national award to honor outstanding young people who help their communities or the environment: the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which honors 25 highly diverse, public-spirited kids each year. He recently produced a documentary film, Dream Big, profiling seven winners of the Barron Prize. When not writing or speaking, T. A. Barron serves on many boards including Princeton University, where he helped to create the Princeton Environmental Institute, and The Wilderness Society, which recently honored him with its highest award for conservation work. His favorite pastime is hiking, camping, or skiing in Colorado with his family.
Though he’d dreamed as a young man of becoming a writer, he couldn’t find anyone to publish his first novel. He joined a successful business, eventually became president, then decided to try again. So in 1990, he surprised his business partners by moving back to Colorado to become a writer and conservationist.
In 2000, he founded a national award to honor outstanding young people who help their communities or the environment: the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, which honors 25 highly diverse, public-spirited kids each year. He recently produced a documentary film, Dream Big, profiling seven winners of the Barron Prize. When not writing or speaking, T. A. Barron serves on many boards including Princeton University, where he helped to create the Princeton Environmental Institute, and The Wilderness Society, which recently honored him with its highest award for conservation work. His favorite pastime is hiking, camping, or skiing in Colorado with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 28, 2016
3.5 Stars
I read this book a very long time ago, when I was maybe 10 years old. Ever since then I've wanted to reread it because I really loved it, but only now am I getting into it. I really think this book is part of what started my love of fantasy books, especially fantasy books that focus on dragons.
I was really surprised as I reread this. I didn't really remember anything about the book except that it was about a dragon named Basil and he had to battle against some dark evil thing. Turns out this book is VERY introspective and focused on character development, which is surprising. I've read a lot of fantasy books, and a lot of them are great with handling characters and their growth and themes, but I can't think of any that have really focused on those things quite like this one.
Anyhow, the story focuses on a tiny (and I mean TINY) little creature named Basil who has no idea what he is or where he came from. All he really knows is that 1) he wants to be bigger and 2) no one seems to have ever seen a creature like him. Oh, and that the evil Rita Gawr has plans to take over the beautiful world of Avalon. And Basil is the only one who know this and he has to go on an adventure to find and warn the wizard Merlin.
I have mixed feelings about the overall plot. I love Basil as a character. He's great and fine and everything. But for a very large portion of the book readers are sort of along for the ride as Basil visits each realm of Avalon searching for Merlin. My problem with the story is that there really isn't any overall urgency to the story. In each realm (Stoneroot, Waterroot, Woodroot, Shadowroot, Fireroot, Mudroot, Airroot) that gets visited there is a problem that results in a bit of suspense. I think those parts were very well-written and captivating, although you pretty much know Basil will get out alive. But there just isn't that fear that Basil won't get to Merlin in time, that he won't be successful. It would have been cool to have some real fear relating to that.
Still, I LOVED the world building here. It wasn't super complex or anything, but man was it awesome. So many different realms full of so many different creatures...I loved reading about it. And T.A Barron is honestly just a great writer, at least I thought so from the one book I've read.
I liked the ending, but part of me wonders if it sort of made all the introspection and lessons pointless. It made me want to read the second book, but
I read this book a very long time ago, when I was maybe 10 years old. Ever since then I've wanted to reread it because I really loved it, but only now am I getting into it. I really think this book is part of what started my love of fantasy books, especially fantasy books that focus on dragons.
I was really surprised as I reread this. I didn't really remember anything about the book except that it was about a dragon named Basil and he had to battle against some dark evil thing. Turns out this book is VERY introspective and focused on character development, which is surprising. I've read a lot of fantasy books, and a lot of them are great with handling characters and their growth and themes, but I can't think of any that have really focused on those things quite like this one.
Anyhow, the story focuses on a tiny (and I mean TINY) little creature named Basil who has no idea what he is or where he came from. All he really knows is that 1) he wants to be bigger and 2) no one seems to have ever seen a creature like him. Oh, and that the evil Rita Gawr has plans to take over the beautiful world of Avalon. And Basil is the only one who know this and he has to go on an adventure to find and warn the wizard Merlin.
I have mixed feelings about the overall plot. I love Basil as a character. He's great and fine and everything. But for a very large portion of the book readers are sort of along for the ride as Basil visits each realm of Avalon searching for Merlin. My problem with the story is that there really isn't any overall urgency to the story. In each realm (Stoneroot, Waterroot, Woodroot, Shadowroot, Fireroot, Mudroot, Airroot) that gets visited there is a problem that results in a bit of suspense. I think those parts were very well-written and captivating, although you pretty much know Basil will get out alive. But there just isn't that fear that Basil won't get to Merlin in time, that he won't be successful. It would have been cool to have some real fear relating to that.
Still, I LOVED the world building here. It wasn't super complex or anything, but man was it awesome. So many different realms full of so many different creatures...I loved reading about it. And T.A Barron is honestly just a great writer, at least I thought so from the one book I've read.
I liked the ending, but part of me wonders if it sort of made all the introspection and lessons pointless. It made me want to read the second book, but
September 26, 2020
2,5/5. Un roman jeunesse correcte, mais en contexte, dans cette série, très décevant et une série qui commence malheureusement à accumulée plusieurs déceptions! Merlin est pratiquement absent, tout de même assez étrange pour un lire dans une série portant son nom… De nombreuses répétitions et descriptions qui, quoi que charmante, ralentisse l’action et font tourner le livre au ralenti. Je vais continuer la série, car je veux vraiment la mener à terme, mais mon intérêt commence à diminuer drastiquement. Mon principal problème avec elle est la manière dont les problèmes se règlent. Il y a toujours un personnage ou un évènement qui vient bousculer une situation, avec le parfait timing et la magie spécifiquement nécessaire pour cette situation. Cela rend le tout très «irréaliste» même pour un roman de fantastique, un monde, même imaginaire, doit avoir certaines règles. Et bien que cela soit moins rigide et pardonnable à quelques reprises dans des romans jeunesses, quand cela est toujours l’unique porte de sortie, cela devient un peu ridicule, et toute la tension disparait, car on sait, qu’au bon moment, quelque chose sortira d’un chapeau et sauvera tout… Bref, un peu déçu!
February 2, 2019
The Dragon of Avalon is the 6th book in T. A. Barron’s Merlin series. I would recommend this book for younger teens or tweens, as older teens might get bored with this book, because the plot might be a bit slow for their liking. This book was a quick read, it took me about 3 hours to read. This book is a bit different than the previous books in the series. It focuses more on a new main character, rather than focusing on Merlin. The beginning is unusual and provides a nice timeline of the events that happen in the story. It was cool to see the new and unique worlds in Avalon that popped up after the last book. The plot is a bit slow, but has a nice amount of action balanced by enough dialogue, but not to much where it becomes boring.
September 11, 2019
I STILL can’t believe that this series continued and I had no idea. While the focus shifts from Merlin to a strange little creature named Basil, it’s so good to be back in this world Barron has created.
This book is definitely different than others in the series; it’s a bit slower and focuses more on Basil’s character development rather than having a lot of action, though there is a bit of adventuring and action in parts. And from what is hinted in this book, A LOT of action is soon to come. This story also has a nice introduction to all the different types of worlds found in the Great Tree of Avalon, which is fun to read about.
The middle dragged a bit, but I loved how it all wrapped up and I enjoyed learning more about the world Merlin was living in. Though we don’t get to see a whole lot of Merlin, there was enough of him to still make it feel like a Merlin book. I do wish that we were tackling a new big bad instead of sort of rehashing what happened in the original books, but hopefully it’ll be different enough to seem new.
I’m excited about what this new addition to the series will bring–I think Basil is a great main character and I can’t wait to read more about his adventures!
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
This book is definitely different than others in the series; it’s a bit slower and focuses more on Basil’s character development rather than having a lot of action, though there is a bit of adventuring and action in parts. And from what is hinted in this book, A LOT of action is soon to come. This story also has a nice introduction to all the different types of worlds found in the Great Tree of Avalon, which is fun to read about.
The middle dragged a bit, but I loved how it all wrapped up and I enjoyed learning more about the world Merlin was living in. Though we don’t get to see a whole lot of Merlin, there was enough of him to still make it feel like a Merlin book. I do wish that we were tackling a new big bad instead of sort of rehashing what happened in the original books, but hopefully it’ll be different enough to seem new.
I’m excited about what this new addition to the series will bring–I think Basil is a great main character and I can’t wait to read more about his adventures!
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
January 18, 2018
There are some wonderful things about this book. Mr. Barron writes beautifully and the first couple chapters in particular are fantastic.
My low rating mostly comes because of the plot. I felt like the whole book was a bit inconsistent. Many of basil's troubles are overcome by wit, ingenuity, or sacrifice, but many seem to just bend the rules of the world to get him out of trouble (I'm looking at you windtaker). The final conflict was perhaps the most disappointing in this regard. The solution to the final problem felt like it had little to do with what Basil did and experienced during the rest of the book.
My low rating mostly comes because of the plot. I felt like the whole book was a bit inconsistent. Many of basil's troubles are overcome by wit, ingenuity, or sacrifice, but many seem to just bend the rules of the world to get him out of trouble (I'm looking at you windtaker). The final conflict was perhaps the most disappointing in this regard. The solution to the final problem felt like it had little to do with what Basil did and experienced during the rest of the book.
February 15, 2024
Barron takes a chance and writes a completely different story. In my opinion, this is rare with authors of series. They tend to follow the mold and not alienate their devoted followers. So Barron writes about the smallest dragon and a delightful story. A being, no matter how small, can make a difference. This may be the best story in the series. Frankly, I am a fan of Basil.
April 17, 2016
A light book that follows a small dragon. Interesting main character that holds the book together.
May 31, 2020
I seriously can't stand this series and wouldn't read it if I didn't have to.
The writer has a set of scenarious and characters. For example,
Shim was a tiny creature who wanted to be big like his kind and WOO he got big.
Basil is a tiny creature who wants to be big (has no idea which kind of creature he is but turns out his kind is also huge) and TADA he is big now.
Basil is looking for who he is, what he is.
Merlin was looking for the same actually.
At the end Basil kills those birds and he was warned about himself by Dagda. These all remind me of Merlin as well. Merlin's bloody I know it all, I can do it all attitude that is. Possible this will lead him to some sort of destruction but I am not worried, he'll be fine.
The book is filled with repetitive descriptions. I am sick of reading about Basil's ears.
And again a general Merlin issue, the book has nothing. Not a real adventure. The fact that he is asked to swallow grain from every land has no actual consequence. Every land's adventure is more unnecessary than the other. And the book reaches its actual topic at the end. Last 50 pages or so. That point is hyped up but takes around 5 minutes or so. And again it is still way way better than horrific The Seven Songs. When thinking about that one I find my comment about Basil's story unjust. That was a complete disaster.
I will unfortunately read the rest of the series.
The writer has a set of scenarious and characters. For example,
Shim was a tiny creature who wanted to be big like his kind and WOO he got big.
Basil is a tiny creature who wants to be big (has no idea which kind of creature he is but turns out his kind is also huge) and TADA he is big now.
Basil is looking for who he is, what he is.
Merlin was looking for the same actually.
At the end Basil kills those birds and he was warned about himself by Dagda. These all remind me of Merlin as well. Merlin's bloody I know it all, I can do it all attitude that is. Possible this will lead him to some sort of destruction but I am not worried, he'll be fine.
The book is filled with repetitive descriptions. I am sick of reading about Basil's ears.
And again a general Merlin issue, the book has nothing. Not a real adventure. The fact that he is asked to swallow grain from every land has no actual consequence. Every land's adventure is more unnecessary than the other. And the book reaches its actual topic at the end. Last 50 pages or so. That point is hyped up but takes around 5 minutes or so. And again it is still way way better than horrific The Seven Songs. When thinking about that one I find my comment about Basil's story unjust. That was a complete disaster.
I will unfortunately read the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2021
"You can find new morning light after long darkness. You can move from violent thunderclouds to the sweet serenity after a storm. And you can, like the spring, transform crystals of snow into petals of flowers.”
"People make such an unnecessary fuss about dying. It’s really just part of life, as the final chapter is just part of a book. Still… we can always hope there might be a sequel."
"Personally, I’d rather keep things simple, but the plain fact is that life is full of paradox: We are all alike, while at the same time, we are all unique."
“This world of ours is a truly wondrous place—full of great mysteries and great contrasts. Chief among those mysteries, I am afraid, is how a world with so much beauty and richness could also be home to greed, arrogance, and intolerance. How can a world that produces abundant fruits, inspires timeless poetry, builds lasting friendships, and creates chances for us to realize our dreams also contain the horrors of war and religious hatred? That is the greatest challenge of our time, my friend: to tip the world’s scale, to find hope where there might be despair, to help all living creatures live together in harmony.”
"People make such an unnecessary fuss about dying. It’s really just part of life, as the final chapter is just part of a book. Still… we can always hope there might be a sequel."
"Personally, I’d rather keep things simple, but the plain fact is that life is full of paradox: We are all alike, while at the same time, we are all unique."
“This world of ours is a truly wondrous place—full of great mysteries and great contrasts. Chief among those mysteries, I am afraid, is how a world with so much beauty and richness could also be home to greed, arrogance, and intolerance. How can a world that produces abundant fruits, inspires timeless poetry, builds lasting friendships, and creates chances for us to realize our dreams also contain the horrors of war and religious hatred? That is the greatest challenge of our time, my friend: to tip the world’s scale, to find hope where there might be despair, to help all living creatures live together in harmony.”
April 27, 2020
While I would say I truly treasure the Merlin-focused beginning of this series, this was my first time reading about Basil. There were many elements I enjoyed but also some I did not enjoy. It doesn't really read as a cohesive series though it is built in the same world as the end of the Merlin books and shares many characters. Basil was a great character, although the identity crisis did not ring as powerfully with me. I do recognize that these books aren't really targeting an adult audience, however. I also agree with some of what other reviewers have said, that Basil growing large at the end seemed to go against the lessons he learned about being small. Not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination, however I feel like when they republished it as one series, it did this particular novel a disservice by accidentally creating some false expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2019
It amazes me that WHERE you read a particular book is almost as important as the book you read. I began this tale on a camping trip and was immediately drawn in to its magic. Well written with a delicious story line - I like dragons and Merlin and magic - it drew on the quiet of the surrounding forest. Indeed, it came to life. Then, I came home and resumed my reading. Unfortunately, as nice as my office is for reading, it is not the forest. While still magical, this tale lost a dimension - the surrounding forest. But, still a magnificent story, extremely well written, and a treat for the imagination. I do admit, I was a tad disappointed with the end. I really did identify with that little guy, Basil.
May 24, 2021
The books continue and Merlin does appear in them but these are about a new character. He is tiny but he can produce odors of many types - flowers, honey, etc., but his favorite is basil. He earns the name Basil at one point along the way. Adventures ensue and surprises happen, with the help of the sister wind, Aylah, and the ending is both grand and terrible. Need to read on to find out more.
January 1, 2023
This sixth Merlin novel, also the first Dragon of Avalon novel, introduces us to Basil, a dragon who begins his journey small but ends the story as the most powerful and magical dragon of Avalon. It seems like a travelogue of Avalon, as Basil and Ayla the wind sister roam all seven realms of Avalon, which Basil must sample to realize his true self. Entertaining young adult fare and enjoyable for us grownups as well.
July 17, 2021
Such a cute story! Basil is such a fun and endearing character. It was fun getting to explore the world of Avalon with him. And it was so good to see Aylah and all your favorite characters again. There's just something enchanting about the world and the story that I love. Can't wait to keep reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2018
A light book by T.A Barron that follows a small dragon who keeps me interested and holds the book together. It is about a dragon name basil and the setting is a magical wonderland called Avalon. Basil is a 13-year-old beast who is trying to figure out who or what he is. Two important characters were Nuic and Merlin. They played a big part in this book because they were two really good friends of Basil. The book was definitely a slow moving pace but my love for dragons kept me going. The author did a great job of showing how the characters grew throughout the story. There were a couple connections I had with the book. Like me I’m sure the fantasy lovers would enjoy this book the plot is just amazing and it really pops. There’s so much detail in character in this fascinating story. This book would be appealing to 5th grade and up. It may be a little to mature for 4th graders because of the inappropriate language.
April 14, 2019
Irgendwie kam ich nicht rein. Sachen wie die Hochzeit hätte ich lieber aus Merlins Sicht gelesen und nicht aus Basils. Er blieb den Großteil der Geschichte seltsam farblos, auch wenn ich nichtmal sagen kann, warum eigentlich.
May 1, 2025
2.5 stars. I love the series so far but this one was super boring. Get introduced to the main character, but nothing happens in the first 70 pages of the book.it was cool seeing the characters from the previous books
January 6, 2018
Sweet little fantasy journey. Greatly enjoyed this quick read.
January 24, 2018
“And now, my friends, a dragon’s toast! Here’s to life’s little blessings: wars, plagues, and all forms of evil. Their presence keeps us alert—and their absence keeps us grateful.”
March 17, 2018
kind of cute, I guess.
June 21, 2019
My least favorite of this series, yet it had charm and purpose in the saga by T.A. Barron.
January 2, 2022
Zieht sich leider seeeehr..
April 12, 2023
Not as fun as the last series with Merlin as the main character, but I do like Basil and his personality.
October 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It is not an action book. Mostly fanciful but I love the incredible imagination of the author and all the places I went!
April 29, 2015
One of the more memorable supporting characters of the Great Tree of Avalon trilogy was Batty Lad, Tamwyn's chatty winged companion.
And having finished that trilogy, T.A. Barron zips back in time to explore the history of that quirky little character, and his relationship to the legendary wizard Merlin. "The Dragon of Avalon" runs a bit slow at first, but speeds up to some surprising revelations about the mysterious little winged lizard who wants to be "special. Just... special."
At the very beginning of Avalon, a wind sister rescues and cares for a tiny egg -- which hatches a little winged lizard with a knobby tail.
Barely surviving in a dangerous world, the little lizard has a near miss with a heron, who reveals that little Basil has the ability to make smells. Unfortunately Basil also has a nightmare about the legendary wizard Merlin, in which he is killed by a bat-winged creature who looks a lot like Basil himself. Over the years, he tries to tell Merlin many times but kept getting interrupted.
Unfortunately, Basil's strange dream is not the only problem -- after an encounter with the god Dagda, he learns that the evil Rhita Gawr has managed to infiltrate the newborn world of Avalon. And though he's still only a bat-winged little lizard, Basil may be the one who can save Avalon -- and maybe, just maybe, figure out what he really is.
"The Dragon of Avalon" is a bit of a nostalgia ride for those who have read Barron's last two trilogies -- he writes of things only hinted at in the Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, such as Merlin's wedding to his deer-girlfriend Hallia. And there are plenty of familiar and semi-familiar faces -- Shim the giant, Gwynnia the dragon, the Dagda, Nuic the maryth, the Grand Elusa, and many others. Even a "mooshlovely" ballymag makes a cameo.
The first third of the book is a relatively slow-moving part -- it's mostly poor little Basil repeatedly avoiding dangerous creatures and trying to figure out what he is. With the reemergence of Rhita Gawr, things speed up considerably as Basil careens into magical new realms. And it all climaxes with his battle with a magic-sucking monster and the realization of what he truly is -- although the whole conflict with Rhita Gawr is only hinted at and never really gets done in here.
And Barron's lush, mildly humorous prose is still rich with woodsy language, full of trees, leaves, wild creatures and the scent of damp earth and flowing rivers. Even more impressive, he's able to convincingly take readers into the mind and feelings of a little lizard with batwings -- not an easy feat, especially since his past heroes have been human.
A kind and wise Merlin is a vital character in this story, and we get to see him marry, become a father, and protect Avalon. But the real star here is Basil, who can be a bit whiny but is overall quite brave and gutsy when he has a real task to perform. And he provides a bit of comedy too -- such as when he gets into a brawl with a baby dragon.
"The Dragon of Avalon" is a rich, promising fantasy story about a very unlikely little hero, and bodes well for future books about the little "dragon fairy."
And having finished that trilogy, T.A. Barron zips back in time to explore the history of that quirky little character, and his relationship to the legendary wizard Merlin. "The Dragon of Avalon" runs a bit slow at first, but speeds up to some surprising revelations about the mysterious little winged lizard who wants to be "special. Just... special."
At the very beginning of Avalon, a wind sister rescues and cares for a tiny egg -- which hatches a little winged lizard with a knobby tail.
Barely surviving in a dangerous world, the little lizard has a near miss with a heron, who reveals that little Basil has the ability to make smells. Unfortunately Basil also has a nightmare about the legendary wizard Merlin, in which he is killed by a bat-winged creature who looks a lot like Basil himself. Over the years, he tries to tell Merlin many times but kept getting interrupted.
Unfortunately, Basil's strange dream is not the only problem -- after an encounter with the god Dagda, he learns that the evil Rhita Gawr has managed to infiltrate the newborn world of Avalon. And though he's still only a bat-winged little lizard, Basil may be the one who can save Avalon -- and maybe, just maybe, figure out what he really is.
"The Dragon of Avalon" is a bit of a nostalgia ride for those who have read Barron's last two trilogies -- he writes of things only hinted at in the Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, such as Merlin's wedding to his deer-girlfriend Hallia. And there are plenty of familiar and semi-familiar faces -- Shim the giant, Gwynnia the dragon, the Dagda, Nuic the maryth, the Grand Elusa, and many others. Even a "mooshlovely" ballymag makes a cameo.
The first third of the book is a relatively slow-moving part -- it's mostly poor little Basil repeatedly avoiding dangerous creatures and trying to figure out what he is. With the reemergence of Rhita Gawr, things speed up considerably as Basil careens into magical new realms. And it all climaxes with his battle with a magic-sucking monster and the realization of what he truly is -- although the whole conflict with Rhita Gawr is only hinted at and never really gets done in here.
And Barron's lush, mildly humorous prose is still rich with woodsy language, full of trees, leaves, wild creatures and the scent of damp earth and flowing rivers. Even more impressive, he's able to convincingly take readers into the mind and feelings of a little lizard with batwings -- not an easy feat, especially since his past heroes have been human.
A kind and wise Merlin is a vital character in this story, and we get to see him marry, become a father, and protect Avalon. But the real star here is Basil, who can be a bit whiny but is overall quite brave and gutsy when he has a real task to perform. And he provides a bit of comedy too -- such as when he gets into a brawl with a baby dragon.
"The Dragon of Avalon" is a rich, promising fantasy story about a very unlikely little hero, and bodes well for future books about the little "dragon fairy."
September 4, 2015
J’ai beaucoup aimé le premier cycle de Merlin, même si je l’avoue, j’avais senti légèrement mon intérêt pour cette saga faiblir dans les tomes 3 et 4. J’attendais la suite avec impatience, c’est donc ravie que j’ai trouvé ce livre dans ma boite aux lettre, merci aux Editions Nathan, pour leur confiance !!!
Ce livre est très original, puisque le narrateur est Basile, une créature assez bizarre, elle est minuscule au début du livre, puisqu’elle vit encore dans son œuf, qui ressemble plutôt à un galet. A sa naissance, Basile ne sait pas qui il est, ni ce qu’il est. Il est poursuivi par tous, il doit vivre caché. C’est une créature craintive, une sorte de lézard allongé, avec des oreilles gigantesques façon chauve-souris, et des ailes flasques et inutiles dans le dos, bref, une aberration.
Nous sommes en Avalon, au moment de la naissance de ce nouveau monde. Basile est plutôt sympathique, mais je dois avouer que j’ai mis énormément de temps à entrer dans l’histoire. Je ne m’attendais pas du tout à ça. Heureusement, la seconde moitié du roman est enfin à la hauteur de mes attentes, et nous retrouvons les personnages que j’avais tant aimés dans le premier cycle.
Je ne souhaite pas trop en dire pour ne pas vous gâcher votre lecture, mais si comme moi, vous avez un peu de mal avec le début, ça vaut vraiment le coup de persévérer, n’abandonnez pas votre lecture.
Ce livre m’a fait un peu penser au conte du vilain petit canard, vraiment ! Dans ce roman d’apprentissage, Basile va s’avérer une créature courageuse, mais aussi majestueuse, et légendaire. On retrouvera Merlin, bien évidement, Arya, Hallia ou encore Shim le géant également, et bien d’autres !
Je lirais la suite avec plaisir, mais il va encore falloir patienter, puisque la suite n’est pas prévue avant juillet 2016. J’espère qu’elle sera un peu plus dynamique que ce premier tome, que j’avoue avoir failli abandonner, ça aurait été dommage.
Une lecture en demi-teinte, donc, mais qui plaira sans aucun doute aux plus jeunes !
A découvrir aux Editions Nathan depuis août 2015.
http://milleetunepages.com/2015/09/04...
Ce livre est très original, puisque le narrateur est Basile, une créature assez bizarre, elle est minuscule au début du livre, puisqu’elle vit encore dans son œuf, qui ressemble plutôt à un galet. A sa naissance, Basile ne sait pas qui il est, ni ce qu’il est. Il est poursuivi par tous, il doit vivre caché. C’est une créature craintive, une sorte de lézard allongé, avec des oreilles gigantesques façon chauve-souris, et des ailes flasques et inutiles dans le dos, bref, une aberration.
Nous sommes en Avalon, au moment de la naissance de ce nouveau monde. Basile est plutôt sympathique, mais je dois avouer que j’ai mis énormément de temps à entrer dans l’histoire. Je ne m’attendais pas du tout à ça. Heureusement, la seconde moitié du roman est enfin à la hauteur de mes attentes, et nous retrouvons les personnages que j’avais tant aimés dans le premier cycle.
Je ne souhaite pas trop en dire pour ne pas vous gâcher votre lecture, mais si comme moi, vous avez un peu de mal avec le début, ça vaut vraiment le coup de persévérer, n’abandonnez pas votre lecture.
Ce livre m’a fait un peu penser au conte du vilain petit canard, vraiment ! Dans ce roman d’apprentissage, Basile va s’avérer une créature courageuse, mais aussi majestueuse, et légendaire. On retrouvera Merlin, bien évidement, Arya, Hallia ou encore Shim le géant également, et bien d’autres !
Je lirais la suite avec plaisir, mais il va encore falloir patienter, puisque la suite n’est pas prévue avant juillet 2016. J’espère qu’elle sera un peu plus dynamique que ce premier tome, que j’avoue avoir failli abandonner, ça aurait été dommage.
Une lecture en demi-teinte, donc, mais qui plaira sans aucun doute aux plus jeunes !
A découvrir aux Editions Nathan depuis août 2015.
http://milleetunepages.com/2015/09/04...
April 7, 2024
YEAR OF THE DRAGON, YEAAAAAAAHH
So, uh, this is a thing that happened.
Thomas Archibald Barron wrote “The Lost Years of Merlin”, and then a sequel trilogy set long after it, “The Great Tree of Avalon.” Then he did an in-between-quel trilogy, “Merlin’s Dragon” which tells of Basilgarrad, Merlin’s dragon friend. Which is cool and all, but this one feels like you’ve got to go back and read it after “Great Tree,” because of all the shout-outs.
But with that being said, this feels like it’s for a younger audience? The title/cover tells you right off the bat what Basil’s deal is (he’s a dragon), and there are things that feel like they’re from children’s books, rather than the preteen/teen audience “Great Tree” aims for. Characters will sometimes just… talk to themselves say what they think and feel, instead of internally thinking it? For no reason? And a lot of the things that happen in the first chunk of the book happen pretty randomly. Yeah, Merlin comes across tons of random characters and events in “Lost Years”, but he’s going on quests! Things JUST SO HAPPEN to come across Basil while he’s minding his own business, which feels a little contrived.
It’s not a bad book by any means, just it doesn’t feel exactly like the tone or type of fantasy that Barron’s going for in the other serieses.
I am glad this series exists, though; I remember thinking that Basilgarrad didn’t get anywhere near enough screentime in the “Great Tree” trilogy; he almost felt like an afterthought. Here, he gets to shine, and we get a better idea of what the dragons are doing in Avalon. And I do really, really like the idea that the greatest of dragons happens to have started as a tiny little lizard critter running from everything, confused about what he’s even supposed to be. It’s really cool, too, seeing Avalon in its early days, because the later trilogy is a bit fuzzy about how that all worked out.
Barron completionists will probably have to read this to feel, well, complete, though it’s not essential, I think.
So, uh, this is a thing that happened.
Thomas Archibald Barron wrote “The Lost Years of Merlin”, and then a sequel trilogy set long after it, “The Great Tree of Avalon.” Then he did an in-between-quel trilogy, “Merlin’s Dragon” which tells of Basilgarrad, Merlin’s dragon friend. Which is cool and all, but this one feels like you’ve got to go back and read it after “Great Tree,” because of all the shout-outs.
But with that being said, this feels like it’s for a younger audience? The title/cover tells you right off the bat what Basil’s deal is (he’s a dragon), and there are things that feel like they’re from children’s books, rather than the preteen/teen audience “Great Tree” aims for. Characters will sometimes just… talk to themselves say what they think and feel, instead of internally thinking it? For no reason? And a lot of the things that happen in the first chunk of the book happen pretty randomly. Yeah, Merlin comes across tons of random characters and events in “Lost Years”, but he’s going on quests! Things JUST SO HAPPEN to come across Basil while he’s minding his own business, which feels a little contrived.
It’s not a bad book by any means, just it doesn’t feel exactly like the tone or type of fantasy that Barron’s going for in the other serieses.
I am glad this series exists, though; I remember thinking that Basilgarrad didn’t get anywhere near enough screentime in the “Great Tree” trilogy; he almost felt like an afterthought. Here, he gets to shine, and we get a better idea of what the dragons are doing in Avalon. And I do really, really like the idea that the greatest of dragons happens to have started as a tiny little lizard critter running from everything, confused about what he’s even supposed to be. It’s really cool, too, seeing Avalon in its early days, because the later trilogy is a bit fuzzy about how that all worked out.
Barron completionists will probably have to read this to feel, well, complete, though it’s not essential, I think.
October 13, 2008
I don't know if everyone will like this book. I like it from a writerly standpoint and knowing that it is written for the Independent Reader level (about 8 to 12 years old).
There are passages I want to read over and over because they are beautifully written--poetic prose, if you will. Basil is a lovable little character, and I also love the World Tree element that keep cropping up in children's literature nowadays (for example, in Michael Scott's The Alchemyst and Joanne Harris's Runemarks). All in all I would describe this book as very pensive, and quotable. There's something I want to quote in just about every chapter.
However, readers expecting some sort of quickly plotted narrative, or a boy-girl romance, will be disappointed. There are barely even humaoid characters in here!
The plot/theme ranges from the very basic (Who am I? What am I? Where am I now?!? Ack, get away from me, predator!) to the nebulous and philosophical (Why am I so small? I want to be big!! Wait, is it ok to be small? Am I supposed to be something someday that I am not now, or do I need to become content with myself as I am?) and I know a lot of readers who will be looking only for movie-like action-adventure big explosions, etc. To those people I say, go read the Inheritance series, much good may it do you.
I loved this book. I'm going to read it again.
There are passages I want to read over and over because they are beautifully written--poetic prose, if you will. Basil is a lovable little character, and I also love the World Tree element that keep cropping up in children's literature nowadays (for example, in Michael Scott's The Alchemyst and Joanne Harris's Runemarks). All in all I would describe this book as very pensive, and quotable. There's something I want to quote in just about every chapter.
However, readers expecting some sort of quickly plotted narrative, or a boy-girl romance, will be disappointed. There are barely even humaoid characters in here!
The plot/theme ranges from the very basic (Who am I? What am I? Where am I now?!? Ack, get away from me, predator!) to the nebulous and philosophical (Why am I so small? I want to be big!! Wait, is it ok to be small? Am I supposed to be something someday that I am not now, or do I need to become content with myself as I am?) and I know a lot of readers who will be looking only for movie-like action-adventure big explosions, etc. To those people I say, go read the Inheritance series, much good may it do you.
I loved this book. I'm going to read it again.
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