Status Updates From The Crystal Cave (Arthurian...

"If the priests believed my mother, and Vortigern believed the priests, then I could not see where danger could come from."

I mean, now they'll just think you're half-DEMON. Why would they want to hurt you then?

Also, what kind of priests are these? Christian, Mithraist, pagan...?

Okay, so Merlin reunited with his mother...off-page? Why does this book keeping setting things up as important and then doing this?

Why does anyone believe this "son of a devil" story? Merlin hasn't demonstrated supernatural powers to most people (as far as we know, but the fact that Cadal knew just came out of nowhere). The fact that Niniane won't name the father shouldn't make people jump to demonic explanations.

"...and indeed, I believe now that the fear came from the god."

That's this book's explanation for everything you think or do.

"I went with Ambrosius to the shrine of Mithras below the farmstead, and with Belasius to the gatherings in the forest."

Are we gonna see these scenes? 'Cause this book is making a big deal about these various pagan sects, it seems like this should get more than a passing mention. Especially since druidism is being framed as evil but we don't know why, except that they killed a guy who did some unknown "sacrilege."

I assume "Comes" is a typo and is supposed to be "Comte."

"Men that have god's-sight, I have found, are often human-blind."

Cool quote. Not sure if it's applicable to anything in real life, but cool nonetheless.

We've never heard anything about Merlin acting this way before, nor gotten any indication that his power frightens him.

Relatedly, I feel like he would work better if he wasn't our viewpoint character. His characterization really isn't very strong, so while he might be intriguingly mysterious from another POV, as is he's almost a blank slate who just acts however the story requires him.

"...and made the sign against the evil eye."

Did Stewart forget that that was Cerdic's thing, or has she just given up pretending that they're not functionally the same character?

"This was the second time in my life that I wept."

The hell. I'm pretty sure you cried as a baby, kid.

Every time these birds show up, the symbolism is a bit too obvious.

Suddenly there’s a sexy scene and I wonder why Mary Stewart didn’t do those in her romance-suspense novels 😂… I guess she got into the mind of an adolescent guy too much 😂

Giving Merlin's mom one of the names of his love interest/imprisoner was A Choice.