Taliesin (Tally-ess-in)
Merlin
Arthur
Pendragon
Grail
Now, luckily for me, I started with book one - because although the Celtic legend of Britain is a heavy influence on these books, Stephen Lawhead has woven it into a story of his own. Initially I was put off from reading the series, given I was around 14 and had no idea what this meant:
| QUOTE |
| So begins the tragedy of lost Atlantis, extinguished forever in a hideous paroxysm of earth and sea. |
(The only reason I didn't get rid of the book was that it was a Christmas present)
What on earth does paroxysm mean? And I tell you what - it put my friend Jez off from reading the series - and he's 21 as well! Eventually we discovered it means cataclysm, but trust me - at no other point does the word appear (or any as comlicated!). But I ramble! To the (lengthy as always) summmary:
Taliesin tells the story of the destruction of Atlantis, the story of the Celtic chieftains struggling to survive, and then the story of the union between the two nations. The union comes from the marriage of Taliesin and Charis (Kha-riss), daughter of the Fisher King, Avallach (don't ask!).
The second book, Merlin, is the story of Taliesin and Charis's son, the illustrious wizard of legend. However, in Lawhead's universe there is a slight (and magnificent twist). Avallach, Charis, Merlin and all other descendants of Atlantis are immortal, in Merlin's case he never ages throughout the four remaining books beyond his early twenties. Merlin begins the main story of the Pendragon Cycle, which is his search for the one king who can rule Britain and restore it to its former glory.
Which leads into Arthur, which does have the best line of summary at one point:
| QUOTE |
| 'Arthur is no fit king. Merlin's pawn...a sullen ignorant brute'...When all the words are spoken...this single fact remains: we would follow Arthur to the very gates of Hell and beyond if he asked it. |
The son of Aurelius (see Richard Harris in 'Gladiator'), and true High King of Britain, Arthur was protected by Merlin in his youth, and the third book tells of his rise to claim the throne of Britain. And again there is a welcome stray from the usual legends, as Gwenhwyvar and Llenlleawg (Guinivere and Lancelot, in Irish form) arrive, but there is no mention of the usual love triangle - instead Llenlleawg is the Irish champion sent to defend his queen in battle (so yep, she's a warrior queen).
Now, one person I have yet to mention, and shame on me (because she's quite a major character) is Morgian (Morgana). Avallach's daughter (by a differentmother to Charis), she is the counterpart to Merlin, a sorceress who would destroy mankind. Responsible for the murder of several Atlanteans who fled to Britain, she corrupts and presents Arthur with his mortal enemy, her son, Morcant. The third book ends with the last battle Arthur ever fought, against Morcant, and where the legend ends.
As you can imagine, I kind of wondered why Pendragon ever occurred. Well, at the end of Arthur you are left with a lovely bit of legend to consider - where is Arthur's resting place? Where is Avalon? To avoid telling you this, Pendragon delves back into Arthur's past, beginning at the end of the Battle of Baedun (Bay-done) Hill, it covers his kingmaking, marriage to Gwenhwyvar, and the first threat he faced as Pendragon of Britain. The Black Boar (a barbarian invader) and The Yellow Ravager (the yellow version of the plague) invade Britain and Ierne (Ireland), and Arthur must fight them off. Luckily, you know he does because you've read of more of his life in Arthur, but the way the book is written, it leads you to the answer to those earlier questions. Or at least, it half does. It's not as annoying as it sounds!
However, whatever else it does or doesn't do, Pendragon superbly paves the way for Grail, the concluding part of the Pendragon Cycle. Okay, so you all know what the Grail is, and that there was a quest for it (thank you Monty Python). Well, sorry to disappoint you, but there is no quest in Lawhead's epic. The Keeper of the Grail is revealed (and you do kick yourself when you realise who it is) in direct line from the end of Pendragon. It is already in Britain, and Grail tells the story of the ultimate battle between good and evil, where Arthur and his knights must stand to protect the grail and save Britain.
Without a doubt this is one of the finest fantasy epics I have ever read, 'The Lord of the Rings' only surpassing it because Tolkien invented his own world. But that doesn't mean the Pendragon Cycle lacks for being set in our world, with the Celtic legend to draw upon, Lawhead writes superbly with an engrossing depth that pulls the reader in and submerges you in ancient Britain. It's brilliant.
The only problem I have ever had with the books exists in one place (and you've probably noticed it!): pronunciation. The reason it's a problem for me is that I can't get his website to run the pronunciation - although there are ample clues throughout the book. E.g. 'Gwalchavad' is eventually revealed to be 'Galahad' by the speech of the hill people.
So this aside, there is no excuse not to have a crack at this book. Unless, like Jez, the word 'paroxysm' scares you. And, if you're curious, I got over my fear when I managed to buy books two to five for less than £10/$15 because of a Christmas sale. I've very glad I did, holding onto the book for 6 years was definitely worth it.
Yoda, delivering lengthy reviews without request
I've begin to read them, but i'm only at half of Merlin. And as I read them in French, I find the pronunciation of names more easy (not the irish ones)... Well, I recommend it to everybody who love fantasy.