Celtika

Well this book was weird! A book about Merlin opens with Jason, of Golden Fleece fame, attempting suicide through grief for his two dead sons, killed by their mother, Medea. Huh?
Flash forward 700 years and it turns out that Merlin was one of the Argonauts and that he's discovered that Medea did not kill Jason's sons afterall - in fact they are alive in the present, hundreds of years after they should be dead even if they had lived to old age.

Jason isn't dead, either - he's half-dead in the bottom of a demon haunted lake, protected and kept from fully dying by the Spirit of his ship, the Argo. Merlin brings both from the bottom of the lake and restores them to full life. A new quest begins with new Argonauts, a renewed Argo carrying a show more forest Goddess rather than Hera and only Jason and Merlin remaining from the quest for the fleece. This time Jason is searching for his sons but the voyage of the Argo proves as inordinately long and difficult as the previous ones and the story is not over when the end of the book arrives - indeed there are two more volumes following.

The story is set mainly in the lands and time of the Pagan Celts and I've never come across a more convincing evocation of them; it's not a suprise though - rather to be expected from the author of the Mythago books - and it transpires that there is a gigantic Mythago Wood in Britain, known to one of the New Argonauts, Urtha, whose home borders it, as Ghostland.

Merlin is an intriguing character with an intriguing background. His mastery of the natural magic in the world comes from charms written on his bones and his tale (he tells it himself in the first person) is a strange one. I'm very keen to finish it. show less

This is my second book for the From the Stacks challenge. It’s also the first book in the Merlin Codex by Robert Holdstock, and after finishing this book, I think I’ve decided to keep my eyes open for the other books in the series. This was one of the better first-book-in-a-fantasy-series (YA excluded) I’ve read in a long time – possibly since the first book in Sara Douglass’ Troy Game.

The whole premise of this book is that Merlin was one of the Argonauts when Jason went to steal the golden fleece. Which is one heck of a long time before Arthur was around. (Man! Think how old that makes Merlin in Arthur’s time!) So, 700 years after Jason dies, Merlin has heard rumours that Jason’s sons (whom Jason’s wife Medea killed) show more are alive, and so raises Jason from the dead (except it turns out that he wasn’t really dead in the first place, only … mostly dead. You know, like in the Princess Bride.) Confused yet? It’s gets better. So, it turns out that Medea is the same type of person as Merlin – living for an extremely long time, and only aging through the use of magic – and they were childhood friends, only didn’t remember it until half way through the book… THEN, there’s also the fact that Arthur’s ancestor-of-some-sort is also sailing on the newly-raised-from-the-ocean Argo.

Right. So. This book isn’t nearly as confusing when you’re reading it as it is when you’re reading my summary – it’s explained a lot more thoroughly. It’s also not as cheesy as it sounds like it would be. And the fact that it’s a crossover of two of my favourite things (Greek mythology and Arthurian legend) gives it major brownie points.

There was only one chapter in the book that I didn’t enjoy, that I felt interrupted the flow of the narration, and I had a hard time caring about that part.

And though this is the story of Merlin, it’s also majorly the story of Jason in his search for his sons. Well, I really DID NOT like Jason at all. I tried to be sympathetic, really. I mean, I know he was dead 700 years, and before he died his son’s had been killed right in front of his eyes, and so waking up to realize that you’re in a practically completely new world, and that your sons aren’t really dead… well, it’s bound to throw anyone for a loop. But as soon as he mentioned the fact that he didn’t like Odysseus? PFFT. Totally in my bad graces – Odysseus is cool, man. Don’t mess with Odysseus if you want me to like you. show less

Robert Holdstocks books always suck me right in. The Merlin Codex's mix of myth and legend is not an obvious one - Arthurian Britain meets Greek myths - but it works. Its got a very interesting take on Merlin,too. Holdstock has created another fascinating world. Loved it - loved the whole Codex series.

It's been a while since I read this, but at the time it was a great read. I've always liked Holdstock's raw, down-to-earth style, and in this he manages to create a wonderful balance of ancient myth and modern storytelling. The combination of Merlin and Jason is certainly a unique twist, and he pulls it off in a very believable way.

Not as huge and awe-inspiring as Holdstock's previous work, but if you're after original, well-written fantasy with a historical edge, look no further.

A fantasy novel combining Arthurian legends (Merlin), Greek mythology (Jason, Argo, Medea) and Finnish mythology (Mielikki, the Lady of the Forest) into a rather engrossing mix. I'm not sure if there's anything else I can say... I picked it up, focusing on the Merlin part of its subheading, and I certainly didn't expect to find Merlin looking for a Jason in a Northern lake to bring him back among the living, to re-unite him with his son whom Medea didn't kill after all.

Clever weaving of celtic and european legends.Well written but not so gripping

I am not sure what I think. There is a lot of Greek in this Aurthurian legend. I am probably too stuck on the Bradley version.

(set aside for better books)