Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave Re-Read Part III: The Last Enchantment

The third book of the Crystal Cave trilogy, The Last Enchantment, swings along pretty fast. I believe it is the shortest of the trilogy. The reason for that, I guess, is that by this point in the Arthurian legend, we’ve about wrapped Merlin. He can get a round of applause from the crew, then jet… Continue reading Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave Re-Read Part III: The Last Enchantment

Mary Stewart’s The Merlin Trilogy Re-Read Part II: The Hollow Hills

Given the nature of telling a well-known story through the eyes of a character with foreknowledge, it is unsurprising that The Hollow Hills is generally lacking in suspense. We readers — even more than the narrator, Merlin — know the broad brush strokes of what is going to happen. The fun comes from the variations,… Continue reading Mary Stewart’s The Merlin Trilogy Re-Read Part II: The Hollow Hills

The Merlin Trilogy Reread Part I: The Crystal Cave

I picked up this collected edition of Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy only in part because of the oddly endearing, but perhaps misleading Hildebrandt Bros. cover. The other reason was, I suppose, a form of nostalgia. Allow me to explain. When I was in sixth grade, both my mother and my step father were working. No… Continue reading The Merlin Trilogy Reread Part I: The Crystal Cave

AKendix N. Plus Savage Journal Entry 20.

What books made you who you are today? What is your personal Appendix N? [NB: Appendix N is a recommended reading list for players of Dungeons and Dragons, writers that influenced Gary Gygax in his approach to the game.] That is, what sources molded the mental clay into the person you became? I’ve been pondering… Continue reading AKendix N. Plus Savage Journal Entry 20.