Merlin's Blade by Robert Treskillard

I remember reading The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart when I was in high school for a social studies class. I loved it. We watched Camelot the musical afterwards and I remember singing "May May lusty May" for quite some time afterwards. I think the two of them created an intrigue for Merlin within me.
So when I ran across this title Merlin's Blade on Booksneeze, I had to see what it was about. This is a telling for the story of Merlin and Arthur with a twist I haven't seen before, Merlin is a Christian and he does the will of God.
The story starts out with Merlin in his late teens, practically an adult, but he's not independent of his family, because he has lost the majority of his vision do to a vicious wolf attack several years earlier. The story is based around the druids coming to Merlin's village in order to worship a stone that was long ago discovered at the bottom of a nearby lake, the same lake that Merlin's mother drowned in when he was a young child. The local abbey and Merlin along with a few villagers are proclaiming God's word and fighting against the power of the stone. In the midst of all this, the High King Uther and his family are scheduled to visit the town and check the local defenses. Things get a little out of control and Merlin though victorious in the end pays a great price.

The book was a little difficult for me to get started in, mainly because of the lack of vision on the part of Merlin. It's tough to not be able to see what's going on around you. Treskillard did an excellent job of painting that box within the story. He also provided moments of relief from that world with other characters and dream sequences. Once the fighting started though, it was a great ride!

I really enjoyed this story with the Christian slant and I really really enjoyed how Treskillard laid the foundation for so many aspects of Merlin and Arthur's later story. If you're into the whole King Arthur's court, I recommend checking this title out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comments

Stories from the Kitchen: Taste and See

I celebrated my birthday last weekend. It was wonderful and the leftovers left me with a question or two. Find out what they are and how I'm currently answering them in this week's podcast. Stories from the Kitchen Season 2, Episode 2: Taste and See Notes from the episode: Taste and See by Margaret Feinberg Dad’s New York Cheesecake (from the back of a Philidelphia Cream Cheese package) 1 ⅞ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ to ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar, divided 2 lbs cream cheese (4 packs) 2 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup sour cream Preheat oven to 450F Mix well graham crackers, 2 tbsp sugar, and enough butter that the mixture holds together. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill in the freezer while preparing the filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch until just blended. S

Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Broccoli

I ran across this recipe on Pinterest the other day that was labeled " The Best Broccoli Of Your Life. " I normally either steam our broccoli in the microwave or saute it with olive oil and red pepper flakes on the stove top. I decided this would be something to try. I did the salt, pepper and olive oil part of the recipe. I didn't have the majority of the other ingredients. In fact, all I had was a little bit of Parmesan It was wonderful. Not the best broccoli of my life, but honestly, it was pretty close. And if I had the lemon juice and all that jazz, it may very well be the best. What have you been eating lately?

Sweet Caroline by Kelda Poynot

First off, my copy of Sweet Caroline (aff link) is not a gifted review book, I spent my well earned Amazon No-Rush Rewards money on this book. Second of all, this is not my standard close door kind of romance. Third of all, this is a really fun read. Caroline is a hard working young lady that is doing all that she can to make ends meet and to get her graduate degree. Part of that work is renting out the room above her garage. When she answers the phone of an unknown number, believing it's a future tenant, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. The young man on the other end of that call, Hashim, is tall, dark, and mysterious in all the right ways. The story quickly moves from the girl next door falling for a stranger to a fight for their lives. And in true real life fashion, those fights aren't just with external enemies but the ones we carry within. It's an entertaining story of Caroline and Hashim, discovering their love for each other and fighting to

Tina The Storyteller

Search This Blog