Merlin’s Charge by Peter Joseph Swanson

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Merlin’s Charge
Author: Peter Joseph Swanson

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Publisher: Stonegarden.net Publishing

Genre: Fiction/Sci-fi/Fantasy

Length: 224 pgs.
Reviewed by: Jes

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 3

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                                  

About The Book: In the wasteland of Britain in the year 500, a cranky Merlin tutors a teenage Arthur. Missing the comfort of the Realm of Dragons, Merlin amuses himself with two simultaneous sneaky marriages to the feuding witches, Nimm and Mother Hubbard. With the help of young Parsifal, they all begin the search for the holy grail, their town's communal cauldron, which was stolen by a Pict witch to make a demon bell. Recovering the cauldron will end the drought in time for Arthur to be King. Along the way they meet a host of colorful characters and face obstacles of a most phenomenal nature. Classic Peter Joseph Swanson—wickedly bawdy.

The Review: Merlin’s Charge is a novel from Peter Joseph Swanson set in 5th century Briton and it focuses on one story of Merlin and Arthur on the quest for the Cauldron of plenty. This is a well written story that takes from classic legend and ideologies of the Great King and his tutor with adding an updated feel to the characters. Merlin’s Charge follows the young prince as he faces and battles the Pict witch who has stolen the Cauldron of Plenty from an already suffering village. The whole land of Briton is in the middle of a drought and a Cauldron which never empties is a dream come true for the starving people, it is truly the grail as it is more important than gold or treasure. Add in the complications of Merlin’s two wives and Parisfal the Inheritor; you have an interesting weave of personalities.

 
I enjoyed the writing that Swanson provided: the quips as well as dialogue between all of the characters. It was light hearted and kept the reader intrigued and involved in the story. I felt that Swanson had revitalized the story of Merlin and Arthur. He managed to create a young Arthur who was learning the ways of being a king and kept light hearted to the ideals of youth, while Merlin had an air of knowing and otherworldliness that you would come to expect from a great wizard such as Merlin.

What I appreciated as a reader was the consistency which the author kept to his characters; they had a solid design and kept to the personalities which were introduced. I find that this is one of the harder things in writing, that many authors forget small details either about the characters or their surroundings, where this wasn’t missed in Merlin’s Charge.
 

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy and Arthurian tales or legends. Swanson has managed to refresh very old and popular characters, giving a believable story and respecting the current ideas.

Pagan Elements:

Yes, this is a high fantasy and there are some elements of classic Druid and Celtic pagan leanings. It is light in terms of pagan elements and does not identify to being a pagan by today’s definitions, but I would call it “pagan light”.

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