Ahira's Hangar

Mary Stewart is one of my all-time favorites to read: I'm speaking of her Merlin books. We correspond frequently, and she is just a great writer (and person). Any Merlin fans out there? Arise now, Riders of Théoden!Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!Forth Eorlingas!<i></i>

I have been a long time fan of Mary Stewart. I love her Merlin books, but even before that, I read many of her mystery novels.

~MsMary~ <i></i>

Did Mary Stewart write The King Must Die or am I thinking of some other author? My mom had that book on her shelf 4ever--I was pretty amazed when I finally broke down and read it. Fall Far and Well Pilots!<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/22/02 9:15:25 am
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I love the Merlin books.

I've also read Touch Not the Cat and The Moon-Spinners, but both were a long time ago, so I don't really remember much about them.

~Foamy~ <i></i>

I am making a really late reply, Danlo, and I ask forgiveness. I don't remember Mary Stewart writing The King Must Die. May be another Mary Stewart out there somewhere. I haven't read her mystery stories yet, but that's the genre she was known for before the Merlin books.
She wrote me a letter this past Christmas, and she was very sad at the passing of her beloved husband and long-lived cat. She's pretty much alone now except for a new kitten. She is really precious to our family: sending my children each a copy of her children's books and signing them as well. My copies of her books are one of the few things that will never have a place on EBAY. Arise now, Riders of Théoden!Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!Forth Eorlingas!<i></i>

How good to see she's a nice person as well. I feel for her with that personal situation, really.

The Merlin books are simply awesome and unrivalled in the field of Arthurian legend. <i>"White the mist that rose through me, Whiter than land of your dwelling.It is your name that will bind thee,Your name is mine for the telling" </i><i></i>

Cali said "her Merlin books are simply awesome and unrivalled in the field of Arthurian legend."

That's a bold statement. We're talking about a huge body of Work there, in the wider field of Arthurian Legend. Most readable though Stewart is, and I love the books, I'd have to think a bit on whether its the best out there. "Some of the Scottish troops ran for five miles before they were killed. Others threw themselves into the sea. The number of dead is impossible to calculate, but there must have been several thousand. They included 5 Scottish Earls. The few prisoners who had been taken were put to death on Edward III's order, a final act of savagery for which there is no rational explanation. English casualties were light. Halidon Hill 19 July 1333Edward III Puts Scotland to the Sword, For a very Long Time.<i></i>

Got to agree with you, Cali! I have a lot of Merlin/King Arthur books, and I've read a lot of others. Hers are my favorite. At the same time, Beren, I understand your point. I may carry this to my students tomorrow: we have been talking about "fact" and "opinion" in reading, and this would be perfect. We all have an idea of what the "best" is, but of course, nothing can be proven when it comes to opinions. I'm also a little prejudiced by my knowing the author, but I only wrote to her after becoming enraptured with her Merlin books (I once thought it was impossible to write a bad Merlin book until I read <i> Merlin's Bones</i>.) Arise now, Riders of Théoden!Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!Forth Eorlingas!<i></i>

I rest my case

BC, personally I'm very curious about James Donaldson's series. Has it made its way to your humble little home yet? <i>"White the mist that rose through me, Whiter than land of your dwelling.It is your name that will bind thee,Your name is mine for the telling" </i><i></i>

Hmmm...I wouldn't say that Mary Stewart is "unrivaled" in Arthurian legend series, as much as I love Mary Stewart. Marion Zimmer Bradley is also very good (<i> Mists of Avalon</i> and it's prequels. She has a whole different approach to the stories, which is very interesting. I enjoy both series - both are among my favorite reads.

~MsMary~ "Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?"<i></i>

Same here, MsMary.

~Foamy~ <i></i>

I love Mary Stewart's Merlin books! They are very well done. Danlo, the King Must Die, if it's the book I'm thinking of, was written by Mary Renault. She has written many books set in ancient Greece and the like. my sister, o my sister! There's the cause on 't. Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, Like diamonds we are cut with our own dust -- John Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi", first performed in England in 1614<i></i>

U're right! Thanks Duchess--saved me a web search! Check out the new mythology topic in the Fravashi District!
If the brain were so simple we could understand it, we would be so simple we couldn't.
Lyall Watson
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The Merlin books were probably the first fantasy books I read. I have always loved them.

I love the blending of fantasy and reality that she acheives so well! For example, she always presents a logical, un-magical explanation for things, which is cool, but at the same time, still gives you the feeling that something magical is happening. A lot of what Merlin accomplishes he does by virtue of the fact that he is intelligent and well-educated, not that he has 'magic'. But yet he does possess magic.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really appreciate the fact that the magic isn't 'hokey' at all in these books. Anyway, I love the books and I've been thinking that I should give them another read.... hmmmm..

-lorien
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