The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart, 417 pages

  The life of Mordred (King Arthur’s son by his half-sister) is the main focus of this last book in MaryStewart’s Arthurian series.

  King Arthur’s legendary reign weakens as does Merlin’s power. Unlike in other versions of the Arthurian legend, Mordred is quite a likable character here, and we get to know him from early childhood. I wanted all to work out well for Mordred just as much as I wanted Arthur and the kingdom to enter a new age with hope.

  This book considers, through story, if we can change our fate or if we simply must do what is ordained by powers beyond the mortal realm. The characters are challenged to have hope and patience beyond their lifespans, to believe that, ultimately, the goal of difficult and even evil days can be to produce a greater, future good.

  While I was content to end the series with book three at the height of the Arthurian kingdom, this last book was more than just an encore after the series should have ended. The story-telling was just as compelling as in the rest of the books.
  Sigh. I've reached the end of the entire tale . . . again. It was time, but, still. Sigh.

The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart, 513 pages

  In this third book of Mary Stewart’s four-book Arthurian series, Arthur is the strong and admirable King Arthur of Legend. Battles rage. Alliances are made. Camelot and the round hall are built. Gwynevere joins Arthur as his queen, and knights join with him as brave and respected friends.

  Merlin is needed differently by King Arthur than he was by Arthur the boy, so he is able to turn his attention to the borne-in-magic threat posed by Arthur’s half-sister, Margause. Merlin longs for an apprentice of his own, finds love, and caused this reader’s heart to beat quickly with concern throughout his adventures.

  Even if you’ve read, watched, or heard other versions of King Arthur, I encourage you to read Stewart’s unique rendition. 

  The book comes to a satisfactory close, and I would have been content if the series ended with book three. Good news for those of us not quite ready to let the characters and legend go yet, satisfactory close or not: one more book awaits before the full tale reaches its end!

The Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart, 475 pages

  This is the second book in Stewart’s Arthurian series. It picks up right where The Crystal Cave leaves off and continues on with Merlin’s life, now with the addition of Arthur, the boy who will be king, as part of the story line.

  Merlin is in the prime of his life and has become a man who understands himself, his purpose, his powers and how to use them as much he ever will. He accepts that his cousin, Arthur, who has not yet been born when the book begins, will become the king the land’s people need and that his own role will be to protect, train, and guide.

   I love that I got to adventure to other lands with Merlin during the lightest years of his life. I also love that Arthur’s life is without burdens that will come once the weight of a kingdom is transferred to his authority. Arthur goes through childhood as a child, protected, while growing into who he is to be without the knowledge of who he is thanks to Merlin. This portion of the series is magical and exciting and builds to the last page in such a way that you’d better have the next book, TheLast Enchantment, ready to read immediately.

  When I’m extra enthusiastic about a book, my husband sometimes feels compelled to pick it up when I’m not looking and then stay up reading it while I sleep to reach the end before I do. That happened with this series. Luckily, I’d read it all before, so technically I still reached the end before he did. Right?

The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart, 494 pages

  I first read and liked this book as a high school student, and the time finally presented itself for me to reread Mary Stewart’s Arthurian saga. Hooray! The Crystal Cave is book one of four (followed by The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment, and The Wicked Day).

  Thirty extra years of my own life between readings of the series brought me a deeper appreciation for the story, so it was worth the reread.

  As an old man, Merlin reflects on his life, narrating his own story beginning when he was six-years-old. The Crystal Cave is about Merlin himself, how he comes to understand who and what he is and what his role in the kingdom will be. The story is full of mystery and great story telling  with not as much magic as one might expect. 

  Book one ends with Arthur’s conception, which, of course, means the story has barely begun. Even as a re-read, I can’t stop here. Onto the next book I go!