What if everything you knew about the Wizard Merlin was wrong? What if he was a Buddhist monk prone to hallucinations, who was taken as a slave by the Huns and transported to Europe?
Charles DeLint of Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine described it as "one of the most original and entertaining reads I've had in some time," and "Readers familiar with Arthurian Matter will no doubt enjoy seeing all the familiar elements of the legend appear in entirely new forms, recognizable but meaning something completely different in their current context."
In this novel, Merlin is a kind of accidental Marco Polo of the 5th Century, having traveled from Britain through India to China and back again. This is a multi-cultural tale with a Hindu noblewoman, a Vietnamese monk, a Jewish hunchback and a black African dwarf. It is not your typical Arthurian spin off. This Merlin is a rationalist, who regards magic as bunk, druids as idiots, and knights as glorified thugs. The last thing he wants is for Arthur to become a king.
This story also delves into spirituality and adventure, with a healthy dose of humor. It is also touches on mental illness, as Merlin deals with his surrealistic visions, from horrifying flashbacks to a chess match with Ganesha. The love interest is mysterious Lady Gopi. She appears to the wizard in various animal forms. Is she a reincarnated lover from his past, or just another mental delusion?
Mihir Wanchoo of fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com said, "This book was an A plus read, as it was a tactful amalgamation of two most unlikely subjects that give us an engrossing tale. It's highly recommended for readers of historical fiction and for those who are would like to read a take on the Arthur-Merlin mythos that has never been tried before.
It won first prize at the 2006 Philadelphia Writers Conference for Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Charles DeLint of Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine described it as "one of the most original and entertaining reads I've had in some time," and "Readers familiar with Arthurian Matter will no doubt enjoy seeing all the familiar elements of the legend appear in entirely new forms, recognizable but meaning something completely different in their current context."
In this novel, Merlin is a kind of accidental Marco Polo of the 5th Century, having traveled from Britain through India to China and back again. This is a multi-cultural tale with a Hindu noblewoman, a Vietnamese monk, a Jewish hunchback and a black African dwarf. It is not your typical Arthurian spin off. This Merlin is a rationalist, who regards magic as bunk, druids as idiots, and knights as glorified thugs. The last thing he wants is for Arthur to become a king.
This story also delves into spirituality and adventure, with a healthy dose of humor. It is also touches on mental illness, as Merlin deals with his surrealistic visions, from horrifying flashbacks to a chess match with Ganesha. The love interest is mysterious Lady Gopi. She appears to the wizard in various animal forms. Is she a reincarnated lover from his past, or just another mental delusion?
Mihir Wanchoo of fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com said, "This book was an A plus read, as it was a tactful amalgamation of two most unlikely subjects that give us an engrossing tale. It's highly recommended for readers of historical fiction and for those who are would like to read a take on the Arthur-Merlin mythos that has never been tried before.
It won first prize at the 2006 Philadelphia Writers Conference for Science Fiction and Fantasy.
