Robert Holdstock, The Broken Kings

The Broken Kings

Robert Holdstock

Tor, May 2007, $27.95

ISBN: 0765311097

As Merlin temporarily resides inside fortress Taurovinda, he is worried as the Shadows of Heroes leave the other realm to claim the Kingdom of Cornovidi as their own. His concern is not with these Shades, but the unknown adversarial puppeteer that enabled them to enter the realm of the living and apparently guides them.

Meanwhile, High King Urtha Pendragon of Cornovidi seeks a diplomatic solution while his heir Prince Kymon wants to go to war. His daughter Princess Munda foresees the future lies with Jason's sentient ship Argo, who has returned battered but ready to confess a dark secret to Merlin only at the right time. The mage knows as he traverses time with the Argo that he must find the truth in his past to save the kingdoms from the horde of dead, but it is up to Jason to prevent the latter's offspring from usurping Urtha's rule so that the envisioned glorious future can occur.

This is a complex blending of several myths that is difficult to pick up even with gimmicks telling the back story of the first two novels (see CELTIKA and THE IRON GRAIL). Readers will appreciate the intricate series The Merlin Codex much more so by starting with the first book. Merlin tells the exciting tale that fans of Camelot and Greek and Celtic mythologies will enjoy; just set aside plenty of time as this is a rich multifaceted fantasy.

Harriet Klausner