Review: An interesting approach imperfectly executed
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2012
One dismal, demon-filled night, alien seed impregnates a chieftain's daughter. Merlin is the result. As a child, Merlin finds a cave filled with alien technology and his education begins. His adult mission will be to train Arthur for the throne and prepare humanity for the return of its benefactors. Merlin has an enemy, a female counterpart, who keeps the plan from proceeding smoothly, yet Merlin still achieves a satisfactory conclusion.Merlin's Mirror is a solid work of science fiction/fantasy, but not a great one. Neither the science, nor the fantasy, are particularly well executed, For example, Merlin practices alien science to move boulders, but his method looks more like magic than science, leaving  me unconvinced.However, Andre Norton still tells a good story. She creates expressive moods and interesting situations that move the story along. Norton transcends her story in Merlin's final confrontation with his enemy. The possibility that Merlin's allies are less than perfect and their enemies less than evil redeems an otherwise mundane story. Despite the story's positive ending, Norton hints that Merlin leaves alternatives unexplored at the expense of his own happiness.