Barron combines the wellsprings of mythical imagination with his own deepest artistic powers. Barron has found Merlin's lost years for us, and a great deal more. This first book of The Lost Years of Merlin epic leads all of us to look forward eagerly to the rest. It's also T.A. Barron's most inviting, flowing, and lyrical work yet. Barron is careful to show that Merlin is still physically a boy, readers are left with a vision of a more confident, compassionate hero, prepared to confront the joys and sorrows that await him in future volumes.
Merlin exemplifies true heroism and is ideal reading for the values the stories maintain.
Hair's breath escapes, trolls and wraiths, giants and shape-shifters people the landscape of Fincayra and help or hinder the young Merlin. What is truly interesting in this fantasy is Barron's treatment of power. The climactic ending offers a twist to seeking one's identity and heritage. A good bet for those who enjoy fantasy, mythical quests, and of course, Merlin, the greatest wizard of them all. He draws on a rich body of literature and on his own powerful imagination to spin a story that is part of and apart from, what has been written about Merlin before.