Yesterday's Magic (The New Magic Trilogy)
Grade 5–9—This book followsWinter of Magic's Return(1985) andTomorrow's Magic(1987, both S & S). In a post-nuclear-disaster world 500 years in the future, teens Heather, Welly, and Merlin (freed from enchantment and newly rejuvenated) are working with King Arthur (returned from the Otherworld of Avalon) to unite what remains of humankind in Britain. The story begins with Arthur's wedding to Queen Margaret of Scotland, after which Heather is kidnapped by Morgan Le Fay. Merlin sets off to save her along with Welly and their troll friend, all on the back of a somewhat reluctant dragon. With the emergence of Heather's ability to converse telepathically with select youngsters around the world, this novel explores the possibility that other pockets of humanity have survived besides those in Britain. This is a solid fantasy that will appeal to fans of Camelot stories, but it can also be enjoyed by readers who have little or no interest in Arthurian legend. Characters, particularly Merlin and Heather, are well developed, and the plot is well paced. A brief prologue establishes the setting and recounts major events in the first two books. While it's not necessary to have read the earlier works, readers may be interested in seeing the whole story arc and watching the characters and their relationships develop.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.