- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Earthlight; New edition edition (14 Jan 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0671028820
- ISBN-13: 978-0671028824
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 812,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
On the evidence of this ambitious beginning to a new series, Robert Holdstock is attempting to underpin virtually everything he has written since the British Science Fiction Award-winning Mythago Wood, simultaneously weaving together the roots of all Western mythology.
Holdstock's Merlin is near immortal, and as the story opens has already walked the world for millennia, an alienated narrator; an archetype it is difficult to empathise with. Occasionally he does show human warmth:
I looked at her face, so beautiful despite the greed of Time, her hair still like polished copper; into her eyes, so lovely, so clever; her breath like summer fruit; our fingers intertwined briefly. A beauty that had not faded; lost in time; almost untouchable.Long before Arthur, Merlin has become deeply involved with Jason, The Argonauts and the legendary cycle of betrayal and bloodshed between Jason and Medea. Spinning this saga into a surreal epic across centuries, Holdstock adds the quest of the young Celtic King Urtha to avenge his wife and children, and the epic march to the Oracle of Delphi of the greatest army the world has ever seen.
Written with all Holdstock's usual skill, Celtika is a strange, convoluted, intricately plotted book. Weaving so much mythology and history into one fabric results in a distant quality akin to Tolkien's The Silmarillion, producing fantasy of particular subtlety and intelligence. While knowledge of the author's previous books is not required, those who have read them will find extra resonance in exploring these austerely magical adventures from the archetype's point-of-view. --Gary S. Dalkin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
First novel in THE MERLIN CODEX from Britain's most critically respected writer of the fantastic In the centuries before he will become involved with Arthur, Merlin is immortal, almost young. He adventures across the world, and across unknown worlds. He becomes the friend of Jason, a Greek prince who seeks the Golden Fleece, and is involved with his enchantress wife, Medea. Through Greece, Finland, and other lands - and for the first time to England - the skein of Merlin's tale leads to heroism, treachery and magic.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best,
By A Customer
This review is from: Celtika: Book one of the Merlin Codex (Hardcover)
But still pretty good. I think if you have not read "Mythago Wood", "Lavondyss" or even "The Hallowing", you are going to be lost and probably find the characters, dry and unsympathetic.That being said, the descriptions of the Screaming Lake are possibly some of his finest writing. My one complaint is that there are rather too many characters in here, many with very similar looking names and I do keep forgetting who is who. Even though the story is nominally a quest ( as so much bad fantasy is e.g. anything by Eddings ), this is saved by superb writing.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dark original mythic fantasy by one of our best writers.,
By Breakfast (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Celtika: Book one of the Merlin Codex (Hardcover)
Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood series have proved themselves reliably excellent and here he extends that world back to a dark Celtic europe where the powers that visitors to Ryhope Wood encounter in the 20th century are everywhere. Although this is told from Merlin's point of view this is not another straightforward Arthurian retelling- the Holdstock universe is far too diverse for that. Cleverly entertwining many strands of european mythology with a mixture of sharp imagination and deep research this is less immediate than Mythago Wood or Lavondyss but it finds its way into the back of your mind and won't let go. My only criticism is that it is perhaps a little slow to start with, but it is the first book of a series. With Celtika as a starting point it could turn out to be a very good series indeed.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Celtika: Book one of the Merlin Codex (Hardcover)
I am probably Robert Holdstock's #1 American fan. I started reading his books many years ago, begining with "Mythago Wood" and "Lavondyss". I fell in love with his mystical wildwood, and this book was not a disappointment. I do think that those who have not read Mythago Wood and Lavondyss (or any of Holdstock's other books) may be a bit lost. However, it's really worth it to track down those books in order to properly enjoy the "Merlin Codex". I loved it, and I can't wait for the sequel.
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