MERLIN'S SHADOW- CSFF Blog Tour - Day Three - IT'S BEEN A BARD DAYS' KNIGHT

 MERLIN'S SHADOW

The Merlin Spiral Trilogy - Book Two by Robert Treskillard

Last Day of the Merlin's Shadow Blog Tour

IT'S BEEN A BARD DAYS' KNIGHT! 

(click image for Amazon link or click link below) Merlin's Shadow - available from:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Merlins-Shadow-Merlin-Spiral-Treskillard/dp/0310735084/

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/merlins-shadow-merlin-spiral/9780310735083/pd/735083?item_code=WW&netp_id=1135579&event=ESRCG&view=details

Author's Web site: http://www.kingarthur.org.uk/
Author's Blog: http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php

I received a review copy of Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard from Blink, A division of Zondervon, in conjunction with the May CSFF Blog Tour

 

I read something on Mr. Treskillard's blog Tuesday that one of the points he was trying to make with the Merlin series, was that God doesn't always answer prayers the way we want, or even the way we think he should. Merlin found this out in Merlin's Shadow. He continually faces greater and greater opposition, and doesn't understand why when he is trying to follow The Lord's will. God doesn't provide an easy road for Merlin and Natalenya. Rather, it's a hard path. I kept wondering why bad things kept happening to Merlin, until I thought about the enemies he goes against. As merlin learns to overcome evil each step of the way, he faces a greater evil. So, like a knight conditioning for battle, Merlin must condition his spirit and faith to vanquish greater and greater foes. If he had easily overcome Morganthu and the stone from Merlin's Blade, would he later have the resolve and inner-strength to face King Gorlas, and later Vortigern and the Picts?

   
To me, this seemed only one concept of Christianity and faith that the author explains through his characters and storyline. In Merlin's Shadow, Merlin must not only fight external enemies, but internal spirits of doubt and self-pity. One of the many things I enjoyed about this book are the believable characters. No one in the story is truly all bad or all good; except maybe Morganthu, and he seems a bit crazy. The horse-trading priest is one such character. He tries to cheat the group with old, worn horses, but Caygek leads out the good horses. When Merlin asks how Caygek knew about the hidden horses, Caygek replies, because the man was a Christian. I think 'was' is the operative word. The man had developed a taste for the finer things in life, and would cheat travelers. It seemed the priest had lost his spiritual sight by focusing on gold; similar to Natalenya's father. While Merlin had gained his spiritual sight by focusing on the true treasure above. I think Merlin has it right when they open the small box Colvarth brought from Inis Avallow. Colvarth sees only dust and an empty circlet. Merlin sees a small wooden bowl with a golden circlet. Merlin recognizes that he is seeing a vision, while Colvarth doesn't.
 

I'm not sure if it was intended, but The Merlin's Spiral trilogy seem not just a record of Merlin's journey through Britain, but a spiritual journey for him as he gains more of his eyesight, both physical and spiritual. The nice thing for readers is that they can join in Merlin's journey by reading the second book in the series, Merlin's Shadow.

I enjoyed this book, and learned a bit about life in Britain during the early Dark Ages.
Great read. Thanks for stopping by today.

Sample chapter of Merlin's Shadow: http://www.scribd.com/doc/167884310/Merlin-s-Shadow
Series Youtube, nice graphics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezom5l_9vnQ&feature=youtu.be



 

 

*Participants’ links:

Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Beckie Burnham Jeff Chapman Pauline Creeden April Erwin Victor Gentile Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Jason Joyner Carol Keen Jennette Mbewe Amber McCallister Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nissa Jalynn Patterson Writer Rani Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Jacque Stengl Jojo Sutis Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Shane Werlinger Phyllis Wheeler Deborah Wilson

MERLIN'S SHADOW CSFF Blog Tour - Day One - Going From Bard to Worse!

 MERLIN'S SHADOW

The Merlin Spiral Trilogy - Book Two by Robert Treskillard

First Day of the Merlin's Shadow Blog Tour

Going From Bard to Worse!

(click image for Amazon link or click link below) Merlin's Shadow - available from:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Merlins-Shadow-Merlin-Spiral-Treskillard/dp/0310735084/

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/merlins-shadow-merlin-spiral/9780310735083/pd/735083?item_code=WW&netp_id=1135579&event=ESRCG&view=details

Author's Web site: http://www.kingarthur.org.uk/
Author's Blog: http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php

I received a review copy of Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard from Blink, A division of Zondervon, in conjunction with the May CSFF Blog Tour

 

   I met Robert Treskillard at the 2013 Realm Makers Conference in St. Louis, MO. He told me of the near-year of research he collected for his Merlin Spiral Trilogy. If you look closely at the cover of each book in the series, you'll see the same sword. I mention this because Mr. Treskillard  brought the sword he had made earlier, that is used on the cover of each book. If you enjoy well thought out books, by an author with an eye to detail, check out the Merlin Spiral Trilogy.

 

Robert Treskillard holding The Merlin Spiral Trilogy blade



     

   The second book in the series, Merlin's Shadow, resumes the tale of young Merlin, the formerly blind blacksmith's son, who follows Christ during a time of waning Druid power. As Merlin's Blade ended, Merlin, Natalenya, and Colvarth are attempting to escape with the young, recently orphaned, Arthur, son of Uther. Now, it seems as if the whole country of Britain is arrayed against them. The Druids are massing an attack, each play they claim sanctuary is unsafe, and Vortigern is after the baby Arthur to take the crown. Things aren't looking good for the group, and Merlin questions whether Natalenya could ever love someone as disfigured as he.

And this is all in the first few chapters. Oh, and did I mention the odd markings at the beginning of each chapter? Merlin's Blade had similar markings that look much like Ogham. Mr Treskillard's website says Ogham, was an ancient “tally-mark” language
carved into ancient standing stones in Britain.
 

 

Sample chapter of Merlin's Shadow: http://www.scribd.com/doc/167884310/Merlin-s-Shadow
Series Youtube, nice graphics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezom5l_9vnQ&feature=youtu.be



 

Day 2 Blog: The Good, The Bard, and the Not So Pretty  - Day Two I'll discuss some of the other forces arrayed against Merlin and Arthur. Arthur isn't the only one with family problems.
 

*Participants’ links:

Red Bissell Thomas Clayton Booher Beckie Burnham Jeff Chapman Pauline Creeden April Erwin Victor Gentile Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Jason Joyner Carol Keen Jennette Mbewe Amber McCallister Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nissa Jalynn Patterson Writer Rani Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Jacque Stengl Jojo Sutis Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Shane Werlinger Phyllis Wheeler Deborah Wilson

 MERLIN'S BLADE

The Merlin Spiral Trilogy - Book One by Robert Treskillard

The Third Day of the Merlin's Blade Blog Tour

Bosventor? It's Sure No Camelot!

click image for Amazon link or click link below) Merlin's Blade - available from:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Merlins-Merlin-Spiral-Robert-Treskillard/dp/0310735076/

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=38856EB&item_code=WW&netp_id=1132381&event=ESRCN&view=details

Author's Web site: http://www.kingarthur.org.uk/
Author's Blog: http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php

I received a review copy of Merlin's Blade by Robert Treskillard from Zondervon
in conjunction with the May CSFF Blog Tour

 

    What's a Bosventor you may ask? It's the village where Merlin's part of the tale begins.

 

    I found out from my interview with Mr. Treskillard that a village existed on the same spot as Bosventor in Merlin's Blade. The name might have been pretty close too. I mentioned Camelot because Arthur and Merlin were both involved in the creation of the castle. Of course, in Merlin's Blade, Arthur is still a little young to build any castles or lead any knights.

 

   Since today is the final day for the Merlin Blade Tour, I wanted to mention some things that caught my attention in the story, or even better, made me stop and think. A story with unpredictable twists, and lots of sub-stories is one I really enjoy. Merlin's Blade was all this and more. Merlin's willingness to take Garth's punishment after the wagon mishap was a great illustration of sacrifice for friends and family. Even though  Garth makes many bad decisions, Merlin still cares about his friend.
    Merlin is quick to leap to the defense of others, even when it often means he takes a beating or worse. This seemed a result of the years of verbal and physical abuse. He knew how it felt for others to look away from your scars, and for others to taunt and mistreat.
    In a way, I wondered if the author's purposely portrayed Merlin's suffering and treatment as a reflection of what Christ went through. He took our punishment upon himself, as Merlin did for Garth. Christ was spit upon and called names, yet he cared for those around him. In one vision near the Stone, Merlin was tempted  by the World's rewards. Yet he turned down what the four horns offered. Christ spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, and turned from Satan's three temptations.
    Garth struck me as sharing traits with Peter. He claimed Merlin as friend, yet denied him time and again. Peter was a down to earth say what's on your mind type of fisherman. Garth's father was a fisherman, and Garth seemed more concerned with his stomach than his soul at times.
     The Stone came from the darkness of space, and would lead first the people of Bosventor, and later Britain, to the darkness away from the Messiah, Jesu. So, the Stone seemed to represent Satan. It was full of promises of riches and power. In the end, all who turned to follow the Stone suffered. Some by burning and suffering, and some by losing what they treasured most.
  That brings me to Camelot. See, I haven't forgotten today's title. I thought Camelot represents that future reward that all who follow the One, True King will enjoy. When I think of Camelot, I think of a castle of brilliant white that shines from atop the tallest hill. The series may not turn out this way, but I thought Camelot shows what might be when all follow the True Lord. It's a promise not yet achieved, but all who follow The True King know the promise will be fulfilled.

Merlin's Sword was a great read. The story flowed so quickly, I was surprised I had read so many pages in what seemed only a brief time. Merlin's Blade is a strong, Arthurian fantasy that doesn't rehash the same old stories in slightly different settings.
As I read Merlin's Blade I kept feeling I knew the names and the stories. Names in Merlin's Blade were similar to those in the well-known Arthur stories, but different enough to let readers know - this is a completely new tale. I look forward to the rest of this tale in the next two books.

Book 2, Merlin's Shadow, releases September 24th of this year. Can't wait!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310735084/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d2_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0F45R7GFFG9DK8RKE9S2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846

  

*Participants’ links:

Noah Arsenault Beckie Burnham Keanan Brand Jeff Chapman Laure Covert Pauline Creeden Emma or Audrey Engel April Erwin Victor Gentile Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Jason Joyner Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nathan Reimer Chawna Schroeder Kathleen Smith Jojo Sutis Robert Treskillard Steve Trower Phyllis Wheeler Shane Werlinger Nicole White