The Crystal Cave

 The Crystal Cave, written by Mary Stuart is one of four  books in the Arthurian Saga.  The book follows the life of Merlin from birth as the illegitimate son of a princess and an unknown father believed to be the prince of darkness, to the death of his newly discovered father and the crowning of King Uther.  Merlin, born Myriddn Emrys, is treated with much disrespect from fellow children, nobles, and people in general due partly to his displeasure in socializing and also to his rumored father the “Prince of Darkness”.  Internally Merlin faces many obstacles including his own self doubt while externally fighting alongside his new found father Ambrosius for the English crown.  The climactic point of this novel occurs very close to the end when Merlin kills Brithael after sneaking king Uther into the Duke Gorlois’ castle and then flees to the safety of his cave.  By the end of the novel Merlin has matured to a level that shows he understands himself and the person that he is: not only Merlin the Magician, but also Merlin the thinker and problem solver, for he not only uses his “sight” to react to problems but also his brain.  The theme of The Crystal Cave is that even people of seemingly small stature can conquer great obstacles for example Merlin the Bastard rises from outcast of the village to renowned advisor to the king himself.  The novel itself is a must read for all those who enjoy fantasy novels, particularly those retaining to the Middle Ages.  This novel takes a whole new spin on the Merlin magician story and makes him more of a scientist than a magician which makes the read an enjoyable page turner.