{Review} Merlin's Kin by Everett Coles

ASIN #: B003ZSILNC

File Size: 471 KB

Page Count: 312

Copyright: August 16, 2010

Publisher: Acclaimed Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Unaware of the compulsion put upon them by the sleeping spirit of Merlin the Magician, Francis Steele and his four friends explore the subterranean chambers of an old ruin. Lost, they escape through a door to the outside only to find themselves in a new and unbelievable world where mammoths draw gigantic caravans and two great blue moons light up the night sky. Here too are primitive birds - small, sly and intelligent; unicorns and huge fighting beasts; Big Foot is here and a race of Elf-like creatures as well as the descendants of King Arthur's knights who long ago lost the ideals of chivalry.

Against this backdrop, the fifteen year old Francis and friends have to find their way back to their own world while making sense of this one and helping Merlin to keep his secret cave hidden.

The story races along with caverns used as a prison, manned bird racing and slave trading all mixed in with magics rediscovered by the heroes.

Welcome to Merlin's world, explore it, enjoy it, but read carefully.

Mandy's Review:

Let me start by saying that I have enjoyed other works written by these two authors. And, when I read the summary for this book, I was excited to begin reading this novel. Sadly, I couldn't even finish reading it.

The beginning was exciting and reminded me of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where the children entered the magical land through the back of the wardrobe. Once the children in this novel passed through the magical portal into the new land, it started to go downhill for me. I stuck with it until the children went to go live with the Harrimen. I just couldn't continue with it after that.

My apologies to the authors ... I tried putting this story down and then going back to it, thinking maybe I just needed a small break. Sometimes that works for me. It just didn't this time. I'm not saying that this is a bad book as the part I read was well-written, but it's just not for me.


*An ecopy of this novel was provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.