Der Erbe (1973)

This is the second book in [a:Mary Stewart|15590|Mary Stewart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1210367214p2/15590.jpg]'s Arthurian Saga.

The story picks up immediately after the close of [b:The Crystal Cave|82192|The Crystal Cave (Arthurian Saga, #1)|Mary Stewart|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439344566l/82192._SY75_.jpg|1864677] and continues to be told through the voice of Merlin. I said in my review of that book, that this was a Merlin I had never encountered before and I adored him. This still holds true.

Merlin is a grown man now, Arthur has been conceived and Merlin now knows his life's work will revolve around this unborn child. We travel with Merlin through the many years the child is hidden. During the years Merlin untangles the visions he has seen of the child and discovers the history of the sword in those visions. By the end of this book, Uther is dead, Arthur is Lord King of Britain and the sword has been taken from the stone.

[a: Stewart's|15590|Mary Stewart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1210367214p2/15590.jpg] writing is luscious and beautiful. The book is pure fantasy for the soul. At the end of this book, she again recounts the legends that have passed down through the ages, and in her Author Notes she explains how she came to structure the world and draw her characters.

I loved it, and will definitely move on to book 3. ( )

See comment on The Crystal Cave. This trilogy should be read all at once. It's not very long. ( )

Not as fresh as the first in the series, but still inventive and fun. Merlin is now 20 or so and we start the wait for Arthur to grow old enough to become King and lift the Sword.

The tale picks up immediately from the end of Crystal Cave which I wasn't expecting, but quickly skips a few years, once a safe foster home is worked out. Merlin wonders around a lot, trying not to become tied to the location that Arthur is hidden. One of the drawbacks of this middle trilogy book, is that nothing really happens, we know what we're expecting to happen, and just waiting for enough time to pass until it does. There's very limited amount of suspense that can be induced and mortal danger to any of the protagonists is precluded.

There's a little bit of politicking and some Kings, petty and otherwise of territories we don't care about jostling for rank and status, but its all forgettable. Women make a slight appearance in that Uther has two daughters, Morgon and Morguese, and their fates will tie into arthurs in the future - and the first of the knights of the round table are mentioned, although not at clear that this telling will feature them. There's a hidden sword which merlin finds and hides and reveals to Arthur, again on drama, but cleverly done just about in keeping with the popular traditions, but reworked uniquely and believably within the previously set limits of this universe.

By no means bad, and certainly compelling enough to continue with the series, just lacking some action. ( )

Merlin seeks sword for Arthur and watches over his rearing

hb ( )