Merlin's Bones ANNOTATION
"Many have written of King Arthur, but in Merlin's Bones Fred Saberhagen has wonderfully connected Camelot, what came after, and what came before, with our own near future through the spiraling coils of time. Nothing is what you were told, nothing is what you remember, nothing is what it seems. It's terrific." says Robert Jordan, author of The Wheel of Time.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
"Many have written of King Arthur, but in Merlin's Bones Fred Saberhagen has wonderfully connected Camelot, what came after, and what came before, with our own near future through the spiraling coils of time. Nothing is what you were told, nothing is what you remember, nothing is what it seems. It's terrific." says Robert Jordan, author of The Wheel of Time. HC: Tor.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly - Cahners\\Publishers_Weekly
Proving that there's still abundant life in the oft-told Arthurian legends, Saberhagen's (The Book of Swords) reworking weaves together distant past, near future and fairy realm into a compelling and intriguing whole. In the past, a troupe of travelling players is being pursued by a rampaging conqueror. Amby, the youngest of the novel's several narrators, uses his powers of second sight to his advantage as he and his fellow travelers enter the fortress protecting the bones of the recently deceased sorcerer, Merlin. In the near future, Dr. Elaine Brusen is confronted with the Fisher King, Morgan Le Fay and Mordred, all of whom want control of her hypostator machine, a device capable of altering fundamental reality. Elaine must follow her own twisting road, through the realm of fairy and beyond, if she is to remain safe and find true love. The ensuing battles for Arthur's survival, Merlin's bones, the succession of New Camelot and Elaine's heart prove both suspenseful and delightful. Saberhagen's narrative juggling is dazzling and imbues the novel's many paradoxes with an elusive grace. (The Tennyson lines on Elaine's computer terminal add a particularly lyrical touch.)
Publishers Weekly
Proving that there's still abundant life in the oft-told Arthurian legends, Saberhagen's (The Book of Swords) reworking weaves together distant past, near future and fairy realm into a compelling and intriguing whole. In the past, a troupe of travelling players is being pursued by a rampaging conqueror. Amby, the youngest of the novel's several narrators, uses his powers of second sight to his advantage as he and his fellow travelers enter the fortress protecting the bones of the recently deceased sorcerer, Merlin. In the near future, Dr. Elaine Brusen is confronted with the Fisher King, Morgan Le Fay and Mordred, all of whom want control of her hypostator machine, a device capable of altering fundamental reality. Elaine must follow her own twisting road, through the realm of fairy and beyond, if she is to remain safe and find true love. The ensuing battles for Arthur's survival, Merlin's bones, the succession of New Camelot and Elaine's heart prove both suspenseful and delightful. Saberhagen's narrative juggling is dazzling and imbues the novel's many paradoxes with an elusive grace. (The Tennyson lines on Elaine's computer terminal add a particularly lyrical touch.) (Apr.)
Library Journal
Dr. Elaine Brusen's research into the nature of time and space opens a gateway connecting the 21st century with England's post-Arthurian Dark Ages. This creates a nexus of magical energy that centers on the resting place of one of legendary history's most powerful individuals. Veteran sf and fantasy author Saberhagen (Seance for a Vampire, LJ 5/15/94) juxtaposes the perils of a wandering troupe of medieval actors, a Viking warrior's holy quest, the legend of the Fisher King, and a modern scientist's search for the ultimate truth to create an intoxicating blend of romance, adventure, danger, and time-travel. Most libraries should acquire this title.
Locus
Arthurian legend gets a new face in this fantasy novel.
Quasar Reviews
Is Saberhagen a wizard? You decide. He is one of hte most gifted writers of our time.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"Many have written of King Arthur, but in Merlin's Bones Fred Saberhagen has wonderfully connected Camelot, what came after, and what came before, with our own near future through the spiraling coils of time. Nothing is what you were told, nothing is what you remember, nothing is what it seems. It's terrific." — Robert Jordan
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