The Crystal Cave is the first book in The Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart and tells the origins of Merlin. It starts when he is still a child known as Myrddin Emrys living with his mother, Niniane, in Maridunum. Though his mother is a princess and he is noble born Merlin is also a bastard and treated as such by most of his grandfather’s household. Utilizing this he learns to hide in plain sight and pay attention to everything people say around him. As he grows he starts exhibiting the power of the sight when he figures out his uncle is trying to poison him. He also becomes friends with Galapas, a man who lives in a nearby cave filled with crystal. Keeping their friendship secret Galapas teaches him everything he knows about the natural world and about healing. Though far from an idyllic childhood it remains relatively peaceful due to the lull as they wait for Ambrosius to return and try to retake his throne as rightful high king of England. When things finally start going out of control and are dangerous for him, he finds himself fleeing for his own life.
This is a great depiction of the early life of Merlin which is not something frequently covered in fiction due to the heavy focus on the life of Arthur. Honestly, I rather enjoyed seeing how he got his start. What was really interesting though was the use of original place names and how they made sure to clarify which group would have used which name. Not many authors care to do the research to make sure they are being accurate so I greatly appreciated that. It also added some extra depth and realism to the story as a lot of the minor details remain accurate. A lot of the historical details were accurate so I found it easy to fall into the story. In addition to that though the story was also incredibly compelling and it really just drew me right in. I often had a hard time finding a good spot to take a break. The pacing was just right as it started slow and built up over time as did the tension present in the story. It was well written and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story and I genuinely think I might have learned a few new things about Merlin. The characterization of Merlin was also extremely well done as it showed how he slowly was growing into the person we have become familiar with from other stories. Though I am familiar with Merlin I am more familiar with Arthur and Camelot in general. It was great finding a story with a heavy focus on Merlin in particular which was slightly unusual but a breath of fresh air for this kind of story. I am pretty happy with the story overall and am giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This book is great and would hold the most appeal for readers who enjoy reading about King Arthur and Camelot but it would also probably hold some appeal for people who prefer fantasy in general and possibly even those who enjoy historical fiction. It does contain decent levels of mildly graphic violence and some minor adult references but it should still otherwise be suitable for readers as young as sixteen without any major problems. If it sounds appealing I hope you will consider trying it out. Remember to share your thoughts in the comments.