Review: Merlin's Wood by Robert Holdstock

Robert Holdstock has always been one of my favorite Fantasy authors. For years I searched for a copy of his book Merlin's Wood until I acquired one recently. That made my day. I finished it in one week. This book lives up to Mr. Holdstock's fine storytelling style of Mythic Fantasy. It should sit on a shelf with his Mythago Wood books.

The first thing that gets a reader involved are the dark mythological themes in the book. Ordinary people get caught up in a battle between an imprisoned Merlin and the wild Viviane. These two carry on their war using people as their pawns. Invariably, lives are ruined or destroyed. Few people know what is going on except the local inhabitants. It starts in their childhood when the children see ghosts of different eras walking on a certain path. They dance inside the ghosts, which gives them some powers and leads to dire consequences later. The mythological fantasy elements draw you into the depths of the story along with the setting.

Next, the setting gives the book an added depth of strange reality. The story takes place in the Brociliande forest of Brittany, France. Like his other novels, Mr. Holdstock describes the haunted forest in a realistic detail. Hidden paths and mysterious lakes evoke memorable images in the reader's mind. The setting brings the story to life and gives the characters a fantastic landscape to survive through the plot.

Lastly, the characters and plot make the book interesting to read. Martin returns home to bury his mother. She leaves a request for him to leave before the forces of Brociliande destroy him. When his adopted sister Rebecca returns too, they are caught up in the ancient battle of the place. They have a child which is born severally disabled. Events and tragedy leaves Martin trying to resolve the secrets of the forest. Mr. Holdstock deftly weaves the story together with impressive style.

There are two short stories included in this book. "Earth and Stone" is about a time traveler in Ireland during the Neolithic times of primitive mound builders. It has gritty descriptions of what the people and times were like. "The Silvering" is about a man's love for a Selkie. He undergoes unique experiences to find out what happened to her and to save her. The ending is gripping and unusual.

Merlin's Wood by Robert Holdstock adds a vivid book to his works. Strong mythological themes, a realistic setting, interesting characters and a good plot make this book a good read. The author writes in a vivid, detailed style that makes the reader think. If you ever run across a copy of this book, buy it and enjoy it. It is a good addition to any collection.

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