The Seven Songs Of Merlin (2000) - Plot & Excerpts
Je tiens tout d’abord à remercier les Editions Nathan pour l’envoi de ce livre, et pour la confiance qu’ils me témoignent. Ce fut un réel plaisir de découvrir la suite des aventures du jeune Merlin.Nous retrouvons Merlin, ou nous l’avons laissé dans le premier tome. Lors du grand conseil, il se voit confier « la Harpe fleurie » avec pour mission, de redonner vie aux Collines obscures avant le retour de Rhita Gawr, qui ne manquera pas de vouloir se venger. Il ne doit surtout pas se détourner de cette tâche, et pour l’aider, Rhia, lui propose de l’accompagner.Dans la première partie du livre, j’ai trouvé Merlin agaçant, il fait preuve d’orgueil, il est beaucoup trop sur de lui. Mais tout cela a bien sur une raison, et sert admirablement l’intrigue. Il va vite se repentir, de ne pas avoir écouter les avertissements des divers personnes qui l’entouraient. Non seulement, par orgueil, il va abandonner la tâche qui lui avait été confiée, mettant en danger, toute l’île de Fincayra, mais il va également payer très cher son entêtement, à vouloir faire revenir sa mère. En effet, Rhita Gawr n’aura pas attendu longtemps pour exercer sa première vengeance. S’il veut sauver Helen, (la mère de merlin), l’apprenti enchanteur va devoir partir dans une quête désespérée, accompagnée de la fidèle Rhia, pour apprendre à maîtriser les sept chants de l’enchanteur. Ces différentes étapes m’ont fait penser, à la légende des douze travaux d’Hercule, l’auteur en fait d’ailleurs mention dans le livre.Sur ce chemin périlleux, notre duo d’aventurier va rencontrer, Bumbelwy, un nouveau personnage. Ce dernier est un « bouffon » ou du moins c’est ce qu’il essaie d’être, mais il ne fait rire personne, il agace tout le monde autour de lui. Il suivra Merlin et Rhia dans la découverte des sept chants de l’enchanteur, et avant la fin du livre, il finira par faire « rire » quelqu’un de très inattendu, mais je ne vous en dis pas plus.Dans ce tome, Merlin va apprendre la sagesse, il s’agit d’une sorte de parcours initiatique pour lui, sur les traces de son grand-père, Tuatha, qui a été un très grand enchanteur. Merlin découvre la future épée du roi « Arthur », son nom n’est pas mentionnée, mais il apprend qu’il existe une prophétie selon laquelle dans quelques années, il plantera cette épée dans un rocher, et que seul un grand roi arrivera à l’en déloger. Pour nous, bien sur, aucun doute n’est permis.J’ai préféré ce tome, au précédent, tout simplement, parce que je trouve qu’il n’y a aucun temps mort, l’ensemble s’enchaîne très vite. De plus, à la fin du roman, des révélations importantes nous sont données. J’ai hâte de lire la suite.Ce livre a été publié aux Editions Nathan en avril 2013.http://milleetunepages.com/2013/04/12...
Rhita Gawr may have been defeated for the moment, but Merlin's battles aren't over yet. The Seven Songs of Merlin has the legendary teenage wizard embarking on a harrowing new journey, with far more personal goal -- saving his mother. And T.A. Barron's lushly flowering prose and mythological insertions make this a delight.Merlin is given the Flowering Harp to repair the land from the blight's damage. But since his ego is getting out of control, he decides to bring his mother Elen to Fincayra instead, even though he knows that this may attract Rhita Gawr's attention. Well, you can guess what happens -- Rhita Gawr sends a "death shadow" after Merlin, which attacks Elen. She can only be cured by the Dagda's intervention.The spirit of Merlin's grandfather Tuatha tells him that he must master the Seven Songs of wizardry before he can meet Dagda, and he only has a month before Elen will die. Desperate to save her, Merlin sets off to accomplish his mission -- along with Rhia and the depressing jester Bumblewy -- but he may lost just as much as he stands to gain...Most fantasy heroes pretty much take the "saving the world" thing in stride, so it's a nice touch that this heroic quest is triggered by the hero's ego blowing out of control, meaning he has to fix what he's broken. And like any magical quest, it's crammed with bizarre creatures, magic and a new brewing threat to Fincayra.Barron's prose is still richly-descriptive, soaked with forests, leaves and fields, as well as a burned wasteland that is almost painful to read about. He balances out a feeling of urgency, woven with humor (Bumblewy's eventual success in making someone laugh), strange magical items, and a journey that reminds me of Greek heroes' journeys into the underworld.Merlin is the same flawed hero as before, and he finds out the hard way that with great power comes great responsibility, yada yada Spiderman stuff. It's a wrenching, powerful chunk of character development, particularly since EVERY problem in this book is his fault. Rhia is the same irrepressable forest sprite, ready to pierce Merlin's ego when it needs a pinprick, and we learn something genuinely surprising about her in this story.If The Lost Years of Merlin was an exploration of the hero's mysterious roots, then Seven Songs is all about him exploring his even more mysterious magical powers.
What do You think about The Seven Songs Of Merlin (2000)?
- I like how Barron imagined Stonehenge to be created, but how does it get to Earth and England? - Merlin is SO frustrating!! He is an arrogant jerk who thinks very highly of himself. It gets a little better towards the end, and learns some humility, but most of the book, he is arrogant.- I'm grateful there is a map in the front of the book. It helped since there was a ton of traveling.- I love how Merlin receives Excalibur! Naming was my favorite song! I loved that whole part.- Can't Merlin follow any orders/rules/directions/warnings!!! FAIL!- While I'm on a rant, what was the point of Bumbelwy? He was completely useless and didn't add anything to the story. Even the characters complained about him tagging along.- I thought the whole story and plot of this book was well done. I love that Merlin had to learn so many things, and I can see how he uses these precious lessons in the future. - It is really fun reading a story about a character you already know. We already know what happens to Merlin in the future, so it is interesting to see how he is becoming this great wizard. - I love the little Arthur hints.- Overall, I enjoyed the book, but dang some of the characters bugged me!
—Kami
Merlin definitely screwed up. He got his mother poisoned, shirked his duties to heal the Fincayra with the Flowering Harp, and he was extremely arrogant. After all of that, he has to learn the meaning of the Seven Songs to save his mother. The things standing in his way are Balor the ogre that killed his grandfather, Tuatha, who was a great wizard. Yeah, Merlin can really move around fast. I've got to say, connections are almost always a very good thing to have when you want to get somewhere quickly. Merlin, Rhia, and Bumbley race around Fincayra while the month goes by. Did they make it? You'll have to read this volume of the Merlin saga!
—Keillan
Once again, this story has a slow start, and during the beginning of the book all you can do is shake your head at how stupid Merlin is acting, but when push comes to shove he gets his head on straight, as long as he has Rhia there to keep him going.This story doesn't have a ton of action in it. You follow Merlin's path has he uncovers the souls of the seven songs of wizardry. Some of the songs have a more intense journey then some of the others, but not terribly action packed. There is always a constant sense of urgency because Merlin has a strict time limit of a month to uncover the souls of all seven songs. This is still a great story.I absolutely love Rhia in this story, she is always there trying to keep Merlin on the straight and narrow while still being strange and funny in her own way. Then we also meet a mournful jester Bumblewy. And as a baker myself I love when Merlin and his friends visit the town of the bakers and see all the cool things they do with their bread."Trust in the berries," ~Rhia
—J.A. Dalley
