All good things come to an end, and so it is for Merlin's stay in the magical land of Fincayra.And the last volume of T.A. Barron's series about the Arthurian wizard Merlin, "The Wizard's Wings," is a solid conclusion to his first cycle of books (there are two sequel series). It's a fitting if bittersweet ending to this five-book "trilogy," and it sets the stage for other facets of Arthurian legend.Merlin, Hallia and Rhia are having fun when the Dagda appears in a vision, and warns Merlin that the battle against Rhita Gawr is about to come to a head. Dagda can't attack Rhita Gawr directly without unbalancing the world, and so it's up to a wizard -- Merlin -- to rally Fincayra's weird and wonderful array of races against Rhita Gawr.Even worse, Merlin's father Stangmar has escaped from his prison and is going after Elen, and a sinister masked man with swords instead of arms is killing children -- and Merlin's spells don't work against him. Merlin must rally together the giants, the dwarves, the marsh ghouls, and everyone else in Fincayra -- but it may not be enough to defeat Rhita Gawr without using a truly exalted magic.Until T.A. Barron's "Merlin" series, there were very few satisfying books about Merlin's early life. Spinning off from "The Merlin Effect," Barron intertwined Celtic legend and his own imagination -- and while there's a bittersweet edge to the series' finale, it's a suitable ending to Merlin's coming-of-age, both as a wizard and as a man.Barron's writing is lush and descriptive, especially when the characters are in natural surroundings. Skies, trees, oceans, sights, sounds, smells, and the magical presence of Fincayra fills the pages. And Barron takes his trilogy forward into Arthurian territory as Merlin brings earthshattering changes to his world -- including a truly memorable, epic climax to the whole series.And Barron proves that he doesn't do plot elements at random: the man with sword-arms has a specific reason to be mad at Merlin, and a shocking double identity earlier in the series. The battle against Rhita Gawr somehow elevates itself above the usual fantasy cliches of the good guys versus the evil Dark Lord, especially with the added mystical element.Merlin has changed a lot from the insecure, slightly whiny boy of the first book, who didn't want magic and barely knew how to use it. But Barron doesn't make him all-powerful; he still has doubts, worries, and there are things he hasn't figured out how to do. Rhia is funny and mischievous (and so is the little creature in her pocket). Returning characters like Shim, Elen, Cairpre (who doesn't love Cairpre?) and others are almost as good.And while there is a bittersweetness to leaving the magical Fincayra (good and bad) and the story of Merlin, "The Wizard's Wings" leaves itself wide open for future stories. Brilliantly written, wonderfully thought out, and a fitting finale.
The Wings of Merlin is the fifth and final book in T.A. Barron's "Lost Years of Merlin" series. While I found this last of the series more concentrated with cliches - moments reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and The Chronicles of Narnia- I also found it the most touching of the five parts. The characters finally seemed well-developed and interesting; the relationships were truthful and the fight stirred in the many creatures of Fincayra, when facing it's final hour and possible extinction, was believable and - as embarassing as it is to say - almost tear-jerking. There were losses, and gains. Tough choices placed before all the major characters, with an understanding of how and why these choices were made, in the end. Old characters were brought back again, and new characters woven in, effortlessly. Even the blatant nod to Barron's sequel "Avalon" series was acceptable, though not too cleverly or craftily disguised. All-in-all, this final book, with it's flaws in repetitive themes, motifs, and vocabulary (yes, I'm that picky) is still the best, most well-developed of the bunch and - if you've made it this far, I don't see how you could be disappointed.
What do You think about The Wings Of Merlin (2003)?
This is the fifth and final book of T.A. Barron’s THE LOST YEARS OF MERLIN cycle, one of the earliest literary explorations of the famous wizard’s childhood. Since then there have been a number of books (and one television show) about what this enigmatic sorcerer was like as a young boy, well before his mentoring of the famed King Arthur, but Barron’s take on the subject matter remains one of the most popular.So popular that it’s warranted a recent re-publication, with new cover art and tweaked titles. What was originally published as The Wings of Merlin is now called A Wizard’s Wings and the entire MERLIN collection — including its two spin-off series — has been repackaged as a twelve-book ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
—Fantasy Literature
End book of the series. All the books in the series are very well written for a young audience. While many books in the young adult section have an adult feel, this series maintains a youthful vibe. This is a virtue not a fault. I love the story Barron has woven about Merlin, just the right balance of darkness and light just like the character of Arthur legends. Merlin his a boy first with all the faults that come with youth and has to learn how to be a man. Fantastical creatures, friends and foes alike, a beautiful story. This book felt a little long, but it is the last in a series so Barron was trying to wrap up a lot of loose strings, and make his world work into the Arthur legends we know. While I applaud his effort, it felt a little long and could have done without some of the story lines. All in all a great series, but you can't start with this book. Go back to the beginning and start from there. You won't be able to read just one. I might have to do just that and read the series to my almost 8 yr old next year. She loves a good adventure story.
—Janna
After the rather disappointing "The Mirror of Merlin" Barron gets the story back on track in a truly magical conclusion that does justice to the series and makes this an impressive addition to the world of Merlin literature.The longest night of the year threatens to bring together Fincayra and the Otherworld. At this point Rhita Gawr provides a terrible threat against the land. If this weren't enough, a sword-armed man travles along attacking children.The story is quick-paced, the writing lively and personable. As any good conclusion should do, this reunites beloved characters and manages to wrap up every loose end I could think of. The ending, with all its excitement and danger, had me absorbed. The book ends like it should, and is thoroughly satisfying.Really, this is just the end to what has been a delightful series. Great for young fantasy lovers.
—Emily Morris
