Saxon Shore

✍ Scribed by Whyte, Jack

• Book ID: 109853474
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 532 KB
• Series: Camulod Chronicles 4
• Category: Fiction
• ISBN-13: 9780765306500

✦ Synopsis

Merlyn Britannicus and Uther Pendragon--The Silver Bear and The Red Dragon--are the leaders of the Colony, lifeblood to the community from which will come the fabled Camulod.

But soon their tranquility is in ruins, Uther lies dead following treachery...and all that is left of the dream is the orphaned babe Arthur. Heir to the Colony of Camulod, born with Roman heritage, as well as the royal blood of the Hibernians and the Celts, Arthur is the living incarnation of the sacred dream of his ancestors: independent survival in Britain amidst the ruins of the Roman Empire.

When Arthur is adopted by his cousin, Caius Merlyn Britannicus, an enormous responsibility is placed upon Merlyn's shoulders. Now he must prepare young Arthur to unify the clans of Britain and guard the mighty sword Excalibur, crafted by his great uncle Publius Varrus. Above all, Merlyn must see that Arthur survives to achieve his ancestors' dreams--in spite of the deadly threats rumbling from the Saxon Shore.

From Publishers Weekly

The fourth book in Whyte's engrossing, highly realistic retelling of the Arthurian legend takes up where The Eagle's Brood (1997) left off. Narrated by Caius Merlyn Brittanicus from journals written at the end of the "wizard's" long life, this volume begins in an immensely exciting fashion, with Merlyn and the orphaned infant Arthur Pendragon in desperate straits, adrift on the ocean in a small galley without food or oars. They are saved by a ship commanded by Connor, son of the High King of the Scots of Eire, who takes the babe with him to Eireland until the return of Connor's brother Donuil, whom Connor believes has been taken hostage by Merlyn. The plot then settles into well-handled depictions of political intrigue, the training of cavalry with infantry and the love stories that inevitably arise, including one about Donuil and the sorcerously gifted Shelagh and another about Merlyn's half-brother, Ambrose, and the skilled surgeon Ludmilla. As Camulod prospers, Merlyn works hard at fulfilling what he considers his destinyApreparing the boy for his prophesied role as High King of all Britain. Whyte's descriptions, astonishingly vivid, of this ancient and mystical era ring true, as do his characters, who include a number of strong women. Whyte shows why Camulod was such a wonder, demonstrating time and again how persistence, knowledge and empathy can help push back the darkness of ignorance to build a shining futureAa lesson that has not lost its value for being centuries old and shrouded in the mists of myth and magic. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-Three earlier books in this series have dealt with events that foreshadowed the rise of King Arthur. In this installment, readers learn of Merlin's antecedents and his descent from a Roman legionnaire and craftsman whose master creation was the sword Excalibur. Here, Merlyn Britannicus is presented as a man in his 30s, a wily political figure but very much a warrior, with no magical powers. In the vivid opening scene, he is adrift on the open sea with an infant in his arms, his cousin, the young Arthur. The following adventures concern Merlyn's efforts to assure Arthur's safety until he is old enough to begin to unify the divergent native clans of Britain with Saxon and Celtic invaders. This is first achieved by Merlyn's success in establishing a friendship with the Eirish tribe called the Scots, who effected his rescue from the shipwreck. His return to England with a force of the Scots and their remarkable war horses leads to the buildup of a fortressed community, which will eventually become Camulod, or Camelot. At the book's close, Arthur has become a capable young boy and Merlyn is removing him to Cumbria where Roman influence lingers. His intent is to raise and train him to worthy readiness for a great future. Whyte has taken an engaging approach to the long-established character of Merlin. Much that is new and intriguing brightens a legend that in many forms has always been enchanting.
Frances Reiher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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