The Merlin Effect - Hardcover

Barron, T. A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399226893 ISBN 13: 9780399226892

Publisher: Philomel, 1994

Synopsis

Kate Gordon travels to a remote lagoon in Baja California, hoping to help her father discover a sunken Spanish galleon that disappeared centuries ago. In time, she learns that the ship may have carried something far more valuable than all the gold and silver aboard—a mysterious drinking horn out of Arthurian legend, which may have led to the demise of the wizard Merlin.

As she explores alone in her sea kayak, Kate encounters several pieces of the puzzle: a terrible whirlpool, a group of ever-singing whales, a seemingly ageless fish, and a prophecy that, under certain conditions, the ancient ship may rise and sail again. She plunges into an undersea world of bizarre creatures and terrifying foes. But to save the life of her father, she must find some way to regain her own free will, and to succeed where even Merlin failed.

This remarkable tale, companion to Heartlight and The Ancient One, weaves together mystery and fact, history and myth, science and faith, all in the course of a compelling adventure.

About this title

From the Author

For me, writing is exploring. Whether it's the surprising connections among people, the wondrous patterns of nature, or the mysterious wellsprings of the spirit--the universe beckons. I love to explore it, whether by foot or by pen.

Writing is both the most joyous--and most agonizing-labor I know. And it is by far the best way to travel--in our world or any other. Ever since my youth on a ranch in Colorado, I've felt passionate about nature--and about writing. I wrote and published my own magazine as a kid, called the Idiot's Odyssey, which sold about five copies an issue (including the ones my parents bought). I kept writing during my college years at Princeton, and during my years at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. During that time at Oxford, I composed stories and poems while hiking in the Scottish highlands, while sitting beneath the boughs of an English oak I named Merlin's tree, while backpacking through Asia, Africa, and the Arctic; and while participating in a traditional roof thatching in Japan. Even during my years managing a fast-growing business in New York City, I often rose before dawn to write.

Finally, I followed my dream to write full time. In 1990, I moved back to Colorado and started writing in the attic of my home, with the help of my wife and our five young children.

Currently, I am writing book four of my five-book epic about Merlin's youth, which gives me a chance to add a new dimension to the rich lore about this enduring figure. Why am I spending almost a decade writing about Merlin? Because he is much, much more than a great wizard. His story is, in truth, a metaphor--for the idea that all of us, no matter how weak or confused, have a magical person down inside--waiting to be discovered. If you would like more information about the epic or my other books, please visit my official tabarron website.

About the Author

T.A. Barron is the award-winning author of fantasy novels such as The Lost Years of Merlin epic—soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards including The Nature Conservancy and The Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, and is the founder of a national award for heroic children. Following a life-changing decision to leave a successful business career to write full-time in 1990, Barron has written seventeen books, but is happiest when on the mountain trails with his wife, Currie, and their five children.

About this edition

• Publisher: Philomel
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0399226893
• ISBN 13: 9780399226892
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272