The Fires of Merlin (Merlin Saga) - Hardcover

Barron, T. A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399230203 ISBN 13: 9780399230202

Publisher: Philomel Books, 1998

Synopsis

Wings of Fire, the sleeping dragon, has awakened, threatening to loose his terrible wrath on all of Fincayra. Only young Merlin, grandson of the great wizard Tuatha, can stop him, though the price may well be the young wizard's life.But before he can face the dragon's fires, Merlin must endure fires of other kinds—including those within himself. He must face the evil, batlike kreelixes who exist only to destroy magic; the mysterious Wheel of Wye; and the sorceress Urnalda, who holds the treasured Galator. Most challenging, young Merlin must discover not the power but the source of his own magic.

In this the third story in his Arthurian epic, T. A. Barron adds a thrilling new dimension to the legend of Merlin.

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.

My five-book epic about Merlin's youth 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, please visit my official website.

From the Inside Flap

The third audiobook in The Lost Years of Merlin series finds Merlin facing his greatest challenge yet in order to save the realm.

Long ago on the magical island of Fincayra, the last emperor of the dragons took revenge against the realm for the slaughter of his mate and their only offspring. Merlin's grandfather--a mighty wizard--saved the land by casting a sleeping spell over the dragon.

The dragon called Wings of Fire has awakened from his enchanted slumber. Prophecy dictates that only the descendant of the wizard who first defeated the dragon possesses the power to stop him. Before Merlin can go to battle, he must conquer his own fears by confronting the sorceress who has stolen his magical talisman--a talisman needed to stop Wings of Fire. But according to the prophecy, the one who destroys the dragon must also die . . .

About this edition

• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0399230203
• ISBN 13: 9780399230202
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320