Nimue may be Morgan le Fay's cousin, but she wants to learn
scholarly subjects from Merlin not magic from Morgan. To
prevent trouble, Merlin has requested that Nimue disguise
herself as a boy named Colin. It's a good thing that Nimue
is working hard to understand Merlin's teachings as his
reasoning and deductive skills are about to be tested by
friends and enemies alike.
After Percival finds the Stone of Bran, reputed to bring
peace and good fortune to whomever owns it, Arthur has it
brought to Camelot hoping to make his Kingdom stronger.
When the Stone of Bran is stolen from Arthur's study, along
with Excalibur which was used to kill the young squire sent
to fetch the relic, the number of possible suspects is as
large as the King's guest list. Courtly intrigue and
complicated personal relationships only muddy the water
more. Who would take such precious and recognizable
objects? What could they possibly hope to gain?
It's an unexpected, but appreciated, surprise to find these
legendary figures taking on new lives and personas. In
bringing a fresh view of old legends, the author has given
accepted lore a strong twist. It may not be to everyone's
liking that Arthur doesn't seem as bright as is his usual
reputation, but it makes the story possible. Merlin's
characteristics are tweaked into a jaded view of magic and
a firm defense of logic. Guenevere, Lancelot, Mordred,
Percival, and more are also present in the story but
radically different from what the reader might be
expecting. A challenging mystery for Merlin and friends
ties the action and adventures together nicely.
Merlin makes a great investigator—and it only looks like
magic.
Merlin is no magician, merely a scholar
and advisor to King Arthur. But after the supposedly magical
Stone of Bran is stolen—along with the legendary sword
Excalibur—and one of Arthur’s squires is brutally murdered
during the theft, Merlin must use the power of reason to
conjure up a miracle and catch a murderer.