The Hollow Hills

After the thrills of The Crystal Cave, we pick Merlin up, bleeding on the side of the road out of Tintagel, and watch as he begins his journey into the life of the boy who will be King Arthur. One of literature’s great characters, Merlin is the bridge between Ambrosius and Arthur--the once and future kings, and for my money he embodies all that is fine about both of them. Mary Stewart's Merlin appeals to me mostly because of his humanity. He pays a high price for his powers, and they are grant [...]

An excellent follow up to The Crystal Cave & beautifully read. It's the same in style & tone, too. I want to call this 'old school' fantasy. There is no graphic sex, violence, or even any flashy magic, but there is an aura of mystery & pomp that permeates the entire story. There is a hard core of realism tempered by spirituality that defines the world & the magic. The descriptions are lyric, too. A fantastic break from the current style of writing & yet not boring at all. In [...]

The first half was 3 stars, but the second half was amazing. More later!

Mary Stewart’s Arthurian books are certainly very different to her romance/mystery ones. It’s much more the world of Rosemary Sutcliff’s Sword at Sunset than the sort of world her heroines inhabit in the modern stories: one of uncertain magic and prophecy, of blood and hatred and death. And it comes out much less positive about female characters. There are few prominent ones, and even mentions of women tend to be dark portents and shadows on the future Merlin foresees. But I do love the We [...]

I enjoyed more than the first book (I didn't think it was possible). Well, when I read the first book in the series l loved it but as I go on reading the second book I began to feel more and more excited even though Mary Stewart made me wait to let happen what I looked forward to coming. But even though it came late, I was enjoying as much as I grew impatient. I loved Arthur as much as I love Merlin. If this series even a little seems interesting, you shouldn't miss and read them :))) I don't kn [...]

A beautiful, wonderfully written story. Even the Christians are treated fair (unlike the previous volume). One star out for a redundant episode: Merlin is caught three times, each time being released once recognized. Not unbelievable given the circumstances; however, the author could have done that part of the tale much better.

An absolutely wonderful interpretation of the Arthurian Legend!!! Mary Stewart's writing is captivating! The Hollow Hills is a thoroughly satisfying read; a masterpiece! (I am not sure what else I can say that has not already been said about this book.) My favorite passage:"If it was indeed the King's sword of Britain, and Arthur was to be the King who would lift it, it must lie in a place as holy and as haunted as the shrine where I myself had found it. And when the day came the boy must be led [...]

5+ dazzling stars!Another phenomenal installment in Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga, The Hollow Hills begins right where we concluded the brilliant gem of a story, The Crystal Cave. The masterful storytelling, the wonder and the adventure are no less evident here than in the first of the series! I was captured once again and savored every word as if it were a treasure. In this book, the compassionate and human side of Merlin is revealed even further. Merlin, as "the instrument of the gods", knows [...]

This will be a short review because I have a joint blog post about this book with my co-blogger in crime, Moonlight Reader.I still like having Merlin as the narrator in these books and we do get some insight into what power is calling to him and also to Arthur. I found Merlin to be just as obstinate as the character of Uther at times because he doesn't like to be challenged. And I think at times Stewart tries to over explain the appeal of the character of Arthur to those around him. The women ar [...]

In part 2 of the Arthurian saga we have, instead of Excalibur, Caliburn. The sword is claimed by Arthur in a different manner from the traditional story but still fits nicely with the theme. As with book 1, I think Hollow Hills is also a great book and keeps the reader yearning to move on to part 3.

The second book in the series follows much the same path with the first by stayin mainly outside of the classic legend, necessarily of course because of the choice to follow the story through the eyes of the magician Merlin. In the case of this book Additionally we are in a vacuum of the story between the conception of Arthur and his taking of the crown so necessarily the author must improvise and here we fall in a problematic situation. I must confess that I do not believe that this gap was cov [...]

These books are so beautifully written. Is it bad, being as how it's called the Arthurian Saga, that I'm bummed the next one is going to be more about Arthur and less about Merlin? Favorite quotes: 387. "Everyone knows the King's unchancy to cross. But you just looked cold as ice, as if you expected him to do what you wanted, just as everyone does! You, afraid? You're not afraid of anything that's real.""That's what I mean," I said. "I'm not sure how much courage is needed to face human enemies- [...]

Mm. I could literally roll in Stewart's writing. Seriously. Like a dog. It's just the setting of it all is so rich it's like Middle Earth. Only, er, real. Sort of. And not quite as gorgeous and fantastic - but close.

Sometimes it is the later books in a series that really bring the whole thing together. This is definitely the case when it comes to The Hollow Hills. The story doesn’t exceed The Crystal Cave, in fact, I would say the Crystal Cave is by far the more interesting novel, but I firmly believe that The Hollow Hills takes the story of Merlin, and makes it a legend. I think that it is this novel that makes me think back to The Crystal Cave with a smile, because the happenings of that novel are const [...]

Others have reviewed this book at great length, so I'll just focus in on what has stayed with me since my first reading (I've read this series multiple times): the relationship between Merlin and Arthur. In so many tellings of this tale, Merlin appears only at the beginning--to prophesy Arthur's coming, to teach him and prophesy his death, and then to disappear. Arthur may mourn the loss of a guide/teacher/enchanter, but the relationship between the two is not as important as Arthur's relationsh [...]

The sword in the stone Mary Stewart style- absolutely brilliant! I loved the way that this very famous part of the Arthur saga was dealt with in such a totally believable way.(view spoiler)[Mryddin first having a treasure hunt to find a long lost sword from Maximus, having found it hides it again in a place where Arthur would find it later. There was no Lady of the Lake figure, but with Myrddin hiding it on an island in the midde of a lake gave the story it's necessary mystery with Arthur discov [...]

The Mists of Avalon ruined any other Arthur legend tales for me. I know this is a famous and well-loved version of the story (written by a woman, even), but it's just too Christian and patriarchal for me.

Much more than 5 stars. What a satisfying read!!!! I liked this one even more than The Crystal Cave. I am excited to read the continuing story in The Last Enchantment with Arthur now as King. Full review to follow. So beautifully told.

The Hollow Hills is the second book in Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga and covers the fifteen years between Arthur's birth and his acclamation as High King as experienced by Merlin, who spends much of it avoiding the limelight and traveling to Asia Minor and Constantinople. In a word, not taking a role in Arthur's life whatsoever until a few months before the boy's acclamation.Which is the primary problem. We can't engage with either the chief character of the novel or with his ostensible ward. We [...]

Ok, the first book of this series was just so so for me.en I started this one. Oh my! I am loving it. Merlin goes on a search for the legendary sword, Arthur grows up, Uther the king passes and so much more. Written so that you feel you are right there with Merlin leaning over his shoulders.

When I wrote up my review of The Crystal Cave, I said I had read the first two books in this Arthurian series by Mary Stewart years ago, but I think I may have been wrong. None of what I read in this second volume felt at all familiar to me (except in the general Arthurian sense), so I’m not sure I ever read it after all. Of course, it’s only been a short time since I finished it and it’s and is already fading from memory, so who knows?The only distinct impression I have after reading The [...]

While the characters in the story were interesting enough, the fact that Merlin is not in fact an enchanter of immense power is a take on the saga that I did not particularly care for. For me, it was almost akin to making Sherlock Holmes solve all of his mysteries by pure luck rather than unparalleled genius.In addition, much of the story was not all that relevant. There were times where I would skip entire pages that went on an on about political unrest with so and so in such and such a place. [...]

I remember the Hollow Hills as one story with the Crystal Cave, so I repeat my review. This is a sequel that will not disappoint. Before the Lord of the Rings, there was Arthur—Arthur and Merlin, Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur and Camelot. I had seen the movies Sword in the Stone and Camelot, read T. H. White’s Once and Future King, and other accounts of Arthur and the Knights, including translations of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight—but my very favorite of all these st [...]

Loved this book. Written by Mary Stewart (1916) and first published in 1973 with Arthur and Merlin as the main protagonists. This story covers the time from the birth of Arthur to the time that he gains the throne. Not much wizardry or fireballs but a great retelling of the legend. "In that night lashed by storm and brooded over by the dragon-star, death had seemed commonplace, and gods waiting, visible, at every corner". So well written with striking imagery and well crafted metaphores and simi [...]

Slow. At page 250 I realized I'd seen only about 25 pages of plot. I couldn't help feeling as if I were reading the author's background notes or justification for fitting her version of the tale into the older myths. If you read the plot summary, you can see really only three or four things happen. If you do read the plot summary, you shouldn't feel like you missed much by not reading the book itself. If I had gained insight into magic or Merlin's heart or something, I wouldn't have complained [...]

Sequel to The Crystal Cave. This one introduces Arthur and takes us up through the events of his coronation. I'm still stuck on these questions of man and God, power and destiny, but I want to hold off until I'm done with the series. Except to say that I personally find man-made so much more compelling than God-made, even though God-made is dazzling and extraordinary. Destiny is such a cheap storytelling trick (yeah, you too, JKR) andStewart conducts a razor dance of intention and fate and volit [...]

I read Mary Stewart when I was a teenager, (Moonspinners?) and I'm not sure how I missed the Arthurian series when I was going through that phase. It's a good story, moves a little slow at times, but probably a must read if you like King Arthur legends.This series focuses on Merlin, making him quite a sympathetic character. It departs in places from the canonical storyline of Arthur (if there is one,) but the changes make sense in the context of Merlin's POV.

I like the idea of a re-telling of Arthurian legend from Merlin's point of view, and Stewart demonstrates a good knowledge of the myths from which Arthur sprang, but this book is overall so heavy on description that it just ends up slow and boring. :(

I was a little surprised that I finished this 16 hour audiobook in one week, but it was gripping/engaging. I read this story back in the ‘70s. I didn’t really remember the story but I remembered that I loved it and I loved the author, reading all her works available in those years. (I even have one that I have saved and I think I will pull it out to read soon.) When I saw this available for review I immediately sent a request. I am so glad that I did.This is the story of Merlin, The Enchante [...]

3.5 stars. I was doubting so much between 3 and 4 stars The writing of this book is great and the story is entertaining. There is also nothing wrong with the pacing. The characters were well written and loveable. But somehow there is not enough emotionality and tension in this book. It stays pretty level headed (maybe because Merlin always knows how things will turn out in the end). And because of this it didn't quite grip me. I loved reading the book and had a good time, I just wasn't swept awa [...]