The Hollow Hills Author:Mary Stewart Sequel to "The Crystal Cave". — "The Hollow Hills" takes place in a fifth-century Britain fraught with superstition and fear, where no life is safe, no law is stable, and where a king risks accusations of murder and adultery to get himself an heir. For his own safety, the boy Arthur, rejected as a bastard by his father, is long kept ignorant of h... more »is parentage.
Dangerous rides through the deep forests of England and Wales, sudden battles amidst brooding mountains, and retreats into secret hollows in the hills provide the background for this tale of Arthur's growth into manhood and his discovery of the strange sword that was to test his claim to power.
Behind and around Arthur always is the mysterious, strong, yet vulnerable figure of Merlin, who sees and knows so much but who, like Arthur, must also suffer for the sake of a nation being born. In this world of embattled kings and courtiers, hurried journeys, whispered anxieties, and sudden death, we watch Merlin and Arthur follow their common destiny.
Merlin is the narrator, and his prophetic voice communicates not only the bristling atmosphere of the ancient setting but also the profound relevance of this age-old tale to our own time.« less
Read this many years ago. I was remember HAVING to read it after having read the Crystal Cave. I seem to recall some future tech was involved, believe it or not. Great good read!
I thought this was the best of her series, but her series is not the best of the Arthurian sagas. Good ... but not as great as Jack Whyte or Lawhead or Attanasio or others I'm not selling!
The best thing I can tell you is, if you like J.R.R Tolkien, you will love this. It has a slow beginning, which can tend to push a reader away, but if you hang in there, it is well worth it. There are many tasks and obstacles that Merlin and his apprentice must overcome, with an action packed conclusion.