The Dragon and the Unicorn

I think one of the problems is trying to judge this book on the myths it was based on, or on the story of king arthur. This book isn't just a mere retelling, but a complete reworking. To get lost in its accuracy toward Christian or Norse mythology is to miss the greater point, that this book is ultimately about redemption amidst monumental failures. In that respect, it can be just as inspirational as any musty Scripture if not more so.

Although this book is a at first little hard to get into simply because of its poetic and lyrical style, once you are acquainted with Attanasio's descriptive and unique story-telling, you'll find yourself swept up in a tale of such breath-taking imagery that you'll feel as though earth no longer is a place of mundane routine and solely human reign, but really is the home to mystical beings whose power and actions drive the inner fires of its heart. With a spell-binding finale, this book, written in the present tense, is a journey written by a literary master, who weaves the traditional Arthurian saga into a powerful tale that keeps you captivated until the end.

I've read at least a dozen tellings of the story of Merlin and Arthur, but this is by far the most original. Attanasio weaves together Norse and Celtic beliefs with elements of Christianity to create a rich and fascinating cosmic struggle. This new mythology, starting at the beginning of time, provides a backdrop for the "birth" and development of Merlin. The writing is exceptional... fluid and magical. The characters are engaging and complex.This book is a great read by itself, as well as a wonderful introduction for Attanasio's later books.

This is an Attanasio tour de force, blending an incredible array of different ideas from myth and legend into a gripping story. It isn't your father's Arthur--but it's dense and engaging and exciting. I can see that some might be offended at the mixing of myths from different times and different places, and the addition of Attanasio's own "backstory". But we're talking about fantasy here, not some sort of historical treatise. And the tradition of cobbling together Christian and Pagan mythologies into amazing fantasy was started with Tolkien along with the whole genre. The lushness of Attanasio's prose may also strike some as overwritten but to me its brilliant. This is a sophisticated author at the height of his powers and he vastly outclasses most of the other entries in the field.

To anyone who has ever had a combined interest in mythology, sociology, history and life in general this is a great book to fit on your shelf. In so many ways it touches the different sides of people and gives a personal light to the universe around us. It has death, love, magic and joy. It is a good book to help shape anyone's collective existance.