From Publishers Weekly
Holdstock's erudite fusion of British legend and Greek myth continues to enthrall in the second majestic installment (after 2003's Celtika) of his multi-layered Merlin Codex series. Seven centuries have passed since Merlin/Antiokus journeyed with Jason to find the Golden Fleece, and now the iconic mage, who ages only when he uses his powers, finds himself not in Greekland but in Alba (England). After an eerie brush with the Three of Awful Boding (the Fates) and a warning about a gift from Medea (Jason's betrayed wife and Merlin's first love), our hero travels to Ghostland to retrieve the children of the warlord Urtha, who is fighting to reclaim his fortress Taurovinda from Otherworld warriors. But when his enchanted ship Argo arrives in Alba, Merlin finds that Jason still is searching for his younger son, Kinos (aka Little Dreamer). Merlin accompanies Jason to the Otherworld, where Kinos has been hidden by his enchantress mother, Medea. Though Jason believes Merlin may have assisted Medea in his sons' faked murders and kidnapping, the two friends forge a truce and learn the consequences of the "corruption of love; the corrosion of hope." Haunting, intricately plotted and richly revisionist, Holdstock's blend of epic history with fantasy resonates with an authority and an audacity readers have grown to expect from this accomplished British author. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist
The second volume of Holdstock's Merlin Codex saga returns Merlin to Alba, the future England. He seeks the Hill of the White Bull, seat of King Urtha (i.e., Uther, perhaps). The hill has been seized, however, by warriors supernatural in origin and habits, and must be liberated. For that, Merlin and Urtha have the not always trustworthy aid of Jason, who has returned to Alba on the Argo in search of a lost son. The ensuing warfare draws heavily on the ancient Irish tale "The Cattle Raid of Cooley," but Holdstock remains a master at handling Celtic material distinctively. But by injecting into the Matter of Britain the Argo as a living ship a la Robin Hobb, and with it the classical Argonauts' story, he risks forcing overly disparate elements into an unwieldy composite. Yet his skill with myth and folklore is such that the mixture should please many, especially if Argo in future becomes a major character in her own right. Time and a third volume may tell; meanwhile, acquire the second. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM THE PUBLISHER

""The first is a man who needs you and will use you. He will weaken you dangerously. The second is a man you betrayed, though you believe otherwise. He wishes to kill you and can do so easily. The third is a ship that is more than a ship. She grieves and broods. She will carry you to your grave."" "These three warnings greet Merlin on his return to the deserted fortress of Taurovinda - the Hill of the White Bull in Alba, the future England. He is not the only one making the journey: Urtha, High King of the Cornovidi, is coming home to reclaim his stronghold, and Jason is sailing in on the Argo to seek his younger son, hiding somewhere in the kingdom." But Urtha's fortress has been taken by warriors from Ghostland; they claim it as their own. There will be war against the Otherworld.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Holdstock's erudite fusion of British legend and Greek myth continues to enthrall in the second majestic installment (after 2003's Celtika) of his multi-layered Merlin Codex series. Seven centuries have passed since Merlin/Antiokus journeyed with Jason to find the Golden Fleece, and now the iconic mage, who ages only when he uses his powers, finds himself not in Greekland but in Alba (England). After an eerie brush with the Three of Awful Boding (the Fates) and a warning about a gift from Medea (Jason's betrayed wife and Merlin's first love), our hero travels to Ghostland to retrieve the children of the warlord Urtha, who is fighting to reclaim his fortress Taurovinda from Otherworld warriors. But when his enchanted ship Argo arrives in Alba, Merlin finds that Jason still is searching for his younger son, Kinos (aka Little Dreamer). Merlin accompanies Jason to the Otherworld, where Kinos has been hidden by his enchantress mother, Medea. Though Jason believes Merlin may have assisted Medea in his sons' faked murders and kidnapping, the two friends forge a truce and learn the consequences of the "corruption of love; the corrosion of hope." Haunting, intricately plotted and richly revisionist, Holdstock's blend of epic history with fantasy resonates with an authority and an audacity readers have grown to expect from this accomplished British author. (Feb. 26) FYI: Holdstock won the World Fantasy Award for Mythago Wood (1984), reissued this fall by Orb. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

VOYA - RaynaPatton

In this sequel to Celtika (Tor, 2003/VOYA June 2003), Merlin arrives in Alba, home of the Celts. He is pursued by the Greek hero, Jason, who has been preserved for seven centuries by the Goddess Hera. Jason, once Merlin's friend but now his enemy, believes that only Merlin can lead him to the son who was hidden in time by Jason's vengeful wife, Medea. But two children need Merlin's help immediately. The children of Urtha, High King of the Comovidi, must be rescued from Ghostland, where they were taken when their father's hill fortress was sacked. The fortress itself has also been occupied by fierce warriors from the land of the Undead and the Yet to Be Born, who have crossed the river separating the living from the dead. Battles must be fought and magic done before Urtha can recapture his stronghold. Finally Merlin, Urtha, Jason, and a crew of Argonauts travel in the Argo to the Otherworld, where Jason finds his son and learns that appearances can deceive and Urtha and Merlin discover why Ghosts are walking in the land of the living. The convoluted plot of the first book limited the novel's accessibility. Fortunately the action here is pretty much centered in one location, and the characters stay around longer. Holdstock does a commendable job of weaving in what little is known about Celtic society. Still, readers who have not read Celtika might be terminally confused by this sequel, which is recommended only where the prequel has a following. VOYA Codes: 4Q 3P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2004, Tor, 320p., Ages 15 to Adult.

Library Journal

Upon his return to a future mythic England, known as Alba, Merlin journeys to the Hill of the White Bull-Taurovinda-where Urtha, the High King, seeks to reclaim his holding and where Jason, commander of the Argo, seeks his reborn younger son. Holdstock (Mythago Wood) excels in revitalizing legendary tales, capturing the essence of archetype in his visionary prose, and this sequel to Celtika features a blend of ancient Celtic and Greek myth. Most libraries should consider for their fantasy collections. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews