On Making Merlin Plans

Two years ago, I wrote an outline for a Merlin novel. I sent it off to the editor handling the Merlin novels at Random House Childrens UK, and about six weeks later it came back with a very nice rejection letter. The editor liked the story, but they weren’t publishing original Merlin novels, just novelizationsContinue reading “On Making Merlin Plans”

On Things I’ve Been Reading

Captain America/Thor: The Mighty Fighting AvengersMarvel ComicsWritten by Roger LangridgeArt by Chris Samnee This is why comic books exist. Present-day Thor and World War II Captain America are transported back to the time of King Arthur so they can fight a four-headed dragon and keep Loki from claiming the Holy Grail. If you read comicContinue reading “On Things I’ve Been Reading”

On Personal Travels Through Time

One hour in a time machine. All of history, past and future, is open to me. Where would I go? I wouldn't be like the amateur time travelers of Desmond Warzel's short story "WikiHistory" where, as BigChill says in the story, "everybody kills Hitler on their first trip." Honestly, no interest in that. I'd wantContinue reading “On Personal Travels Through Time”

On the Return of Merlin

Last night, thanks to the magic of the internet faeries, I watched Merlin‘s second season premiere, “The Curse of Cornelius Sigan.” When last we left Camelot in “Le Morte d’Arthur,” Prince Arthur has been poisoned by the Questing Beast, Arthur made a deal with Nimeuh to save his life, and when the deal cost himContinue reading “On the Return of Merlin”

On Arthurian Musings

On a bulletin board I frequent there has recently been some discussion of Merlin, the BBC series of which NBC recently finished broadcasting its first season. In Merlin, the titular wizard is anything but a wizard. He’s teenaged. He has powers, but he’s untrained in them. The use of magic is forbidden in the landsContinue reading “On Arthurian Musings”

On the End of Merlin’s First Season

Tonight, NBC broadcast the two-hour finale of the first season of the BBC’s Merlin. Like last week, where NBC showed two episodes — “The Moment of Truth” and “The Labyrinth of Gedref” back-to-back — I preferred the first hour to the second. The first episode tonight, “To Kill the King,” was incredibly dark. I wasn’tContinue reading “On the End of Merlin’s First Season”

On the Arrival of the Print

A week ago — well, eight days, if one must be precise — I ordered an Arthurian art print. Created by Todd Klein and J.H. Williams III, “Drawing the Sword” depicted the moment in the Arthurian mythos when young Arthur, unaware of his birthright as King of England, pulled the magical sword from the stone.Continue reading “On the Arrival of the Print”