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Rating: 
Summary: Merlin left his mark
Review: A young woman leaves school to meet her guardian because her father has died in the war. She and her faithful Alsatian Merlin are _not_ what were expected... But then, neither were the violent threats to their lives!
While this novel doesn't have all the polish of more recently written Anne McC offerings, it definitely carries her trademarks: close bonding between a misfit human and a very special animal friend; just enough suspense; and a slick, readable style which skillfully nudges the reader's emotions.
If you are a fan of her SF/Fantasy, or her romance novels, I'd suggest this lesser known gem.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Written, But a Little Blah
Review: James Carlysle "Carla" Murdock refuses to let life get her down. She may have just lost her father in World War II, she may be recovering from a debilitating illness, and she may have slightly misled her new guardian into thinking that she was a boy, but she refuses to leave her beloved dog, Merlin, alone in a cage on the train. So begins the story of The Mark of Merlin, a murder-mystery romance from Anne McCaffrey, best known for the Pern series. When Carla arrives at her destination, she has to explain to the gruff young Major Laird her minor deception and figure out what to do from there. The Major instantly realizes that it is improper for Carla to stay with him, but where else can he take her in the middle of a blizzard? As more guests surprise Carla and Major Laird with their appearances, Carla becomes more and more suspicious about her father's death and eventually realizes that he was murdered. But why? Her father was a highly respected officer and all of his men loved him. Determined to find out, Carla lets nothing stand in her way - not even her growing feelings for the handsome Major Laird... I felt that the story itself was fine, a little blah, like I said, but it moved along at a good pace. The part that was the most lackluster for me was the characters themselves. I simply could not identify with any of the characters and found that I didn't particularly like them either, especially Carla. As Carla is the only female in the book and the main character, this didn't make me enjoy the story any more. Carla waffles between being a spoiled brat, a great housekeeper, and a growing young woman. How someone like Major Laird could have fallen in love with her in just a few days is simply beyond me. The story is well written, the little details about World War II provided good background information, many of the secondary characters, particularly the villains, were great, but I would only buy this book if you find it for a very good deal in a used bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: Well Written, But a Little Blah
Review: James Carlysle "Carla" Murdock refuses to let life get her down. She may have just lost her father in World War II, she may be recovering from a debilitating illness, and she may have slightly misled her new guardian into thinking that she was a boy, but she refuses to leave her beloved dog, Merlin, alone in a cage on the train. So begins the story of The Mark of Merlin, a murder-mystery romance from Anne McCaffrey, best known for the Pern series. When Carla arrives at her destination, she has to explain to the gruff young Major Laird her minor deception and figure out what to do from there. The Major instantly realizes that it is improper for Carla to stay with him, but where else can he take her in the middle of a blizzard? As more guests surprise Carla and Major Laird with their appearances, Carla becomes more and more suspicious about her father's death and eventually realizes that he was murdered. But why? Her father was a highly respected officer and all of his men loved him. Determined to find out, Carla lets nothing stand in her way - not even her growing feelings for the handsome Major Laird... I felt that the story itself was fine, a little blah, like I said, but it moved along at a good pace. The part that was the most lackluster for me was the characters themselves. I simply could not identify with any of the characters and found that I didn't particularly like them either, especially Carla. As Carla is the only female in the book and the main character, this didn't make me enjoy the story any more. Carla waffles between being a spoiled brat, a great housekeeper, and a growing young woman. How someone like Major Laird could have fallen in love with her in just a few days is simply beyond me. The story is well written, the little details about World War II provided good background information, many of the secondary characters, particularly the villains, were great, but I would only buy this book if you find it for a very good deal in a used bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: oldie
Review: Just in case you are wondering, this is not a new book. It was released at least ten years ago, originally in an anthology with the Ring of Fear and one other I can't remember. It's a decent book, but don't be misled into thinking it is new material. Annie is my favorite, favorite author and has been all my adult life, but I've noticed her publishers are a little on the greedy side and will do ANYTHING to make more money off her, including repackaging old material and presenting it as new. Check the used bookstores and the auction sites and you can find this book for MUCH less than they are gouging for here.
Rating:
Summary: Romantic suspense from the Dragon Lady
Review: The Mark of Merlin is a fun, quick read, packed with mystery, a wonderful dog, and great characters. The romance is mild enough for a mom to hand this book to a twelve-year-old with no qualms whatsoever. It's an early work for McCaffrey, before she created Pern and its marvelous dragons, but her fans will find strong, quirky characters, empathy between humans and animals - a lot of the same qualities that make her science fiction so much fun to read. I'm so glad this is being published again!
Rating:
Summary: Early work of Anne McCaffrey that shows her potential
Review: This gothic romance/ mystery is one of my all time favorite books. This book was originally published in 1971, and even at this early in Ms. McCaffrey's career, her talent and maturity as a writer is already apparent. The characters are vivid and well balanced. The plot does not drag or falter. All in all a very good read!
Rating:
Summary: Early work of Anne McCaffrey that shows her potential
Review: This gothic romance/ mystery is one of my all time favorite books. This book was originally published in 1971, and even at this early in Ms. McCaffrey's career, her talent and maturity as a writer is already apparent. The characters are vivid and well balanced. The plot does not drag or falter. All in all a very good read!
Rating:
Summary: This book is a classic non-SF book
Review: This is not a new book but it is a good one, very different to Anne McCaffreys current style as it is a fiction novel not Science Fiction. An enjoyable light read.
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