The Wings of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin, 5)

Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This book is the best one out of all of them. It is all about Merlin having to raise an army to fight the evil shadow army of Rhita Gawr. During his quest, he is attacked repeatedly by a warrior with swords instead of arms named Slayer, and Slayer is trying to kill all of the children in Fincayra. It is full of action, romance, everything. Definitely the best one.

Rating:
Summary: GRRREAT BOOK!
Review: This book really helped pass the time. I was originally skepical but as soon as I began reading, I was begging for more.

Rating:
Summary: Merlin's Wings
Review: This is a wonderful book, full of excitement and adventure. Merlin is out with Hallia, the deer-woman he loves, and is having a wonderful and peaceful time. His heart fills with gladness every time he sees Hallia. But one, stormy night, he finds Dagda, the great spirit, the warrior of all warriors. He is told that in less than two weeks' time, he must bring all the races of Fincayra together to defeat Merlin's greatest enemy (or so he thought): Rhita Gawr. But it is virtually impossible. How, in two weeks' time, is he going to gather all of the races of Fincayra together, especially when each raced lived in suspicion and fear of each other? The giants opposed the dwarves, the marsh ghouls trusted no one, and each raced feared one race most of all: man. Merlin is a man, so how would it be possible to make all races of Fincayra come together? Adding to his problems, there is another enemy to worry about. Slayer, or Sword-Arms. He is a mysterious warrior and no one knows his true identity. It sounds like another bothersome warrior is nothing to be worried about- of course Merlin could handle him with his magic! But lo, that is not to be. In addition to Slayer's arms that are blades, every spell Merlin does to harm Slayer, Slayer does it back to him! And Slayer is always very close to Merlin, although he doesn't know that. Slayer has been killing all orphans and children of Fincayra as possible. Merlin now must solve two problems: saving Fincayra's seeds of the future (Fincayra's children) and rallying all races together to confront Rhita Gawr at Estonahenj. If Merlin saved Fincayra, but all children were maimed or crippled in some way, how would Fincayra's future be bright and full of promises? Merlin's last and final story is a compelling adventure, full of surprises and sadness. Some of Merlin's close friends die, and an old, supposedly dead enemy of Merlin's comes back to gain revenge. This story was excellent, except for the fact the last chapter was completely unsatisfactory. If you want to stay happy with Merlin, then I advise you to not read the last chapter of the book. Besides that, though, T. A. Barron did a wonderful job of weaving Merlin's final story for us.

Rating:
Summary: A Book for When " You is Feeling Full of Madness"
Review: This is T.A. Barron's final book in "The Lost Years of Merlin" series. It is a must read for any one who liked Harry Potter books or just like fantisies. "The Wings Of Merlin" have many problems facing Merlin such as the sword armed warrior "Slayer".With winter's longest night quickly approching, and the island's chances seeming slim, Merlin sends his shadow to the giant Shim who has to bring all the orphan children to the shore of the speaking shells. From there he will try to guide their raft through the web of spells and to the forgotten island. From the forgotten island Merlin must master leaping to get to the circle of stones before the longest night to either face a spirt army by himself or with all of the island at his side. The Terrains touch and the spirit army comes, then the evil Warlord himself comes through. Merlin then starts a battle full of magic with The evil Warlord.

Rating:
Summary: A really, truely, absolutly, great book!
Review: This is the best series I have ever read. After reading the first one I had to go on. Though the ending was sad, the adventures were incredible. In fact I'm suprised they haven't made a movie of it.

Rating:
Summary: A great book but...
Review: This was a really good book and a great way to end the series. The middle and close to the end are extremely exciting and want you to just keep on reading. The only bad part is the ending, I was and still am a true fan of these books and read the first four twice before this book came out and the book just ended so suddenly and I really wish T.A. would write a few more. This book basicly wraps everything up but at the very end he sends merlin somewhere that makes you wish you could figure out what happens next. Even though i was "suprised" by the ending I still gave it five stars because it was extremely well written and was very exciting. In a way I'm glad that he ended it the way he did because then you get to make up your own ending. This book and the entire series are true classics and are a must for all merlin or "fantasy" book fans.

Rating:
Summary: A Magical Masterpiece
Review: Tom Barron has done it again with his captivating conclusion to the Merlin series. The final book is magical and enthralling as is the series as a whole. I loved the book and have shared it with several friends and family members, all of which enjoyed it as much as I. The incredible adventures of Merlin, coupled with the amazing character imagery portrayed in Barron's story leaves you yearning for the story to continue. Barron spins his tale with a new twist on the classic character of Merlin, showing the lost years of his youth throughout The Lost Years Of Merlin series, and this book, The Wings Of Merlin, finished the series with a tragic and beautiful story of love, hate, retribution, and forgiveness. This is a book that will be hard to put down, and with the conclusion and closing of the amazing series, Barron finds his place among the literary greats of both fantasy writing and literature as a whole. Two thumbs up

Rating:
Summary: I Came to Expect More.
Review: True, true, the genre of fantasy has woven within its content, high emotions. But a book of high emotions needn't be a book soaked and dripping with sentiments. For someone who has found the prospect of "seeing not with the eyes, but with the heart" (Seven Songs of Wizardry/Book 2 of the series) unattractive enough, this volume of the epic irked me tenfold. The book commences with a sappy romance between Merlin and Hallia; a slight touch of it would have done it beautifully. The peaceable beginning is stretched out rather long--too long, perhaps, for the reader to have in the back of the mind the not-so-peaceable prologue. So Merlin finally comes face to face with the one who he has come to label "Sword Arms". And what does he do in the end? He runs away. After so many years of learning--growing, one would have thought he would have at last grown out of that cowardice that had once possessed him. Of course, the least one would expect is the sheer foolhardiness of making a bluff, or telling "Sword Arms" to kill him, for he would still die a hero (that's also quite sentimental); but to attempt escaping and relying on luck on the process... ...Which brings us to the next point. Where has the gallant Merlin who surmounts his enemies with his powers from within gone to? To be sure Merlin had, at times, needed some good luck, but for this older Merlin, whose powers and understanding of life have supposedly grown, luck is practically his backbone. Merlin's notable foes had never been easily defeated, but in this volume, they are almost always superior, and just as he is losing, luck comes from behind and drops victory into his hands. How utterly disappointing. So more or less, that is what I'll tell you about this final book in this epic that had so far, proven rather good. By no means am I telling you not to read it--one is almost obliged to read it after the first four volumes; what I'm telling you is not to expect a dramatically chivalrous, bravely poignant book...

Rating:
Summary: The extraordinary conclusion to The Lost Years Of Merlin.
Review: Winter's Longest Night spells ultimate and eternal doom for all of Fincayra -- and no one, not even powerful Merlin, can stop fate. As Rhita Gawr leads a mighty army to come forcibly through the Otherworld into the Mist beyond the land of Fincayra, Merlin faces a decision that will mean the fate of Fincayra's people. Though his greatest and most powerful enemy approaches and bursts through the magical land, Merlin must reunite all of the Fincayrans to fight a great battle against Rhita Gawr's forces. But a murderous man known only as Sword Arms hunts down only children of the land, and Merlin must save all the children of the land, too -- a task that is more difficult than it can ever seem, because the land is slowly fading away into nothingness, and the evil forces push through to annihiliate Merlin's dreams, hopes, and all he has protected and fought for to live. While battle rages and the friends and enemies become what they are not to Merlin, startling truths are revealed, as well as the destiny of what will become of Merlin and his people -- if they can draw the courage to live through the horrible battle that will soon arise. The Wings Of Merlin is the fifth and final spellbinding novel in the extraordinary Lost Years Of Merlin saga by T.A. Barron. Every question, from the first book through the last, is at last answered -- and it is the most heart pounding, shattering, and utterly rewarding novel in the saga. It's a rarity among the hundreds of young adult fantasy novels out there ; the five-book epic, especially this startling and powerful conclusion, should be read by anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Wonderful book! I loved T.A. Barron's great use of imagery. He really made all the characters come alive. It's a beautifully-written tale to tie up all the loose ends in a natural way. Though some parts of it seem a bit forced, Elen and Caipre, as well as many other characters who haven't been seen much since the first two books in the Lost Years of Merlin Epic, return again. I've always thought this series much better than the Harry Potter ones--it's got so much depth and meaning to it. Though The Lost Years of Merlin and The Seven Songs of Merlin wtill remain my favorite books in the Epic, The Wings of Merlin isn't far behind. Try it--it's really worth your time!