Years before he was a legend, years before he was loved, years before his name was associated with Camelot, Merlin was alone. An orphan since infancy, Merlin is taunted by those who see his gifts as evidence that he is the devil's own son. But when a young knight comes to the orphanage recruiting young soldiers, Merlin is pulled into a war he doesn't want to fight. Though gifted with exceptional powers to see into the future, Merlin's own tumultuous life threatens the stability of the entire future.

Who was Merlin? Is the famous wizard of Arthurian legend based on a real person? In this book, Merlin's origins are traced back to the story of Lailoken, a mysterious 'wild man' who is said to have lived in the Scottish Lowlands in the sixth century AD. The book considers the question of whether Lailoken belongs to myth or reality. It looks at the historical background of his story and discusses key characters such as Saint Kentigern of Glasgow and King Rhydderch of Dumbarton, as well as important events such as the Battle of Arfderydd. Lailoken's reappearance in medieval Welsh literature as the fabled prophet Myrddin is also examined. Myrddin himself was eventually transformed into Merlin the wizard, King Arthur's friend and mentor. This is the Merlin we recognise today, not only in art and literature but also on screen. His earlier forms are less familiar, more remote, but can still be found among the lore and legend of the Dark Ages. Behind them we catch fleeting glimpses of an original figure who perhaps really did exist: a solitary fugitive, tormented by his experience of war, who roamed the hills and forests of southern Scotland long ago.

What happens when you grow up in Camelot as a child when knights and dragons fought. Your father is a legend how do you set your mark in history? The Great King Arthur has been like your uncle, Queen Guinevere your older sister, Lancelot has taught you battle skills and you are a natural genius at magic. Your mother from Africa died giving birth to you making you a mixed race child in an all Anglo Saxon world. What if you were not given the chance to outshine your father's legacy due to a mistake that cost lives? Your punishment removal from the history books and casted out. Carmarthen is the daughter of the great Merlin punished and sent forth to the future by her father. In our time she is limited in using her magic and is in the body of a now-deceased teenager. She must live the life as someone else and yet still wants redemption.

A mythology collection of eighty Welsh Legends and Myths, gathered from across Wales. The Welsh, like other Celtic races, love a good story. From the time of the Mabinogion and the Black Book of Carmarthen welsh folk have passed dark winter nights in front of roaring fires and entertained with mythical stories. Welsh Legends and Myths is a compendium of traditional myths, Welsh fables, Welsh fairy tales and real stories. Like other Celtic Mythology many of the myths and legends told here are based on factual events. While some have mythical roots, all are entertaining.

The story of the young Merlin’s coming-of-age continues in this thrilling sequel to Passager. “An enjoyable introduction to Arthurian fantasy.”--The Horn Book