The Griffin or the Agate

There's a certain inherent danger for an author to work within the realm of an already established mythos. Something that is wholly original can be bent and shaped to the writer's whim with no fear of conflict - one's creation is adaptable as one wishes. But when a familiar character is invoked it will draw comparison to previous appearances and, if the new version is too jarringly discordant with the image carried by the reader, may cause dissatisfaction, to say the least. It is a path trodden most carefully.
     Robert Holdstock chooses that road in Celtika, setting his sights on the time travelling enchanter Merlin. The wizard, travelling a mystical route known as The Path, deviates from his course to free his old friend Jason - as in Jason and the Argonauts, of which Merlin was a member some seven centuries earlier - from his watery purgatory at the bottom of a lake in the frozen North, buried with his beloved ship. Merlin informs his resurrected companion that his sons were not slain by his wife Medea, as previously thought, but have been kept alive through the ages by her powerful magic. Obsessed with finding them, Jason refits the Argo and gathers a new crew of Argonauts. For the ship's spirit, a position formerly held by the goddess Hera, the local goddess Mielikki is unwilling drafted for the position, bringing along the young sorceress Niiv who will prove a constant thorn in Merlin's side.
     Holdstock has created a Merlin who is somewhat aloof from his companions and sometimes confused with what transpires. As he struggles to combat the malevolent force he knows only as 'Fierce Eyes' he often finds his powers inaccessible. Indeed, even having his magic at his disposal is a double-edged sword since the power he uses ages his body. He must figure out the mystery of his opponent while holding back the advances of the willful Niiv in both the sexual and magical sense. His loyalties are tested time and again and keeping the trust of his friends is a formidable task indeed.
     Holdstock is a crafty and lyrical writer, evoking strong imagery as he creates a nice balance between inner turmoil and external conflict. The supporting characters are intriguing and well fleshed out, most notably the loyal Elkavar. Those who have a place in their heart for the white-haired Merlin of T.H. White may be disappointed by Celtika; those who enjoy a well-crafted beginning to a new series will not be.   §

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