The Merlin Conspiracy

In the process, the conspirators unwittingly set loose a chain of events that could destroy the magic in Blest. If things go wrong in Blest, it could start unravelling magic in other worlds all over the place. From this point on, Nick and Roddy take turns telling their versions of the story, which quickly develops a handful or two of twisty subplots involving an escaped zoo elephant, a rogue Magid, and a pair of nasty, conniving twins….

However, The Merlin Conspiracy is only a sequel to Deep Secret in the sense that some characters and the multiverse of worlds are the same. The stories are completely separate from one another, and can be read independently. Naturally, however, they also complement and enhance one another. Le Guin for coining that term. Although she makes money as a librarian, she makes her life as a reader and writer of stories and reviews of stories.

She has a growing interest in the interstitial arts. The album she listens to most often is Morning Walk by Metamora.

Roddy's sections are not as much fun for me, because Roddy herself is more uptight, and she's a worrier. She provides a lot of needed perspective on the situation in Blest, and certainly interesting things keep happening around her. The cast of characters is enormous, but it never gets confusing. Similarly, the magics are many and varied, but somehow it all works. I like the depth in the worlds and the characters, and how the story has so much humanity in all of its madcap adventure. I like how even the characters we don't see much of, such as Japheth, are sketched with the suggestion of a life beyond the page as Maxwell Hyde puts it, although a little event may have triggered a big one down the road, that can't be all there is to the story.

And the book packs in all kinds of humor. I can't remember how many times I've re-read this, but I've enjoyed it every time. I rate this book Highly Recommended. See my reviews and more at https: Mar 30, Yuna rated it it was amazing. I actually listened to it while doing some stitching!

David Tennant and Emily Fox read it. I managed to get through more than half the book in one sitting. I loved every book of Diana Wynne Jones till now. And I absolutely loved it this time too. The humour is still intact and the story sped off in a good pace! I didn't realise who Nick was He was in deep secret till a bit later but I'd already liked him as a annoying but well meaning teenager.

He was a bit too confused and hilarious to watch I actually listened to it while doing some stitching! He was a bit too confused and hilarious to watch. I loved him and Mini's relationship. Roddy, I loved Roddy too. I do understand her feelings till the "oh that's what happened" thing. But she was so strong and fierce and it was refreshing to have someone who's a bit bossy and gets things done.

As for Grundo, I couldn't quite place Grundo till the reveal and I got it. The twins were absolutely hilarious. The voices were so funny! I know they'd be really annoying in real life but as characters, they were fun to read. I've never read a pair of identical twins like that. The rest of the characters were different and interesting too.

There were no hardboard cut out mundane characters just for the sake of creating a character. Everything is done well. The magic and surrounding environment was vivid and enchanting. Every time I read her books, I'm reminded of how much I love her. She's always writing about beautiful flawed strong character you'd want to cheer for.

And is real enough to be understood well. The readers; I love David Tennant. He's one of my favourite doctor and I loved how fun this experience was because of him. Emily Fox was wonderful too. I liked her distinctive voice and the welsh voices made me squeal. The whole experience was lovely. Even if you read the books before, I'd recommend you to listen to this audiobook too.

Sep 22, Adobe rated it liked it. In a neighboring universe, two children discover that their king's traveling court has been subverted from within. To rescue their country, Roddy and Grundo will have to muster strange powers through the aid and occasional hindrance of their scattered families, along with Nick, a boy from Earth who has magical ambitions.

It seems weirdly reductive to summarize the plot of The Merlin Conspiracy, because the book feels like dozens of tiny episodes nestled together. This impression is further exag In a neighboring universe, two children discover that their king's traveling court has been subverted from within. This impression is further exaggerated by all the universe-hopping in the book, which takes the time to design three or four alternate Great Britains.

This is not a flaw in the book; rather, The Merlin Conspiracy is more about delightful moments and details The personified cities! Deep Secret, the book's predecessor, had a similar feel, but where "Deep Secret" chucked its complexity in the last acts, The Merlin Conspiracy just shovels on more.

I enjoyed it, but don't ask me to diagram it. It's really more like 3. This book hasn't quite grabbed me. I loved the universe, I loved the different types of magic, I loved the idea of the Magids keeping an eye on them all, and of course Romanov - free agent extraordinaire. I loved how Roddy got the magic from the past uploaded onto her brain, there was a lot I loved about the world mechanics.

I just didn't hugely love the story, or the main charac It's really more like 3. I just didn't hugely love the story, or the main characters. Dec 17, Beth E rated it really liked it Shelves: I really like this book. It has a very elaborate and intriguing plot. I could not put it down when I read it. The really genius part is that the narration is split between Nick, a boy who lives on Earth although he wasn't born there, and Roddy, a girl who lives on another world called Blest. It is interesting to see events from both of their eyes, and it means that both girls and boys can read this booth.

I especially love the elephant character, named Tiny. She is so much fun! Jan 06, Devon rated it really liked it. Interesting to read this against Lewis's That Hideous Strength--there is some of the same material running through both: DWJ holds up beautifully against Lewis, and certainly has a more comfortable approach to gender for a contemporary reader.

The Merlin Conspiracy

Lewis, on the other hand, does have Mr. In all honesty, what I love about her is that she has always been original and it is of course to be commended that she can create an entirely different story within the same regulations of her created universe without resorting to repeating herself. The way the two main characters are intertwined, when they met all the puzzle pieces just fit and I was rendered completely mindblown. Mar 28, Courtney Johnston rated it liked it Shelves: An expert bit of YA fantasy. Well paced, well plotted, appealing and repulsive characters, and all the threads nicely tied off at the end - which might be why I liked, and not loved, the book.

Maybe that's one of the things that differentiates the adult-me reader from the child-me; I'm happier now with a more ambiguous ending. Jun 06, Kandice rated it really liked it. I loved this book. Wynn Jones is every bit as good as Rowling at showing us different worlds and making them believable and accessible. I was left wanting more. This is my first book of hers, and from what I hear, all of her books will leave me this way. I can't wait to try my next one! David Tennant sounds way too old to be a fifteen year-old though.

Dec 12, Kate rated it liked it Shelves: Good adventure story, I liked it. I actually got the audiobook that David Tennant co-reads. I highly recommend his sexy Scottish voice whispering in your ear. Sep 21, Roberta Zanella rated it it was amazing. Stravagante, potente e delizioso. Peccato per la traduzione italiana: Jan 04, Michelle rated it really liked it Shelves: I love Diana Wynne Jones, and I'll probably have to dig up the rest of the books in this series.

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I have had this one on my bookshelf for years and I revisited it for fun - not disappointed at all. Mar 23, Christie rated it liked it. I started reading this book without knowing that it was the second in a series.

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If I had known, I would have waited until I could get the first book. Even so, the story was pretty easy to follow once I got a grasp on the characters. I think that my favourites were Roddy's Welsh grandfather who is truly dreadful, awful, and terrible in the original senses of the words, as well as being quite kind and gentle , Mini the elephant, and those incredibly annoying but also entertaining Izzys think Lyd I started reading this book without knowing that it was the second in a series.

I think that my favourites were Roddy's Welsh grandfather who is truly dreadful, awful, and terrible in the original senses of the words, as well as being quite kind and gentle , Mini the elephant, and those incredibly annoying but also entertaining Izzys think Lydia Bennet twinned, even more silly and obnoxious, and possibly on some sort of illegal drug--speed? I'm not really an expert on that stuff. Oh, and the goat. I am very fond of goats, grew up with them, and can definitely say that that was a realistic goat portrayal. I didn't really find myself too interested in any of the main characters, which is a shame.

Roddy in particular I rather disliked for her haughtiness and judgmental nature. I was a little put off by the way the book skips back and forth between two at first very different viewpoints, especially even after the characters meet and are in the same place. The system of magic was vaguer than I would have liked, but it is probably explained in more depth in the first book.

The salamanders were a very interesting touch, though towards the end it became painful to read about them. This was a typical book from this author in that just about everything ended up having a purpose and a reason, and it all worked together in the end.

The problem is that there were still loose threads and unanswered questions. I'm guessing that's to make you read book 3, but it kind of ticked me off. Most of all I wanted Grundo's backwards magic to end up being important, and it just wasn't. In fact, Grundo himself was pretty unimportant; set dressing, I guess. Sure, he turned out to be Romanov's son, but that didn't seem like enough justification to drag him through the whole ordeal with very little role to play except that! Nick ends up with psychological damage, the book says, but we really don't get any idea of what that means for him, what he is suffering, whether this will affect his abilities, or what.

Maybe it's just because I myself am officially psychologically disabled, but that bothered me. Mental illness isn't something to just throw into the story as a quick way of saying that someone was affected by an event and then go on as if nothing has happened, as if nothing has changed. The whole raising the land thing was suggested so early that it was absolutely no surprise. If anything, the surprise would be in the overall lack of effect it seemed to have.

It was all over very quickly too, a very rushed affair after the hundreds of pages leading up to it, and After the dire warnings that just didn't seem right. Oh, and why did we never find out why Romanov was playing bounty-hunter in the beginning for a group of people he apparently hated? If he is indeed a good guy, why is Nick sure that his cat is to be feared?

Why did we never find out more about Nick's panther--why did he never call on such a useful creature in the midst of all of that danger? Why is it that the only people who seem to have normal family ties the poor embroiderers on the roof? Why does the book end with Nick saying he is going to have to make sure that his dad will be cared for all of his life? Why can't Nick go back and visit every now and then, even if he does decide to stay in Blest? Maybe I blinked and missed something but there was nothing to suggest that he cannot continue to travel between worlds.

There seems to be absolutely no reason for this permanent goodbye. And what a weird, sad note to end a book on! Read it because it is often unexpected, funny, and clever. But don't expect it to be Howl's Moving Castle. That probably makes a difference. Then on top of that, there are multiple other worlds all layered onto these worlds, each with their own rules for magic.

Wynne Jones creates rules not only for the magic, but how to move between these worlds, how these worlds depend on one another, and how all the magic is connected — and all of this is revealed within a very short amount of story telling. In addition to the world creation, Wynne Jones crams her books full of interesting types of magic. I absolutely loved the idea of a Merlin being a political post rather than a single person — a post filled with a new magical person every few years. But on top of that are the different magics that Roddy and Nick encounter on their travels.

The magics allowed for an added dynamic to the story that I found very intriguing. I also love how Wynne Jones creates her characters. At the beginning, they appear to be quite simple. I enjoyed the way Roddy thought about her actions, and I liked her internal viewpoint. I find it incredibly interesting that by gaining the external observation of character, more was revealed about each person, allowing them to become instantly more complex within the story. It was definitely interesting to read and I really enjoyed the process.

Everything in this story is smooth and effortless, so that magic, time manipulation, and world jumping are taken in stride, and make sense with the story. Comunque credo che si possa leggere indipendentemente dal primo. Ritengo che questo sia davvero un bel libro. E' scorrevole, piacevole, ironico, sa far divertire e anche emozionare. In particolare il personaggio di Grundo, che all'inizio si vede solo attraverso gli occhi da Mamma Chioccia di Roddy, riserva delle belle sorprese. Per questo non gli metto cinque. Apr 08, Thong May Han rated it really liked it Shelves: This is another interesting story on magic from Diana Wynne Jones.

It revolves around two characters, Roddy and Nick, who are somehow entangled in a web of conspiracy that could potentially change the world of magic. Roddy is the daughter of two court wizards in the land of Blest.

The Merlin Conspiracy - Wikipedia

Along with her friend Grundo, she stumbled upon a sinister plot of treason involving a few high ranking court wizards. Unfortunately, those who can help her do not believe her word, and those who does, This is another interesting story on magic from Diana Wynne Jones. Unfortunately, those who can help her do not believe her word, and those who does, can't.

On the other hand, Nick has always wished to travel to other worlds. When he finally got his wish, he was thrown into the mix of things. Before long, he found himself drawn to the intricacies of the politics of Blest I started out being more interested in Roddy's development, and found the plot involving Nick confusing and unnecessarily chaotic. However, as you make your way deeper into the book, things get more engaging, particularly with the development of some very memorable characters.

In fact, the story becomes more entertaining, and I was surprised to find a few genuinely funny parts. The characters are well-developed. Each of them have their own weaknesses, which makes it easier for me to identify with them. Roddy gets a little overbearing and annoying at times, but I can forgive that, as it is part of her character to behave that way.

Nick, on the other hand, is interesting to me because of the way he reacts to the events around him, which is uncannily similar to how I would have reacted. I particularly like the fact that everything ties up neatly. I enjoy stories like that, and it was captivating to see how certain events in the story led to one another shan't say more or I'll spoil everything. There are no jarring plot holes, as far as I'm concerned, which is definitely a plus point.

My only grouse is that sometimes things do get overly descriptive, and I found my eyes skimming and searching for the next bit of action. A satisfying read, even though things did were not that great at the start. I promise you the journey will be worth it in the end Apr 03, J. Ford rated it really liked it. This has got to be one of my favorite fantasy books. It is a shame the author died recently. I would have to say it falls in the middle of her lighter style of writing Howl's Moving Castle and her darker writing style The Time of the Ghost.

The story is about a boy named Nick who appears to be a normal boy from Earth who travels through different worlds. He travels to a world called Blest where he meets Roddy, the daughter of two court wizards. The narration switches between two main characters telling the story - Roddy and Nick. One minute Nick is in London with his father and the next he's in Blest, summoned by Roddy to help her solve a problem she suspects is spiraling out of control.

Roddy thinks some witches and wizards are plotting to overthrow the King of Blest. The Merlin seems to be in on it, too you'll have to read it to find out what The Merlin is. It's not the same as in our Camelot stories. When the Merlin dies of a heartattack at the worst possible moment, Roddy, Grundo and Nick refuse to believe his death is "natural". No one believes their suspicions until they meet two very powerful wizards, Maxwell Hyde and Romanov.

I found a lot of humor in this book and made some friends with some really charming characters. Romanov's goat cracked me up. The story has a huge cast of characters and has everything from magical islands, to time manipulation, races through the universe, imposters, and even a mini elephant!

The story is filled with fascinating ideas such as intelligent dinnerware, and a twisting, intricate plot in which every little detail can end up having great importance and ramifications. Roddy and Nick are both great characters and very 3-dimensional and I found "The Merlin Conspiracy" to be a very entertaining read.

I would read this again. YA Fantasy in a magical alternate reality with multiple perspectives. About Diana Wynne Jones. When war was announced, shortly after her fifth birthday, she was evacuated to Wales, and thereafter moved several times, including periods in Coniston Water, in York, and back in London. In her family finally settled in Thaxted, Essex, where her parents worked running an educational conference centre. There, Jones and her two younger sisters Isobel later Professor Isobel Armstrong, the literary critic and Ursula later an actress and a children's writer spent a childhood left chiefly to their own devices.

Tolkien before graduating in In the same year she married John Burrow, a scholar of medieval literature, with whom she had three sons, Richard, Michael and Colin. After a brief period in London, in the couple returned to Oxford, where they stayed until moving to Bristol in According to her autobiography, Jones decided she was an atheist when she was a child. Jones started writing during the mids "mostly to keep my sanity", when the youngest of her three children was about two years old and the family lived in a house owned by an Oxford college.

Beside the children, she felt harried by the crises of adults in the household: Her first book was a novel for adults published by Macmillan in , entitled Changeover. It originated as the British Empire was divesting colonies; she recalled in that it had "seemed like every month, we would hear that yet another small island or tiny country had been granted independence. It is a farce with a large cast of characters, featuring government, police, and army bureaucracies; sex, politics, and news.

In , when Rhodesia declared independence unilaterally one of the last colonies and not tiny , "I felt as if the book were coming true as I wrote it. Foremost amongst the latter are The Tough Guide To Fantasyland, and its fictional companion-pieces Dark Lord of Derkholm and Year of the Griffin , which provide a merciless though not unaffectionate critique of formulaic sword-and-sorcery epics.