If the title didn’t give it away. I had no idea that this was a fanfiction. I often ask my friends on suggestions for books I would not consider and one of them send over a pdf of this book. So, I started to read only to think, this sure remind me of the tv series, Merlin. I even wrote in my notes that it was like a fanfiction. Imagine my surprise when I finished the book and started to research the writer, which I found to have a strange name but I assumed it was a pseudonym, and found out that it was a fanfiction for Merlin. Look at that.
That said, it does give some serious attempt on making it their own story by differentiate it from the television series. First, it is a MxM book. Secondly, it is set in the modern era. Thirdly, it does not have much in the terms of lore and magic. Not completely devoid of it but it is clear that the relationship between Arthur and Merlin is what’s in focus. Merlin is far more powerful than in the series but he only uses his magic on rare occasions compared to the series.
Similarities are, the characters look, some incidents in the book such as Arthur being spelled to fall in love with a fae to be kidnapped and Merlin saving him. Merlin being in the same age and hiding his magic abilities is also a similarity to the series along with certain names such as the dragon Kilgharrah and Uther being in love and married to Igraine instead of raping her like in the original story.
So, what is it about? Merlin is a wizard and is going to university to study sorcery in secret under Gaius. He becomes roommate with his longtime crush Arthur, who is an arrogant prick, according to Merlin and the stories continues with Arthur and Merlin annoying with each other while people, some magical, is trying to kill the next king and Merlin have to protect him because it is his destiny. Not that the writer mentions why. In the television series it is made clear that Merlin is destined to protect him so that Arthur can unite Britain and let magic live in the open once more. Here… It is because he wants to bone him? It’s his destiny to do so? Its not made clear and is a plotline taken from the series to uses as a way to force Merlin to stay with Arthur.
Before I found out that this was a fanfiction, I had written in my notes that it was rather poorly edited but considering that few fanfictions are edited at all, don’t take this comment to close to heart. But the poor editing does shows in the plot holes such as the British royal family is named Pendragon. How? Why? Well, it is mentioned in the end that they changed the name but why Pendragon? and why is every character named after someone from the Arthurian legend? It becomes even stranger when they keep commenting on the names such as…
”Well,” he said at last. ”I can see that this is going to be an interesting year, Mr…?”
”Emrys,” said Merlin. ”Merlin Emrys.”
Arthur froze, and after an astonished moment Gawain and Kay both cracked up. Arthur closed his eyes and bowed his head, looking pained.
”Merlin?” he said quietly. ”Really? You’re not taking the piss?”
But they never react that EVERYONE around them is named after characters from the Arthurian legends. It is also hinted upon that they have all lived before and the story will repeat itself with only a few bends. Unfortunately, we are never told what the original story is like and we cannot compare this one to the Arthurian story, I mean Mordred is a cat in this one… It is as far off as it can be. So does that plotline actually have any purpose? beats me. It is mentioned early on and they make a threat out of it but it is never present again after it so…
Now, the characters. Most of them is fairly flat. Arthur and Merlin are what the writer assumes Arthur and Merlin is in the series. Arthur being a prick only in name while Merlin being a clown. They have no real depth such as they mention Arthur’s mother being dead, a large plotline in the series as it explains a lot of Arthur’s character, here it’s not really developed in this story. Only mentioned. Merlin’s mother is mention along with her being fine with Merlin being gay. His father is never mentioned, a large plotline in the series as he got his magical power from his father, but he is barely mentioned here. Merlin’s two distinct features is that he is a peasant and apparently funny. Or maybe quirky. I cannot really determine which it is.
The side characters are often given some quirks, such as Gwen being the best friend, Lance being idealistic, Kay being a homophobic dick, Morgana being a dominant Lesbian/bisexual, Morgause being a scary, leather wearing bodyguard and so on. The ones most likely being the writer’s favorites are Gawain and Morgana for they seem to have the more depth. Not much, but enough for me to think that they were the darlings of the writer. Though the writer does explain that this series was written before the character Gwaine was introduced in the television series so I might be wrong.
So, I have given it a lot of critic. Is it bad? Not really. I actually quite enjoyed it for what it was. I wanted a supernatural, lighthearted romance and that is what I got. I want to say that calling it a mere fanfiction is doing this book a discredit for it does try to make its own thing and I do find it a pity that the writer seem to be a bit frightened to let go of the fanfiction genre to go make it its own thing because this is well written.
The language is simple, very British, but fluent with only a few spelling errors. Two or three if I remember correctly. With a bit of an editing, this one could be a good Young Adult novel if it wanted to but otherwise it is a rather high-quality fanfiction. At least from my very limited knowledge about fanfiction.
I would recommend this for those who love fanfiction or/ and those who miss the tv series Merlin and thought it wasn’t gay enough. (How that is possible is beyond me). With this being a fanfiction and not technically being a published book, I will have a hard time rating it so take this with a grain of salt. I will give it a 6 out of 10. It did not really make anything new though it tries sometimes but it continues to fall back on the tv series like it the writer is afraid to walk on their own. That along with the plotholes left, often by using plotlines from the tv series interestingly enough, unattended made me lower this score. Especially considered that some of them could very simply have been avoided by using other names or avoided throwing in the destiny trope.
I will have a link to the book here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/91885
Its free to read, so do give it a try if you want.
With kind Regards
Senefer
Read with Senefer 