Book excerpt: The legendary magician Merlin works to unlock the secrets of his past and his future destiny in this fantasy adventure. “Everyone seems to know me. After fifteen hundred years, they remember me. Everyone knows Merlin. I am, of course, delighted . . . “This is the story of King Arthur and mad Merlin . . . ” In the tradition of The Mists of Avalon and Mythago Wood, J. Robert King weaves an epic tale of Avalon, Excalibur, the Once and Future King, and the mad magician Merlin as he draws on the ideas and writings of Joseph Campbell to shape and interpret the legendary Arthurian mythos. “A nicely written and engaging perspective on the wizard’s actual identity, the book’s sad in spots, funny in others and a worthwhile read.” —San Diego Union-Tribune