Book excerpt: Merlin is celebrated as the archetypal wizard, an enigmatic mage whose gifts of prophecy and miracle-working have made him the greatest magician of all time. Bringing his unmatched knowledge of medieval history, myth, and magick to the legend of Merlin, Gordon Strong vividly reconstructs the famed wizard's life among kings and knights, damsels and dragons, and lost kingdoms. From serving as King Arthur's adviser to obtaining intimate knowledge of Atlantis to launching the quest for the Holy Grail, each aspect of Merlin is illuminated as never before. Piecing together fascinating connections to Druidry, Celtic and Welsh culture, and Tarot, Strong offers new depths of insight into an existence steeped in war, madness, love, lust, and above all, sorcery. Praise: "This is not a book about a dead king in a past and distant land, but an evocation of an impulse within all our psyches, which can vivify our future."—Alan Richardson, author of Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune