The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron

Photo courtesy of tabarron.com Emrys is a young boy with no memory of his childhood. He lives with a woman who is not sure is even his mother,Branwen. After losing his sight in a horrific accident, he is determined to find out who he really is. He builds a raft and sets out to sea. After floating for several days, he washes up on the shores of a mystical land called Fincarya, a land he had only heard about in the stories Branwen has shared with him. Emrys may be the only hope to save this beautiful island from a horrible darkness trying to overpower it This book introduces you to the beginnings of the greatest wizard in all of literature. Barron does an excellent job painting the picture of a young man. I would recommend this book for an advanced young adult reader. It's harder to follow and understand, but is a great novel. It is also the beginning of a series. One that will lead you onto 5 more books in The Lost Years series, continued in Merlin's Dragons trilogy, and completed with The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy. A great introduction into the single most prominent warlock in all of literature. This book is a wonderful challenge and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to learn more about Merlin. Content Warnings: Mild Violence Sorcery Age Recommendation: 12 yrs-15 yrs, advanced readers.