I’ve always loved fantasy fiction, and as Mark and I have been writing our time travel mystery, Dream Traveler,  I thought it would be fun to start a conversation about great books we love, especially fantasy books.  

Mary Stewart has long been a favorite author of mine, and my husband’s too. Her  three-book Arthurian Saga is a masterpiece. Mark and I read The Crystal Cave out loud to each other years ago, just for fun, but also because Mark is a fabulous voice over artist/narrator and it keeps his chops up. 

Mark wrote this review for The Crystal Cave.

The Crystal Cave (Arthurian Saga, #1)

Many know Merlin as Arthur’s mentor and wizard but little of his beginnings. Mary Stewart’s tale starts with his very birth and carries us through his childhood and adolescence to adulthood. Some authors get bogged down in description and let it interfere with the telling of the story. Stewart’s descriptive prose is the story. Her ability to set temporal and geographic tone is flawless. In The Crystal Cave we not only get to know Merlin, we get to understand the worlds through which he floats. As a reader I truly appreciate writing that creates a window into another world. Mary Stewart opened that window, then opened the door and invited me in.
Mark Carey