Most people have heard of Merlin, the wizard who used magic to help lead King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Fast forward 500 years. Arthur is dead and Merlin is now in charge of a group of like minded individuals. In The Brotherhood of Merlin by Rory D Nelson, Merlin and his brethren are the only thing that stands in the way of the surrounding villages' total annihilation by the new wicked King Jason. Jason takes whatever he wants, like the town’s valuable mine rights and two captive girls, Sylvia and Adele. Merlin’s brethren are up for the task of fighting King Jason if necessary, but how can they fight when they don’t all know Merlin’s plan? Merlin is smart to keep the details close to his chest, so that one person cannot spill the entire plan to the king. They are playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse, and lives hang in the balance.

I enjoyed the fantasy story that Rory D Nelson wrote. The Brotherhood of Merlin takes a character that we know and love and gives him new life. I thought that was very well done by Nelson and also a nice way to enjoy a well known character. Fantasy readers especially will be intrigued by this new life for Merlin and will enjoy the new surrounding set of characters Nelson was kind enough to give him. I really liked the characters in this story and think that is one of Nelson’s many strengths. I also liked Nelson's description of the setting.

The Brotherhood of Merlin: Book 1 by Rory D Nelson is an epic adult fantasy. King Arthur dies and, five hundred years later, the violent reign of King Jason begins. King Jason invades towns for valuable mining rights and to quench his desire for blood. Two girls, Sylvia and Adele, become his captives, and it seems the thought of being rescued is nearly impossible. Another character is also seeking an unlikely rescue. Dante is orphaned and becomes blind after a horrific attack. Even though he has a strange white wolf as an ally, his hope for survival is also very bleak. Although King Jason is cunning and smart, his victory is not set in stone. But although Merlin has a certain set of skills, namely premonition and telepathy, his visions are not guaranteed either. There is a lot at stake in this epic story, and much that will surprise the reader.

The Brotherhood of Merlin is an interesting fantasy tale that reminded me of a fractured fairytale because it takes a setting that many readers will be aware of and re-imagines some of those well known and beloved characters. I liked the way Rory D Nelson portrayed Merlin in this story. And I liked the way he created a new story around Merlin, with a new kind of king. There was plenty of subterfuge and secrecy and I enjoyed the mystery and the dark edge the story had. There was a good amount of action, too, and the plot was constantly moving forward.

Rory D Nelson’s epic fantasy, The Brotherhood of Merlin, is the first book in a fantasy series about danger, magic, and warring sides. King Jason is the new and violent king. He is thirsty for blood and takes his lust for vengeance to the nearby villages. He even takes two innocent girls as his captives. Merlin and his Brotherhood of Knights offer hope and salvation to those who believe. This brotherhood is cloaked in secrecy, even amongst themselves. If one person within the brotherhood is captured, no amount of torture can reveal the ultimate plan because that person only knows one small piece of the larger puzzle. Merlin has two unique gifts of telepathy and premonition, but even these gifts do not make him immune to mistakes or faults, like any other character within this story. Even King Jason.

I liked the way that Rory D Nelson wrote about both sides spying on one another. That made the story very entertaining and had me interested in what was coming next. There were lies, secrets, spies, confusing actions, forbidden meetings, and strange alliances. This book is about what happens in the shadows and behind the scenes, and I think that is a very interesting concept. Rory D Nelson did a nice job of exploring that idea and readers of spy novels, whodunits, and murder mysteries will also be intrigued by this novel. Obviously fantasy readers will enjoy the world that Rory D Nelson created and the characters he has re-imagined and brought to new and interesting life.

Imagine that Merlin, the powerful wizard who helped King Arthur reign over England, was locked in a terrible prison as a boy. And now imagine that King Arthur has died and five hundred years have passed. A new king is in command, a crazy and bloodthirsty king who will stop at nothing to control the powerful mining rights of neighboring villages. The villagers of Gilleon don't think they can stop King Jason on their own, but they are hoping that Merlin and his brethren have a plan. This is the story of The Brotherhood of Merlin, a fantasy novel written by Rory D Nelson. Merlin has all of his wizarding powers to use in times of crisis, but is it enough to beat a crazy and unstoppable king? The villagers hope so, as they have lost a number of their citizens as captives to the reckless and unpredictable king.

I was impressed that Rory D Nelson was able to create a lot of tension between both warring sides. There was a lot of secrecy and spying back and forth, and that really helped heighten the stakes for the characters. I thought Nelson did a good job in creating that drama. People who read fantasy will really enjoy this book, but I think readers new to the genre will enjoy this story, too. There is a lot to like, from interesting characters to a unique storyline and a well-crafted setting. The world building was detailed and in depth and I thought writing about the villages was one of Nelson’s strengths.