From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-This third installment in what is slated to be a five-book "epic" finds the still-untried Merlin battling the great dragon Valdearg, who was put to sleep by Merlin's grandfather many years ago. The young wizard hopes to save the magic island of Fincayra from the wrath of this creature who is awakened when someone destroys the eggs containing the last of his offspring. According to an ancient prophecy, Merlin will perish in the battle, but he persists with the help and hindrance of a varied cast of characters. To make matters worse, he seems to have lost his magic. Still, he perseveres. There are no surprises here, but that is precisely what will appeal to fans of the series. Sometimes the prose is overwritten in an attempt to sound properly grave and ends up reading a little like a parody of the genre, but the constant action and flow from one predicament to another keep the story going. Because the frequent references to prior events will confuse those who haven't read the previous titles, this book is best read in conjunction with the others.Carrie Schadle, Beginning with Children School, New York CityCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Young Merlin struggles to develop his blossoming wizard powers in this third book of the Lost Years of Merlin series. Already directed by his strong commitment to righteousness, Merlin faces many magical foes, including the newly awakened dragon threatening to destroy all of Fincayra. Fortunately, Merlin finds assistance from magical allies, such as deer people and a courageous stallion. Kevin Isola narrates with a whispery British accent generally suitable to the story but cloying for female characters. Other characterizations are sometimes overdramatic, such as the malevolent sorceress, who sounds like Star Wars' Yoda, and the angry dragon, whose growls overwhelm his dialogue. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable book for those intrigued by Merlin. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Gr. 7^-10. With each book, Barron's Lost Years of Merlin saga just keeps getting richer in characterization, ambience, and Celtic lore. Taking up where The Seven Songs of Merlin (1997) left off, the third book sees young Merlin meet even more challenges, particularly as the dragon Valdearg, the last emperor of the dragons, awakens to once again threaten the entire land of Fincayra. Gulled into thinking that Merlin is the one who had slaughtered his dragon hatchlings, Valdearg searches for the young, unproven magician. Fire plays a heavy metaphorical role in the story, with Merlin facing the incomprehensible burning of his newly crafted harp, the fire of lava, and the awakening fire of passion within himself as well as the dragon's flaming breath--all of which leads to Merlin's eventual discovery of a power still higher. The plot is complex, involving not only Valdearg but also the treacherous enchantress Urnalda; the ancient sorceress Domnu, with whom Merlin becomes a reluctant ally; and an enigmatic, primordial oracle. Also, who has been breeding Kreelixes, unnatural beasts that feed on the magic of others, and has set them against Merlin? Fans will definitely be clamoring for more. Sally Estes

Robert Redford-10/1996
All the elements of a classic here....A wonderfully fanciful tale, colorful and suspenseful.

Kirkus Reviews-09/1996
T.A. Barron transforms the early years of the mythical wizard's life into a vivid, action-filled fantasy, replete with deep forests, ruined castles, and evil spells....While Barron is careful to show that Merlin is still physically a boy, readers are left with a vision of a more confident, compassionate hero, prepared to confront the joys and sorrows that await him in future volumes.

Robert Coles, M. D.-09/1996
The Lost Years of Merlin is deeply moving, full of meaning. It's also T.A. Barron's most inviting, flowing, and lyrical work yet.

Madeleine L'Engle-09/1996
How wonderful! An extraordinary journey of mind, body, and spirit--both for Merlin and for ourselves. This first book of The Lost Years of Merlin epic leads all of us to look forward eagerly to the rest.

Lloyd Alexander-08/1996
In this brilliant epic, T.A. Barron has created a major addition to that body of literature, ancient and modern, dealing with the towering figure of Merlin. It is, as well, one of the richest and most significant, illuminating the dark mysteries shrouding the childhood of this greatest of enchanters. Barron combines the wellsprings of mythical imagination with his own deepest artistic powers. Through the ordeals, terrors, and struggles of Merlin-to-be, we follow an intense and profoundly spiritual adventure. Barron has found Merlin's lost years for us, and a great deal more.

Barbara Kiefer, Associate Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University,5/98
With each book Barron refines his grasp of the very best that the genre of fantasy can offer a reader. In The Fires of Merlin he has woven together a thrilling tale with memorable characters, not the least of whom is a dragon hatchling. His meticulous and thorough research into Celtic, Welsh, and Arthurian lore provides the exquisite warp and woof for this richly colored tapestry of story. But Barron's understanding about human relationships and the needs of the human spirit give living substance to the literary elements so that the book glows with a true and magical light.

Book Description
Wings of Fire, the sleeping dragon, has awakened, threatening to revenge himself against all of Fincayra. Only young Merlin has the power to stop him-though the price may be his very life.

Card catalog description
Having voyaged to the Otherworld in his quest to find himself, the young wizard Merlin must face fire in many different forms and deal with the possibility of losing his own magical power.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The famous young wizard (without the lightning-bolt scar) is having his magic and humanity put to the test in T. A. Barron's spellbinding third installment of his Lost Years of Merlin Epic. Fincayra is being threatened by an ancient creature -- Valdearg the dragon, also called the Wings of Fire. Magically put into a deep sleep by Merlin's grandfather, Valdearg is awakened after his unhatched eggs are brutally destroyed and seeks to kill the young wizard, who he believes committed the act. As described in a prophecy, only a descendant of the dragon's previous conqueror can stop the dragon's terror, and this means Merlin. But first, the wizard must locate a magical pendant being kept by Dark Fate, an old hag in the Haunted Marsh, and come to realize the fires of his own self, the true powers that lie deep within him. A bewitching page-turner that will leave you salivating for the other four Merlin books, The Fires of Merlin is a necessary read for lovers of magical epics and ancient lore.

ANNOTATION

Having voyaged to the Otherworld in his quest to find himself, the young wizard Merlin must face fire in many different forms and deal with the possibility of losing his own magical power.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Wings of Fire, the sleeping dragon, has awakened, threatening to revenge himself against all of Fincayra. Only young Merlin has the power to stop him-though the price may be his very life.

SYNOPSIS

Barron's dazzling Arthurian fantasy continues as young Merlin faces the evil, bat-like kreelixes who exist only to destroy magic; the mysterious Wheel of Wye; and the sorceress Urnalda, who holds the treasured Galator. Third in the series. Map.

FROM THE CRITICS

VOYA - Kathleen Beck

Fans of Barron's first two Merlin volumes will welcome the further adventures of their reluctant hero. Having earned his staff in Seven Songs of Merlin (Philomel, 1997), the would-be wizard has undertaken serious training with the bard Cairpre. He must interrupt his efforts, however, when the sleeping dragon Valdearg awakens to threaten the isle of Fincayra again. Dwarf queen Urnalda demands his help-but unbeknownst to Merlin, she has struck a deal with the evil Rhita Gawr to steal Merlin's magic in return for a promise of safety for the dwarves. Before he can confront the dragon, Merlin faces a series of perils including eluding the kreelixes, fearsome birdlike creatures once thought extinct, and decoding the prophetic Wheel of Wye, whose power can either help or destroy him. He is aided by his twin sister Rhia and new allies Hallia and Eremon, sometimes human and sometimes deer, who share with him their power of transformation. Merlin must first conquer his own fear that, his magic lost, he is no wizard after all. Barron originally intended a trilogy but now projects five volumes in Merlin's saga. He certainly does not lack for inventive situations and characters. One adventure leads to another without a clear sense of dramatic arc or resolution, but the action hardly pauses long enough for one to notice. Readers of Tolkien or Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series may find this a reworking of familiar material with a few twists thrown in, but the appeal of Merlin, Arthur's enchanter, is bound to draw others who will appreciate Barron's clear, readable style and non-stop action. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8 and Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9).

KLIATT

This third book in the Lost Years of Merlin series continues the story of the young boy who is just growing into his powers. Young Merlin is about to finish his first magical musical instrument, a rite of passage for any young wizard, when he and his teacher receive bad news. The dragon called Wings of Fire has awakened from centuries of sleep and is threatening the land of Fincayra. Prophecy proclaims that a descendent of the dragon's enemy will defeat him; Merlin's grandfather bested the dragon years ago, and so the prophecy seems to point to him. Unfortunately, the prophecy also says that the destroyer will himself be destroyed. And that seems all too likely when an old enemy steals Merlin's magic, leaving him only his wits with which to battle the forces arrayed against him. Reading the first two books in the series will help the reader understand the background of this exciting quest tale, but the book fills in enough from the previous two for the reader to follow it easily. Stories about young wizards are popular now, and this well-written novel is an excellent choice for all YA collections. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 1998, Berkley/Ace, 275p, 18cm, $5.99. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Deirdre B. Root; Ref. Libn., Middletown P.L., Middletown, OH January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-This third installment in what is slated to be a five-book "epic" finds the still-untried Merlin battling the great dragon Valdearg, who was put to sleep by Merlin's grandfather many years ago. The young wizard hopes to save the magic island of Fincayra from the wrath of this creature who is awakened when someone destroys the eggs containing the last of his offspring. According to an ancient prophecy, Merlin will perish in the battle, but he persists with the help and hindrance of a varied cast of characters. To make matters worse, he seems to have lost his magic. Still, he perseveres. There are no surprises here, but that is precisely what will appeal to fans of the series. Sometimes the prose is overwritten in an attempt to sound properly grave and ends up reading a little like a parody of the genre, but the constant action and flow from one predicament to another keep the story going. Because the frequent references to prior events will confuse those who haven't read the previous titles, this book is best read in conjunction with the others.-Carrie Schadle, Beginning with Children School, New York City

AudioFile