Arianrhod (Roddy) and her best friend Grundo live on the alternate Earth known as Blest, which acts as the magical center for thousands of worlds. To keep the magic stable, they travel with the King’s Progress, a perpetual movement of King and Court around England. However, everyone knows the true power lies with the Merlin, a succession of powerful magicians. On an Earth more like our own, Nick Mallory (secretly an exiled prince from another dimension) lives a normal life with his adopted writer father. Until now, their lives have fallen within the limits of normality for them.
When the old Merlin is killed and a new one chosen, Roddy and Grundo discover a dead conspiracy afoot, one that will upset the balance of power for Blest and all its many neighbors. Meanwhile, Nick begins a journey of self-discovery across multiple worlds as he tries to figure out who wants him dead, and who set him on this path in the first place. But things escalate quickly, with numerous people vanishing, and the magic of Blest destabilizing. It’s up to Roddy, Grundo, and Nick to master their own powers, and gather what allies they can, to stop the false Merlin and his allies from destroying everything.
It’s not as simple as that. World-hopping mages, a talkative elephant, an insane goat, time travel, self-aware city spirits, ancient gods and new magics all combine to make this one of Diana Wynne Jones’ typically complex and fascinating books. She keeps the story moving with alternative viewpoints and a host of outrageous concepts, throwing in unpredictable twists just when you’re sure you know where it’s going. As always, her characters are distinct and fully realized, with some great quirks: Nick is quite literally an incoherent zombie when he wakes up, while the powerful Romanov has ex-wife issues. As a side note, this book fits in loosely with the world of her previous book, Deep Secret, bringing back the concept of the Magids, whose job it is to handle the magical problems of the Multiverse.
I always look forward to a new Diana Wynne Jones book, and The Merlin Conspiracy proves she’s still at the top of her game and getting better all the time. Young adult readers are sure to love the blend of adventure, whimsy, and intelligent plotlines that are Jones’ hallmarks.