Merlin (novel)



"A widespread taste for pornography means that nature is alerting us to some threat of extinction."

- J. G. Ballard.

In this book, Robert Nye's version of the King Arthur legend, Guinevere is a stutterer, Arthur suffers from pathological sadism, and the devil prefers choir boys from virgins. But this is not why this book is interesting.

It presents a theory of conspiracy staying behind the Arthurian legend, at the same time offering a satirical interpretation of medieval culture based on Freudian psychoanalysis. Somehow, all this is done almost exclusively by the means of dialogues and pornography (and no, it really cannot be called erotica). If a novel contains refined allusions to medieval theology and alchemy, makes an eye to the readers of Milton, Dante and Malory, has dialogues in Latin and metafictional interludes, only explicit pornography can save it from being torn to pieces by critics - and this is what happened to Nye's book.


 * All Men Are Perverts.
 * All Women Are Lustful.
 * Anti-Anti-Christ: Merlin. Actually, he is in between of this and Antichrist, though he struggles to remain on the good side.
 * As the Good Book Says...: Usually in connection with devils.
 * Brother-Sister Incest: As could be expected, but much more kinky than in most versions of the Arthurian legend.
 * Casual Kink: In this book, the lack of kink would be kinky.
 * Confessional: Highly averted.
 * Courtly Love: VERY much averted.
 * A Date with Rosie Palms: and.
 * Demon Lords and Archdevils: Actually, two of them.
 * Freud Was Right: Could serve as a summary of the work.
 * Horny Devils: A recurring theme.
 * Excalibur: Mentioned by name.
 * Foregone Conclusion: With an important exception of Sleeve Job.
 * Genre Busting: While it is indisputably a fantasy novel, at times it has much more in common with fantasies than with fantasy.
 * Hot Witch: Morgan le Fay.
 * Ironic Hell: Cameo appearance.
 * Love Ruins the Realm: As always in Arthurian fantasy.
 * Merlin
 * Perspective Flip: Not the main point of the story, but done in an impressive way.
 * Satan
 * Short Title: Long Elaborate Subtitle: "Darkling Child of Virgin and Devil"
 * Spank the Cutie:.
 * Supernatural Aid: Blasphemously averted (and yet highly accurate in terms of theology).
 * Unreliable Narrator: Merlin, who admits he is telling this story while completely mad.