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Cover of The Crystal Cave by Mary StewartThe Crystal Cave
Classic · Fiction, Fantasy

The Crystal Cave

by Mary Stewart
1970 · 493 pages · Fiction
70.8Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In 5th-century Britain, after the Romans have left, the country is in chaos. Young Merlin, the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess who won't name his father, discovers he has the Sight. Through invasion, imprisonment and war, he grows into the man who will help bring about the coming of King Arthur.

Why it's worth reading

It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1970. It's a classic retelling of the Arthurian legend from Merlin's point of view.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy. It's realistic historical fiction more than fantasy.

By the numbers

70.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers52 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the ten best-selling books of 1970 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1970sTop 25 · 131 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Crystal Cave worth reading?

Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1970. It ranks #1,208 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Crystal Cave about?

In 5th-century Britain, after the Romans have left, the country is in chaos. Young Merlin, the illegitimate son of a Welsh princess who won't name his father, discovers he has the Sight. Through invasion, imprisonment and war, he grows into the man who will help bring about the coming of King Arthur.

How long does it take to read The Crystal Cave?

About 12 hours (493 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Crystal Cave?

If you liked it, try The Once and Future King by T. H. White, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin or The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.