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James Potter
Merlin's Gift
A founders Christmas Story.
12 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2008
52 people are currently reading
2492 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 31, 2013
This is a bit ridiculous, yes, but G. Norman Lippert's short stories are much better than The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Sorry, Ms. Rowling. I wasn't very interested in fanfic but reading this and Harry's First Christmas made me want to read the James Potter series which I'm actually reading (and very much enjoying) now.
P.S. Yes, I'm a Harry Potter fan. I think my HP ratings are a dead giveaway.
P.S. Yes, I'm a Harry Potter fan. I think my HP ratings are a dead giveaway.
January 25, 2018
Good initial but not quite up-to the mark. Merlin's image seems so degrading and merging the concept of Potter and Merlin since the starting of Wizardry was not quite impressing but was very different which make me thought for a second. Also, the Santa Claus's concept through the Kreagle's way of being the one was connecting. However, Fan-fiction has never been my choice this also wouldn't be if I had known earlier. Though being short, was good to read in a shot.
Scene before the end of saving the Girl, gave expectation of better fight which was quite depressing as nothing sort of that given. but Like the discussions between Kreagle and Merlin.
Kreagle—Kringle, he amended in his thoughts—was about to leave. He never stayed in one place for very long. “Tell me, oh King” Merlin asked, raising his voice. “Why was the girl so important?”
Connecting different stories was fun as fiction but still Santa-meet-Merlin-meet-Lily Concept was not so convincing.
For me its 2.5/5.0
Scene before the end of saving the Girl, gave expectation of better fight which was quite depressing as nothing sort of that given. but Like the discussions between Kreagle and Merlin.
Kreagle—Kringle, he amended in his thoughts—was about to leave. He never stayed in one place for very long. “Tell me, oh King” Merlin asked, raising his voice. “Why was the girl so important?”
Connecting different stories was fun as fiction but still Santa-meet-Merlin-meet-Lily Concept was not so convincing.
For me its 2.5/5.0
June 30, 2017
Merlin stepped away, knowing that Kreagle—Kringle, he amended in his thoughts—was about to leave. He never stayed in one place for very long. “Tell me, oh King,” Merlin asked, raising his voice. “Why was the girl so important?”
“She is important because all people are important, Merlinus,” the fat man laughed. “You know that.”
Merlin simply smiled tightly, and raised one eyebrow.
“And,” Kringle said, lifting his reins. “She has a rather important descendent, many, many moons from now. A descendent who will save rather a lot of people. A Potter.”
“Since when do pot-makers save people?” Merlin asked.
“Since when did you start caring why people were worth saving?” Kringle replied, smiling, his cheeks red, his beard bristling white in the moonlight. “By the way, I’m liking what your associate, Gryffindor, did with the sledge. Flying reindeer, indeed. I could do amazing things with that. I shall have to talk to my elves when I get back to the pole.”
“She is important because all people are important, Merlinus,” the fat man laughed. “You know that.”
Merlin simply smiled tightly, and raised one eyebrow.
“And,” Kringle said, lifting his reins. “She has a rather important descendent, many, many moons from now. A descendent who will save rather a lot of people. A Potter.”
“Since when do pot-makers save people?” Merlin asked.
“Since when did you start caring why people were worth saving?” Kringle replied, smiling, his cheeks red, his beard bristling white in the moonlight. “By the way, I’m liking what your associate, Gryffindor, did with the sledge. Flying reindeer, indeed. I could do amazing things with that. I shall have to talk to my elves when I get back to the pole.”
January 1, 2013
I don't normally read much fan fiction, but this one intrigued me when I came across it, as I've been reading various Christmas inspired stories lately. Plus I'm a fan of the Harry Potter series, so it was an easy choice to read. Haha...
In any case this ended up being a very enjoyable, and entertaining read. The way the author intertwined various classic children's stories into this story of the Founders of Hogwarts was very well done, and made for a fun read. I definitely recommend this one to fans of the Harry Potter books. :)
In any case this ended up being a very enjoyable, and entertaining read. The way the author intertwined various classic children's stories into this story of the Founders of Hogwarts was very well done, and made for a fun read. I definitely recommend this one to fans of the Harry Potter books. :)
July 28, 2013
A cute and rather funny story with an all-star cast: Merlinus and the four Hogwarts founders and a host of fairy tale characters plus Santa Claus himself! Short yet interesting and it poses the question of how can Harry Potter be a descendant of Little Red Riding Hood?
A good in-between read :)
A good in-between read :)
February 20, 2014
Oh cute. Kreagle the King sounds very much like Santa Claus. Nice story about the founders of Hogwarts Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Very fairytale like.
May 11, 2013
Nicely done!!! Incorporating fairy tales - Cinderella's pumpkin carriage, the gingerbread man, little red riding hood, mentioning of the Grimm brothers (read between the lines...hmmm)!
House Elves as offspring of elves and goblins (sort of demi-whatever like demigods for myth gods and human kids...) who would have thought!!!
And my most favorite character in the world (fiction or not...) Santa Claus or should I say Kris Kringle, his sleigh and improvement to flying raindeer and sleigh was Gryffindor's idea!!!! Amazing imagination Norman! 5
House Elves as offspring of elves and goblins (sort of demi-whatever like demigods for myth gods and human kids...) who would have thought!!!
And my most favorite character in the world (fiction or not...) Santa Claus or should I say Kris Kringle, his sleigh and improvement to flying raindeer and sleigh was Gryffindor's idea!!!! Amazing imagination Norman! 5
October 27, 2014
A sweet little story. Pleasant and cheery - not the usual gloomy stuff that past always seems to bring with it in any of the Potter series. Woven from the yarns of many fairy tales: Santa Claus (reindeer-pulled cart flying through the sky, King Kreagle with his elves who live in cold poles and sends “missions” and gifts), Cinderella (pumpkin-and-rats transfigured into cart and the fairy Godmother), Little Red Riding Hood (Wolf gobbling a little red-robed girl and her grandmother), and The Gingerbread Man (I shall run as fast as fast can be, They’ll never catch me!).
January 10, 2013
It's nice to know that the four great wizards & witches of Hogwarts doesn't know anything about the "fairy tales" of Muggles. :) This short story is great. I didn't expect that Gabriella is Little Red Riding Hood. And the King is surely is Santa Claus. XD But the funny thing is the "POTTER'S" are decent of Red Riding Hood. hahaha very clever story. I SURELY LIKE IT :D
March 25, 2013
Entertainment, easy reading and interesting fan-fiction.
It's nice to read something from the time of Hogwarts founders.
It makes them more real. I like how the muggles tales are included in in it and this versions much more. Who knows, maybe the fairy tales are inspired by the true events in wizarding world. ;)
It's nice to read something from the time of Hogwarts founders.
It makes them more real. I like how the muggles tales are included in in it and this versions much more. Who knows, maybe the fairy tales are inspired by the true events in wizarding world. ;)
August 17, 2016
What a fun little read! I absolutely loved it when James went back to the time of the founders in James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper and this story was even better. Personally I think someone should write a whole series on the founders of Hogwarts. I also really liked the ties in to the current day fairytales and myths surrounding Santa...Highly entertaining.
August 22, 2013
I thought this was really good. I love how fun and festive this was and how the author incorporated other fairy tales in this story.
This was an interesting look at how the Hogwarts founders celebrated one particular Christmas.
This was an interesting look at how the Hogwarts founders celebrated one particular Christmas.
November 24, 2018
I loved this quirky little short story. Not only did it put me right in the Christmas spirit, but I loved the intertwining of old fairy tales. It has a dash of Cinderella, Santa, and Little Red Riding Hood. It tied everything together quite nicely.
August 10, 2016
It was very interesting to read a story about the founders. I quite enjoyed the little snarky comments and in that moment salazar wasn't really with the rest. It's hard to tell that it isn't j.k. rowling. He does a great job keeping the story alive.
February 7, 2015
Et mitte spoilerdada, siis... kui teile vähegi meeldib HP ja kui te tahaksite teada, mis on seos Punamütsikese ja Harry Potteri vahel, mis rolli mängib selles loos Salazar Slytherin ja kes tegelikult on Jõuluvana, siis... see on lühike lugu, aga krdi geniaalne.
February 5, 2013
I loved this! Fantastic story.
Not only does it contain the Founders of Hogwarts and Merlin, it's a very well written story that fits in perfectly with the James Potter series. A must read.
Not only does it contain the Founders of Hogwarts and Merlin, it's a very well written story that fits in perfectly with the James Potter series. A must read.
November 24, 2011
This was a very good short story about Merlin and the four house founders Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin at Christmas.
October 4, 2012
Had to rate this a 5 as it was so cheesy that it was hilarious. Well done Lippert.
January 22, 2013
Its really nice how the author entwined the usual fairy tales that we all grew up with and created this witty story. Pleasant to read.
February 15, 2013
Very short and cute read. Loved the mingling of the fairy tales. Slytherin proved to be pretty funny here, and not quite the evil villain he is so often portrayed to be.
September 16, 2013
WOW!! NOW THAT IS A REALLY NEAT WAY TO EXPLAIN THE ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS, AND LITTLE RED RIDDING HOOD, PLUS THE CINDERELLA FAIRY GODMOTHER TWIST. I LOVE YOUR WORK MORE AND MORE
January 3, 2014
Nice little story ... having the Founders of Hogwarts come together and the unexpected Hero was a nice twist ... of course, the hidden King was interesting ...
January 16, 2014
Love these little short stories and how they are creative and tie other stories in with it! Awesome creativity!
May 8, 2015
George, Please make more stories of MERLIN!!!! I'll buy for sure! Please? Pleaseeeeee!!!!!!!!
March 21, 2013
I found this short story to be very entertaining, and witty.
September 30, 2025
This short book is story of Merlin and his way of life when he was there, and he is noble guy with big heart and he is bit of traditionalist and his way is different from other guys. Old Merlin story is to be read as he known for his friendship, and what he did for kreagle is to be read and he is kind man till now. Story doesn't show him a bad guy he is headmaster with views and he became godfather to James Potter and like Harry Potter had Albus Dumbledore in his time.
March 13, 2017
An average one, Lippert tried to connect it with so many stories and fairytales that after initial amusement it felt more forced than natual. Still I always wanted to read a story about hogwarts' founder and here it was. It would have been better if there were more stuff about hogwarts and its early days along with somewhat more focus on the relationship among the founders but you can't ask for everything in an 11 page short story. It could have been better but still worth a read for Harry Potter fans
May 21, 2023
No es una lectura larga pero la primera vez que lo empecé a leer pensé que lo estaba entendiendo mal y que mi problema era que ya no sabía nada de inglés por lo que la dejé en pausa…
Ahora que he conseguido terminarla tiempo después he comprendido que no es problema de mi entendimiento si no que es una ida de olla y que carece de sentido alguno.
Ahora que he conseguido terminarla tiempo después he comprendido que no es problema de mi entendimiento si no que es una ida de olla y que carece de sentido alguno.
June 19, 2018
An interesting reworking of several traditional tales into the Harry (James) Potter universe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews