Kate Gordon accompanies her father on a quest for a sunken Spanish galleon that contains a treasure beyond price--a mysterious drinking horn which legend states may have been responsible for Merlin's death. Now, to save her father's life, Kate must enter an undersea world of bizarre creatures and terrifying foes, and succeed where Merlin failed.

I instantly fell in love with Kate.
The adventure is compelling and all-encompassing, it sucked me right in. I memorized the Ballad of the Resurrection (even reciting it as a piece for work) and spent countless hours imaging that I was, in fact, Kate.

This book is the reason I named my cat Nimue, and if that isn't indicative of the story's impact on my life, I don't know what is. 

A fresh take on Merlin and the King Arthur legend, but most certainly not a retelling. Instead, it is an original story with plenty of apparently well-researched references to the legend and even an appearance by Merlin himself.