Celtic Books

Here the lore of Northern Heathanism is paired and compaired with the lore of the Ancient Celts. I would recomend this book to all Asatruar looking to examine more closely, the Lore of our Folk.

This is a marvelously fascinating book detailing both Scandinavian and Celtic religion. It covers an amazing sense of similarity as well as differences between the two cultures. Davidson covers the subject from the evidence in archaelogy, iconography, literature and folklore in a search for basic patterns which are enlightening in regards to the Indo-European hypothesis. A good read, not too terribly dry, it is well worth reading.

A useful introduction to the structure, key concepts, and beliefs of ancient Scandinavian and Celtic religions. Davidson covers a number of topics, including holy places, feasting and sacrifice, battle rites, land spirits and ancestors, divination, the Otherworld, and what she calls "the ruling powers." Her text is an overview and an introduction: not very deep, but a good place to begin one's study. Because she discusses both Germanic and Celtic religions, there is too much ground to cover to do so in depth. Sometimes the religions feel confused or one of the other is ignored in order to move on to the text subject. Nonetheless, the text is scholarly, well-footnoted and clearly based in research; for the most part her analysis manages to identify key themes and symbols in an analytic, readable fashion. I believe that her attempt to categorize the gods at the very end of the book fails, but with that one exception the book is on the whole a useful, intelligent introduction to these ancient religions, and the writing style is approachable while still scholarly.

The student of either Scandinavian or Celtic religion may find this text unusual: rather than focusing on one of these religions, it discusses both concurrently. Germanic and Celtic religions appear to have a shared origin and a number of similarities, and so the analysis of both together should be interesting and provide a wider background for students of either religion. However, the broader subject matter makes for more cursory analysis and less detail: some subjects are only mentioned briefly; some subjects are discussed only in terms of one of the two religions. Furthermore, Davidson spends a lot of time talking about the similarities between the religions and often fails to discuss the differences beyond the rare mention that they exist. In comparative religious studies, sometimes it's the differences that matter more than the similarities. As such, the comparison between the two religions can at times be frustrating and degrade both.

Near the end of the book, Davidson attempts to group the gods of both Celtic and Norse religions into major groups and types, such as warrior gods and provider gods. She makes this attempt despite a preface which warns that it may be impossible and may even limit or corrupt our understanding of the gods. In her attempt, she categorizes only male gods: female goddess are ignored for the most part of the book. There is some interesting discussion about valkyries and battle goddess earlier on, but other goddess (Such as Brigid and Danu) are not even mentioned. I don't know why she omits them (perhaps they have no Nordic equivalent?); regardless, both the attempt to group the gods and the omission of the goddess do a great disservice to both religions and are the weakest parts of the book.

Despite these complaints, Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe is still an interesting and scholarly introduction to both Nordic and Celtic religions. Davidson discusses the relationship between history, culture, and location in the formation of a religion. She looks at the root of Celtic and Nordic myths, including the relationship between the two; she looks at how natural and man-made locations and symbols impacted religious practice and the concept of sacred spaces; she looks the nature of religious practice and its role in the life cycle of the ancient Germans and Celts. She searches for symbols, correlations, and derivatives, and her analysis is clear and easy to follow. The book introduces some useful and easily applicable ways to approach a study of the Celtic and Scandinavian faiths, one that depends more on the underlying structure and purpose of the religion rather than its small, contradictory, poorly-understood or unreliable details. I do recommend this book, although I encourage further reading on the specific religions in order to gain a better grasp of their depths, individuality, and roles and identities of the gods (and goddesses in particular).

This book is mainly concerned with the format and content of pre-Christian Scandinavian religion, using Celtic and Germanic equivalents as a means of reference, support and comparison. I first became aware of Scandinavian culture during my schooldays in North-East British Northumberland, and the lessons were mainly concerned with depicting the savagery of the Viking raiders, the terrible `dragon-headed' long-ships, and their rape, pillage and plunder of civilized Anglo-Saxon Christian settlements. This image of barbaric ice-warriors filled my imagination until the mid-eighties when excavations and archeological discoveries at Coppergate in York revealed many interesting and highly cultured facets of Viking life in the early medieval period. Much of these discoveries and subsequent research was installed as a permanent museum now called `Jorvik Viking Centre.' A decade later I was fortunate enough to visit Bergen in Norway and experience Scandinavian culture and history first hand, the Bryggens Museum is a showcase of finds from the earliest settlements and includes ceramics, rune inscriptions, artifacts and the remnants of a principally shipping and commercial society up to the Middle Ages. `Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe' provided me with a carefully researched and detailed account of the spirituality of the Scandinavian peoples, and which brought to maturity all my previous thoughts and experiences, to an understanding which gives considerable credit to those communities for their important cultural legacy in Western Europe.

Davidson has used the medieval literature, myths and legends of Iceland and Ireland as the primary reference source for this book, in combination with archeological research papers and sources, and iconography of pre-Christian Western European culture. Her main inspiration appears to come from many scholars of Celtic history including Nora Chadwick, Kenneth Jackson and Anne O'Sullivan, although the principle thesis of the this research is prompted by Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) the religious historian who specialized in the analysis of Indo European civilization, who asks; "Is it possible to fit these Norse and Irish legends into a general pattern of Indo-European religious beliefs, extending back far into prehistory?" This question it seems, is the answer that Davison was seeking to explore within her work, and she does so with imagination, clear perception and a satisfying conclusion. With a broad yet defining sweep she manages to assess and investigate seven principle areas of interest; sacred places and sanctuaries, feasting and sacrifices, warriors, codes and rites and battle, land spirits, deities and ancestors, prophetic knowledge, divination and the priestly caste, cosmology and the other worlds, and finally the ruling gods, goddesses and divine pantheons.

Davidson begins with the earliest sources of a broad Indo-European culture, the archeological sources of Halstatt and La Tene circa 800 BCE to 200 CE, and follows through her study to approximately 1000 CE when the Scandinavian Vikings began to convert to Christianity. She employs free use and comparison of geographical sites, archeology, linguistics, cultural, social, artistic and spiritual characteristics, and the dynamics of the anarchical tribal-feudalism of early European society to successfully accomplish the study.

I grew up within a traditional working class British community. There, the cultural inheritance was composed of remnants of ancient and medieval thought whose pattern and dynamic has evolved little beyond the concept of `indentured servitude.' Tribalism still exists albeit in the form of soccer, and beyond the boundaries of the town there still exists a fear, a dreaded chaos, of foreigners and disorganization. Even when I was a lad in the seventies there was a strong sense of home, a hearth and odd yet valid seasonal customs whose origins may be traced back a thousand years. From a curious perspective, even a psychological one, this volume (and others like it) helped me to understand my background, language, beliefs and culture from a traditional point, and subsequently how those traits still influence my perception and actions today. It is not a book that changed my life, but illuminated facets of it and helped me in understanding myself more.

I had to keep flipping back to remember what this page was referrencing, as it jumped around a good bit. The information was badly put together, I wish it had a more coherent form - it seems like really interesting information -

Simply, this is one of the best publications on the subject.
Thank you

I am been studying the Celtic spirituality, and wanted more information about their Moon Goddess. This book is a "must have" for those serious in finding addtional information that is found no where else. Loved this Book, highly recommend it to those wanting & searching for the eternal Mistress of the Night, the Celtic Moon Goddess.

Very detailed and scholarly. Tiny print. No illustrations at all which would have been helpful. Substantial and thorough information, historical up to present day. If that's what you want you won't be disappointed. One drawback is there is no subject index.

The back cover states that the moon has been associated w/the Goddess since earliest times. This is nonsense, of course. Although the author claims to have studied Celtic languages at Harvard, they somehow neglect to note the FACT that the Sun is feminine in Celtic languages & the Moon is masculine. That's enough for me to realize that this book's a waste of time, trees & money.

General overview of the Moon in various cultures. While it briefly touches on Celtic culture, I don't know why it's being marketed as Celtic, as there is very little Celtic information here. If you're looking for a general moon book, you may like this, but if you're looking for Celtic moon lore you'd be better off buying The Carmina Gadelica and The Gaelic Otherworld, then you'd have every bit of info the author mentions in here, and more.

This book contains a wealth of information for beginning Druids or those interested in finding out more about them. The book contains an extensive history, as well as information on many different types of Druids and caveats on what to watch out for. It definitely is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. Very informative and detailed.

This book both failed me and surprised me positively. I personally don't subscribe to a lot of the subtly promoted political agendas nor do I feel that modern Paganism needs to be anti-Christian, but the parts about contemporary Druidry are unique. I think some material, like the history of the RDNA cannot be found anywhere else, also the history of ADF.

If anything, this book is worth the money for the chapters about history of modern Druidry and the provided contacts and profiles of Neopagan organizations.

For those who aren't students of comparative religion like me, the arguments for comparative mythology may be an important imput. Bonewits definitely deserves praise for throwing in some popular science.

This has got to be the worst book I have ever tried to read. It should be retitled - the guide to being a hippie and stick it to the system. I would only recommend this book to someone who needed fire starter for their next camp out.

Isaac Bonewits has a recent habit of bringing scholarship to his works, but then using his powerful intellect to stick it to groups he has personal problems with. This book is no exception. I admire his earlier intelligent works; but lately his writings have devolved into slander and pagan tabloid writing. Those of us who have been around the block for a couple of decades in the pagan communities are able to separate the chaff from the grain in this book; but for the novice, Bonewits does a major disservice by crying "cult" to any group who hasn't towed his particular line. There are actually very good groups of pagans whom I have known for years whom he libels in his books and offers absolutely no evidence to support his nefarious claims. It is obvious by the comments that he posts on his website that he is in dire financial need; so I am assuming that his foray into tabloid journalism is based on his need to make as quick a buck as possible. What a waste of what used to be a decent author. I hope he gets some money soon so he can return to what he does best: writing thoughtful and well-researched books.

Learning about neo-pagan druidism should, at first glance, be easy. The shelves of both "New Age" bookstores and the "Alternative Religion" category at your local Barnes and Noble are sure to be filled with tons of books with words like "Celtic" and "Druid" and "Irish" and so-forth. Simply grab one of those books, and you're on your way.

The reality is, of course, quite different. Most of those books are filled with romanticism of the worst sort, outrageously unverified scholarship, 19th century forgeries and errors, etc. While at times they may prove usable in a personal spiritual life, they're hardly accurate and sometimes those sources can be downright deceitful and dangerous (such as the 21 Lessons of Merlyn).

Bonewits' book is a breath of fresh air. Bonewits is a man devoted to genuine scholarship, learning and a no-nonsense approach to both ancient druidism (or as he calls it, Paleopagan) and modern Neopagan Druidism. Bonewits' book is filled with scholarship, gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) wit and wisdom regarding Druidism, ancient and modern.

As someone who has recently become interested in the subject, I knew immediately that, based upon his previous books and his webpage, that Bonewits' book would not be a "mixed bag" or an outright falsehood like many so-called "Celtic" books are. I am exceedingly glad that I purchased this book and it shall serve as both a reference and a guide to other books on the subject (I've already ordered Ellison's The Solitary Druid: A Practitioner's Guide due to Bonewits' high recommendation of the book).

If you're dedicated to believing that the Druids built Stonehenge, that the Druids were all monotheists, that "Celtic Christianity" was a beautiful combination of "gentle Druidism" and "mystical Christianity," this is not a book for you (or rather, it IS but you're likely to become very angry at your cherished myths being turned on their heads without so much as a by-your-leave). If you're interested in an intelligent and witty guide to the multiple forms of a genuine pagan faith that is based upon sound research AND imagination (with the latter never trumping the former), then this is a terrific place to start your journey.

This woman has the writing skills of a high school dropout. Some sentences are written so badly I had to read them again just to make sure they were in English. For some reason I thought this was a serious book about the Celtic revival phenomenon instead, I found out it was just another new age junk book filled with clichés, gross generalizations and non-sequiturs. Here is a classic example (pp. 29-20)

"Matriarchal order and lineages stem from the early concept that creation comes from women. Creation is a divine seed, stemming from the Mother. Plainly, the mother's identity is always certain while the father's is not..."

I want my money back.

This book would be a great starting point for those interested in exploring the realms of Celtic Magic. Ms. Knight covers Shamanism, the Celtic Gods and Goddesses, the Druids (including a brief description of the Ogham, a Celtic form of tree divination), the Faeries, and modern Celtic Traditions. She includes several visualizations and some sample rituals. She also talks about Celtic Wicca, which I didn't actually think was necessary; for me the Celtic lore would have been enough, but of course this would be an added plus for those interested in following the Wiccan path.

She also has a recommended reading list and a list of favorite Celtic music titles which I found to be very helpful.

Ms. Knight's writing is enjoyable and easy to read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wishing to explore the Celtic path.

Sirona Knight should never be considered a scholarly source on Druidism. She's just horrible & Wicca-fies everything she touches. Her books are usually her take on things, not an expression of things as they are or were. Stay away--FAR away!

This book is one of the best I've read on Celtic traditions. Most books on the Celts give you lots of examples of rituals and tools, but they don't explain the base of the Celtic beliefs. THIS BOOK DOES. This book gives you the history on the Celtic traditions. Not just a general overview, but why they believed they way they did. It is the best source of information I have come across. It has the information on tools and rituals, but those are no good if you follow something you don't know the history of or why you are doing rituals or what the tools are used for. This book has everything.

I have read several of Sirona Knight's many books, and have always found them enjoyable to read. "Celtic Traditions" offers an excellent overview of Celtic culture, including a section on faery traditions. Beautifully combines historical data with modern Celtic spirituality. I strongly recommend this book along with "The Druids" by Peter Ellis and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Elves and Fairies" by Sirona Knight

On page seventy-five Jammer writes "As he once explained to a Japanese scholar, a deep feeling and his belief in a superior mind that reveals itself in the world of expeirence represent his concept of God." That's where I started to really fall for this book. When Jammer quotes Protestant Paul Tillich (passages written in 1940) and Catholic Hans Kung--both prominent Professors of Christian theology--on Einstein's denial of a personal God, I was in love with the book, now better understanding the theological term "a personal God" from the "Jewish-Christain" Tradition. One wonders if Einstein could have read what his friend Max Jammer has written whether Einstein would have softened or even overturned his statements about his denial of a personal God. Also, once Tillich's (with Hans Kung) and Einstein's ideas are laid out together, Einstein's views don't seem to have deserved the public outrage that they received in the 1930's onward by prominent members of the Catholic Church, Protestant Christians, and Orthodox Rabbis. As Max Jammer points out, it's not as if any of Einstein's critics believe that God is a mere person with all our faults and imperfections. In that sense no orthodox Rabbi, Preist, or Preacher would claim to believe in a personal God either.

Do not be deceived by the welcoming jacket on this book. This is primarily an academic text.

The subtitle is "physics and theology" and not the other way around. This may be deliberate, because although the book actually starts with an emphasis on theology it evolves (or devolves, depending on your perspective) into a treatise on advanced physics.

Despite Jammer's sometimes ackward English and despite the fact that portions read like a master's thesis in philosophy - the book is most accessible on the theological side. The reader gets insight into the spiritual side of Einstein. Jammer shows conclusively that Einstein did believe in God and does a reasonably good job presenting the philisophical underpinnings of Einstein's beliefs.

Unless you have studied advanced quantum physics the second part of this book is very tough going.

I think Jammer has not done a thorough enough job on Einstein's denial of free will. I have many books on and about Einstein and I know of many instances in which he made his strict determinism clear. Here is room for improvement.

Jammer is wrong to imply that Einstein's initial belief in a static universe was the result of reading Spinoza. The fact is, many scientists at the time believed in a static universe, and probably most of them had never read Spinoza. Indeed, when Hubble showed that our universe was (and still is) expanding, the scientifc community was taken by surprise. I don't think Spinoza had anything to do with this.

Jammer has said little about the importance of Hume and Schopenhauer to Einstein's philosophical and scientific views. This is a mistake. Hume and Schopenhauer were at least as important to Einstein as Spinoza. The neglect of Schopenhauer may have something to do with the philosopher's antisemitism. But Schopenhauer remained Einstein's favorite philosopher. In his study Einstein had pictures of Newton, Maxwell, Faraday, and Schopenhauer - the sole philosopher of the lot. Einstein quoted from him often on a wide range of subjects. If Schopenhauer was an antisemite, that's because he was such a misanthrope. In fact, he disliked Germans even more (and he was one of them).

I agree that locality and determinism were two of Einstein's fundamental beliefs. Jammer reports with glee that locality has been proven wrong. So therefore determinism may also be wrong, he seems to imply. But according to John Bell, nonlocality may actually prove strict determinism to be right! (I don't believe Einstein was wrong about determinism as an objective fact, even though his interpretation of quantum mechanics may be wrong. The fact is, Heisenberg uncertainty shows up only during measurements; isolated systems are strictly deterministic. Of course, no one knows where this uncertainty comes from - hence the mystery.)

I think that on the whole this book is good. But Jammer places far too much emphasis on Einstein's "Religion without science is blind; science without religion is lame" as though this remark, probably made tongue in cheek, summarized Einstein's religious views. I doubt it. Even if it does, this by no means imply this is an unassailable truth. Steven Weinberg believes that science and religion are antagonistic, one representing knowledge, the other representing ignorance. I agree with Weinberg.

By some accounts Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was the greatest theoretical physicist of the twentieth century, if not of all time. Max Jammer, Professor of Physics Emeritus and former Rector at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, has written an eminently readable account of Einstein's thoughts on religion, a subject that he insists has been ignored by the over 400 books on Einstein published in the last several decades. Einstein renounced accusations that he was an atheist, and railed against the intolerance of those whom he called "the fanatical atheists." In his three long chapters Jammer portrays Einstein as "undogmatic and yet profoundly religious."

In his first chapter Jammer treats the role of religion in Einstein's private life. Born to what he described as "entirely irreligious Jewish parents," Einstein attended a Catholic primary school where like all students he received religious instruction. From the influences of nature and music he developed pronounced religious feelings quite early, although by age twelve he became estranged from institutional religion (although not from religion as he would define it) through reading some popular scientific books. His first wife, Mileva Maric, was Greek Orthodox, and his last wishes were to be cremated rather than to be buried in any religious tradition. Einstein was decidedly irreligious in the sense that he rejected any and all institutional affiliations, never attended worship services or prayed, rejected all dogmatic theology (eg, miracles, the afterlife or prayer), did not believe that God was in any sense personal, and was a strict determinist. But he found it impossible not to think of himself as religious in the sense of humility and awe at the mystery, rationality and complexity of nature: "the eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility." Behind the mystery of nature there seemed to be some superior intelligence: "I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings."

Chapter two explores what Einstein wrote about religion (he studiously avoided using the word "theology"). As a convinced determinist Einstein did not believe in human free will. He viewed science and religion as complementary rather than as antagonistic, seen in his famous aphorism that "science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." Science cannot determine ethics or inform us of ultimate purpose or meaning, thought Einstein, for "knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be." Science could never, then, displace or supercede religion. In his final and longest chapter, Jammer examines the possible ramifications of Einstein's theory of relativity and rejection of quantum mechanics ("God," wrote Einstein in 1926, "does not play dice.") for theological ideas like time, eternity, creation ex nihilo, and the Big Bang. Einstein himself rather disingenuously denied that there was any relationship between his physics and theology.

Well-known for his aversion to social convention and defiance of authority, Einstein used a paradox to summarize his personal beliefs and professional thoughts about religion. About a year before he died Einstein wrote in a letter that he understood himself to be a "deeply religious unbeliever." He rejected any and all notions of traditional, institutional religion, but he just as vociferously repudiated atheists who tried to claim him for their cause. Rather, he embraced something like grateful and humble Cosmic Awe at the beauty and complexity of the world he strove so mightily to understand.

I think Jammer does us a fine service by writing a book about a subject that is too often neglected. Not that Einstein's religious views were ever unknown, but it is surprising that this seems to be the first book devoted to this subject.

The exchanges between Einstein and Rabbi Geller are for me an important new piece of information (see pp. 85-86), as is Einstein's denial of free will in his letter to Besso (p. 87). But interestingly, Jammer neglects to mention Einstein's letter to Otto Juliusburger, who in 1946 tried to assess Hitler's responsibility for the Holocaust. Einstein's reply would not now be considered politically correct (at least in Jammer's Israel): "You take a definite stance on Hitler's responsibility... Objectively, there is after all no free will. What need is there for a criterion for responsibility?" Einstein was of course a sworn enemy of Hitler (and so should he be). But this statement is so amazing that I think Jammer was wrong to omit it. He should have quoted this statement, while emphasizing that Einstein blamed Hitler and the Germans for their evil deeds and he never forgave them. (Most of these quotes, especially if from private letters, are kept in the multi-volume "Collected Papers of Albert Einstein" published by Princeton UP and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.)

In one of the more interesting quotes in this book, Einstein believed quantum mechanics has no practically relevant impact on his deterministic view of life-events. But in this connection Jammer fails to mention how Bohr's complementarity could be applied to Einstein's determinism with satisfactory results - even though Jammer has a third of the book devoted to speculation about how science now affects philosophical and religious matters. (Despite this, there are some important Einstein quotes in this chapter as well.)

It is obvious that Einstein rejected the notion that quantum uncertainty undermines his denial of free will because he rejected quantum mechanics itself. Jammer points out that Einstein was wrong about locality, which was one of his main objections to quantum mechanics. Jammer cites Bell's theorem (p. 226) and the Aspect experiments as proving nonlocality, and claims that Einstein's belief in locality and his determinism are two basic tenets of his philosophy, as they indeed appear to be. But Jammer's implication seems to be that if Einstein got locality wrong, perhaps he was completely wrong about quantum mechanics, hence about quantum uncertainty, thus about determinism, thus about...his denial of free will? In other words, if Einstein was wrong about locality, he might have been wrong about determinism too. If Einstein was mistaken about one basic tenet of his philosophy, what makes us think he was right about the other? What Jammer fails to realize is that it was John Bell himself who said that strict determinism could well be the only way to make nonlocality compatible with all those horrible paradoxes like faster-than-light signals which contradict Special Relativity. In Bell's opinion, Einstein might have been wrong about nature being local, but strict determinism of which Einstein was always convinced might not be wrong after all. This is such an important point that I think Jammer should have discussed it, especially in Chapter 3, where he discusses his (Jammer's) own views on Einstein's philosophy.

On a more trivial note, Jammer is wrong that Einstein picked up his denial of the freedom of the will from Spinoza. The fact is, Einstein got this idea first from Schopenhauer, then from Hume, and only later from Spinoza. I was disappointed how Jammer has throughout this book neglected the importance of Schopenhauer and Hume in Einstein's philosophical and religious development. I would agree though that Einstein's "cosmic religion" came from Spinoza.

Jammer is at pains to emphasize that he doesn't proselytize or paddle any religious or sectarian viewpoints. He succeeds in this regard, in my opinion. What he does clearly try to convey, though, is the impression that religion in general and science are not in conflict, and he quotes Einstein's facetiously ambiguous statement "Science without religion is blind; religion with science is lame" (or something to this effect) to prove this point, almost ad nauseum. I'm not sure Jammer has convinced me. But Einstein's statements about religion are often ambiguous and confusing enough to provide plenty of material for someone with a secret ax to grind to quote from. On the other hand, Einstein was quite adamant and clear in (1) his determinism, (2) his denial of the immortality of the soul (which Einstein did not believe exist apart from the brain), and (3) his denial of a personal God. Jammer does a good job of faithfully reporting these views. This is not as easy a task as it seems, because (1) clearly conflicts with the deeply held beliefs of most people and the basic dogmas of Christian, Catholic, and Jewish religions; because (3) conflicts with all major religions excepting Buddhism; and because (2) conflicts with ALL religions, past and present. So I think Jammer has shown his competence here.

A "B-" effort. I hope someday someone will come up with an even better one. Right now this is the best we have.

Morgan once again has captured the Celtic spirit. It is a great sequel to her novel Druids. Her novels give the reader a glimpse into another time. A must read for those who have an interest in all things Celtic...She has made each character come alive with the gift of an art she possesses. I look forward to another of her creations...

This book kept my interest and helped me to understand the many cultures that influenced Irish life before Chrisitanity. Very interesting!

Over the past 20 years, I've read several of Morgan Llewellyn's books, including "Lion of Ireland," "Bard," "Grania,""1916," "1921," and the companion novel to "The Greener Shore," the book "Druids." I have always admired her ability to weave fact and fiction, using the latter to flesh out the former into compelling reads that really make you feel as if you're there and can understand the characters, the landscape, and the times.

This novel, however, disappointed me. There is material in this that is drawn from historical, archaeological, scholarly, and literary sources. However, there's also MUCH poetic license taken. Please don't read this thinking you're getting any kind of accurate portrayal of the ancient druids. This is a fantasy story, like "Mists of Avalon" or "Lord of the Rings."

And, even as stories go, it was less a story and more a spiritual credo. It had a kind of "Celestine Prophecy" "Bridge Across Forever" quality to it, as if the novel were simply a vehicle for expressing a particular set of (very modern New Age) beliefs. The writing was saturated with repetitious talk about "the pattern," "the Source," the sanctity of nature, the experience of death, reincarnation, etc., not in a way which engaged the reader nor furthered any plot, but as an end in itself.

The novel is written in the first person, from Ainvar's point of view, and most of it takes place entirely in his head as he ruminates over past failures, current failures, possible future failures, the nature of the universe, the perfection of nature, the magic which has seemingly abandoned him, crises of belief, and the hatred he has for Caesar and the Romans. But very little actually HAPPENS. Ainvar is little more than a spectator watching as various, disconnected activities, triumphs and tragedies, swirl around him. There are characters who seem terribly important to him -- such as Red Wolf, his wife Briga, his lost daughter Maia, and the fairy spirit woman of Ireland -- but these characters are mostly absent from the novel and the promise of their importance never plays out, other than as macguffins for sparking Ainvar's metaphysical and mental meanderings.

Escaping from Gaul when Julius Caesar and his army conquer their homeland, the High Druid Ainvar leads his clan to a new life in Hibernia. This novel writes of the adjustments made, the learning shared between the customs and traditions of the Celts and the Gaels. Overshadowing all, are the mysterious Tuatha De Danann who ask simply to be remembered.

Ainvar finds his own magical power as a druid diminished, yet the power of others in his clan notably Briga (his senior wife) increases. Over time, members of his clan find their space and their peace in Hibernia and Ainvar himself finds his own balance between chaos and pattern.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy Ms Llewelyn's storytelling, and the magic of Celtic fantasy. This is the sequel to `Druids'.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

(WARNING: Some possible spoilers below - though I tended to try and be vague)

Druids is one of my favorite books, so I was very excited to hear of this sequel. Unfortunately, this story is disappointing on many levels.

To sum it up: Nothing happens. Period. There is no excitement in this book. It is a droll account of day to day existence for Ainvar and the survivors in his small clan of the Carnutes. There are some periods where you begin to believe that something exciting might happen, but then it either never materializes (such as a "Druid showdown" of sorts - which appears to start and then all animosity is later forgotten), or it fizzles out quickly. Basically, we just hear endlessly about how Ainvar is sad and how great Briga is. Even when there is a murder, it barely gets a few pages worth of excitement before it appears to have been completely forgotten (from what I could tell, it wasn't even mentioned to this person's son when we meet up with him again later in the book - or at least, he never showed any signs or emotions of knowing about it). We also get treated to a huge amount of "magic" that goes well beyond the suspension of disbelief we had to have with the first book - to the point that it actually annoyed me.

I love Morgan Llywelyn's work, and I will always continue to read it. This, however, was a very painful read.

This is the epic fantasy tale as told by two excellent Irish writers in collaboration. I am rating it at a "5" out of "5" due to what I saw as the risk taking in the writing and imagery. If fantasy is one of your favorite genres of books, this will be a very entertaining read. It is the epic style fantasy story of the young boy Caelid as he is transformed into Silverhand. His fantasy habitat is wonderful wordscape as drawn by Scott and Llywelyn. It is a world of werewolves and werebeasts, of a Duet of a twin sister and look alike twin brother creating their own Tantra Yoga type magic through incestuous love. They control the "voids" - a type of small vortex blackhole in reality.

However, I am giving this book a high rating with some criticism. It is an overlooked Fantasy title due to the third book never being published. Someone starting the Arcana Book I adventure must mentally allow for the fact that Book II will be the inconclusive end to the tale. This is a real tragedy for fantasy readers. Perhaps someone will bypass the publisher impasse by making a movie of the Arcana story. If done well, it could even approximate the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Llywelyn is one of my favorite authors. I am left wondering what the book would have been like without Scott. While I believe he lends a valuable masculine viewpoint to combat passages, there is a shift in writing styles back and forth. Llywelyn's style is that of a master Bard (story teller) with richly developed characters and settings.

If there is a way to get the third book published so this work stands as a fantasy trilogy, it would be impossible to ignore.

This is definitley not Llywelyn's best stuff. It is a passable fantasy/scifi read, but it seems written in fairly cliche form, and thus may seem suited for younger readers. However, the bits with the incest would have to be blacked out.
In conclusion: Silverhand is a fairly easy read, and, while it does have some twists on the basic storyline, once the twists are past the plot becomes fairly easy to guess, with the only random element being which of the secondary characters will die next, and in what manner. If you don't have anything better to read, go ahead, but you'd be much better off with another Llywelyn title.

When I started reading Silverhand, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I've read loads of Llywelyn's books previously and have enjoyed most of them very much. Any time an author teams up with someone else, though, one can't help but wonder what impact there will be, especially when the general subject matter is quite different than their previous works.

Most people will agree that near the top of the list of criteria for a quality work of fiction is it's ability to draw the reader in and keep their attention. Silverhand certainly did that in my case. I had a very hard time putting the book down - finding myself reading way more pages in a sitting than I would normally do for most books. I can't really say why that was. It was kind of a hypnotic thing, I guess. Regardless, I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Orphaned by an account he cannot fathom our hero strives to survive in an unforgiving and hostile world. Maimed to save his soul he is nursed back to health and schooled by the priests who have their own agenda for him. His only home/sanctuary destroyed by the evil twins he sets out on a quest to discover the powers of the Arcana and their part in destroying the Twins.His allies a half stone warrior woman, a vampire who loves him and a werewolf who is his equal in battle and brains. A totally enjoyable and exciting tale of self sacrafice, supernatural and trials of life itself. Can't wait for the third installment.

After reading everything Morgan Llywelyn has written, this was my last stop. I was very disappointed with this book, I could tell the horror parts written with Michael Scott's influence. Cannibalism, incest, monsters, people turning into jelly, after a while the shock loses its influence, and the reader becomes inured to the violence. I agree with those who say that Morgan Llywelyn should do her own thing from now on. That, and the fact that there will be no book 3, probably means this book is not worth the time to read it.

Rev. Robert Lee Ellison writes this book trying to reach out and teach beginners. Unfortunately, he's not very effective. I believe that he has the knowledge, but was unable to write it on the page. The book could have been a lot more informative and could have explained things a lot better. The reader doesn't get a true sense of what the druids believe nor exactly how they practice. There's a lot of history from selected texts that make the ideas unclear.

Interesting fantasy. The actual druidic beliefs are unknown since they left no written accounts of their ceremonies & beliefs.

I did enjoy this books section on the Druid holidays and ritual. Although the ritual format is a tad dry, it gives many solitary practitioner's a starting point, which I'm sure was the author's intention. The reason I give it only three stars is because the rest of the book was laid out and organized kind of poorly, and I didn't walk away from this book with a huge amount of new information. It also covers only the ADF perspective, which is one of many. I would recommend reading it though, if you are interested in ADF style Druidry.

I found this book to be quite narrow in its perspective of Druidry, and if I was new to the study of the Druid path, I think it might have even turned me away. I feel that Ellison promotes his style of practice as a doctrine - that this is "the best" way to do everything. I also found his presentation of historic Celtic lifestyles, such as homosexuality and polyamory to be interesting, but inappropriately placed at the very beginning of the book. I am not new to these lifestyles by any means, but it almost gave a feeling like he was recruiting/promoting them. I don't think of the ADF as a sex cult, but presenting this as early as he did, with several links included, made me wonder.
If you are looking for an entry-level book on the modern revival druid movement, I think you would gain more unbiased information in a more readable format from Greer's "The Druidry Handbook".
Many blessings on your quest.

This book is very good one concerning the Druid outlook, and the personal keltic relationship one has with Earth-Worship.I would use it in addition to your Druid knowledge already.It's an interesting look into one man's Keltic journey and his own credo concerning Druidry.It's not the weightiest book on the solitudinarian Druid topic,yet it's a good companion book.This druid high-priest has not handed-down a "venire facias" ,allowing an ADF clerical review of this unique work.Yet,I think such a study, by the druid sacerdotalists, would approve of its publication 100% .Good book! -Updated-Dec.17.06.+ I would also say that this book is by a Southern Anglo-Irish gentelman ,who has a profound keen interest and sound understanding of 'Druidry'.There are not that many personal accounts about the 'Solitary Druid' out-there.This is a fine story,albeit somewhat hastily organised.People who mock it,haven't tried reading it first.When is 'Ian Corrigan' writing his book,and if he is what will the title be? Ian does indeed have some useful booklets published,www.rosencomet.com + Bright Blessings for Yule!

This is a wonderfully written book (as are all of the books I have read by this author). In addition to putting her own spin on old irish tales, she puts so much emotion into her characters that they come alive. Each one grows and evolves in such a natural way that you are sucked into their lives and feel joy inside when they are joyful and sometimes even weep when they weep. I have to say, this is one of my new all time favorite books that I could read over and over again, which I cannot say for most.

I found this third publishing of the author to be both exciting and interesting. Although I'm not very knowledgeable on the Celtic Myths I still feel that it was a magnificent story. I strongly recommend this to anyone in search of a wonderfully adventurous novel.

I felt like that there was something missing with this book. I felt robbed of a good story. I wanted to read about Medb story not her daughters. I was always intrigued with the story of Medb and her passion to find the white bull, and I found this story did a dis-service to a myth that I love so much. The sad part is the author did know her mythology and the story did have a potential to be good. I didn't like Finnabair, I felt that she was very selfish, mean spirited, holier than thou, and annoying. No you don't need to like the main character to read a story, but it takes away from the enjoyment of it. I found no redeeming characteristic in her. I wasn't going to post this, but the reader from Oklahoma chastised the person that didn't like it, and I wanted to say I didn't like this book for a different reason. If you need to read this book, take it out from the library -- I wish I did.

I found Bright Sword of Ireland a source of never ending delight. I love Finnabair?s bird sight, her growth, her seeking of wisdom and grace as she travels her difficult path.

Juilene Osborne McKnight again brings a time and culture to vibrant life. Storytelling at its best. Get caught up into its waves of enchantment.

This third book shows once again this author's skill in creating a special atmosphere with an enchanting mix of the otherworldly and the everyday in an ancient setting. I particularly like her light touch with the fledgeling Christian faith as it appears alongside the myths and magic of the Irish people. In contrast to some reviewers here, and especially to the person who appears to be abusing Amazon's site by posting multiple negative reviews and thus adversely affecting the rating, I liked Finnabhair very much. She grows in strength and confidence through the book; her relationship with her husband becomes one of equals in which he needs her as much as she needs him; and she is by the end a powerful and influential character. Besides, it takes the most strength of all to put aside one's pride, and forgive.

I haven't got through all the stories yet. But from what I have read the stories are in a general chronological order, at least the first few. None of these stories are too long and it seems like they are fairly original. The readings and action in them are much like other mythological readings: The Illiad, Odyssey, etc. (In this I mean there are godlike feats performed, and there are not attempts to explain them in realistic manner. Which keeps them original and good.) Having some understanding of the ancient Celtic world would help in reading this, but if you're like me it simply inspires one to search and study outside the book to understand more. I only gave it 3 because I haven't made it through more than half of it, and the "mythological" style reading isn't my favorite. But it is good so far.

Peter Beresford Ellis, an historian type, here takes a look at the mythology of the Celtic people. This is a pretty involved topic, as there are a lot of different tribes and groups that make up the Celts, so a lot to cover.

He takes a crack at it, with some specific focus, in this introductory sort of book.

I am not a fan of Ellis but when I picked this book up I was interested in the Celtic Creation myth. As I started to read it I thought that the stories were alittle off. I think Ellis takes to many liberities, and he doesn't site his work. It reads as an epic work.

I wouldn't read this as scholarly work, maybe if someone was interested in Celtic mythology and understood the myths. This is not for someone just starting out.

I have always been interested in the stories from Greek & Roman mythology, and am just now becoming more interested in "recovering my roots" and learning more about the mythology from my own Celtic background. This book was a great way to begin learning those stories. The stories are descriptive and well-written, and come from various regions - Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall . .

I did wish that a pronunciation guide of some sort had been included. Since I am not yet very familiar with the Gaelic or Welsh languages, I wasn't sure how some of the names would be pronounced, which made it a bit difficult at times to read. But that is a minor quibble. I highly recommend this book - to beginners in the area of Celtic myhthology, and to anyone who likes to read good stories.

The celtic myths and legends by P.Berresford is a must to read.It is so interesting to read legend from all the celtics nations.I highly recommend it.