Product Description
Evil will not give up without a fight. . . .

Without the Sword of Shannara, the evil Warlock Lord cannot be defeated. Yet the quest for the mysterious talisman lies in ruins. The intrepid company of warriors assembled by the Druid Allanon to recover the magic Sword has been shattered, dispersed by the Dark Lord’s power. And young half-elf Shea Ohmsford, the last, best hope of all the races, is missing, perhaps captured . . . or worse.

The Warlock’s fearsome armies are on the march. Tens of thousands of bloodthirsty Gnomes and Trolls are poised to sweep down upon the border kingdom of Callahorn, gateway to the peaceful Southland. In mankind’s darkest hour, as Allanon desperately scours the war-ravaged countryside for a sign of the missing Shea, an extraordinary drama of hardship and courage unfolds on the desolate Streleheim Plains. There, his only companions a brash highwayman and a renegade Troll, Shea will find the Sword of Shannara tantalizingly close–and death terrifyingly near. . . .

The Sword of Shannara Part 2: The Druids’ Keep is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not a bad book, but only a third of a better whole
Like the other reviewers here, I found the splitting of the sword book into three a little distatesful. Also, it only furthers the similarities to the LOTR trilogy. And even though there are certainly similarities, this book has been able to stand by itself and influence a large audience for years. Not to say, for those of you considering buying this product, that this is a bad piece of writing. Just know that it is not presented how Mr.Brooks intended for it to be presented. While most of his new books are written for a series, Sword was meant to be a single novel. And I personally think that it is best read that way. So while the Swords may not have been his best book, as his first I think it should be treated with greater respect. In conclusion, there's nothing wrong with The Druids Keep; just know that you'll be paying for a third of a book. If you want to spend less money for the original product, buy the book as a whole and read it how it is intended to be read. On the plus side, I can see how these books may be easier for a young adult to read than the original, rather lengthy version. So maybe if you want your kid to get into the wonderful world of Brooks, or you're a kid yourself browsing for you're next buy, you might find this format easier to digest.

serialized form of a good novel
ok, if you're following Terry Brooks's current work, you might spot the trend here. his newest trilogies have all been short works that lack resolution at the end of each individual novel until you reach the final installment.

these are all single books that have been hacked into thirds, either by the publisher or by the author, in order to make more money.

and now i'm disgusted to see that they have now split his original novel, the sword of shannara, originally published back in the 70's, in order to make even more money. seriously, this is such a blatant rip-off i'm considering a boycott of all del-ray books; too bad it wouldn't work.

Big Time Scam - ZERO ZERO Stars
This is unbelievable. It's also unfortunate since some will get duped into buying this. Shame on the publisher and shame on Amazon.Why not break into 5 books for 7 bucks a pop.....don't just be greedy, get really hoggish!

Flim Flam Scam!
5 stars for the complete Sword of Shannara novel. Great stuff. And the first of many great Shannara novels. But with this particular book offered here the money trawling publishing company is selling you only one third of the original novel. They split it into three books which cost individually the same as if you bought the Sword of Shannara novel as one book in its complete form. Did that make sense? What they are doing surely does not make sense...except to their profits! Buy the original Sword of Shannara novel and enjoy.

What is this?
Sword of Shannara is a fine book.Why'd they split it in two? What kind of peson decides that the best thing to do is split up a perfectly good story into seperate books?At least they only divided it in half (I think) instead of thirds.Seriosly, who has the idiocy to chop up a story to make it easier to sell? (In case I haven't been clear, I'm refering to Lord of the Rings) ... Read more

Product Description
"Copiously illustrated…well written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking."—Library Journal

In this authoritative account, Miranda Green unravels the truth about the Druids. Examining the archaeological evidence, Classical commentaries, and early Welsh and Irish myths, she shows that the Druids were fully integrated into Celtic society and fulfilled varied and necessary roles. The Roman writers reflected the double standards of an invading society: condemning the public sacrifice of enemies by the Druids while accepting their own practice of slaughter for sport as civilized. Yet the Classical sources can be used to help reveal the real Druids, and we learn of their multiple roles as judges, teachers, healers, magicians, philosophers, religious leaders, and fomenters of rebellion.

This book traces the history of the Druids from their beginnings to their resurrection during the Renaissance. Complete with timeline and gazetteer, the book will appeal to all those—scholar, general reader, or New Age enthusiast—who are fascinated by the Druids and their world. 291 illustrations, 51 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Many interesting illustrations and a decent introduction, but lacks depth. Only tentatively recommended
Illustration-heavy, The World of the Druids is a partial introduction to the Celtic Druids. Green reviews the various sources of information about the Druids (classical texts, archaeological evidence, and Welsh and Irish myths). Relying heavily on the near-300 illustrations that make up the bulk of the text, Green analyzes the little we do know about Druids: their political and religious roles, ancient Celtic religious practices, and the use of sacred space. Some of the text is dubious extrapolations, but Green is generally willing to admit just how little we do know. The tail end of the book looks at the Druidic revival, including renewed interest in the Druids, early modern texts on Druids, the erroneous but commonplace connections between Stonehenge and Druids, and historic and current new Druidic religions and movements, including aspects of Neopaganism. A little repetitive, lacking in-depth analysis and commentary, but with copious illustrations. This is a decent introduction to the subject and interesting to look through, but not particularly useful. Borrow it, don't buy it.

Beyond doubt, the illustrations are the most interesting and useful part of this text. There are nearly 300 of them, all with explanatory captions; many are also mentioned in the body of the text itself. They cover a variety of topics, findings, landmarks, and archaeological digs. Texts on Celtic history and religion generally lack illustrations or, if they have some, have few, making this a useful resource. Unfortunately, some of the images are drawn reproductions (rather than photographs) and few are in color, somewhat decreasing their value or usefulness. Furthermore, Green fails to discuss any of the illustrations, or indeed any one aspect of the text, in much depth. As a result, The World of the Druids is a quick read and doesn't require revisitation--I recommend that the interested reader find a copy to borrow rather than purchasing the text.

The lack of depth is the most disappointing part of the text. To some extent, the lack of depth isn't Green's fault: we know very little about the Druids, and so much of the text resolves to unanswered questions and admitted gaps in our knowledge. That said, while there may not be many hard facts to relate, Green could do a better job of discussing what we do and don't know. The text contains some worthwhile information: Green dispels a number of common misconceptions, has a good grasp of the classical texts discussing Druidism, and writes a fair and balanced historical overview of the study of, writing about, and interest in Druids. However, she tackles no one subject in sufficient depth. Almost every page is split into a main body, a number of illustrations with captions, and an inserted box on a related subject or illustration. These numerous divisions make the text read quickly, but limit the depth and detail that Green can go in to.The result is a fairly broad, approachable text that lacks in depth and ultimately in usefulness. I recommend this book as an introduction to the subject and as a source of illustrations, but the interested reader should definitely go beyond this text and look for other, more detailed scholarly texts on the subject. For the same reason, this is a good book to borrow but not worth buying. That money is better spent on more detailed texts that will require time, attention, and even note-taking.

Illustrations make the history come alive
This book absolutely brims over with illustrations, making it an excellent addition to any Druidic shelf.While I disagree with some of Ms. Green's statements (such as saying the Celts were basically illiterate - an argument convincingly disputed by Peter Berresford Ellis, among others) and I am not comfortable with the summation of modern Druids comprising the end (making us all seem cookie cutter similar), I still believe this book should be read.The numerous illustrations I have already mentioned do much to show examples of things or places you may have heard of before, but were previously unable to picture mentally.At the end of the book is an excellent "travel planner" if you plan to visit some of the ancient sites associated with ancient Celts and Druids.

Not the best

Green has solid Celtic studies credentials and her previous books, like the Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend (Thames and Hudson) were exemplary in terms of quality photographs and helpful bibliography. I therefore had, perhaps unfairly, high expectations for Green's The World of the Druids.Though there is a fair amount of text on each page, most of the emphasis is on the images and their captions. The captions often reinforce the impression that the non-artifact images created by artists like Gustav Dore and Fuseli are legitimate sources of data about historic druids, when they are at best sources of data about romantic nineteenth century presentation and imaginative views regarding druids.

Much of what Green has to say is speculation, presented as fact or scholarly hypothesis, like her ruminations on druidic prayer: "Druids and their peers would have conducted solemn prayer rituals for the whole tribe or community on important occasions. Lesser priests might lead small communities in prayer, and the head of the household perhaps led private family prayers" (32). Unfortunately, there really isn't a lot of data one way or the other about druid praying in the pre-Christian era. Green makes such assertions without referring to sources or even using the resources of comparative religion as support. There are a number of similar problems.

Green is at her best in The World of the Druids in her discussions of archaeology, and at her worst in discussions of myth and literature. Her chapter on sacred places is particularly well done, but not by itself worth the price of the book. She does include a brief survey of modern druid groups' beliefs and a directory of neo-pagan druid groups, but readers would probably do better to use the web to find Neo-Pagan druid resources since addresses and contact people change so quickly. The gazetteer of Celtic museums in the back of the book is a very useful list, and quite nicely done, though I wish her bibliography had been a bit more extensive.

I think in Green's efforts to relate to a new audience, specifically Neo-Pagan and new age readers, she missed her target by "dumbing down." Green would have done better to have written a well-bibliographied introduction to druids along the lines ofThe World of the Celts or her Dictionary of Celtic Myth books. I think that Neo-Pagan readers can readily find enough unscholarly material about druids; what they need is access to well-researched and cited books directing them to additional sources. Unless you already have Piggott's The Druids, and Green's World of the Celts, I'd give The World of the Druids a miss.

A very basic introduction


Green's World of the Druids looks at various sources of information about the ancient Druids, including archeology, history, folklore, and classical sources. She relays more recent discoveries, explains the origins of the Druids, their role in society, religion, prophesy and a sacrafice. And, Green takes a look at Druids in the modern day.

This is a reasonably good introductory book on the Druids.It does tend to brush over some areas without as much detail as some other books in an effort to appear "credible," thus fresh ideas are somewhat lacking. For those looking for more of an introduction to Druid history, this more abridged (scaled down) work is a bit easier than many other texts, but it may not serve as well for those with a more solid grasp of Druidry and Celtic studies. I personally find much of Miranda Green's work simply reiterates what is already commonly written by other authors, and I don't get much new out of her work, which is a shame given her enjoyable writing style.

Discussion & analysis of Celtic mythology is relatively light, especially that from Non-Irish sources, but her accounts and interpretation are considered standard by many.Her account on women in Celtic Society, and as female Seers and Druidesses, (she gives them an entire chapter) is somewhat refreshing.

My only other complaint would be in her description of modern-day Druids all being Neo-Druids, and her promotion of a "shared perception" between Druids and Wiccans. While they are quoted as being "separate and distinct," the focus on Wiccan beliefs, rituals and coven membership seemed unnecessary in a more scholary book.I found it sad that the author felt the need to promote witchcraft in the form of Wicca, yet made no mention of Celtic witchcraft or magic, and 'shamanic' practices (for lack of a better term), which is laden throughout Celtic folklore, scarcely got a paragraph's mention, next to the five pages she dedicated to Wicca.

Mostly minor complaints aside, all in all, this is a good general book on Druidry, but I would recommend comparing it to other, more detailed works, to fill in those areas where detail isn't as deep as it should be, comments are light, and varying interpretations are needed. This book also does not hold up to her work on the Celts in general (The Celtic World), but it's still reasonably good.Just be sure to compare her offerings to that of others like Anne Ross, Alwyn & Brinley Rees, Nora Chadwick and Peter Berresford Ellis, for a wider range of understanding and viewpoints on the Druids, and the Celts in General.

Ideal introduction to the subject of druids past and present
Do you have an interest in the druids past and present? Do you want to know the facts, not someone's romanticized version of them? Then this book is what you are looking for. Dr. Green presents the evidence with accuracyand sensitivity, describing what is known about the druids before thecoming of Christianity (which is actually very little), the evidence of themedieval tales and saints' lives (which is suspect), and the efforts torevive "druidry" since the Renaissance. The illustrations arecarefully described, appropriate to the text, and beautifully reproduced.My only complaint is that Dr. Green's description of modern druids mainlycovers groups in the UK, with little acknowledgement that groups existworldwide. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this volume as an idealintroduction to the subject for yourself or as a gift. ... Read more

Product Description
The Druids have been known and discussed for at least 2400 years, first by Greek writers and later by the Romans, who came in contact with them in Gaul and Britain.According to these sources, they were a learned caste who officiated in religious ceremonies, taught the ancient wisdoms, and were revered as philosophers. But few figures flit so elusively through history, and the Druids remain enigmatic and puzzling to this day. In this Very Short Introduction, one of the leading authorities on British archaeology, Barry Cunliffe, takes the reader on a fast-paced look at the ever-fascinating story of the Druids, as seen in the context of the times and places in which they practiced. Sifting through the evidence, Cunliffe offers an expert's best guess as to what can be said and what can't be said about the Druids, discussing the origins of the Druids and the evidence for their beliefs and practices, why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have seen them in very different ways. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A short introduction to Druids
Druids have fascinated popular imagination for over two thousand years. In recent years, they have enjoyed revived interest due largely to the emergence of various New Age and earth-based spiritual and religious movements. And yet, despite all the fascination with them, we still don't know much about who they were and what sorts of beliefs and practices they were involved in. This is primarily due to the fact that the pagan societies within which Druids operated did not leave any written records. Hence, all that we know about Druids stems from the physical archeological evidence they left behind, and the writings of outsiders.

This very short introduction tries to shed more light on Druids for the modern reader. It presents a fascinating history of the ancient world within which Druids operated. It shatters a few myths about Druids and reconfirms some other long held beliefs. In particular, even though it is unclear whether Druids themselves conducted human sacrifices, it is fairly well established that those were common in ancient pagan societies and that Druids at the very least condoned them. The book also gives a nice overview of the revival of the interest in Druids that started with the European romanticism roughly in the nineteenth century. Most of our images of Druids can actually be traced to that period, and it is amusing to note that many of the purportedly Druidic practices that some neopagan groups engage in were actually invented in this period.

Unfortunately, even after reading this book one will not learn much that is new about Druids. This is by no means the fault of the author as it is just the consequence of the scant evidence the Druids left behind. The book is actually a very interesting read and sheds a lot of light on the ancient pagan world, but a lot of ideas that we have about that society are still highly speculative. If you bear these caveats in mind you can still enjoy reading this book and get a lot out of food for thought out of it. ... Read more

Product Description
History is a web of journalistic intrigue written to benefit those who have been in charge. They won the wars they generated through their NEEDS, and usurped the knowledge of sincere adepts, like Jesus and Buddha. There is no real new insight in this perspective but in this book you will start the process of seeing for yourself just how incredible the gamesmanship or forgery has been. Lactantius was the tutor for the house of Constantine who edited the Bible and designed much of what Christianity has become. This ancient sage was an early promoter of the Flat Earth and he noted there ‘will always be those who will lie and forge for religion’.

It is my hope that you can assist the enlightenment that must occur once you see some of the forensic and archaeological information now available. Perhaps more importantly I hope you will find roots to all religion which must develop tolerance and ecumenicism if we are to endure as a species on this planet hurtling ever faster through the unlimited creative and awesome universe we are blessed with.

Some academics decry the Post-Modern era where the knowledge is available for all to make their own judgment about. I have no definite opinion about most things and I hope we all can strive to find the answers together. I look forward to seeing these academics tear apart what I have done as I present information hidden or not employed in any other book. I await the inevitable outcry; but I am sure there are reasons why the great sage Lao Tzu went to see the Ancient Masters of the Tarim Basin where the Red-Heads developed most of the technology and other social systems that we are now finding spread around the world. My speculations that seek to integrate various facts of sciences are not the final answer and I look forward to the reader assisting me in helping bring the ‘Brotherhood’ back to the forefront of life on Earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not what I was hoping for! BCM
Diverse Druids: The Origin of All Religions was not what I was expecting. Though this book has lots of information about Druids and many other historic societies, I was very disappointed with this plodding read. I was overwhelmed with quotes, sightings and information from more then 160 different sources. This book had a definite `conspiracy theory' feel to it and in my opinion, was choppy and disjointed. As a reader, I would have benefited greatly from an index and glossary of some kind.
I did enjoy some of the unique tidbits of information scattered throughout.
I would much rather read from select books which the author has sited and have received more factual information on specific subjects, instead of conjecture and the authors interpretative-moulding of the facts.
This book may appeal to those interested in ancient religious sects and secret societies.

(3 out of 10 Diamonds) - It was...okay


© 2008-2009 Bobbie Crawford-McCoy (Book Reviews By Bobbie).
All rights reserved.

info 5 stars, organization 1
Many of the other reviews give you a pretty good idea of what you'll get.Robert Baird is prolific, and his style is rather stream of consciousness-like.Perhaps he feels he needs to get all of this information down on paper in a hurry, 'cause "ya never know," but reading his work, this book and others, makes me kind of wish he could either get a really good editor who's got a lot of time to reorganize the material, or simply "slow down" and put things in somewhat more left-brain format on his own.

His take on the "Brotherhoods" is rather even handed and ambivalent...which may cause the more fervent Builder-busters raise their eyebrows, but hey.He may also suggest that a "one world government" may not be such a bad idea...which again, may upset those prone to carry bullhorns and crash political conventicles - but, he suggests that things should be out in the open, and decries any movement towards world government that stiffles individual (and personal) potential.

Far fromscholarly work
I am in a quandry as to how this book could be rated as highly as it is here.Anyone reviewing this book with no agenda should beable to seethis work for what it is, pap.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed "The Druids" by Jean Markale, an authority on pre-christian pagan religions in general and Celtic culture & oral traditions in specific, simply thumbing through "Diverse Druids" made me realize this was the work of an armchair amateur on the subject.

Rife with the author's far fetched and unsupportable speculation, and reaking from redigested information that is basic knowledge to anyone with a cursory knowledge of the Druids, this is far from a scholarly work.

Brilliant and Spell Binding
Very informative and quite enlightening. Robert you never cease to amaze me with the multitude, breadth, and depth in your pool of knowledge andthe excellence of what must be exhaustive research. The measure of any Cult is how well it can control its people and how much information that it allows them to have access to. I think that that the wheat (halucinogenic ergot) link is right on the money.

If you think you can grow wings and fly when your on a head trip (under the influence of narcotics), its a pretty good guess thatwhen you hit the ground you will have thought that you had flown into a building instead. The mind properly trained is a truely wonderous thing, un-trained it is at best exstreamly dangerious, if not self- destructive.So many great men have crashed and burnedfor want of self discipline.

Durringthe timeyou speak of, the church was very well organized and and kept its folllowers in the dark (so to speak). If ignorance was bliss then this was indeed a true time of euphoria for the potentate and his multitude of enforcers.

I absolutly love this book. Well written and researched as per your norm, with so many nooks and crannies,I find myself totally hooked.

Mysteries of Mankind Unveiled
On the paths of the learned, there are casms of void that remain which are, typically surrenderred to the term and category of "mystery." In Diverse Druids, these gaps are addressed and little remains a "mystery."
Within it's pages, Mr Baird presents solid connections to the archaics and continuity of the ages, eras, cultures and civilizatio, even to the origin of man. The common threads are those familiar to all people, across a wide spectrum of diverse knowledges and established mindsets.
The text provides archaelogical substantiation as well as theological and cultural standards that bind the fragmented gleanings of theory, myth and legend that we all know as the origin of species, to form one cohesive illustration. Anyone who is a passionate enthusiast, dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, our connections to the archaics and the origin of life or those who seek the answers to all that represents the "missing links" will want to discover the wealth of information and subsequent commonalities that Baird has documented in this book.
The world of the "Eire-yann", "Keltoi", the "very tall red-headed giants", uncovered and validated by archaelogical finds cited will resound harmoniously and echo familiar tones of theories known to man regarding the "mighty men of old", the "ogygia-ancient ones" and no doubt remains in the mind of the reader that these are, assuredly, the pre-adamic hom-sapien referred to by mythology, legend, scripture and the memories of the indigenous.
Mr Baird las also addressed the underlying issues involved in the evolution of society and culture of civilization throughout the ages as well as exposed the dynamics of empowerment strategies within it's structure and traditions with a brilliant, sound balance of intellect and rationale, combined with historical validity.
The reader is compelled to the extremeties of knowledge and prompted to the boundary of realization of that which cannot be denied. One may love or hate the content for it's capacity to challenge widely established and accepted convention. Complacency or apathy will not be an option. It may well be that Robert Baird is become, by this independent, conducive line of reasoning and his ability to encompass the common denominators of all that we wonder about as a species, one of the most profound philosophers and theorists of our time. What is very striking and unique in Diverse Druids is the extremely diverse scope of the author. This vantage lends an unusually wide field of correllations. Hence, this book appeals to a greater audience and pertains to a variety of knowledges including archaelogy, ancient and modern histories of the world, theology, theocracy, sociolgy, psychology, linguistics and philosophy, to name a general gamut. The author provides a paradoxial portal of muti-dimensional vision, encompassing the metamorphosis of man, since the beginning of time. As an enthusiast on the paths of learning and discovery, I cannot deny that 'Diverse Druids' has left me to conclude that perhaps there never were any "missing links." Perhaps all the links have been present all the while, but were obscured by a limited pattern of thinking or narrowed by specification of knowledges. The content will stimulate an otherwise habituated and mundane train of thought. Baird entices the reader to the brink of intellect and introspect. Just as the proverbial "smoke" rises from the fires of wisdom, we achieve clarity as it does and a greater truth is realized, so too, this information provides insightful sound wisdom that "clears the air" concerning the "mysteries of the ages."
I recommend Diverse Druids to all who sojourn the greater quest for truth. The circle of life is illuminated by this dimensional spectrum of enlightenment, well grounded in realistic representations. Greater truth of greater substance,unveiled is what radiates from the pages of this monumental read.
Intention is reflected on a constant continuum throughout these chapters, and is represented by the author in references to "ecumenicism", "unity", "living love" and the "oneness" of humanity in relation to the greater universe. Mr Baird quotes Albert Einstein as saying, "The intuitive mind mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." This mindset is the one Diverse Druids is meant for; for people who know exactly how much we do not know and who do remember the gift and all it implies.
Applauding the Greater Quest for Truth and the Greater Truth for Quest. ... Read more

Product Description
A thorough explanation of Celtic history and beliefs is followed by an analysis of their view and its modern relevance. After all, it's the religion we all used to follow in the West. Massively comprehensive but very accessible, all students of religion and serious seekers will find this definitive guide to what Druid means and how to be one today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Be aware of a copy problem...
First, let me say, the material, or what remains of it, is valuable. To clarify my problem with the book I received, I caution anyone who orders it, to understand that Amazon is selling a bad printing. The book is NOT the Paperback: 424 pages Amazon says it is. It is only 275 pages and has been edited down, probably to save printing costs. My bigger problem is that the original table of contents, as well as the index have been retained (instead of being renumbered) and so all of the page numbers have become inaccurate in relationship. The author and his work is excellent and I am sorry that he may suffer sales as a result of poor production.

Wonderful, HIghly recommended Book
This book clearly defines and lays out what Druidism is all about.Given the large amount of information contained in a rather compact book of 220 odd pages, the author is still able to clearly present the material.The end result is a book that is fascinating and an enjoyable read.Have read a few books in the past on the same subject - I'd say this one ranks among the best.Look forward to purchasing another one of Mr. Talboys' books.

Too much abstraction, not enough concrete detail
Despite the high praise given this book by many reviewers, I found it unreadably dry and dull.The author speculates at length on the ideas of the ancient Druids with very little hard evidence to back it up and provides few if any suggestions for those who might want to embrace Druidry as a spiritual practice.No book is helpful for everyone; pay your money and take your chances, and if it doesn't work for you, sell it used.

My Favorite By Far
Graeme K Talboys has produced a thoroughly readable text on Druidry suitable for the neophyte yet in depth enough for the scholar.His emphasis on personal responsibility was especially effective and the points are well made.I only wish he'd put out another Druid book but he's been rather busy with other works.

Way of the Druid:Renaissance of a Celtic Religion and its Relevance
I have been a Druid for twenty-three years and I have recommended this book to my adult children and others who are interested in the Druid path.It is a thought provoking read - but it is not a book for reading in one sitting.I found myself going back, re-reading, and contemplating the intent of what was written.I enjoyed it a lot, and recommend it highly.It should be on every Druids book shelf.It represents the metaphysic principles of the Druid path that I have not found anywhere else.It defines and explains the essence of what a Druid should be in the here and now based off of historical evidence of the Celtic culture and the Druids.It briefly explains the past of the Celtic culture without becoming a boring thesis.This naturally sets up why Druids were Druids and how they interacted with the tribe.

It suggests doctrinal and theological principles that Druids likely taught in relation and perception to the Celtic way of life and perspective.Many of which we would do well to emulate and thus the title - it is very appropriately title for the contents of this book.

It does not have any rituals, but these are available from several other sources.It simply reflects what a Druid should be, steeped in Celtic lore of one living in our harried world of today.Good read - get it.
... Read more

Product Description
Call forth dragons and feel the ancient songs of the Celts stirring in your blood. Access the deep wisdom of the Druidic orders and reclaim the Elemental gifts of the Otherworld. Become a spiritual warrior of the Celtic Craft-a Dragon-Rider.

The dragon is a symbolic representation of the alchemist's or magician's works of power. Druid Power presents techniques for self-transformation through Celtic faerie craft and Elemental magic. Rich with mythological information and psychological insight, this innovative guide bridges ancient Celtic Druidic Tradition with modern transpersonal psychology.

Reawaken your connection to the magick of the natural world through traditional ceremonies, guided journeys, and unique exercises that lead to a direct connection with the Elemental forces of Nature. Experience the strength and purity of fire, the emotional alchemy of water, the profound reality of earth, the awareness of air, and the transcendent mystery of spirit.

Enter the realm of myth where magick and the mundane blend. Druid Power is your guide to finding your way to the Otherworld and back again-richer, wiser, healed, and whole.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Don't waste your money
This was the first book I bought about Druidry. I read through it, but realized long before I finished it that the writer has no idea what Druidry or Druidism is all about. The writer should be ashamed of herself. Get yourself a Philip Carr-Gomm book.

Nice Work
There is NO need to run from this book, as one previous reviewer stated.The fact is, there are NO true Druid schools anywhere in the world.All Druid schools make stuff up.We do NOT know what the original Druids actually taught.I've taken courses from the larger Druids schools, and they were peppered with all kinds of New Age ideas and even Eastern Buddhist and Daoist teachings.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with making things up.If someone has the ability to see into nature, including the human nature, and comprehend what others miss, then, indeed, I want to read their thoughts and insights.There is no doubt, that Amber's books reveal her keen insights into human nature and they are packaged in no less of a Druid container than any of the Druid schools in the world.Thus, in my opinion, this is a great Druid book.

Run, don't walk, away from this horrible book
Run, don't walk away from this book.It's a hodge podge of modern Celtic Wicca, a sprinkle of Faery Wicca and a dash of ornamental magic with some dragon silliness thrown in.There is nothing Druidic about it.While it may contain potent exercises for self actualization, it's disgusting how she steals the word of Druid.She should have stuck to the subtitle - Celtic Faery Craft and Elemental Magic.There is a ridiculous romanticized history essay and while preaching about being open to wisdom, she is yet remarkably derogatory to modern druidry.It's awash in New Age and psychology psychobabble.

Just terrible...
Why would someone with no Druidic training whatsoever even bother writing a book on the subject? Whatever the author's credentials may be, none of them have to do with Druidry at all. That is obvious in this book which is purely fabricated and must have come out of the imagination of one who practices Celtic flavoured Wicca and magick.

Sorry to dissapoint everyone, but celtic wicca, or made up systems that could fall into the catagory of celtic wicca has nothing to do with druidry.

It isn't that the material provided in the book won't work. They will, of course, just like any ritual or spell written up by any individual will... But it is misrepresented as Druidry. It is not. There are better books out there for that.

Horrid
Most of the information the author offers in this book on druidry in made up. I have studied druidry for awhile now and thought this book was one of the worst i have come across. The book doesn't even make a very good drink coaster, so do NOT read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
SECRETS OF THE DRUIDS is a definitive and sumptuous sourcebook for anyone interested in the origins, traditions and practice of Druidism.

An in-depth study of the history, lore and tradition of Celtic philosophy and religion, this beautifully designed book offers a fascinating look at the mysterious ways of the Druids. Covering all aspects of Druidism, from its early history to its revival in the past three centuries to the way it is practiced in the modern world, no aspect of this ancient tradition is left unexamined. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Compilation of Matthew's Source Book Series, sadly lacking


Just barely three stars.

A Compilation Book drawn from his first three books in the "Source Book" series (The Druid Source Book, The Celtic Seers' Source Book, and the Bardic Source Book), Secrets of the Druids is a scaled back (abridged) tour through the trilogy.

This text covers writings from the Classical commentators, Celtic Folklore, various stories and interpretations regarding the Druids, Seers and Bards of Celtic & Gaelic tradition, in that order.

Since this book is a compilation geared toward a general audience, it lacks many of the footnotes and details in the original three books, so you have to refer to the original texts to find many of the references or sources for the material. There is also no index, which is rather annoying, as it makes it very difficult to find material in the book when you're searching for it.

John Matthew's translations are mostly reasonable, but some of his interpretations of these tales are a little far reaching. If you can put aside some of the commentary, and don't mind the other issues already mentioned, there are some interesting stories presented, but I've seen much better books on the subject.

"Secrets of the Druids" is geared for a general audience, rather than for scholarly study/reference, and it highlights what the author considers the best of his works in one concise, easier to read source book.As it stands, there is a lot of interesting information in this book, but you have to search elsewhere to find out where much of it comes from and you can't rely on Matthew's interpretations.

I definitely prefer the individual three source books over this compilation for the footnotes and index this text lacks (with their own inherent limitations considered), but, if you don't mind doing further research, and can keep track of where everything is, it's decent (just).

Unfortunately, if you've already read the other volumes, you will also find little new material is covered in this compilation. It's a compilation, nothing more.

All and all, this text may be enteraining for someone new to Druidic studies and Celtic Folklore, but for those who've studied a bit more, it's really lacking.

A Lukewarm Reaction
As a fairly serious student of John and Caitlin Matthews many works, I must say I was rather disappointed by this latest one. As has been previously stated, the material has already been covered in his three volume series of sourcebooks. Besides that, the material is, in my opinion, poorly arranged and incredibly dull. Add to this the fact that many of the sources are questionable in both authenticity and scholarly value, and you have a poor book from an otherwise outstanding author. If you have need of an impressive looking reference book, then by all means pick this book up. If you're looking for an exciting read on the Druids, this is not it.

Greatly disapointing
What a waste of money, If you read the Matthews work seriously you'll already have the three books that this book is pulled from.
If you don't read their work seriously the book is disjointed and dry.
Sadly the newest thing about the book itself is a nice cover and a few new drawing that look great. The drawing are repeated in the book wasting space,and the cover is destroyed when you try to take the shrink-wrap off that it ships in. I can understand the reason for the shrink wrap, if I saw this book in a store I would never of bought it. With the wrapping you can be fooled into thinking this is a new piece of work.
I would strongly suggest spending money on either the three book set the Matthews have done, (Sourcebooks for Druids, Seers, and Bards) or buying a more "user-friendly" book on the basics. In either case don't waste the money on this watered down version. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Pretty Okay
After having read this book, I have to say that I wasn't terribly impressed--nor was I seriously let down. There are plenty of great pieces of hard to find information about Irish Druids--I mean, lets face it. These days you have to really look hard to find your way out of all the wishy-washy fairy-tales concerning Druids and Celtic religion--especially on the internet, where almost everyone seems to be in costume. I also appriciated the mention of other Celtic tribes throughout Europe.

What I didn't care for was the repeated and tiresome disdain towards the "so-called Druids" of Britain. When I'm reading for information/enlightenment, it's difficult to feel that I'm getting it from a credible source when the author's writing seems so biased and disdainful towards the non-Irish Druids. Yes, I know that the book is written with Ireland in mind, but the author just seemed to keep making digs at the other country while elevating Irish Druids over the rest. Kind of annoying, but not terrible.

Excellent Classic without "Thought Police" Censoring
Contrary to the other "reviewer", this is a classic reprinted annually with the originals worth as much as a nice flat screen for a reason. The book has always stirred controversy because it doesn't kow tow to the "correct view" of those who want to believe that everything before Christianity was barbarism. At the time it was originally published in 1894, this book was literally revolutionary.Keep in mind, the belief of the time was that the Irish were less than human and this book showed that they had been civilized with laws, music, history, and science long before the forced conversion which included the murdering of almost all of the Druid priests.Check out Wikipedia and other sources for more information on James Bonwick (who was very much a religous Christian btw) and the Druids.And, read it for yourself - it is an easy read if you relax about things like the Scottish being called the Scotch and just go with the flow of the book.

I think not
Blarney, utter Blarney.This is historical fiction.I teach Irish history and ancient religion, and this is nonsense. ... Read more

Product Description
With a gimlet eye and scathingly accurate descriptions, Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees, and Other Creatures Unique to the Republic is a hilarious collection of newly classified yet instantly recognizable archetypes sure to enter the mainstream lexicon. From the office TGIF (the overgrown frat boy in the office who always says "party") to the Lieberal (a Democrat with Republican sympathies), from Uncle Tomatoes (Italians who hate The Sopranos) to Cherohonkees (white Baby Boomers who dress like Native Americans), each profile offers a detailed description of everything from sex appeal and favorite pick-up lines to popular names and habitats. The result is both a brilliant parody and thorough outing of just about every neurosis, attribute, and personality type there is. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Hilarious
Completely astute and true commentary on stereotypes. Just about the funniest book...um...maybe ever. LOVED it, and highly recommend it to anyone who loves to people-watch. We've ALL seen/known these people.

an amusing spin on sociology
Does your roommate like to wear black, play D&D and frequent the mall? They might be a Food Court Druid. Does Mary at the office seem a little high strung and have the amusing habit of labeling her trashcan as her in box? Watch your step. Your likely working with a CROW. These and many more character types are displayed and analyzed in Robert Lanham's book on urban sociology. The book begins with the chapter untitled "Cube People" or, types of people that you might work with at the office. It's hilarious how dead on Lanham's profiles are because I found myself laughing out loud when I identified some of my coworkers. After "Cube People" the book gets progressively neurotic and hilarious. Every profile gets a brief introduction, population size, Gender, Habitats, Hobbies, Favorite books, sexual orientation and a idio rank , or just how strange the person is.(Ex. If a person has a idio rank of 10. RUN! the person is a freak) The book is a very entertaining and fast read and you'll find yourself spotting people from the book in no time. "Food Court Druids" is a book that helps us poke fun at other people but also helps us laugh at ourselves.

Everyone gets a label, even you "Mr. Man Trying to Avoid a Label"
Funny character sketches matched with quirk-capturing drawings -- a perfect combo.This book can open your eyes to the world of fruits and freaks that surround you.In fact, you may be one and not know it!If you have ever noticed a certain odd type of person around town but can't find the right words to describe them, this book is for you.

Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees and Other Creatures Unique to the Republic
It thought it was more clever than it was.Same goes for the humor.

a new sociology text for this day and age
SO I found myself a mix of the Hexpatriate and the CROW. Not that this is a bad thing.

Insightful and damn funny! If you own a new Volvo and go jogging with your golden retriever every morning, AND shop at Crate and Barrel,you will be offended. If you smoke American Spirits and chastise people for not buying all organic food, you will be offended. If you use any Tom's of Maine product and wear toe rings, you will be offended. If you can't laugh at yourself, you will be offended.

It is a glorious book.

The illustraor, Jeff Bechtel, is my new hero. His drawings are RIGHT ON.


... Read more

Product Description
The Dawning of Power is the debut trilogy in Brian Rathbone's fantasy series: The World of Godsland. Echoes of the ancients power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind s deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war. In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world . . . or destroy it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Fun tribute
Very much like Stanek's "Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches" which was first published in 2001/2002. Rathbone changes POV within chapters in the same way as Stanek, taking the reader rapidly into the shifting story of Catrin, Chase, and Nat as Stanek does for Adrina, Vilmos, and Seth. His GreatLand is akin to Great Kingdom, the similarities go on, but I've change my mind about my original opinion. Call of the Herald does a nice introduction to the story. Inherited Danger and Dragon Ore make it stronger. It ends in an okay place.

Totally in love with the Trilogy
I am not one of those snooty, has to use big words, no imagination type of critic. What's that old saying? "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all". Well I have plenty nice to say about this trilogy and Brian. From the time I was 8-yrs-old until this year, I am 33-yrs-old now, 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' was my number one book. After listening to the podiobook version of these books, The Dawning of Power Trilogy sits in that number one spot now. Don't let pompous people that have little to do with their time than to take the fact they have no talent out on others get to you. Read these amazingly adventures books and form your own opinion. I know you will fall in love with them too. It truly is a most excellently written story. I can't wait for more.




And there are more to come.....


Enthralled, Entranced, Elated, Powerful~ JadeDragoness
My Blog[...]

Catrin's journey
Brian Rathbone's "Dawning of Power" reflects his understanding of the great outdoors as well as classic fantasy. Every horse, in particular, is a character with a personality to be considered. Family bonds, secret societies, huge threats and the great responsibility shoulder by the next generation for the preservation of civilization are the broader themes, painted on a fresh-air canvas you can settle into comfortably and explore with the protagonists.

Dissenting Opinion
"Contrive a situation and let the banality ensue". This seems to have been the guiding principle behind this trilogy.

I am motivated to review this book partly because of the lack of unfavourable reviews, partly because I am getting older and less patient and partly because of the fact that I am now reading the significantly superior "The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie and this suffers badly by comparison.

I bought this book (the trilogy) on the strength of the reviews here and also because it was available electronically (hence convenient) and seemed good value for what is a trilogy of books.

From the beginning, the kindest word that came to mind was "mediocre". There is no dramatic tension, no real danger to the characters and the characters seem contrived and superficial. A decent story (and there is a decent story in here somewhere) can only take a book so far. Engaging characters are a requirement in a book that is largely character driven.

There are no compelling characters here. Perhaps my assessment of mediocrity is a view unique to me; but our heroine gets into danger, takes action, gets injured and quickly heals thereafter. She never seems to be in genuine danger. In fact, the general tone of the writing seems even at all times, never any real excitement. Let the banality ensue indeed.

Dangers and perils seem to turn up when they must, characters appear and disappear when needed, relatives, who are never previously hinted at, show up when required and quietly do their bit before retiring peaceably again (all differences having been amicably resolved). Even our heroine rings a false note, there is no real emotional conflict to her. She encounters a situation which upsets her, quickly finds the words or actions to resolve the situation and then just as quickly moves on.

The most engaging characters I have come across thus far are two completely peripheral glass making monks and a donkey, who are the only ones to show some spirit and character. And they are quickly discarded. There is a scoundrel in the first book who shows some kind of motivation early on, commits a dastardly (and potentially dramatic) act at the end of the book and then disappears, sunk without a trace, with the convenient "cliffhanger" shown to be nothing but a red herring in later books (I refuse to apologise for the spoiler, if you didn't see it coming I have a list of suggestions for your reading at the end of this review).

Perhaps I have been spoiled by the likes of Erickson, Martin, Sanderson, Jordan, Tolkein, Rothfuss, Abercrombie and the many others whose names slip me at the moment. Once you have read the work of a superior (or even just competent) writer, mediocre stuff like this becomes intolerable. Even bad books can have merit and can entertain me, I have been reading sci fi and fantasy for so long I feel I have read the gamut of quality from the odious to the sublime. But the indifference and mediocrity of these Rathbone books I just cannot stand.

I think in the end it may come down to a sense of humour. If you read any of the books by one of the writers listed in the paragraph above, you will find some form of humour; dark and dangerous, morbid, subtle, brash and pugnatious, unsubtle and school boyish or just clever for clever sake, but it is there. I defy you to find a single character or situation in these books who or which demonstrates the smallest trace of humour. A sense of humour isn't a requirement for a book to be good, but have a look at all the best fiction and you will find it present.

There are just too many good books and too many excellent books, and even too many bad (but entertaining) books for you to waste time and money on this one.

There should be a search box somewhere on this page; copy and paste any of the names below and I guarantee (I'd put money to that guarantee if there was a way) you will find better than this. Proviso: Stay away from Erickson and Martin if you don't like challenging reading.

Steven Erickson - Malazan Book of the Fallen
George Martin - Song of Fire and Ice
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time (Read books 1 to 5, then skip to 11 which is written by Sanderson)
Patrick Rothfuss - Kingkiller Chronicles
Joe Abercrombie - The First Law
R. Scott Bakker - The Prince of Nothing (I have reservations on this one, but still 10 times better than Rathbone)

If you want something a bit lighter (but still very entertaining) have a look at authors like Robin Hobb, J.V. Jones, J. Gregory Keyes, Scott Lynch and so many others. You do not have to subject yourself or your pocketbook to stuff like The Dawning of Power.

The Power of the first in a Trilogy
Brain Rathbone'strilogy, The Dawning of Power, starts with the engrossing Book One, Call of the Herald.Through Brian's books we watch the maturing of a young girl and her involvement in a major war.

His descriptions of the children in the book are drawn from those we all know, starting with them as normal young ones, playing jokes on each other and those who they consider pests, or enemies. We soon move into a scene of revenge, one of Catrine's friends is being beaten and when she steps in to help, a power is thrust from her that caused great damage to the boys who tried to kill her and her friend.

From there, we moved to an invasion of her country, the rush to escape of Catrine and her friends, all because her townspeople believed she was a witch and the invading troops believed her a woman with powers strong enough and the will to destroy their culture.Whew.

I was completely drawn into Brian's story. The characters were real people with honest feelings. The scenes are set so that I felt as if I standing next to the action. I was watching friends work together to escape from first one danger and then another. Each escape brought knowledge that helped the boys learn what they needed to grow stronger and help Catrine then, and we know now, in the future. She will have need of them as she searches for the reason she was given the powers and the knowledge of how to use them.

Call of the Herald ends and we, as readers/listeners, are left wanting to rush into the next book to find out what happened to those we now consider our friends. Exactly what Brian Rathbone was looking for.Good job!

I rate this bookfive stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

somewhat mistitled maybe?
I will begin by saying this is a good intro to druidism. It is authored by a high ranking member of ADF, one of America's largest druid groups. It has some really good information. My downsids of why this was brought from five stars are:
The last almost third of the book is about groups, which would be fine, if the title was different, in my opinion. Personally, I also wonder if a "druid" alone would be a "druid" or if they would simply be another title such as bard, ovate, seer, or along those lines following on the same path. This is not an insult, it is just to me a druid is a result of many years of long term study and practice, and they also historically are also qualified to teach. Otherwise, this book has good foundational practice, and seems to have good historical research.

A GOOD book, and I'm not a druid.
I am a witch, not a druid, but I found several points of interest for myself in this book.He includes several very nice prayers for working with nature spirits, spirits of place, and the Fair Folk.He gives useful instructions for finding your local gods, the gods of local rivers and land features.He gives useful help on working with the Ancestors.These items are casually glossed over in many books on Wicca or Witchcraft, but not really explained, or given suggestions for.

Yes, my friends, this is ADF Style Druidry
I bought this book near the beginning of my journey in ADF Druidry and it has been an incredible resource and aid to me ever sense.

The chapters on meditation alone, for those of you pursuing the Two Powers type meditation done in ADF, are worth the cost of the book. As a Dedicant Path mentor and Grove Organizer within ADF I recommend this book to every new student and seeker I come across.

Yes, this is a book about ADF (Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship) style Druidry, though I believe much that is here would be relevant to other Neopagan Druids, and not about revival Druidry. No where in this book does Mr. Ellison claim that this is the "only way" to do Druidry or that the ADF way is superior to any other path as has been claimed by other commenters.

Easy to read, enjoyable, interesting, and very highly recommended.

Alright, but could be better
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.

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

Customer Reviews (12)

Celtic Traditions: Druids, Faeries and Wiccan Rituals
I found this book to be a great read and very informative.I read a lot of books on Celtic history, culture, and traditions.This book did not disappoint.It came in a timely manner and packaged very securely.

Excellent Source for Celtic Paganism
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.

A well written book on the Celts
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

I am so angry I bought this book
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.

A Must Have on Celtic Spirituality
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.


... Read more

Product Description
Or, An Attempt to show, that The Druids were the Priests of Oriental Colonies Who Emigrated from India; and were the Introducers of the First or Cadmean System of Letters, and the Builders of Stonehenge, of Carnac, and of Other Cyclopean Works, in Asia and Europe. Complete with many informative prints and maps. Partial Contents: Necessity of Etymology; Alphabets; Changes in Language; Druids acquainted with Letters; Irish, Greek, and Hebrew Letters the same; Hieroglyphics; Ciphering invented before Letters; Virgil a Druid; Genesis; Persia, India, and China, the Depositaries, not the Inventors of Science; Who the Celtæ were; Affinity between the Latin, Sanscrit, and Celtic; Term Barbarian; Arrival of Phoenician Colonies in Ireland; Origin of Irish Fables; Derivation of the word Britain; Hero Gods; Derivation of the words: Albion, Druid, Vates and Bards; Britain known to Aristotle; Road to Britain lost, like that to America and Australia; magnetic Needle; Ancient Oracles founded by Celtæ; Druids probably Pythagoreans; Cross common to Greeks, Egyptians, and Indians; Monograms of Christ; Druids admitted the Creation of Matter; Festivals removed by the precession of the Equinoxes; Druid Festival of Christmas; Mother of the Gods; Baal; Gods of India and Ireland the same; Chaldees of the Jews; St. Patrick; A single Plain Stone the Origin of Idolatry; Rocking-Stones or Logan Stones; Circular Temples, Stonehenge and Abury; Stonehenge not a Roman, Saxon, or Danish Work; Ancient Superstitions respecting Numbers; Observations on Hebrew Chronology; Hierarchy of the Druids; Druids Assertors of their Country's Liberty; Immortality of the Soul and Metempsychosis; Druids had an excellent System of Morals; Mistletoe and other Sacred Plants; Institution of Priesthoods an Evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Very Informative!
A fascinating and unique historical look into the origins and practices of the Celts.

Celtic Review
I belong to a Celt cult since 1972.
When I read the book I found a very well documented work on our beliefs and practices.
It even helped me understand some things that I didnt comprehend.

Buy it for the illustrations
The text is dreadful, but what can you expect from a book thatwas written some 200 years ago!There have been a lot of advances in Celtic archaeology since then.But the illustrations which are old steelengravings of the megalithic sites are absolutely worth the price.

Buy it for the illustrations
The text is dreadful, but what can you expect from a book thatwas written some 200 years ago!There have been a lot of advances in Celtic archaeology since then.But the illustrations which are old steelengravings of the megalithic sites are absolutely worth the price.

Buy it for the illustrations
The text is dreadful, but what can you expect from a book thatwas written some 200 years ago!There have been a lot of advances in Celtic archaeology since then.But the illustrations which are old steelengravings of the megalithic sites are absolutely worth the price. ... Read more

Product Description
At last, the haunting sequel to Morgan Llywelyn’s phenomenal epic Druids. The Greener Shore unfurls the story of a brave and mystical people who learned to manipulate the forces of nature–in order to control magic.

As druids in Celtic Gaul, they had been the harmonious soul of their tribe, the Carnutes. But when Julius Caesar and his army invaded and conquered their homeland, the great druid Ainvar and his clan fled for their lives, taking with them the ancient knowledge. Guided by a strange destiny, they found themselves drawn to a green island at the very rim of the world: Hibernia, home of the Gael.

Here they would depend for survival on an embittered man who had lost his faith–and a remarkable woman who would find hers. Burning with hatred of the Romans, Ainvar can no longer command his magic. But his mantle falls on unexpected shoulders. In a beautiful, war-torn land of numerous kingdoms and belligerent tribes, Ainvar and his beloved wife, Briga, struggle toward an uncertain future. Their companions include the volatile Onuava, widow of their fallen chieftain; Lakutu, Ainvar’s dark and mysterious second wife; Ainvar’s son, Dara, who seems more drawn to poetry than to combat; and the “Red Wolf,” the young warrior who is as close as kin and is determined to find Ainvar’s missing daughter.

Other forces are at work in Hibernia as well–the spirits that haunt the island, forces older than even the magic of the druids. Through them Ainvar seeks his redemption . . . as Briga seeks her rendezvous with history.

Filled with the deep feeling, stunning detail, and rich characters that made Druids a masterwork, The Greener Shore is a superb saga of an amazing world and its wondrous ways–a much-awaited novel that will delight all the devotees of this admired author.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Listen to sample of audio first
I accidentally ordered the audio book instead of the text version.I love Morgan Llewelyn's work, but something about the accent given the characters by the narrator makes this hard to stay awake to! In a year, I haven't finished the story - it might not be so boring if I were reading it.

Another masterpiece
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...

New age credo, not much plot
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.

'Remember us.'
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

Very disappointing
(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. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (26)

I devoured the first 3 books simply to end up skimming this one
I love fantasy books especially those written by women in the genre like Laura Resnick, Jennifer Fallon, or Trudi Canavan. I was really excited to discover Sara Douglass's The Troy Game series. I had never read her work before and it seemed like a perfect fit for me. The first book in the series was really enjoyable (although it took awhile for me to become engrossed in it) then book 2 and book 3 developed so well I would have to call them amazing. I eagerly jumped into book 4 to read the conclusion. I should have just pretended book 3 was the end. Druid's Sword is probably the most disappointed in a book I have ever been. There is no character development like we saw in books 2 and 3, in fact; the characters either regressed or basically disappeared from the plot. The book began to revolve around Jack and Grace, the two least interesting people in the book. This book took me so far from the first few books that I began to skim it simply to get to the end. I actually have no idea what the fate of Coel, Swann, Loth, or John Thorton even was because I never saw them mentioned in my skimming of the last 100 pages- that's how little such pivotal characters were mentioned! I now have Sara Douglass's Crucible series on my shelf ready to read but I'm not sure if I should even bother.

Disappointing
While I was glad that the series ended the way it did, I was very disappointed with Druid's Sword as a whole. The characters were pathetic paper cutouts of what the had been in the previous books, and spent most of their time focusing on petty insults and drama and sitting around moping about how they couldn't do anything about the Troy Game. I was very disappointed with how Noah was stuck in the background - she had been the foremost character in the previous book and was now she demoted to a minor role, not to mention how her personality was so changed. Also, it really bothered me how everyone depended on Jack for the answers. He was the most volatile character in the previous books and now everyone bows to his wisdom and judgment. All in all, Douglass failed to capture the characters that she portrayed in her previous books, and I didn't enjoy reading it. I would recommend reading it for closure to the series, but that's about it.

Horrible Last Book in What WAS a Great Series
In this last book all the characters became flat and one dimensional.They lost their passion and interest.And several of them did a 180 in the views and loves with no explanation or information leading up to their changes.I was really shocked and disappointed at how bad this last book was, considering how good the rest were.I was looking forward to rereading this series many times in the future, now it will go to the thrift shop.

Never received
I have yet to receive this purchase.It's been over a month and the email I sent to the shipper was never answered.

Ugh! Where do I begin?
Warning: Contains Spoilers

Well, I would like to start by saying that I love this author.She has made me cry, shout, and laugh while reading her books and that is very hard to come by.With that said and acknowledging how wonderful the first three books were, let me move on to this book.

1)Cornelia- Eaving:Her character goes through such an amazing transformation over the series of novels it's mind blowing.In this 4th book, she is portrayed as being weak and irrelevant.The fact that she is a goddess is null evidently at this point as her spell in the end of the novel which is supposed to SHELTER (which is what her goddess name implies) doesn't even work?!I mean, what was the point of her having that name?She has spent all of the books wanting a daughter of her own desperately and what the heck does she get?1. The troy game incarnate who wants to kill her 2.A dead baby who creates a shadow over the world 3. A self important whiner who robs from her the man she's loved for centuries.Oh yeah, really great for the goddess of the earth and fertility.

2. Brutus reborn - what a joke.We go from a man who rapes his wife and tries to kill her, to feeling sorry for him?I don't think so.There is nothing perfect about this character and the fact that Douglass wants us to forget all that he has done in the past b/c now his is the "lord and savior" is insulting.If I had to hear him say how perfect he and Grace were one more time I was going to rip the novel apart.They are perfect because they've spent all of their times as characters either being shallow, whiny, or ruining everyone else's lives.I really hate that I am supposed to forgive and forget what an awful person he is in this book simply because he's in love with Grace.

3)Grace- I think Douglass threw her into the story to torment people who loved this series.I'm not sure what she is supposed to reflect but her role should have been filled by Eaving, not this simpering little child who should have been destroyed.

4)Weyland - I thought the 3rd novel was genius b/c it took the most evil character in the novels and made us understand why he is the way he is.Unlike Brutus, he has a reason to be brutal and hateful.In this novel, all the power this character had, (you know to completely destroy cities and change the game forever) is completely gone.I mean, he's like the ice cream man who is just there to ring a bell, let people know that something us up, but never really do anything.

5) Ecub, Erith, and Matilda-Well, I'm so happy that they could die and be mentioned for 2 pgs.The first three books were so enhanced by these characters and I felt like Douglass just didn't feel like writing any more.

These are the main issues I had with this story.The plot was weak but could have been MUCH MUCH better if the characters had been strong.I was so disappointed by this book that I starting reading the first one again so I would feel better.I hope that the new Dark Glass Mountain series doesn't take a turn for the worse like this one did. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Archaeological Druidism
With a bibliography of several hundred learned journal articles and books,many in French,German,etc, and well over 1000 end notes to these sources,this is a book for the serious student. The 13 chapters,divided and sub-headed into maybe 200 sections,include major topics such as the question of barbarism or savagery,priests and power,sacrifice,oracles and shamans,calendars,sacred grounds,the tool kit,doctrine,gender,rebellion against Rome,and the rather nebulous,even dubious,survival of these various ancient and early medieval ways into our own times.

The author is Professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University,Wales.

I would have liked to have seen more speculation as to the mental world,such as comparisons with Greco-Roman or Germanic ideas about nature. It was nice to read about the very sacred Tara site in Ireland; and to read all the various Roman source quotes,which actually show how little has come down to us in writing. Caesar's writings about his wars in Gaul[="France"]are central among the Roman sources

However archaeology alone just can't animate a corpse's world view except in a very materialistic fashion. So I miss the poetry. Even a brief on proto-Indo-European[linguistic]"culture" would have been welcome. Also unconsidered were the recent genetic findings about,for example,the ancientness of the British genealogy:The dominance of Celtic & "pre-Celtic[Iberian]" ancestry.

No serious student of ancient and early medieval west European Druidism should overlook this book. The discussions of regional and temporal variations in "Druidness" are particularly educational,as are the arguments against scholars who doubt the religiousness of the druids--e.g. Nora Chadwick who considers them to be "philosophers". However,if you want much "religion"/philosophy this is not the place to find it--admitting that such information is actually largely unavailable. ... Read more

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Author: Isabel Hill ElderA study of Druidism - their origin teaching and government and their religious beliefs that prepared Britain to receive apostolic Christianity that arrived in Britain shortly after the Ascension of Our Lord.Just a few of the questions asked and answered by Mrs. Elder in this her fourth edition of this splendid book are...which is the first Christian Church outside Jerusalem? Who took Christianity to the Isles? Who were the Druids and what did they teach? Who built the roads for the Roman chariots?In this most important work she disspells the erroneous belief that Britain was uncivilized compared with Rome and that the Druids were a mischievous sect. The work and teachings of this early British Church (Culdee) for 1100 years is detailed in this remarkable book. Although declared heretical by Rome in A.D. 705 the Culdee Church struggled on as distinct from the Romans until it was eclipsed by the Roman Catholic Church in the 12th century.Mrs. Elder states what is little known but of the greatest importance...the fact that Christianity as a Church was born in England before anywhere else and that England was a professed Christian country one hundred years before Rome and in fact when Rome was still persecuting Christians.She draws attention to the singular change without any opposition from Druidism to Christianity which was understandable in that fundamentally they had no great difference in belief. An interesting point is also made as to the difference between the British Church and the Church of England.The rise and establishment of Christianity in Britain has been dealt with by many writers but in these pages new light has been thrown on the origin of the Culdees with whom rests the introduction and with their successors the defense of the Apostolic Christianity brought by those early Christians to Britain shortly after the Ascension of our Lord.Paperback168 pages ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

excellent resource
A good study of Druidism - their origin, teaching, and government and their religious beliefs that prepared Britain to receive apostolic Christianity that arrived in Britain shortly after the Ascension of Christ.

from the book...
A study of Druidism - their origin, teaching, and government and their religious beliefs that prepared Britain to receive apostolic Christianity that arrived in Britain shortly after the Ascension of Our Lord.

Just a few of the questions asked and answered by Mrs. Elder in this, her fourth edition of this splendid book, are...which is the first Christian Church outside Jerusalem? Who took Christianity to the Isles? Who were the Druids and what did they teach? Who built the roads for the Roman chariots?

In this most important work, she dispells the erroneous belief that Britian was uncivilized compared with Rome and that the Druids were a mischievous sect. The work and teachings of this early British Church (Culdee) for 1100 years is detailed in this remarkable book. Although declared heretical by Rome in A.D. 705, the Culdee Church struggled on as distinct from the Romans until it was eclipsed by the Roman Catholic Church in the 12th century.

Mrs. Elder states what is little known but of the greatest importance...the fact that Christianity, as a Church, was born in England before anywhere else, and that England was a professed Christian country one hundred years before Rome and, in fact, when Rome was still persecuting Christians.

She draws attention to the singular change, without any opposition, from Druidism to Christianity, which was understandable in that fundamentally they had no great difference in belief. An interesting point is also made as to the difference between the British Church and the Church of England.

The rise and establishment of Christianity in Britian has been dealt with by many writers but in these pages new light has been thrown on the origin of the Culdees, with whom rests the introduction and, with their successors, the defense of the Apostolic Christianity brought by those early Christians to Britian shortly after the Ascension of our Lord.
Paperback
167 pages
There are many books on this subject; "Missing Links in Assyrian Tablets" by E. Raymond Capt, books by Adam Rutherford...there are genealogy charts (artisan Publishers)that prove this.

Uninformed and innacurate
It would be nice if Ms. Elder's suppositions were based upon any kind of fact, but alas, they are not. While she creates a nice tale of the way things might have happened, she offers little support for her assertionsand much of her information is incorrect.

The transition from 'Celtic'to Early Christian is extremely problematic and its study is not helped bythose like Ms. Elder who would try to create a homogenized view of two verydifferent cultural traditions.

history of the transition of druidism to christianity
This is an excellent book for historical students and religous students.It is the only book that I have found that shines light on the Church founded by christian refugees from the then Roman held Britian that were accorded sanctuary in Ireland by the Kings and Druids, and granted land to establish their church.

This short books begins with a compacted review of the Celtic People and religion. I find it conflicting in some details from the majority of works, but in general a fine review for those wishing to understand the people who took in the early Christian Refugees.

The book than gives a moving account of the establishment of the Christian Church, known either as the Irish Church,the Culdee Church, or the British Church.

This follows into the acceptance of Chrisitianty as the fulfillment of their own religion by the Druids and a peaceful changeover to Christianity without either persecution or Martrydom.The Irish church then proceeded about the business o! f foreign conversions without force or persecution.

The latter chapters deal with the Roman Church's initial attempts to dominate the Irish Church, and their rebuttal. This is followed by a violent takeover, involving great loss of life, by the Roman Church.

The last chapter deals with the idea of Protestantism as an attempt to return to the ideals of the British Church. However in this, while I agree in general, I find the author a bit optimistic, as the protestants of England, with notable exceptions such as Good Queen Bess,then carry out further acts of violence against those they term 'unbelievers' which still go on to this day. ... Read more

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Originally published in 1814.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

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For 500 years, Europe was ruled by people who believed acts of nature were omens of the gods, where nobility was earned and where honor was valued above life... These rulers considered themselves Druids: protectors of the Earth and wizards of nature.

The rise of the Roman Empire occurred as the world of the Celts disintegrated. Because they did not record their history, all stories were either lost or told from a Roman point of view. But suppose a Celt not only survived but actually recorded what happened? Who then becomes the barbarian, and whose civilization suffers invasion...?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A great read!
Druids follows the stories of two Celts, Rhonwen, a healer, and Mallec, a seer. Their lives are separate, yet interconnected through their relationship with the elder Orlan. He is Rhonwen's uncle and Mallec's mentor, and the wise Druid teaches them both part of what they need to learn in order to eventually rise to the same respected position. The ancient lands of the Celts are pressed under the heavy thumb of Roman oppression; Rhonwen and Mallec must not only find their way among the Celtic peoples, they are forced to do so while enduring the constant threat of Roman interference.

Druids is a compelling, character-driven novel. Rhonwen, an independent and strong young woman, is plagued by her mother's misplaced bitterness and suffers the demands this places on the aspiring healer. In desperate times, Rhonwen's strength and determination are required, though her fortitude unfortunately comes with a dear price.
Mallec is a gifted seer born to a tribe of warriors. He escapes his early, torturous circumstances and ventures to the island of Mona, the famed centre of druidic education. It is there that the clever and inquisitive Mallec finds Orlan, who takes the young seer under his wing. Unfortunately for Mallec, he finds that life at the great institution is otherwise not so much different than back with his clan.

After Orlan uncovers a forgotten druid rite that has the potential to restore health and potentially grant the power of immortality, this magic becomes crucial to both Rhonwen and Mallec. For Rhonwen, it holds the promise of vindication and freedom; for Mallec, it has become a sacred knowledge entrusted to him, one that he must foster and protect from the schemes of others.

Infused with equal parts history and fiction, the story grows more intriguing with the turning of each page. Every chapter is headed by a tract of druidic history recorded by past, ancient leaders, which draws the reader further into the tale. In this humble reader's opinion, the only missing element is a map; it would be very interesting to have seen roughly where the Celtic tribal boundaries or even settlements were established. Chalking this point up to personal preference, though, the absence in no way affects the overall quality of the story or the satisfaction one will surely get in reading Druids.

Loved it!
I hope this book is the start to a wonderful sweeping epic series. The characters have found a home in my heart and mind where they now rest waiting for their lives to continue. It was sometimes tough reading of the pain and suffering of Rhonwen yet it kept me spellbound and turning the pages all the way though.

A wonderful read!
The Celts were a diverse people who, at the height of their expansion, spread from Portugal to Asia Minor. They were loosely held together by a commonality of language, and more strongly bound by religion. The priests of that religion were the Druids; but Druids were also healers, teachers, poets and judges--much more than just priests.

As the Romans burst the bounds of Italy during the First Century BCE and began their conquest of Europe, they found the Celts to be a tough enemy.

The conflict of Rome with the Celts is the unifying thread of Druids, an exciting and engaging new novel by Barbara Galler-Smith and Josh Langston, both prize-winning writers. Their careful research has provided a convincing background against which they present characters--some historical figures, some fictional--about whom the reader comes to care deeply.

Central to the story is Rhonwen, a young woman who earns the right to be called a Druid. A healer, like her mother, she becomes entangled with the Roman general Sertorius. This contradiction of cultures, Celtic and Roman, provides a rich structure for a convincing plotline.

A parallel character is Mallec, another young Druid who had been trained as a warrior in his youth. His story is told separately from that of Rhonwen, and it is the fact that he never meets her in this book that is the strongest hint that a sequel is to follow. It is through Mallec that Druid magic, first demonstrated by Rhonwen's uncle, becomes more than metaphor.

The best stories are those that focus on interesting characters, and such focus is a real strength of this novel. The book is peopled by Rhonwen and Mallec, of course; but also by Quintus Sertorius, the general; Rhonwen's uncle Orlan, another Druid; Marcus Perpenna Vento, a historical figure from the same mould as Rasputin; and well-chosen and well-developed others who are both interesting and important to the story.

In short, Druids is a novel well worth reading. While it can be read as a stand-alone story, it is sure to have the reader hoping for the sequel that is so strongly suggested by its ending.

When's the sequel?
This book was a delightful return to a genre I hadn't sampled for a long time.Some writers of historical fantasy do great description but spoil it with stilted dialogue, and I was so happy to find the dialogue here natural and the rest of the prose smooth and clear.The characters are fleshed-out very nicely, with both internal dialogue and action to establish them.Sertorious was a great disappointment to me, in a good way.The authors made him admirable to start with, then slowly revealed his real character, or lack of it when viewed with our cultural biases.Rhonwen is, as certainly intended, a hot babe and a lot more.I've always admired writers who are willing to hurt their most likable characters in terrible ways, thereby adding to their depth.Stephen King does that and [SPOILER ALERT] I began to suspect these writers were going to do it to Rhonwen, then felt sure when they had Rede held separate from her with the other children who were to be killed.

The structure of the story, interweaving Rhonwen's story with that of Eban Enclave, worked to keep me wanting to move through the book.The authors broke the stories off at places that made me want to get through the next part to see what was going to happen in the storyline I had just left, then I would get sucked into the storyline I was in so that when it broke, I wanted to get through the next.

One of the things I enjoy about good historical fiction is the use of real people and places.I didn't do any major research, but looked up a couple of places and people, and enjoyed seeing they were real.

Dear Authors: hurry up and get the next in this series published so I can find out what happens to Rhonwen and to the Ageless Man, and especially to that delightfully villainous Dierdre.Surely bad things will happen to her, right?Please?

Fabulous!
I throughly enjoyed this book! Not only are the historical aspects accurate, the characters are believable and very likeable. The action moved quickly enough to maintain my interest, yet I felt that the relationship development between characters was never neglected. I slowed down as I got to the end, as I didn't want the book to be over! I can only hope that another book is in the immediate future... ... Read more