Mythago Wood (Ryhope Wood) [Kindle Edition]

This is the first volume in the Mythago Wood series (before Lavondyss, The Hollowing, Merlin's Wood, and Gate of Ivory), in which the main character, Steve Huxley, tells us of the time short after WWII when he went back to England to help his brother Christian take care of their father's house after the latter's death.

Oak Lodge is at the edge of the Rhyope estate, next to a mysterious wood which intrigued George Huxley so much he dedicated the end of his life, and many journals, to its study. Indeed, in Mythago Wood, images of legendary heroes (mythagos) come to life, created from the folk-tales and collective minds of past civilizations. Among them Guiwenneth, a stunningly beautiful red-haired warrior woods-woman.

In turns, the Huxleys will all fall in love with the girl, and following their father's footsteps, Chris and then Steve will also feel the incontrollable need to try and penetrate deeper into the wood, where time and space expand, only to be rejected by it, as if pushed back and led astray by invisible forces.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book and immersed in it: I could almost smell the forest scents, see the green of the leaves and touch the softness of the moss, as if I were walking in the wood with the heroes. I admit I must have been influenced by John Howe's beautiful illustrations of Mythago Wood... I also loved the character of Harry Keeton, the airplane pilot who helps Steve in his quest. All in all, even though I might not have tied all loose ends, it was a fantastically enchanting read.

Occasionally I'll walk into a bookshop and sift through the shelves until something catches my eye and I find myself buying it based solely on the opening pages. Paperback prospecting you might call it. It's a risky business but every so often it pays off in a big way. So it was with Mythago Wood.
At just over 330 pages, Mythago Wood is far from being the weightiest fantasy book out there, and indeed most fantasy fans with some time on their hands will breeze through it in a day or two, however the story is so beautifully crafted and the characters so memorable that it leaves a tangible mental imprint long after it has been neatly tucked away on a shelf. Furthermore, as with all truly great stories, it will only be a matter of time before you'll find yourself yearning for the strange sense of magic it instills, and picking it up to relive the experience.
In terms of recommended readership, I would say the strength of Robert Holdstock's writing, in this novel more than any of his others, makes it accessible to literally anybody who enjoys a good story. In that sense it could be thought of in the same terms as The Hobbit.
All in all, a magical book that is eagerly recommend to anybody looking for an immersive, satisfying read.

Mythago Wood is one of the genuine classics of 20th Century fantasy. Steve Huxley returns from World War II to find his brother Christian increasingly obsessed with their father’s investigations into Ryhope Wood — a small, ancient woodland that draws out mythagoes (mythic beings, ancient buildings and even entire landscapes) from those who enter it. But when Steve and Christian both fall for an ancient warrior-princess mythago, Guiwenneth, they find themselves enacting their own parts in an ancient myth that draws them deeper into the heartwood, where they must meet with the inhuman Urscummug, a mythago so old it is not even human.

Mythago Wood is an exciting adventure story and an exploration of the experience of the imagination. Mythagoes are the ancient archetypes we all carry within us, just waiting to be awakened by our unwitting re-enactments of mythic dramas in our daily lives. This book lays them out in all their mystery and magic, their danger and their power to transform our inner lives.