"Elidyr Mwynfawr, King of Aeron, was a weak, greedy fool, and like many another such fool, he died of his folly. But because he was a King, in his dying he cost many better men their lives as well, and this was the way of it: for I, Gwernin Kyuarwyd, was there, and saw much of it myself, and the tale that I tell you is true
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Sir Furboy
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This is a series that has grown on me as I have read it. From the start it has been well researched and well written, with a wonderful sense of place in the narrative that sweeps the reader back in time to sixth century Wales. Maybe not quite as it actually was, because who can say how it was? but as good a re-creation of that historical setting as any I have read.
The series follows Gwernin, a young storyteller in the generation after Arthur as he travels across the land, much of the time with Taliesin the bard. In this book the story becomes an adventure filled with dispute and rivalries and many a self contained short tale. It culminates in a thrilling adventure, through which the young storyteller comes of age. Whether that is the end of his tale is not clear, but it wraps things up in a satisfying manner for this book at least.
The research is as good as the story here. We are treated to snippets from early medieval writings, and allusions to others. The Gododdin feature in this story, and there are also allusions to Anglo Saxon literary tradition and just a snippet of Old English. All this adds wonderfully to that sense of place I mentioned.
The author's historical note makes clear on one area where the story departs deliberately from the more commonly accepted view of the 6th Century bardic tradition - but again, as the notes say, the literary tradition is nevertheless not always supported by the archeological evidence. They don't call this the dark ages for nothing! So for the purposes of a good work of fiction, no one would quibble with the digression I think.
So this book was an enjoyable read. It may be hard going for anyone unfamiliar with Welsh names and pronounciation, but that all adds to the flavour of the book. Anyone enjoying historical novels or celtic themes should enjoy this variation on the coming of age theme.
The series follows Gwernin, a young storyteller in the generation after Arthur as he travels across the land, much of the time with Taliesin the bard. In this book the story becomes an adventure filled with dispute and rivalries and many a self contained short tale. It culminates in a thrilling adventure, through which the young storyteller comes of age. Whether that is the end of his tale is not clear, but it wraps things up in a satisfying manner for this book at least.
The research is as good as the story here. We are treated to snippets from early medieval writings, and allusions to others. The Gododdin feature in this story, and there are also allusions to Anglo Saxon literary tradition and just a snippet of Old English. All this adds wonderfully to that sense of place I mentioned.
The author's historical note makes clear on one area where the story departs deliberately from the more commonly accepted view of the 6th Century bardic tradition - but again, as the notes say, the literary tradition is nevertheless not always supported by the archeological evidence. They don't call this the dark ages for nothing! So for the purposes of a good work of fiction, no one would quibble with the digression I think.
So this book was an enjoyable read. It may be hard going for anyone unfamiliar with Welsh names and pronounciation, but that all adds to the flavour of the book. Anyone enjoying historical novels or celtic themes should enjoy this variation on the coming of age theme.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not a book I would normally have chosen, and at the beginning I worried about the very Welshness of it, the names in particular. I need not have worried. Once I had got used to the names, and seperated Talhaearn from Taliesin, the story took over. It is the story of a trainee Bard in 6th century Wales, soon after the Romans had left, and reminded me stronly of Homer. The storyteller moving from court to court telling stories of the heroes in battle, and singing songs. It is the third part of a series, but stands well on it's own. I haven't read the earlier ones, and had no problem following it. There is some element of the mystical, which would have put me off, but it is extremely well done. The only slight criticism I would have, and it is minor, is the time scale. The whole story takes place in less than the nine months necessary for a pregnancy, but the feeling is much longer.
It took me until the end to realise just what is meant by an ash spear! I leave that to the reader!
It took me until the end to realise just what is meant by an ash spear! I leave that to the reader!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceeding Expectations
9 July 2009
By Andrew Kennett
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
It seems a rare thing when not only the writing but the story itself stays on the same high level through a series of books, and rarer still when the story continues to get better. I would place The Ash Spear, and the Storyteller series as a whole, in that most rare category (and that certainly is not a slight on the earlier entries in the series, these tales are just that good).
Once again we follow Gwernin Storyteller on his quest to learn the trade and lore of the bard, and once again Grove crafts a rich portrayal of the lands, people, and culture of 6th century Britain. As she did in adding a bit more action in Flight of the Hawk, Grove adds another element to the story, balancing the inclusion of a larger sense of the more spiritual or supernatural elements of British lore with the flow of characters, culture, and action already attained in the series. Also, to this reader at least, the wonderful flashes of humor used throughout the series really hit at the right moments in this book, both cutting and creating tension in the tale even more so than in the previous volumes.
Overall, I think this is the best of the three Storyteller books.
Once again we follow Gwernin Storyteller on his quest to learn the trade and lore of the bard, and once again Grove crafts a rich portrayal of the lands, people, and culture of 6th century Britain. As she did in adding a bit more action in Flight of the Hawk, Grove adds another element to the story, balancing the inclusion of a larger sense of the more spiritual or supernatural elements of British lore with the flow of characters, culture, and action already attained in the series. Also, to this reader at least, the wonderful flashes of humor used throughout the series really hit at the right moments in this book, both cutting and creating tension in the tale even more so than in the previous volumes.
Overall, I think this is the best of the three Storyteller books.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three time's the charm
10 July 2009
By Jennie M. Mizrahi
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Ms.Grove has truly refined her voice in this latest installment of the "Storyteller" series. Though this is perhaps the most magical of the trilogy, it is also the most human, with all of the messy consequences that come from human interaction and imperfection. Heroic Kings are not always wise, and foolish boys find that they are not always shielded from their own mistakes. This darker tale, far more epic in scope than either earlier book, grabs the reader by the navel and pulls one along down unexpected roads, leaving one with no desire to follow the narrator's admonition that the next chapter, "O my children, is a story for another day."
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Dark ages" brought to life.
14 Sep 2009
By M. Ho
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This was a fantastic read that I couldn't put down! I love the way G. R. Grove illuminates the so-called "dark ages" of Britain in such a refreshingly believable, down-to-earth manner. Her writing style is concise and unpretentious, and she really gets into the skin of her characters, showing us every aspect of their daily lives, from their mundane chores to their troubled politics, and their mysterious spirituality.
The Ash Spear builds on Gwernin's adventures in the previous two books, Storyteller, and Flight of the Hawk, deepening further his relationships with Talhaearn, Taliesin, Neirin and Rhianedd. In the beginning of this book, Gwernin is asked to accompany master bards Taliesin, Talhaearn, and Ugnach to help his friend Neirin, walk "the Dark Path" a Druidic spiritual rite of passage. Neirin's spiritual ordeal seems to be mirrored in Gwernin's later adventures, though Gwernin's ordeals have the added dimension of harsh reality.
Gwernin has a knack for getting himself into trouble, mainly because of his straightforward nature, and in this book he gets into the worst scrapes of his life so far. What with British kings antagonizing each other for more land and power, and Saxons, who tend to enslave any Britons who get in their way, Gwernin, caught up in the middle of it all, has a very exciting year. He learns much from his experiences, especially about what is really important in life, and in the end makes a surprising decision that shows how much he has grown up in his most difficult year.
The Ash Spear is full of exciting adventure and with every chapter I wanted to find out what happened next, so, unfortunately, I finished it too fast. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about Gwernin and his adventures in the next book.
The Ash Spear builds on Gwernin's adventures in the previous two books, Storyteller, and Flight of the Hawk, deepening further his relationships with Talhaearn, Taliesin, Neirin and Rhianedd. In the beginning of this book, Gwernin is asked to accompany master bards Taliesin, Talhaearn, and Ugnach to help his friend Neirin, walk "the Dark Path" a Druidic spiritual rite of passage. Neirin's spiritual ordeal seems to be mirrored in Gwernin's later adventures, though Gwernin's ordeals have the added dimension of harsh reality.
Gwernin has a knack for getting himself into trouble, mainly because of his straightforward nature, and in this book he gets into the worst scrapes of his life so far. What with British kings antagonizing each other for more land and power, and Saxons, who tend to enslave any Britons who get in their way, Gwernin, caught up in the middle of it all, has a very exciting year. He learns much from his experiences, especially about what is really important in life, and in the end makes a surprising decision that shows how much he has grown up in his most difficult year.
The Ash Spear is full of exciting adventure and with every chapter I wanted to find out what happened next, so, unfortunately, I finished it too fast. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about Gwernin and his adventures in the next book.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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