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Druids #1
Druids
"...Ainvar's destiny lay with Vercingetorix, the sunbright warrior-king. Together they traveled through bitter winters and starlit summers in Gaul, rallying the splintered Celtic tribes against the encroaching might of Julius Caesar and the soulless legions of Rome..." Back cover comments.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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3632 people want to read
About the author
Morgan Llywelyn
77 books996 followersMorgan Llywelyn (born 1937) is an American-born Irish author best known for her historical fantasy, historical fiction, and historical non-fiction. Her fiction has received several awards and has sold more than 40 million copies, and she herself is recipient of the 1999 Exceptional Celtic Woman of the Year Award from Celtic Women International.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
June 3, 2017
Ainvar is a young Celt of the tribe of the Carnutes. He has always been fascinated by the druids of his clan, those wise men who know earth magic and are responsible for so many of the important moments of life for the Celts in Free Gaul. One night he slips away to watch a ceremony in which the druids hope to end the harsh winter, which has been dragging on longer than normal. What Ainvar does not know is that his grandmother, his only living relative, is to play an important part in this ceremony. In his ignorance, Ainvar intervenes, and what happens when he does causes the chief druid Menua to take the boy into his lodge and begin training him as a druid.
We don't really know all that much about the early Celts. They had no written history, so the main sources of information about them are from their enemies and eventual conquerors such as Julius Caesar. Llywelyn did a wonderful job taking what was known and imagining a little more, then blending it all with the history of Gaul in early Roman times. She tells a wonderful story, but I must admit that even though I rated the book four stars, I struggled through much of the second half. It seemed like at some point the only thing we were all doing was waiting for Caesar to attack. This got a bit dull at times, but the parts with Ainvar learning and performing his druid magics were much more interesting.
When Menua first took the boy into his lodge, for example, he was an awkward young thing, all accident-prone and clumsy. Here is what happens when Menua scolds him about behaving that way. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Look to nature," he advised me. "Every creature that emerges from the Cauldron of Creation is as graceful as it can be according to its physical abilities. Thus do willow tree and water rat alike honor the life within themselves. Life is sacred, a spark from the Source of All Being.
"But you blunder about as if your joints were untied, Ainvar."
There is more scolding, then Menua points at the boy and yells "Celebrate yourself!" and his 'bones obeyed'. He quit slumping, he noticed for the first time how cleverly his hands worked. One last bit of lecture from Menua and then these thoughts from Ainvar:
The chief druid never made an awkward gesture, even when he scratched himself. Every movement was fluid, celebrating the ability to move.
I was so impressed I even believed he farted musically.
Ainvar and his druid magic try to protect the people of Free Gaul from Caesar and his legions. The final section of the book is full of their war, seen here from the Gaul's point of view. Specifically from the druid point of view. At one point, when a newly planted vineyard is destroyed by the enemy, Ainvar says The polluted earth cried out to us, begging to be healed.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were still druids among us? People who could feel and hear the earth, understand its magic, and try to make up for everything we humans have done to it? I wonder if they would be successful....or has too much time passed?
I've already started on the sequel to this book, titled The Greener Shore. I think it will make me wish even more than this book did that I had the magic of the druids.
We don't really know all that much about the early Celts. They had no written history, so the main sources of information about them are from their enemies and eventual conquerors such as Julius Caesar. Llywelyn did a wonderful job taking what was known and imagining a little more, then blending it all with the history of Gaul in early Roman times. She tells a wonderful story, but I must admit that even though I rated the book four stars, I struggled through much of the second half. It seemed like at some point the only thing we were all doing was waiting for Caesar to attack. This got a bit dull at times, but the parts with Ainvar learning and performing his druid magics were much more interesting.
When Menua first took the boy into his lodge, for example, he was an awkward young thing, all accident-prone and clumsy. Here is what happens when Menua scolds him about behaving that way. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Look to nature," he advised me. "Every creature that emerges from the Cauldron of Creation is as graceful as it can be according to its physical abilities. Thus do willow tree and water rat alike honor the life within themselves. Life is sacred, a spark from the Source of All Being.
"But you blunder about as if your joints were untied, Ainvar."
There is more scolding, then Menua points at the boy and yells "Celebrate yourself!" and his 'bones obeyed'. He quit slumping, he noticed for the first time how cleverly his hands worked. One last bit of lecture from Menua and then these thoughts from Ainvar:
The chief druid never made an awkward gesture, even when he scratched himself. Every movement was fluid, celebrating the ability to move.
I was so impressed I even believed he farted musically.
Ainvar and his druid magic try to protect the people of Free Gaul from Caesar and his legions. The final section of the book is full of their war, seen here from the Gaul's point of view. Specifically from the druid point of view. At one point, when a newly planted vineyard is destroyed by the enemy, Ainvar says The polluted earth cried out to us, begging to be healed.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were still druids among us? People who could feel and hear the earth, understand its magic, and try to make up for everything we humans have done to it? I wonder if they would be successful....or has too much time passed?
I've already started on the sequel to this book, titled The Greener Shore. I think it will make me wish even more than this book did that I had the magic of the druids.
September 22, 2012
Walking through a used bookstore, I noticed the name Morgan Llywelyn on a $1 book; I knew the name, and saw on goodreads that it had gotten roughly 4 stars, so I thought I'd pick it up and add it to my Roman-themed reading list. A semi-historical fiction novel about the Gauls in the time of Julius Caesar, Druids tells the story of Vercingetorix's friends Ainvar, the Chief Druid at the time.
Ainvar is a total asshole. And I don't just mean that in a contemporary morality kind of way; he is repeatedly shown to be an asshole in the context of his morality system (spoiler: take for instance his cuckolding of his best friend, just because he was horny. Oh, I mean he needed 'sex magic'.). Not that there are ever any consequences for these actions; other characters are just there to be used by him. He also is kind of an idiot. He's supposed to be super-smart, but he keeps confidently making predictions that turn out WRONG, giving suggestions that a dumb, etc etc
OK, so the main character isn't great. What about the story? Well it is kind of - kind of - the story of Vercingetorix's Gaulish confederacy, but it's more about Ainvar the Druid, and how Awesome he supposedly is, and how many women he has. As great as it is to see the parts about The Druid, Llywelyn goes a bit over the top in making these people sound like the spiritually perfect savages.
Even worse, the final section of the fight against Caesar is just terrible. It reads like a list of battles which isn't very fun to read. And some of the greatest battles, where some pretty amazing things happen (Caesar's siege of Alesia) which are ripe for explication and description, are left underexplained.
It's disappointing because at first the book seemed like it had a lot of potential, but it all got wasted.
Ainvar is a total asshole. And I don't just mean that in a contemporary morality kind of way; he is repeatedly shown to be an asshole in the context of his morality system (spoiler: take for instance his cuckolding of his best friend, just because he was horny. Oh, I mean he needed 'sex magic'.). Not that there are ever any consequences for these actions; other characters are just there to be used by him. He also is kind of an idiot. He's supposed to be super-smart, but he keeps confidently making predictions that turn out WRONG, giving suggestions that a dumb, etc etc
OK, so the main character isn't great. What about the story? Well it is kind of - kind of - the story of Vercingetorix's Gaulish confederacy, but it's more about Ainvar the Druid, and how Awesome he supposedly is, and how many women he has. As great as it is to see the parts about The Druid, Llywelyn goes a bit over the top in making these people sound like the spiritually perfect savages.
Even worse, the final section of the fight against Caesar is just terrible. It reads like a list of battles which isn't very fun to read. And some of the greatest battles, where some pretty amazing things happen (Caesar's siege of Alesia) which are ripe for explication and description, are left underexplained.
It's disappointing because at first the book seemed like it had a lot of potential, but it all got wasted.
March 18, 2017
This story is one of my all-time favorites that weaves history, magic, and culture with a breathtakingly inspired style of storytelling. Everywhere I travel to that has a bookstore I search for this book and currently own 3 copies of this gem.
June 27, 2007
First, a masterful story, told by a masterful storyteller. I found it fascinating that the author was able to remain true to history, and left the story with a sad ending. However, she told the story well enough that I did not feel sad at the end, but triumphant. A recurring motif in the book was that death is not the end (a tenet of Druid belief).
A very enchanting story of spiritual Gauls. Wonderful incorporation of real Celtic myths, and real history. Caesar invades Gaul in the book, as he does in history, but this book tells the story of the besieged. Too often, we simply say that Caesar made his name in conquering Gaul. What of the residents of Gaul? What was their fate?
Highly recommended, as a dramatized historical account, political commentary, collection of forgotten Celtic religious myths, and even economic contrast (between the economies of ancient Gaul and Roman Empire).
A very enchanting story of spiritual Gauls. Wonderful incorporation of real Celtic myths, and real history. Caesar invades Gaul in the book, as he does in history, but this book tells the story of the besieged. Too often, we simply say that Caesar made his name in conquering Gaul. What of the residents of Gaul? What was their fate?
Highly recommended, as a dramatized historical account, political commentary, collection of forgotten Celtic religious myths, and even economic contrast (between the economies of ancient Gaul and Roman Empire).
May 21, 2021
Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know if I'm going to have time to finish this review today because I started it too late, and I'm walking in the right time, but you'll do what you can. Although it may seem that this book has nothing to do with my previous review"Antonio and Cleopatra" by Colleen McCullough https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... it can actually be read, albeit not as a second part, albeit as a different vision than Colleen McCullough proposes. When I wrote my review of the last bookin the "Masters of Rome" series, I already warned of something I didn't like about objectivism, or the philosophical current to which the anti-communist dissident Ayn Rand https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... belonged and is that they always bet on the winning horse, and they seem to think that the vanquished had no moral greatness, and if they lost it was, because they were victims of progress, that it is the new God to worship. I said that the enemy of our enemy..., as that Arabic proverb of a Muslim prince who in the end died beheaded which shows the failure of his Ostpolitik. Here I killed the enemy of our enemy is not always our friend. In my previous review, I also commented that Ayn Rand's philosophy had too many things in common with the doctrine he presumably fought, especially contempt for Christianity. Not very different, than the one shown by the characters of gustave Thibon https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... delicious play, which I already commented on "You will be like gods", because they see it as a little failed, and according to these characters atheist materialism, positivism, and Marxism were right in their crazy dreamings and delusions. All in here, what matters is showing that the vanquished have their dignity. The American filmmaker Frank Capra was already masterfully talking about how beautiful it was to fight for lost causes in the wonderful Mr. Smith goes whasignton https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film8... in Spain had the beautiful title of Knight Without a Sword,which by the way fits the film more (for me it is my favorite performance of James Stewart). G.K. Chesterton himself https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... that"we were never closer to paradise than when we overtooded a battle that was lost." What refutes Rand/McCullough's approach https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... to this is the palpable demonstration of one thing, and is that the vanquished have dignity, and also the value of Morgan Llywellyn's novel is that we can see Caesar from another point of view. From the point of view of his enemies. I know I repeat myself, and I hope Goodreads users forgive me, but you rarely read a person's review unless you're a fan, or a person's detractor so I find it unlikely that people will read my review of"Antonio and Cleopatra" so I'll repeat myself in a few things. It was already said that Caesar had had his admiration on the part of some writers George Bernard Shaw https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... in his work"Caesar and Cleopatra" regarded Caesar as the prototype of the superman following the parameters of the suspected philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Which led G.K. Chesterton to say, that Caesar was a precursor to the antichrist. Will Durant in his volume of the story"Caesar and Christ" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... allegorically showed the confrontation of the Roman Empire and Christianity confronting both characters, and served as the headline for the third volume of his story. I have already commented that Robert Harris https://www.goodreads.com/series/5134... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... in his trilogy near Cicero showed us Caesar from the point of view of one of his Cicero enemies, who was always under the tutelage of Pompey, who in turn was one of the men who grew up in the shadow of dictator Sila, as the Colleen McCullough series"Masters of Rome" showed, "Https://www.goodreads.com/series/4371... In fact Harris' trilogy has nothing to envy of the worthy heptalogy of the Australian writer, and is a dignified rival, perhaps Colleen McCullough won because she is more ambitious than the English novelist, and for commenting on a longer period. As Juan Manuel de Prada has already mentioned, my admired writer has not written https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... any novels about the mysterious Lucius Sergio Catilina, but he always argued that he was a victim of a Cicero who, according to De Prada, would have wrongly accused Catilina of a conspiracy against the Republic, because his consulate was going to pass without penalty or glory. It is not a novel approach we have already seen as great writers such as Hugh Ross Williamson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6..., and Antonia Fraser https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... considered that William Cecil Earl of Salisbury exaggerated the conspiracy of the dust, to win a credit, that the new Stuart dynasty of James I's hand was unwilling to grant him, and not to lose him exaggerated the conspiracy. A more magnanimous vision of Caesar is seen in the beautiful novel, almost a philosophical dialogue by the Spanish writer José Ramón Aylllón in"Dear Brutus" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... (in the line of Marguerite Yourcenar with "Memories of Hadrian" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... to which I believe our brilliant writer. For American users to get an idea, I'd be on Peter Kreeft https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... line as he would make philosophical dialogues confronting ideas between different philosophers as the American neotomist philosopher does). Part of Caesar's life is that of american writer Thornton Wilder in which he collects the Clodio scandal with Pompeii Sila in his book"Idus de Marzo" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... where Caesar and other characters are written with other characters, and talk about Caesar, perhaps the most interesting part is the epistles Caesar writes to a childhood friend who suffered severe burns and is an invalid, as it shows us his most human nature. We also have the novel"Caesar"by Colleen McCullough, where a priori is collected the most interesting part of the 1st century a.c. or b.c. according to anglo-Saxon chronology and is Caesar's campaign in the Gallic, and Caesar's civil war against the Roman republic, concluding the book with the Pompeyan defeat in Farsalia. However, it was the worst book in the saga because Cesar was disgustingly perfect, and infallible, making him the pro-man of Randian objectivism. Without any weakness. Caesar's defeats were never his fault, or were led by Caesar, which were intended to occur.
This novel Druids, which I don't think has any relation to Christopher Lambert and Klaus Maria Brandauer's film https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film7... would be Morgan Llywellyn's response to Collen McCullough's novel, and we would see Caesar from the point of view of his enemies in this case the Gauls. This approach is not novel, as in my review of Mark Antony and Cleopatra I commented that this idea had been had by C.-S.'s friend. Lewis https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... communist writer Naomi Mitchison https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... (in fact in her Children's Letters https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... recommended this Naomi Mitchison novel). In it also commented the Northern Irish writer, who felt more empathy with the weaker and invaded peoples than, with the higher civilizations, and invaders. In many of Poul Anderson's novels there https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... a similar point of view, in fact Anderson often speaks of things. He often writes novels about the formation of galactic empires, or of more backward civilizations that end up defeating more technologically advanced and more powerful civilizations, following the Chestertonian quotation he mentions at the beginning of this critique. In the same approach is currently the Hollywood industry, which seems not to have forgiven Rome for Titus's campaign, and Hadrian and shows us a very imperial, and terrible Rome, although I have not seen people more imperialist and more opulent than a Hollywood executive who could be accused of being in the service of globalist plutocracy and the new world order. So their criticism loses a lot of value from coming from where, but we're deviating from the issue. Another similar to this, although in my humble opinion this is much better would be Claude Cueni https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... "The Druid of Caesar", which in my humble opinion could be at the top ten of the worst novels I have ever read. That said, you can start with the review of "Druids" the novel is fine, and I liked it, but I wouldn't have a three, however, I have the feeling that I would have liked it a lot more if I had read it younger. A flaw that I see in this novel, and which I have noted in other reviews as Gilles Kristian https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... "Lancelot" and in the wonderful and recommended "Mailoc Journey." The secret book of hermit Enda" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... written by the Prior of the Valley of the Fallen Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
that this does not deceive them, despite his position we face a fellow historian of great knowledge, and a lot of talent. If you rush me I would say of Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro that it is one of the best formed heads of the West. In fact, the first criticism I have to make of Morgan Llywellyn's"The Druid" is that obsession with celtism, and to save it, and to claim it at any cost without making here the slightest self-criticism. In her quest to promote Celtic culture Mrs. Llywellyn comes to a number of exaggerations, such as throwing brazen praise of celtic religion, including human sacrifices, and considering it as a religion of nature exalted by the Greeks. It is a pity that I could not read other later works by the author, but it has not been all that I would have liked. However, it is difficult to speak well of a culture that made human sacrifices, and to try to justify them. I am not worth the excuse that Llywellyn he hesites by calling Rome a militaristic, materialistic, and atheist power that despises the spiritual. Let us not make the mistake of the Gnostics, including the twelvetists and the Manicheans, to think that the body is evil, and only the spirit is precious or commendable. As my admired Chesterton says, materialism is the basis of every true religion. It is also a pity that in praise of Celticism he defends paganism, and does not notice that the best thing about Celticism is the Christian religion. I much more agree with the celtism of Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro, than that of Morgan Llywellyn. Celticism had two problems as I said in my reviews falling into a kind that Celtic Christianity is superior to roman, and attacking Latin Christianity. This is done by many Protestant writers, who continue to blame his ills on Theodosius, and Pope Hadrian IV, who handed over the Irish headquarters to the English. In that line are Stephen R. Lawhead, Gillian Bradshaw, or Thomas Cahill https://www.goodreads.com/series/4148... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/series/6120... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... In Mr. Cahill's case he does not stop(r) aberrant that while Celtic Christianity dented slavery, Latin would entrust it, when there was criticism of Popes and the Emperor of Byzantium towards the slave trade, and they showed their opposition. Of course, unfortunately, their subjects and faithful didn't listen to them. This defends Henri Pirenne https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., which some Latin saints preached in Ireland as St. Aando, and St. Remaro, in fact St. Patrick comes from Roman Gaul. As I said in other criticisms it was pontiff Calixtus I, who was a slave the first Pope to lead a crusade against slavery in the early 3rd century A.c. and that cost him very dearly. The first schism of the Catholic Church, as Gilbert Sinoué tells in"Calixto the Forgotten Pope" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2.... However, I am infinitely concerned about the representatives of the second stream of Celtism, the phyllopaga branch, an anti-Christian secularist who shows appreciation for paganism, and rejection of Christianity, and which is so in vogue today and whose representatives would be William Butler Yeats https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Gilles Kristian https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Angus Donald https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Marion Zimmer Bradley https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Thomas Wheeler among many others. Where Celtic magic and paganism are praised, and Christians are handicapped, and are branded fanatics, and cowards, who burn people, in the face of the heroic and pagan nobles who seek to save the Celtic world from chaos. In this line would also be Bernard Cornwell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... In fact
(continues)
This novel Druids, which I don't think has any relation to Christopher Lambert and Klaus Maria Brandauer's film https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film7... would be Morgan Llywellyn's response to Collen McCullough's novel, and we would see Caesar from the point of view of his enemies in this case the Gauls. This approach is not novel, as in my review of Mark Antony and Cleopatra I commented that this idea had been had by C.-S.'s friend. Lewis https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... communist writer Naomi Mitchison https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... (in fact in her Children's Letters https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... recommended this Naomi Mitchison novel). In it also commented the Northern Irish writer, who felt more empathy with the weaker and invaded peoples than, with the higher civilizations, and invaders. In many of Poul Anderson's novels there https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... a similar point of view, in fact Anderson often speaks of things. He often writes novels about the formation of galactic empires, or of more backward civilizations that end up defeating more technologically advanced and more powerful civilizations, following the Chestertonian quotation he mentions at the beginning of this critique. In the same approach is currently the Hollywood industry, which seems not to have forgiven Rome for Titus's campaign, and Hadrian and shows us a very imperial, and terrible Rome, although I have not seen people more imperialist and more opulent than a Hollywood executive who could be accused of being in the service of globalist plutocracy and the new world order. So their criticism loses a lot of value from coming from where, but we're deviating from the issue. Another similar to this, although in my humble opinion this is much better would be Claude Cueni https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... "The Druid of Caesar", which in my humble opinion could be at the top ten of the worst novels I have ever read. That said, you can start with the review of "Druids" the novel is fine, and I liked it, but I wouldn't have a three, however, I have the feeling that I would have liked it a lot more if I had read it younger. A flaw that I see in this novel, and which I have noted in other reviews as Gilles Kristian https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... "Lancelot" and in the wonderful and recommended "Mailoc Journey." The secret book of hermit Enda" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... written by the Prior of the Valley of the Fallen Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
that this does not deceive them, despite his position we face a fellow historian of great knowledge, and a lot of talent. If you rush me I would say of Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro that it is one of the best formed heads of the West. In fact, the first criticism I have to make of Morgan Llywellyn's"The Druid" is that obsession with celtism, and to save it, and to claim it at any cost without making here the slightest self-criticism. In her quest to promote Celtic culture Mrs. Llywellyn comes to a number of exaggerations, such as throwing brazen praise of celtic religion, including human sacrifices, and considering it as a religion of nature exalted by the Greeks. It is a pity that I could not read other later works by the author, but it has not been all that I would have liked. However, it is difficult to speak well of a culture that made human sacrifices, and to try to justify them. I am not worth the excuse that Llywellyn he hesites by calling Rome a militaristic, materialistic, and atheist power that despises the spiritual. Let us not make the mistake of the Gnostics, including the twelvetists and the Manicheans, to think that the body is evil, and only the spirit is precious or commendable. As my admired Chesterton says, materialism is the basis of every true religion. It is also a pity that in praise of Celticism he defends paganism, and does not notice that the best thing about Celticism is the Christian religion. I much more agree with the celtism of Don Santiago Cantera Montenegro, than that of Morgan Llywellyn. Celticism had two problems as I said in my reviews falling into a kind that Celtic Christianity is superior to roman, and attacking Latin Christianity. This is done by many Protestant writers, who continue to blame his ills on Theodosius, and Pope Hadrian IV, who handed over the Irish headquarters to the English. In that line are Stephen R. Lawhead, Gillian Bradshaw, or Thomas Cahill https://www.goodreads.com/series/4148... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/series/6120... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... In Mr. Cahill's case he does not stop(r) aberrant that while Celtic Christianity dented slavery, Latin would entrust it, when there was criticism of Popes and the Emperor of Byzantium towards the slave trade, and they showed their opposition. Of course, unfortunately, their subjects and faithful didn't listen to them. This defends Henri Pirenne https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., which some Latin saints preached in Ireland as St. Aando, and St. Remaro, in fact St. Patrick comes from Roman Gaul. As I said in other criticisms it was pontiff Calixtus I, who was a slave the first Pope to lead a crusade against slavery in the early 3rd century A.c. and that cost him very dearly. The first schism of the Catholic Church, as Gilbert Sinoué tells in"Calixto the Forgotten Pope" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2.... However, I am infinitely concerned about the representatives of the second stream of Celtism, the phyllopaga branch, an anti-Christian secularist who shows appreciation for paganism, and rejection of Christianity, and which is so in vogue today and whose representatives would be William Butler Yeats https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Gilles Kristian https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Angus Donald https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Marion Zimmer Bradley https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Thomas Wheeler among many others. Where Celtic magic and paganism are praised, and Christians are handicapped, and are branded fanatics, and cowards, who burn people, in the face of the heroic and pagan nobles who seek to save the Celtic world from chaos. In this line would also be Bernard Cornwell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... In fact
(continues)
October 15, 2025
This is the third book I’ve read by this author, and my least favourite one.
Some people find Llywelyn’s writing irritating because she takes liberties with historical material. Yes, undoubtedly she does, but I don’t have a problem with that. It’s the right of any fiction writer to take such liberties. If I want to read about established facts, I read non-fiction.
Some others say they don’t like her idealised lead characters, too good to be true. Well, yes, she’s a bit biased about them, but this is quite common throughout the genre. It’s not done to the level that would take away the pleasure of reading from me.
What I really, really liked in the previous two books I read was her talent to depict the surroundings and the background world in such a way that it seemed tangible. It was a truly sensual experience to see through the eyes of the protagonists, and to feel through their skin.
Somehow, that is missing in this book. There’s not as much loving attention to everyday detail. Maybe it’s because she was relying on Julius Caesar’s descriptions too much and his dry military style crept in. Still, I enjoyed the book reasonably well so according to my scale it deserves its three stars.
Some people find Llywelyn’s writing irritating because she takes liberties with historical material. Yes, undoubtedly she does, but I don’t have a problem with that. It’s the right of any fiction writer to take such liberties. If I want to read about established facts, I read non-fiction.
Some others say they don’t like her idealised lead characters, too good to be true. Well, yes, she’s a bit biased about them, but this is quite common throughout the genre. It’s not done to the level that would take away the pleasure of reading from me.
What I really, really liked in the previous two books I read was her talent to depict the surroundings and the background world in such a way that it seemed tangible. It was a truly sensual experience to see through the eyes of the protagonists, and to feel through their skin.
Somehow, that is missing in this book. There’s not as much loving attention to everyday detail. Maybe it’s because she was relying on Julius Caesar’s descriptions too much and his dry military style crept in. Still, I enjoyed the book reasonably well so according to my scale it deserves its three stars.
October 1, 2013
On a whim, I bought this book at the Goodwill Store, seeing the author's name and knowing her reputation. I was quite pleased with my purchase and I really enjoyed this story. I was impressed how Ms. Llywelyn took what scant information there is on the Druids, added her own literary license, and combined them into a plausible recreation of Druidic practices and beliefs.
The Chief Druid of the Carnutes in Gaul recognizes that a young orphan boy, Ainvar, has a druidic gift within him and wants to fan it into flame. He and the other Druids teach Ainvar Druid lore. Ainvar becomes Chief Druid after years of study. He becomes soulfriend to Vercingetorix of the Arverni, after their manhood ceremony together at fifteen. [The druids believed life is a continuum: you live, you die, you are reborn. Soulfriend would mean you had a close friendship in a past lifetime, as well as in this one. Celtic Christian monks had the same soulfriend concept.]
Gallia Narbonensis, [today's Provence, France] is already under Roman control; Caesar comes as proconsul. He then tries to conquer the rest of Gaul, as well as tribes to the North and West, Belgae and Nervi. Tribe after tribe are subdued. Vercingetorix unites many of the unconquered tribes, and with Ainvar at his side, resists Caesar's onslaughts until the conquest of Gaul is completed at the bloody Battle of Alesia.
The writing was excellent, as well as characterizations and dialogue. I was glad to read something from the indigenous people's point of view, for once. With their view of nature and spirituality, Druids sounded like Native Americans, from the author's concept. I enjoyed reading about the Celtic daily lifestyle and customs. The Romans were minor characters.
Highly recommended!
The Chief Druid of the Carnutes in Gaul recognizes that a young orphan boy, Ainvar, has a druidic gift within him and wants to fan it into flame. He and the other Druids teach Ainvar Druid lore. Ainvar becomes Chief Druid after years of study. He becomes soulfriend to Vercingetorix of the Arverni, after their manhood ceremony together at fifteen. [The druids believed life is a continuum: you live, you die, you are reborn. Soulfriend would mean you had a close friendship in a past lifetime, as well as in this one. Celtic Christian monks had the same soulfriend concept.]
Gallia Narbonensis, [today's Provence, France] is already under Roman control; Caesar comes as proconsul. He then tries to conquer the rest of Gaul, as well as tribes to the North and West, Belgae and Nervi. Tribe after tribe are subdued. Vercingetorix unites many of the unconquered tribes, and with Ainvar at his side, resists Caesar's onslaughts until the conquest of Gaul is completed at the bloody Battle of Alesia.
The writing was excellent, as well as characterizations and dialogue. I was glad to read something from the indigenous people's point of view, for once. With their view of nature and spirituality, Druids sounded like Native Americans, from the author's concept. I enjoyed reading about the Celtic daily lifestyle and customs. The Romans were minor characters.
Highly recommended!
July 14, 2007
This book is fabulous. It chronicles the ending of the height of the Druids as Ceasar brings into Gaul the ways of the Romans and their Christian religion. This is the movie I would make if I had the money. (and talent)
September 30, 2018
Me gustó mucho este libro. Conocer la figura histórica de Vercingetorix a través de un personaje inventado, pero que es el protagonista de esta novela me encantó. A través de Ainvar (el druida protagonista, mejor amigo de vercingetorix), conocía la historia de este heroe galo, pero también como era la vida de los galos: sus costumbres, tradiciones, la importancia que le daban a la naturaleza,...
Es de esos libros que quiero volver a leer, de una manera lenta para disfrutar todos los detalles que encierra.
Es de esos libros que quiero volver a leer, de una manera lenta para disfrutar todos los detalles que encierra.
November 22, 2011
This is one of my favorite books by Morgan Llywelyn, especially because it presents the untold perspective of the Gauls facing the invasion of Caesar. Llewelyn does a superb job of combining historical fact into the story without making it a dry read, which is proof why she is one of the master's of Celtic fiction. She also does an excellent job of showing the human sides of the larger than life characters Ainvar and Vercingetorix, who share a spiritual friendship often characterized by conflict and opposing views in the real world of stopping Caesar. Two small complaints against this book, which can be attributed to literary license. Llywelyn's incorrect etymologies for names (for example, Vercingetorix as "king of the world") and her use of Irish names instead of Gaulish names for some of the characters. But despite these two personal pet peeves, a very well-written and masterful tale full of magic, hope, determination, and (ultimately) loss.
October 11, 2012
I loved reading this book..it was really well researched by the author concerning the role Druids played in the Celtic Religion and the beliefs of the Celtic people in pre-Christian Europe. The book takes place in Europe during the Gallic wars in Gaul. In case anyone does not know where Gaul is..Gaul is modern day France. Although this book is part of the historical fiction genre some characters were real people. The young Celtic warrior Vercingetorix and Julius Caesar were real people..in case anyone wasn't sure. The characters both fictional and historical were so real..it felt as if I was really there....Morgan LLywelyn is an exellent author..I reccomend this book to everyone.
October 10, 2011
According to the great Wiki: "A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age. Very little is currently known about the ancient druids because they left no written accounts about themselves, and the only evidence of them is a few descriptions left by Greek and Roman authors, and stories created by later medieval Irish writers. While archaeological evidence has been uncovered pertaining to the religious practices of the Iron Age people, 'not one single artefact or image has been unearthed that can undoubtedly be connected with the ancient Druids.' Various recurring themes emerge in a number of the Greco-Roman accounts of the druids, including that they performed human sacrifice, believed in a form of reincarnation, and that they held a high position in Gaulish society. Next to nothing is known about their cultic practice, except for the ritual of oak and mistletoe as described by Pliny the Elder."
With this information in mind, little as it is, the author wrote a wonderfully compelling tale about the Roman invasion of the Gaul lands. This area encompassed today's France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. Llywelyn created Druid characters and Gaul personalities who war to repel the invading Romans. The tribes the author uses are listed among the Gaul tribes. Prince Vercingetorix was a real leader who united the tribes to war against the Romans. The story is embellished in a wonderful way by the author as he details the battles, the Druid influence and includes family and friendship connections. I truly enjoyed this read as I knew little about the Druids and the Gauls prior to reading this novel. Well done!
With this information in mind, little as it is, the author wrote a wonderfully compelling tale about the Roman invasion of the Gaul lands. This area encompassed today's France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. Llywelyn created Druid characters and Gaul personalities who war to repel the invading Romans. The tribes the author uses are listed among the Gaul tribes. Prince Vercingetorix was a real leader who united the tribes to war against the Romans. The story is embellished in a wonderful way by the author as he details the battles, the Druid influence and includes family and friendship connections. I truly enjoyed this read as I knew little about the Druids and the Gauls prior to reading this novel. Well done!
May 4, 2010
The rituals that made me a little squeamish just because it's me aside, I adored this book. Listening to the main character (a druid) talk about nature and the earth and the connectedness of it all was just what I needed. I had been missing that. You don't hear alot of natural balance talk in this town.
I had this in the back of my mind as one to read for a bit and I'm glad I finally took the plunge and read it. I know only bits and pieces of druid lore (mostly from movies and other books) but I loved the historical setting of this novel pre-Roman conquest.
The characters were all well-developed I thought and had failings which I always appreciate. Those too-perfect people in some books make me a little nauseated and I always feel like that are not nearly as real as the ones that make a butt load of mistakes, you know, like the rest of us do.
All in all, read it - skim the parts that make you squeamish and revel in the celebration of life!
I had this in the back of my mind as one to read for a bit and I'm glad I finally took the plunge and read it. I know only bits and pieces of druid lore (mostly from movies and other books) but I loved the historical setting of this novel pre-Roman conquest.
The characters were all well-developed I thought and had failings which I always appreciate. Those too-perfect people in some books make me a little nauseated and I always feel like that are not nearly as real as the ones that make a butt load of mistakes, you know, like the rest of us do.
All in all, read it - skim the parts that make you squeamish and revel in the celebration of life!
July 14, 2010
The first of the Llywelyn books I read, mainly because of my interest in Druidry and those bits-and-pieces of history that get brushed aside in the interest of providing an "overview" of "World" history, this is an interestingly fictionalized account of what it "may have been like back then."
It certainly opened my eyes as to the increasingly inaccurate views of modern Druidry that have sprung up since the 1940's, especially during the hippie movement of the 1960 when "rebellion" was the norm and doing anything anti-Christian was considered cool.
While Christianity has certainly not left me feeling fulfilled, it is still a part of me and my spiritual path. Ms. Llywelyn's writing certainly helped me put some of that in perspective, taking it out of the realm of "Peace & Love" and putting it back into that of the Warrior.
It's a good work of fiction and, from my readings, well-researched (though colored with Ms. Llywelyn's own view/take on things).
It certainly opened my eyes as to the increasingly inaccurate views of modern Druidry that have sprung up since the 1940's, especially during the hippie movement of the 1960 when "rebellion" was the norm and doing anything anti-Christian was considered cool.
While Christianity has certainly not left me feeling fulfilled, it is still a part of me and my spiritual path. Ms. Llywelyn's writing certainly helped me put some of that in perspective, taking it out of the realm of "Peace & Love" and putting it back into that of the Warrior.
It's a good work of fiction and, from my readings, well-researched (though colored with Ms. Llywelyn's own view/take on things).
April 21, 2013
This book's protagonist was pretty unbearable. I kept reading it for the historical value I thought it would provide, but seriously, this main character druid Ainvar, spends the whole book basically thinking up "druid" things to say. It's like the author has never actually met a wise person, and they tried to think up what a wise person would say. Being wise isn't about saying cryptic fortune cookie sayings and telling people not to question you. I'm not the person with the authority to define wisdom, but it seems to me like Jesus, Gandhi, Krishna, and Dumbledore all remained inquisitive and unpretentious, have no problem taking crticism, and instead of trying to keep wisdom and spirituality lofty and incomprehensible to "simple folk," they try to take it down to a level where people can understand and connect with it. But I'm not the historian, so maybe that's just how ancient Gauls worked. If that's the case, then...nevermind. I'm just not the right audience.
May 14, 2012
This was a fascinating representation of the druids in France during the time that Caesar took control of almost all the world. It talks a lot about the rituals, sacrifices and the daily life of each type of druid. It also covers how different the Romans were and the differences between the tribes and the Romans.
I enjoyed most of the book, but got a bit bogged down in all the battles. I wanted more from a woman about the woman's perspective on this time. The Celtic women were strong and could be quite powerful. I missed most of that and saw instead the dominion of men over women.
I enjoyed most of the book, but got a bit bogged down in all the battles. I wanted more from a woman about the woman's perspective on this time. The Celtic women were strong and could be quite powerful. I missed most of that and saw instead the dominion of men over women.
August 30, 2012
I love this book so much. It's about a young boy born to be a druid and so Menua, chief druids sees to it he gets the education he needs. When he grows he becomes the chief druid and does everything in his power to keep his people safe against the Romans, who have already begun the invasion in Britain.
It's a wonderful book about druids, just what I was hoping for, and probably the best celt an druid book I've ever read.
It's a wonderful book about druids, just what I was hoping for, and probably the best celt an druid book I've ever read.
March 17, 2019
This was a solid four-star book until the final 20% or so. Llywelyn has remarkable talent for blending deep, heartfelt personal relationships with accounts of historical, tactical, often brutal battle scenes. The result leaves any reader with a soul emotionally wrecked. I now remember why I waited so long between her books. I will need serious recovery time before I move on to the sequel. Well done, Morgan Llywelyn. Well done.
August 18, 2009
excellent. i enjoyed the history throughout. thought provoking. one that will stick with me and be re-read.
May 20, 2009
Excellent book! The interplay between the two main characters is what TRULY makes the storyline. A MUST READ for any medieval history or alternative religion buff.
March 7, 2018
I really love this period of history. I'm a big fan of ancient Gaulish and Germanic culture, and I think the tension and cultural developments between Rome and Gaul at the time of Julius Caesar are fascinating, and few authors write about the Gaulish side of things. I was hoping that would all translate well in this book; it did not.
The Characters
Ainvar the Druid is the main character. His supposed prowess in sorcery is only matched by his prowess in women - by the end of the story, he has "tamed many mares", married and unmarried. At one point, he even The running joke in the book is Ainvar's commentary on how he continually does things 'simply not done' by a Chief Druid; much of this is in reference to keeping multiple partners, and desiring two wives, in his Druidic harem. The author not only alludes to almost every male character's seemingly constant desire, but goes a step further into the mystical realm of sexual metaphors - to an almost uncomfortable degree. A quote from the book: "I knew then what the Source of All Being must have experienced at the moment of creation: the bursting of a passion too great to be contained. In that explosion the stars were born-and we are made of stardust."
Beyond this, he is given a wide range of Druidic abilities, ranging from the Natural, to the Supernatural. This bothered me quite a bit: the druids are not only intellectually gifted (that is, divination, prediction, rituals that coincidentally produce a desired result, and heightened sense based on the natural world); they also have a wide range of amorphous superpowers. In one scene, Ainvar thinks of grinding stone in order to pulverize a man's wrist, despite lacking the physical strength to do so. But this inconsistency between having natural, coincidental powers & wisdom vs. superhuman abilities is very puzzling.
In other cases, Ainvar becomes like a stone himself: stubborn and unable to think. For being exceptionally gifted, wise, and trained under a living legend of druidry, he becomes very petty, stubborn, and shortsighted at times. The only occasions he displays genuine wisdom are few and far between, and these always make him sound incredibly arrogant. Overall, he's not a fun character to follow through a story like this, because he's always doing the "right" thing despite his shortcomings. Any failure is due to outside intervention.
Vercingetorix gets some nice time in the sun, and his character is somewhat enjoyable to read about. But he lacks depth. His primary qualities are being big, tough, stubborn, and somewhat intelligent. These are written about in the way you would expect. He gets in a lot of fights, he's headstrong, he plans a little bit more than other people, and he doesn't believe in Druidry. Plus, he always plays second-fiddle to Ainvar, who almost always has to (literally) whisper the right answer into his ear. Being such a force of legend, his character should be a goldmine of inspiration, and perhaps even put Ainvar in his place once in awhile.
Julius Caesar: Rich Evil Guy Edition. Yes, he was a shrewd conqueror who like to defeat people and make a name for himself. But this book ranks him about two steps below Hitler. This book portrays him as haughty, arrogant, vicious, cruel & unusual, and almost unbelievably evil. Every time the Romans attack, they do so to cause fear and slaughter people, or make deals so they can eventually enslave everyone. The way the book is written makes it sound like every Roman, and Caesar himself, was riding through the streets of Gaulish villages, impaling babies and slaughtering women wholesale while wearing fake beards and putting on "Hairy Gaul" shows in the amphitheater. I can appreciate a good, negative representation of one of history's biggest megalomaniacs; but this was excessive.
Ainvar's Harem: willful, proud women who constantly defy Ainvar's multitude of charms but eventually give in because he says it's for "sex magic".
The Plot
The first part of this book is essentially a "coming of age" story about a young kid who has a passion that makes him break a rule, but it turns out he's so gifted and so passionate that the people who make the rules decide its okay and let him follow his passion. But first he is instructed to embark on a long and somewhat dangerous journey with two quirky sidekicks, only to discover something that no one else knew, and comes back to find that- gasp- something terrible has happened in his absence. And that's okay- that's a formula that has worked for YA books for years.
The second, and main part, however, is when Ainvar and begins waging a mental war for the freedom of Gaul. He essentially rides around, operating in the shadows, sowing seeds of deceit and racial prejudice against anyone he finds it convenient to do so against. He whispers winning words to Vercingetorix as he tries to confederate Gaul - every step of the way. I realized that other characters don't actually play a role in the book outside Ainvar's life. NOBODY does anything that doesn't directly affect him, and usually only with his say-so. Vercingetorix's soul contribution to Gaulish confederation is his size, confidence, and charisma. Ainvar actually sows the seeds, tells everyone when to act and what to do, makes replacements for bad kings, and frequently (literally) tells people what to say - word-for-word. He is, in essence, the only character who contributes to the plot. And, of course, the various women he shuttles around like his own personal exotic harem (one is even from !) exist to serve him.
I truly wish the author had picked one of these two parts and ran with it. The "coming of age" portion only serves to make Ainvar appear awkward, hot-headed, and undisciplined. I get that this is supposed to serve as a contrast to his fully-matured self and show how much he has developed, but to me, it just makes it look like he's unfit to be a Druid in the first place. And the second part desperately needs a more likable, older character. Ainvar being young, headstrong and emotional but simultaneously (and coincidentally) brilliant, wise, and thoughtful is difficult to read. I would have liked to see Ainvar's mentor take the reigns for most of the book while he himself served as the more willful, motivated, and travel-hardy of the pair.
Finally, this book really drags. Ainvar does so much, and yet so little; throughout the middle section of the book, his various romances, frustrated loves, and desperate attempts to not make people hate his guts take up the bulk of the reading. When the action finally kicks off, it is glossed over and abbreviated to the point that whole battles - like the siege of Alesia - are brief, hard to imagine, and over-simplified. Instead we get to focus on Ainvar's wise words on the battles at hand, which is shockingly less interesting.
Summary
Overall, the book has a really neat concept. Druidry is fascinating and occupies an almost mythic position in ancient history. It is a gold mine for historical fiction. But this just didn't feel like the right book to examine it. It had too many focuses, no likable main characters, and an overall lack of consistency.
Overall: 1.5 stars.
The Characters
Ainvar the Druid is the main character. His supposed prowess in sorcery is only matched by his prowess in women - by the end of the story, he has "tamed many mares", married and unmarried. At one point, he even The running joke in the book is Ainvar's commentary on how he continually does things 'simply not done' by a Chief Druid; much of this is in reference to keeping multiple partners, and desiring two wives, in his Druidic harem. The author not only alludes to almost every male character's seemingly constant desire, but goes a step further into the mystical realm of sexual metaphors - to an almost uncomfortable degree. A quote from the book: "I knew then what the Source of All Being must have experienced at the moment of creation: the bursting of a passion too great to be contained. In that explosion the stars were born-and we are made of stardust."
Beyond this, he is given a wide range of Druidic abilities, ranging from the Natural, to the Supernatural. This bothered me quite a bit: the druids are not only intellectually gifted (that is, divination, prediction, rituals that coincidentally produce a desired result, and heightened sense based on the natural world); they also have a wide range of amorphous superpowers. In one scene, Ainvar thinks of grinding stone in order to pulverize a man's wrist, despite lacking the physical strength to do so. But this inconsistency between having natural, coincidental powers & wisdom vs. superhuman abilities is very puzzling.
In other cases, Ainvar becomes like a stone himself: stubborn and unable to think. For being exceptionally gifted, wise, and trained under a living legend of druidry, he becomes very petty, stubborn, and shortsighted at times. The only occasions he displays genuine wisdom are few and far between, and these always make him sound incredibly arrogant. Overall, he's not a fun character to follow through a story like this, because he's always doing the "right" thing despite his shortcomings. Any failure is due to outside intervention.
Vercingetorix gets some nice time in the sun, and his character is somewhat enjoyable to read about. But he lacks depth. His primary qualities are being big, tough, stubborn, and somewhat intelligent. These are written about in the way you would expect. He gets in a lot of fights, he's headstrong, he plans a little bit more than other people, and he doesn't believe in Druidry. Plus, he always plays second-fiddle to Ainvar, who almost always has to (literally) whisper the right answer into his ear. Being such a force of legend, his character should be a goldmine of inspiration, and perhaps even put Ainvar in his place once in awhile.
Julius Caesar: Rich Evil Guy Edition. Yes, he was a shrewd conqueror who like to defeat people and make a name for himself. But this book ranks him about two steps below Hitler. This book portrays him as haughty, arrogant, vicious, cruel & unusual, and almost unbelievably evil. Every time the Romans attack, they do so to cause fear and slaughter people, or make deals so they can eventually enslave everyone. The way the book is written makes it sound like every Roman, and Caesar himself, was riding through the streets of Gaulish villages, impaling babies and slaughtering women wholesale while wearing fake beards and putting on "Hairy Gaul" shows in the amphitheater. I can appreciate a good, negative representation of one of history's biggest megalomaniacs; but this was excessive.
Ainvar's Harem: willful, proud women who constantly defy Ainvar's multitude of charms but eventually give in because he says it's for "sex magic".
The Plot
The first part of this book is essentially a "coming of age" story about a young kid who has a passion that makes him break a rule, but it turns out he's so gifted and so passionate that the people who make the rules decide its okay and let him follow his passion. But first he is instructed to embark on a long and somewhat dangerous journey with two quirky sidekicks, only to discover something that no one else knew, and comes back to find that- gasp- something terrible has happened in his absence. And that's okay- that's a formula that has worked for YA books for years.
The second, and main part, however, is when Ainvar and begins waging a mental war for the freedom of Gaul. He essentially rides around, operating in the shadows, sowing seeds of deceit and racial prejudice against anyone he finds it convenient to do so against. He whispers winning words to Vercingetorix as he tries to confederate Gaul - every step of the way. I realized that other characters don't actually play a role in the book outside Ainvar's life. NOBODY does anything that doesn't directly affect him, and usually only with his say-so. Vercingetorix's soul contribution to Gaulish confederation is his size, confidence, and charisma. Ainvar actually sows the seeds, tells everyone when to act and what to do, makes replacements for bad kings, and frequently (literally) tells people what to say - word-for-word. He is, in essence, the only character who contributes to the plot. And, of course, the various women he shuttles around like his own personal exotic harem (one is even from !) exist to serve him.
I truly wish the author had picked one of these two parts and ran with it. The "coming of age" portion only serves to make Ainvar appear awkward, hot-headed, and undisciplined. I get that this is supposed to serve as a contrast to his fully-matured self and show how much he has developed, but to me, it just makes it look like he's unfit to be a Druid in the first place. And the second part desperately needs a more likable, older character. Ainvar being young, headstrong and emotional but simultaneously (and coincidentally) brilliant, wise, and thoughtful is difficult to read. I would have liked to see Ainvar's mentor take the reigns for most of the book while he himself served as the more willful, motivated, and travel-hardy of the pair.
Finally, this book really drags. Ainvar does so much, and yet so little; throughout the middle section of the book, his various romances, frustrated loves, and desperate attempts to not make people hate his guts take up the bulk of the reading. When the action finally kicks off, it is glossed over and abbreviated to the point that whole battles - like the siege of Alesia - are brief, hard to imagine, and over-simplified. Instead we get to focus on Ainvar's wise words on the battles at hand, which is shockingly less interesting.
Summary
Overall, the book has a really neat concept. Druidry is fascinating and occupies an almost mythic position in ancient history. It is a gold mine for historical fiction. But this just didn't feel like the right book to examine it. It had too many focuses, no likable main characters, and an overall lack of consistency.
Overall: 1.5 stars.
January 12, 2022
Tengo opiniones encontradas con este libro.
He leído bastantes libros sobre el imperio romano, época que me apasiona, pero no tantos sobre los conquistados y le tenía muchas ganas a éste.
La historia me encantó, no sabía mucho sobre la guerra de las Galias y consigue entretener y que no te pierdas con tantas tribus.
Pero el Druida protagonista es un pomposo, repelente y sabelotodo yo-mi-me-conmigo, además anodino " hasta decir basta".
Tanto los protagonistas como los diálogos son de lo más simple, quiero imaginar que lo hizo adrede para llegar a más público, pero solo acaba cargándose la veracidad de la historia.
Además creo que he leído demasiados cómics de Astérix y Obélix y con tanta simpleza no dejé de imaginarme a todos los protagonistas como dibujos.... Una pena!
He leído bastantes libros sobre el imperio romano, época que me apasiona, pero no tantos sobre los conquistados y le tenía muchas ganas a éste.
La historia me encantó, no sabía mucho sobre la guerra de las Galias y consigue entretener y que no te pierdas con tantas tribus.
Pero el Druida protagonista es un pomposo, repelente y sabelotodo yo-mi-me-conmigo, además anodino " hasta decir basta".
Tanto los protagonistas como los diálogos son de lo más simple, quiero imaginar que lo hizo adrede para llegar a más público, pero solo acaba cargándose la veracidad de la historia.
Además creo que he leído demasiados cómics de Astérix y Obélix y con tanta simpleza no dejé de imaginarme a todos los protagonistas como dibujos.... Una pena!
April 29, 2008
This is my favorite of Morgan Llywelyn's books...and one of her non Irish books. Here's a review from Publisher's Weekly:
Publishers Weekly
Caesar's Gallic Wars are recounted from the viewpoint of the losers in this highly readable evocation of the culture of the European Celts. Ainvar of the Carnutes, a young orphan druid-in-training, receives instruction for the ``manmaking'' rituals with prince Vercingetorix of the Arverni, forging a bond that will later unite them in an effort to free Celtic Gaul from Roman domination. As young men they travel through the Province (southern France, long settled and ruled by Rome), the warrior studying military strategy, the priest observing the society and developing arguments against assimilation, which has proved tempting to many of the free Gauls. When Vercingetorix is king of the Arverni and Ainvar the chief druid, the two strive to unify the intensely individualistic, frequently warring and suspicious tribes, with little initial success. But when Gaius Julius Caesar, pro-consul of Rome, seizes on the migration of the Helvetii to escape German depredation as an excuse to take action against Free Gaul and the Germans, the other kings place themselves under the leadership of Vercingetorix, who mounts a swiftly moving campaign against enormous odds. Llywelyn ( Red Branch ) imaginatively and vividly portrays the druid rituals and their close ties to nature, and authentically depicts daily life among the Celts as well. (Mar.)
**My notes: I clearly love books about history, even if they take fictional license, that make historic figures come alive. This is an astounding book.
Publishers Weekly
Caesar's Gallic Wars are recounted from the viewpoint of the losers in this highly readable evocation of the culture of the European Celts. Ainvar of the Carnutes, a young orphan druid-in-training, receives instruction for the ``manmaking'' rituals with prince Vercingetorix of the Arverni, forging a bond that will later unite them in an effort to free Celtic Gaul from Roman domination. As young men they travel through the Province (southern France, long settled and ruled by Rome), the warrior studying military strategy, the priest observing the society and developing arguments against assimilation, which has proved tempting to many of the free Gauls. When Vercingetorix is king of the Arverni and Ainvar the chief druid, the two strive to unify the intensely individualistic, frequently warring and suspicious tribes, with little initial success. But when Gaius Julius Caesar, pro-consul of Rome, seizes on the migration of the Helvetii to escape German depredation as an excuse to take action against Free Gaul and the Germans, the other kings place themselves under the leadership of Vercingetorix, who mounts a swiftly moving campaign against enormous odds. Llywelyn ( Red Branch ) imaginatively and vividly portrays the druid rituals and their close ties to nature, and authentically depicts daily life among the Celts as well. (Mar.)
**My notes: I clearly love books about history, even if they take fictional license, that make historic figures come alive. This is an astounding book.
March 2, 2011
Well, my first book of 50 for the year. The first two months were eaten by other affairs so now I get to average 5 a month for 10 months.
Anyway, Druids was my first Morgan Llywelyn book ever, and he love of the Gauls comes through in the fiction. However, it is not as bad as I expected, and she does not blanch as presenting darker aspects of her vision of the Gallic peoples, underlying a general human shallowness and consumerism that I am certain is informed by her experiences of humanity.
Most interesting about this book was the presentation of Caesar. Certainly Julias is usually given a somewhat positive spin by authors working in the english language, and Llywelyn has no qualms praising his genius through her characters. However, for the characters he represents the end of their world and life as they know it. It was interest to me to see so much American foreign policy played out in this book from the view of the non-cooperative. I have long maintained that America is not an imperialism like Rome and, while in certain degrees that is true, this book bit close to the bone on that point.
As an illustration (between the lines) of how America poses a threat to the Islamic world, Druids sounds shockingly clear. We are left to wonder how much of our failures in the Middle East have their roots in our unwillingness to go as far as Caesar in pacifying once we have stepped out on that path. Oh well.
Anyway, Druids was my first Morgan Llywelyn book ever, and he love of the Gauls comes through in the fiction. However, it is not as bad as I expected, and she does not blanch as presenting darker aspects of her vision of the Gallic peoples, underlying a general human shallowness and consumerism that I am certain is informed by her experiences of humanity.
Most interesting about this book was the presentation of Caesar. Certainly Julias is usually given a somewhat positive spin by authors working in the english language, and Llywelyn has no qualms praising his genius through her characters. However, for the characters he represents the end of their world and life as they know it. It was interest to me to see so much American foreign policy played out in this book from the view of the non-cooperative. I have long maintained that America is not an imperialism like Rome and, while in certain degrees that is true, this book bit close to the bone on that point.
As an illustration (between the lines) of how America poses a threat to the Islamic world, Druids sounds shockingly clear. We are left to wonder how much of our failures in the Middle East have their roots in our unwillingness to go as far as Caesar in pacifying once we have stepped out on that path. Oh well.
October 23, 2014
There are many books about Ancient Rome, and a lot of those are about Caesar, but not many are about her enemies. This book is from the view point of one, the Gauls, who Casar made his name off of when he conquered them.
The Celts didn't leave a written history, so there is not much known about them except from sources outside like the Greeks and Caesar himself (although a lot he said might have been propaganda). There is even less known about the Druids.
The story is told from one such druid, named Ainvar, who happens to be friends with the leader of the Gaul tribes, Vercingetorix. He acts as his adviser, and without Vercingetorix knowing, makes magic to help the celts gain an advantage of Caesar.
The book is great for two reasons. One, you see the viewpoint of the Gauls as they face Caesar and Rome's armies and culture. The other is the rituals of the Druids. Both draw the reader in, ad make them feel they are there as it happens.
The magic that the druids do isn't blatantly obvious, so I would consider this book a historical fiction instead of historical fantasy. If you ever wanted to read a story about the Ancient Celts or Rome, I would highly recommend this book.
The Celts didn't leave a written history, so there is not much known about them except from sources outside like the Greeks and Caesar himself (although a lot he said might have been propaganda). There is even less known about the Druids.
The story is told from one such druid, named Ainvar, who happens to be friends with the leader of the Gaul tribes, Vercingetorix. He acts as his adviser, and without Vercingetorix knowing, makes magic to help the celts gain an advantage of Caesar.
The book is great for two reasons. One, you see the viewpoint of the Gauls as they face Caesar and Rome's armies and culture. The other is the rituals of the Druids. Both draw the reader in, ad make them feel they are there as it happens.
The magic that the druids do isn't blatantly obvious, so I would consider this book a historical fiction instead of historical fantasy. If you ever wanted to read a story about the Ancient Celts or Rome, I would highly recommend this book.
January 22, 2008
After reading some of the reviews of this book, I was prepared to give it five stars. I gave it four, but might have actually given it 3.75 if we had the option of decimals.
I did like it, quite a bit. Being a Pagan soul, I have a strong affinity for the Druids, but truthfully didn't know all that much about them. The history and Druidic practices were incredibly rich, and the characters were believable and likable. The glimpse into the world of the Ancient Celts, in what is now France, was wonderful. The parts detailing the political and battle strategy leading up to the invasion of "Free Gaul" by Caesar and the Romans was sometimes too complicated for me to really track fully (and political/battle strategy wasn't as interesting to me as the Celtic and Druidic culture). Also, even though I KNEW the Celts fell to the Roman Empire, some part of my purely Celtic heart kept hoping for a different outcome.
I did like it, quite a bit. Being a Pagan soul, I have a strong affinity for the Druids, but truthfully didn't know all that much about them. The history and Druidic practices were incredibly rich, and the characters were believable and likable. The glimpse into the world of the Ancient Celts, in what is now France, was wonderful. The parts detailing the political and battle strategy leading up to the invasion of "Free Gaul" by Caesar and the Romans was sometimes too complicated for me to really track fully (and political/battle strategy wasn't as interesting to me as the Celtic and Druidic culture). Also, even though I KNEW the Celts fell to the Roman Empire, some part of my purely Celtic heart kept hoping for a different outcome.
June 22, 2011
If I stopped after the first half of the book, I would definitely give this one five stars. The beginning of the book took me away to another world, putting me in the mind of a Druid boy as he learned Druid ways. When I read, I prefer a sort of intelligent escapism in that I like to be drawn up into the story, shown a different way of thinking--in this case, the way a Druid sees the world. I enjoyed Ainvar's view of death and magic. The second half of the book, however, focused mostly on fighting Caesar. While parts of this section contrasted the Roman way of life with that of the Gauls, this part felt rushed and less literary than the first half. It reminded me of action scenes in movies that do little to move the plot. If I were to re-read this book, I would probably stop at about the time they started fighting Caesar.
October 4, 2013
One of my all time favorites, Morgan Llywelyn does a masterful job bringing to life pre roman expansion Gaul, and the Celtic/Druid way of life that has been largely lost to history. This wonderful book tells the story of a nobody Celtic boy, who grows to be the religious leader of the Gaulish clans, and in the end, allows the saving of his people. Llywelyn does a great job illustrating the intricacies of a large scale war, uniting a vast swathe of often warring clans, displaying to the layman the beliefs and practices of a dead religion, and at the same time, maintains enough detail and humanity on the person to person level that this story really leaves you satisfied with the outcome, yet hoping it isn't over.
January 8, 2012
A truely amazing book. I was completely thrown into the era. The book carries a very strong Celtic atmosphere, and even has some actual realistic occult ritual in it. I think I'd have enjoyed it more, if it was simply a story about druids instead of the tragic retelling of the conquest of Caesar, from the perspective of the defeated party. That said, the book still carries a whif of ancient mystery and is quite impactful for such a slim volume. Some parts of the story were confusing, and I still couldn't figure out what the hero had been planning, even at the end.
July 26, 2010
Although this book is not a very well told story, it was helpful from a historical perspective. I have read a number of Celtic historical novels by Stephen Lawhead, but I've always wondered how historically accurate they were. What was so interesting to me is that many of the same terms, traditions or customs were the same, which gave me confidence that I now have a least a general understand of some of that culture.
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