I was really excited and interest to read this book...but was greatly disappointed.The collection ofbthese tales, and the information provided within are so outdated, over done, and incohesive it begs the question why bother to write it...or read it. The introduction is so redundant...it paints the same bland picture of a vast ancient culture, with the exact same reprinted information since the 70s...which has long evolved and shifted as new archaeological and anthropological finds come to light, painting a very different picture - and a more accurate & vibrant one at that. And with the first publication in 99 and a revamped edition in 08, frankly, they should have known better and provided a more recent and accurate information. As far as the tales themselves are concerned - it seems to be a disorganized clusterfuck of mix-matched interpretationd, patchworked into a vague, inconsistent, unfulfilled and contradictory storytellig experience. There are too many vague references that are not covered or explained, there are too many holes I the tales - there are references to parts of the stories that are simply 'unknown'...which is just flat out untrue - especially when he specifically sites sources in his forward to works (such as gods and fighting men) who have covered in their own works those parts of the tales he claims are 'unknown'. What? I'm sorry..what? Especially when there are so many vastly different versions of the tales, all from sources that claim credibility and reliability, you have to learn creative descretion and interprtation in your own right. Which I believe the author has failed at - completely. He admits that this book is an 'amalgamation' of all the tales he was exposed to as a child...and I suppose that is accurate - but it feels missmatched, he chose the wrong parts of tales to pair with the wrong parts of other tales to create a presentation that is just....unjust to what these tales, and people were and are and represent...it reads as poor, amateur storytelling and anyone who has knowledge or history in these lands, cultures or mythos will be able to pick all the horrid misinformation that has plagued our customs for generations. And is only perpetuated by collectons like this...we have come too far to start reverting back to olde biases.I would not reccomend this book to anyone looking for an accurate, current insight into the celts.
This one took me awhile to finish, mostly because mythology is harder to read than modern fiction. And the book is quite long -- almost a hundred pages longer than goodreads thinks it is. The author has a good voice for telling mythological stories. He adds enough background to the story that it makes sense to a modern audience, and his voice is conversational. He also appears to be well steeped in British mythology -- a good scholar.I didn't know much about British mythology before reading this book. I was surprised by how many different branches there are. This book has myths from Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Britain. One of the interesting things about these myths is that many of them cover the time period when Christianity comes into the British isles. Consequently, you get to see the conflict between the olds gods and the new.
I was a listener in the woods,I was a gazer at the stars,I was not blind where secrets were concerned,I was silent in a wilderness,I was talkative among many,I was mild in the mead-hall,I was stern in battle,I was gentle towards allies,I was physician of the sick,I was weak towards the feeble,I was strong towards the powerful,I was not parsimonious lest I should be burdensome,I was not arrogant though I was I was wise,I was not given to vain promises though I was strong,I was not unsafe though I was swift,I did not deride the old though I was young,I was not boastful though I was a good fighter,I would not speak about any one in their absence,I would not reproach, but would give praise,I would not ask, but I would give .
—Chris Van der Heijden
I’ve always loved a bit of mythology but have until now always been drawn to the Greek and the Norse, so it was high time I read a little about the myths that were formed in my own country. Being both mammoth and full of re-tellings of Celtic myths and legends, this one lived up to its title’s promise.Split into sections covering the different Celtic regions – Ireland, Manx, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish and Brittany – each came with a preface explaining the historical context in which these tales should be placed, something I greatly appreciated. Prompted by the prefaces, it became easier to see how these tales had been shaped and influenced by the landscapes in which these storytellers lived, as well as how they started to change with the influence of Christianity (and the pens of contemporary Christian authorities as they sought to alter or suppress the beliefs native to whatever land they’d ‘converted’).I enjoyed reintroductions to some of the beings I’ve encountered in modern paranormal stories – such as the Tuatha De Danann and the Fomorrii (thanks to Harry Dresden), early versions of stories I’ve come to know through fairytales (Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to name two) and, in my own favourite section (the Cornish, being in my part of the world), the Bukkys and piskies that can waylay unwary travellers.If I had hoped to get a little more on the deities of the Celtic regions, I was to be ever so slightly disappointed, but in all this was a good introduction to a fascinating subject.**Also posted at Randomly Reading and Ranting**
—Lisa
A wonderful collection of Celtic myth and lore. With some educated explanation. The stories at brown up into the different region that they originate from (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and Breton). A great way to get into Celtic myth out a good way to expand your story knowledge. A lot if classical story telling tropes are found here. Plenty of brave warriors, lovely princesses, evil wizards and monsters. A great book for engine but also a good book to read to a child that loves these kids of stories. Especially if they want to know more about these kind of things.
—Michael Benedetto
