The Moon of Gomrath - Review

Author: Alan Garner
ISBN: 9626344709/9789626344705

Why did I choose this book? Because I had listened to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and enjoyed it very much.

What did I like? The pace of the adventure was faster than The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and the same characters gained some depth.

I loved the weaving of celtic and local myth, and folklore into the storyline as well as the concept of old and new magic. I appreciated the way Alan Garner chose to describe occurrences and, more importantly, feelings ascribed to the afterlife or in-between; it was almost beautiful.

What didn't I like? Unfortunately, I was not as enthralled as I was with The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, and I found myself losing attention despite the wonderful narration of Mr Madoc. At certain points, I lost the any concept what was happening and I feel I may need a second listen, when not driving, to better appreciate this sequel.

I never heard an explanation as to how the Morrigan returned. As others have said, it felt more contrived with certain events seeming to happen at precisely the right moment purely to set-off another, and to provide the story with momentum.

So, despite the increase in pace, the further exploration of characters, and the fusion of folklore, myth, and landscape The Moon of Gomrath fell short of the standard set by The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but only because it is the sequel to a fine book.

Rating: 2½/5.

The Seasons Turn

I've encountered many a blog, and online chatter about the change of season.  People seem to have noticed it more this year, and I must admit I am one.   I'm including a few - I feel appropriate - snippets of what I've seen today.

May the rains sweep gentle across your fields,
May the sun warm the land,
May every good seed you have planted bear fruit,
And late summer find you standing in fields of plenty.

Source:  Island Ireland.

~~~***~~~

Autumn's Arrival
by Starlight the Fox 

~~~***~~~

Her breath mists the twilit air, frost and pearl, as she mounts her horse, a steel grey beast of taut muscle and lean limbs, built for speed.


Pulling the collar of her cloak around her, she gazes out at the surrounding landscape. She owns it all, in a way which will never be written on parchment, never be lodged in the minds of men.

In the Realm of the Lady Winter ~ Ina.

The Gnome and Mrs Meyers - Review

Author: Susan Klein
ASIN: B005D4Y77U


Why did I Read It? It came up as a recommendation over at Podio Books and the idea of a modern fairy tale appealed.

Synopsis: Mrs Meyers sleeps, eats and lives on the couch in her den. Though afraid of confrontation, Mrs Meyers works as a paralegal, and she enters sweepstakes in the hope of some luck to give her relief from the pressure of debt accrued after the prolonged illness and the death of her husband. Then, one morning, Mrs Meyers discovers she is the winner of the Expect the Unexpected sweepstake, and a mythical creature has come to stay with her. If Mrs Meyers can keep Mr. G. safe for the duration of his stay, riches will be hers and all her problems will be solved. But, Mrs Meyers really should Expect the Unexpected.

Short synopses of the various chapters can be read at Gnome Home Stay.

What did I like? This really is a modern fairytale. It's clear Susan Klein has thought long and hard about the story, in particular the make-up of the Gnome Nation from which Mr. G. hails. The audio version, in podcast format, to which I listened moved along at a fair pace. It's amusing, downright funny at times and I can truly hear the empathy Susan Klein has for her main character, Brenda.

This book could have been over-sentimental, but it's not. Mourning, loss, timidity and mild depression are explored within The Gnome and Mrs. Meyers, but with a level of (almost) understatement.

What didn't I like? I preface this with the statement that I work with Texans, and other Americans, but I was raised within a British household. It is a truly personal thing, but Susan Klein's accent when narrating was unpalatable - to begin with. After I while, I found her accent and her odd pronunciation of some words amusing, mostly because I came to equate her voice with that of Mrs. Meyers.

I realise it is difficult to narrate, and produce your own book for broadcast, but there were some hiccoughs: paper rustling; odd pauses as pages were turned; words missed; and doubling back on the text. These could be overlooked, as they didn't really spoil the story, and are only relevant to the audio edition.

I would have preferred if the author hadn't spent so much time on the backstory, and the expounding on the nature of the Gnome Nation; some of it felt superfluous, and only snippets were really required to move the story along. I would have preferred a bit more mystery, as found in older fairy tales when the reader is not always sure of motivation of various supernatural characters.

Would I recommend it? You bet. A great story with memorable characters, and creatures and, I suspect, an easy read; it is certainly an easy listen being only 22 (very short) chapters long. I certainly hope Susan Klein continues to write another modern fairy tales.

Rating: 6/10.

Book Give Away - Moon Mysteries

Red Moon Designs are giving away two copies of "Moon Mysteries: Reclaiming Women's Menstrual Wisdom". Go to the website of Red Moon Musings for details.

"Moon Mysteries is a unique and beautiful combination of breathtaking images, ancient matriarchal teachings and personal stories. Sims and Seeds boldly address the menstrual disconnect that women have been undergoing for centuries, but not without offering remedies to heal this split. Moon Mysteries invites all women to reclaim the wild and inherent menstrual wisdom that is their birth right."

And a tempest cleared the path

I don't know about anyone else, but for me in the south-east of the country, the winds and driving rain that appeared earlier in the week appear to mark the first signs of Autumn.

At first, I thought summer had gone, but driving out today, I noticed the grassed areas scattered with lights of yellow as various flowers seemed to bloom.   Aside from which, a lovely set of taller-than-a-man sunflowers graced the yard of a terraced house along the A13, and there were dark red roses in bloom along one particular drive near to home.   Summer is just holding on it seems, but those gales did their best to clear the way for Autumn's arrival. 

For me the cool, crisp air of the nights over the last few weeks have been a signal of Summer's End, but this week as some of the leaves start to change colour, and this change in atmosphere combined with the recent storms have been akin to a flashing billboard with the announcement Autumn isn't coming; it's here.

Many bloggers I follow have already been harvesting mushrooms and have been since the beginning of August; our yew tree has already displayed its first crop of berries.  All the signs of Autumn appear to have started early, long before summer's blooms have finished their display.

So, with the last vestiges of summer being blown away with the winds and driving rain, I, too, will undertake my annual Autumnal clear out.  Anything not used in the last year, or that will not be used in the next year will be recycled, either through freegle, charity or sale.   My home will be reorganised and made comfortable for the coming cold months.   My short-term plans will be assessed and adjusted accordingly, including my reading.   In other words, I plan to have a stock-take and clear-out of my life and this will include all aspects of my spiritual life.

It will take some time, as I cannot work as quickly, or as quirkily as a gale force wind.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Author: Susanna Clarke
ASIN: B002SQ6U0I

Why did I read it? Because it had wonderful reviews. I enjoy magical, historical and fantasy fiction and, it has been lauded extensively. In the end, I did not read it, but listened to it, unabridged.

My Opinion? Let me preface this review by saying: I am a fan of Austen; I am a fan of Dickens; and I am a fan of Tolkien.

I am not a fan of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

I purchased two copies of this book, one on my way to Australia, which I promptly handed to my grandmother before a single page was read, the second on my return for my own use. I ended up purchasing an audio copy which was over 32 hours long.

Several times I stopped listening because I found it boring, despite the wonderful efforts of Mr. Prebble in voice characterisation. After a while, I knew which character was speaking simply by their voice. Mr. Prebble was also very adept at handling the footnotes in that I always knew when they had ended and he had returned to the main story. Mr. Prebble really tried to breathe life into this book. Alas, he was unsuccessful.

I probably took 15 hours before I discerned any sort of plot. Though it is said that in an Austen book, "nothing ever happens", it's not exactly true, whereas in the case of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, I'm afraid that it's not until section 2 of the book (around the 15 hour mark on the audio) before matters progress and some semblance of a plot emerges.

For my own part, I could have done without knowing anything of Mr. Strange's actions in the Napoleonic Wars; I have no idea what they added to the plot other than for the purposes of ridiculing the perceptions of historical characters and, indeed, Mr. Strange himself. I felt some characters were shoehorned into the story even though they did not particularly add anything. The Graysteels being one instance: Apart from receiving Mrs Strange upon her return from Faery - Mr. Segundus might have been a viable alternative - I have no idea why they were created. Mr. Norrell’s servants whom Childermass directs to assist the two magicians at the last, but then desert, were another. Did I really need to know anything about them? Surely Lascelles would have fled if left on his own anyway?

Like others, I admire Susanna Clarke's ability to recreate the Regency era in a style entirely new, wherein magic "is simply an arcane branch of learning, like medicine or physics, and its practitioners as essentially applied scientists". I can also appreciate the attempt to write a pastiche of authors such as Austen and Dickens and to imbibe it with ironic humour; for me, though, it failed in its delivery.

Would I recommend it? I know I am in the minority, the awards bestowed upon Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell are many, and the majority of readers can but sing its praises, but I just cannot recommend this book to anyone. I shall be disposing of my hard copy imminently.

Rating: 2/5.

One Body : One Spirit : and a Soul
Uniting these and for it's only goal
The unique expression of Unity
In this life, and then for Infinity.

Many bodies : many forms : across Time
Uniting Plurality with what is confined.
We are, all of us, here forever
But only have one life to remember.

One life, and one life only, to know
All there is to know. For Soul to grow
From Oneness of being, plurally
Formed, again and again, endlessly.

Posted, with permission from Heron, 2011

Pitch to a Publisher Contest – Moon Books

Moon Books is an imprint of O-Books (John Hunt Publishing) and they have graciously offered to take part in our first publisher pitching contest. The prize: a chance to go through the entire proposal system for an opportunity to score a contract for publication. This contest is open to anyone who is interested in submitting a proposal for a manuscript that is either written or partially written.

The proposal can cover any aspect of Paganism: Asatru; Druidry; Heathenism; Wicca; Witchcraft, etc., but it must be non-fiction. To enter, please submit the following information, via email, to Trevor Greenfield (trevor.greenfield(at)o-books.net), Submissions Editor for Moon Books:

• Author Name;
• Book Title;
• Book Status (Draft, Complete, Percent Complete);
• Book Summary (100 word maximum);
• Author Biography (100 word maximum);
• Audience (If you had 500 copies, who would you sell them to and how?, 200 words maximum);
• Attach a sample of the manuscript (25,000 minimum final word count).

The deadline for this contest is noon on Friday, September 30^th. Each entry will receive a reply within five days.

Good luck!

Reblogged from the Pagan Writers' Community.

Downtime

Readers and subscribers to this blog may have noticed an increase in book reviews, and book-related posts appearing here in recent months.   The lack of other content is down to changes that have occurred over recent months.  The first is a result of a change in computing policy at work. 

Up until recently, I was able to use any downtime at work to surf the internet and there was unrestricted access to my favourite sites, which included blogs, Youtube, Facebook, and pagan fora.   Reading books was reserved for very long periods of downtime, at home as well as work, and so reviews were a little less frequent.  This meant that I was able to keep relatively up-to-date with current events in the pagan community and I was able to find inspiration for posts here, as and when my opinions and spiritual life was affected.  In recents months, restrictions have been applied to personal computing useage at work, including what we are allowed to post using our work ISP.   Posting an opinion on anything that is not work-related is prohibited and this includes the writing of, or commenting on personal blogs, posting on fora, or even clicking a "Like" button at places like Youtube, or photography sites.   This means that any posting I do on the internet must be done from my home computer and, as I only have mobile internet access, I have found myself culling a lot of my virtual reading materials, including several fora.   As the amount of downtime has not changed, but time on the internet has been severely limited, I have had more time to read actual books, hence the amount of reviews posted here.

The other reason for the influx of book reviews is that I have been invited to participate in a programme whereby in exchange for reviews, I receive items which are about to be released for sale.   Being a bit of a bibliophile, and an avid reader, I mostly receive books - though not always - and, when I submit my review for the product, I also post the review here.  These reviews are subject to a deadline so take priority over my own reading schedule, which is why it may appear book reviews may not necessearily relate to my personal (pagan) path.

Reading current events in the pagan world, musing over them, posting my own thoughts on other sites, and spending time drafting, editing and publishing entries on this blog has been profoundly affected.  I find myself a little out of touch with the greater pagan community in the virtual world, though my personal practices and connections (in the real world) are continuing unaltered.  As a result, I feel like Meanderings has become no more than a review site, which was never my intention. 

I hope valued readers, and subscribers you will forgive me while I try to find a more balanced approach to the content of Meaderings.  I expect to be able to upgrade to home broadband before the end of the year, which will allow me to write entries online, rather than offline, and allow me to flit between inspirational links as I draft posts.  I hope this will allow Meanderings to illuminate my wanderings along my personal pagan path, instead of my journey through the book shelves in the pagan library.

In the meantime, I should like to express my thanks to the readers, and subscribers of Meanderings for sticking with me - walking by my side - as I attempt to find my way.

Nature Mystic

Author: Barry Patterson
ISBN: 1906038295/9781906038298

This book of poetry from Mr Patterson is now a very firm favourite book. I received it two years ago, having purchased it after reading his "The Art of Conversation with the Genius Loci" and enjoying the writing style, as well as content.   At the time I shelved it to be read later in favour of other books I was reading at the time and this may have been a mistake, except that I believe that, sometimes, things happen at the right time.

This past week has been rather erratic: one day good, the next horrible.  I keep books at work to read, but on one particular day which wasn't going well, I felt I didn't want to read what I had to hand, so before I left for work I searched high and low among my shelves for something a little inspiring.  I located "Nature Mystic" and put it in my satchel.

The day did not improve, and, in a quiet moment or two, I found time to read "Nature Mystic" and everything changed, because despite being a very slim volume every poem is worth spending time reading, and re-reading.

From the very first, I found myself thinking, indeed feeling different.  Barry Patterson has written very much from the heart about us, and our place in the world - man-made and natural.  His writing is earthy, inspiring, dark, light and reaches into my very being.  Reading his poetry changed the fortunes of my day.  It was a good day because I had this book, with its beautiful writing in my possession.

I should like to add some of the material here, but samples of Barry Patterson's writing can be read at his  website.  I don't have the ability to critique poetry [there are reviews on the net where you can read more scholarly critiques of this book], but, like art, I know what I like and I truly enjoyed, and appreciated "Nature Mystic".

I urge those who like (pagan) poetry to purchase and read "Nature Mystic".

Rating: 5/5.