The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - Alan Garner

Tsujigiri

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I have just come across my copy of the Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner.

I absolutely loved this book as a child and it's sequel 'the Moon of Gomrath'. Steeped in Celtic, Norse and Atrhurian legends and mythologies it takes the reader into a modernday adventure where powerful figures from the past stalk Alderley Edge in Cheshire.

The story revolves around Susan and Colin, two children holidaying in the locale, or rather around the stone in Susans silver bracelet, the Weirdstone itself. In Norse mythology Brisingamen was the stone in a necklace worn by Freya, who became irresistable when she was wearing it.

The children find themselves pursued by sinister eldritch creatures controlled by the Morrigan, the norse goddess of war and destruction. Whent he stone is lost, they become the key in aiding the wizard Cadellin Silverbrow and returning it to it's rightful place.

The writing style of this book is easygoing and yet maintains a page turning grip upon the reader, especially a young reader! The characters are well developed and easily identified with and of course by using archetypal figures from myth and legend, the bad guys take on deep shadows.

I would recommend this book to all ages, for adults who have yet to discover it, it's an enchanting read, for older children adn teens it's an absorbing and highly entertaining novel.

If you want to have a read I'd recommend clicking here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...179/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-3116334-7496615
 
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"The Weirdstone" and its sequel are books I absolutely loved when I first discovered them in my early twenties. There are still scenes and images which resonate powerfully for me.

Recently (30+ years and a million fantasy novels later) I reread both books -- not so good in some parts as I remembered, but much better in others. It was also possible to see what an effect (huge) Garner has had on the fantasy field.

(My Irish ancestors require me to state that the Morrigan was a Celtic goddess, not a Norse one. Otherwise, I agree with everything you said.)
 
Kelpie said:
(My Irish ancestors require me to state that the Morrigan was a Celtic goddess, not a Norse one. Otherwise, I agree with everything you said.)

GAH!!!!!

I don't believe I typed 'Norse' instead of 'Celtic'!!
I use the Morrigan in one of my novels, along with other deities from the pantheon.

My Scotish ancestors will be lining up to dress me down :)
 
About the time I first read the books, a friend of mine told me that when he visited England he walked through the Alderley Edge area with an open copy of "The Weirdstone" in hand, and he was able to find all of the landmarks mentioned. The countryside was just as Garner described it. I wonder if that is still true?
 
I did that!!!!!!

I don't know wether it's still possible now though. I read the book in South Africa and went on a pilgrimage when we came over here when I was 15, which is 17 yrs ago now.
 
I've only read the first book (when I read it I didn't know there was a sequel but I'm going to have to see if I can find both now)

IMO it is one of the best books ever written and the scene where they get stuck in the tunnels really made me feel claustrophobic and filled me with panic (I was about 11 or 12 when I read 30 odd years ago but I remember that feeling vividly) and for years I never really trusted crows after reading it either.
 
A couple of years ago, I reread Weirdstone after 20+ years. Unlike some children's books, it didn't work as well for me as an adult as it did when I was a kid, but there was some very effective passages - the water-filled tunnel for one! Brrrr ...

I preferred The Moon of Gomrath as a kid, but haven't read it since. I remember it being more creepy, but perhaps with a slightly weaker storyline.
 
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