Druids by Morgan Llywelyn Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Druids
Book Review: Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed
Summary: 3 Stars
Overall, the book is o.k. Her technique is good but it's a little slow at developing a plot. What I found hard to buy into was the fact that Ainvar, the main character, becomes the "Chief Druid" (a position that, supposedly, normally takes 20+ years to achieve) by the age of 16 or 17. The same thing with Vercengetorix, becoming king at 16 or 17 and becoming leader of all the Guals before the age of 20. I mean, come on.
Vercengetorix is reduced to a kind of side-kick to the teenage super-Druid and the portrayal of the Roman is flat and one-dimensional. Everything the Romans do is vile; everything Celtic is virtuous. The Gallic War is handled almost as an afterthought and I thought the Battle of Alesia (the climax of the book) was very disappointing. Ainvar makes a contrived escape from Alesia (I suspect the author wrote herself into a corner) and lives happily ever after.
Personally, I like my "historical fiction" to have a little more history and a little less fiction but, if you're not too picky, "Druids" is an o.k. book. If you're looking for a book about Vercengetorix (as I was) then forget about it.
Book Review: Easily the best book I've read this year!
Summary: 5 Stars
'Druids' is by far the best historical novel on the celtic druids I have ever read. Morgan Llywelyn has a way to hypnotize the reader into believing he/she is actually living those events. I applaud Morgan and look forward to future books by her!Bravo!
Book Review: Emotionally Captivating
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished reading this and came online to put all her books on my "wish list". I love the way she writes! I was completely caught up in the story, to the point of it invading my dreams as I slept...the characters become so real and she writes with such authority I felt transported into their world each time I started to read. As a young girl I was enchanted by Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy, and this story of druid & king reminded me a bit of Merlin & Arthur as presented by Stewart. Perhaps that's one reason I enjoyed it so much ... and like "The Crystal Cave", this is one of those few books going up on the shelf to be enjoyed again and again.
Book Review: Engrossing and Absorbing
Summary: 5 Stars
Ms. Llywelyn's DRUIDS is a tour de force of historical fiction, wrongly classified under "science fiction" or "Sword and Sorcery." If there is any magic portrayed in Ms. Llywelyn's books, it is subtle and not accompanied by pyrotechnics. DRUIDS relies on a very strong storyline to provide its magic. It is the story of Ainvar ("He Who Travels Far"), a young apprentice Druid in pre-Roman Gaul (France) who is sent, true to his name, to the far corners of his country to report on the growing menace of Julius Caesar and his legions.
Ms. Llwelyn is a Celtic scholar, and paints a masterful portrait of life among the European Celts, the aboriginal people of Europe, whose contributions to world history are, sadly enough, little known. While much of Ms. Llwelyn's storycraft is necessarily invention, it does have the powerful ring of truth, and her gifted weaving of historical personages such as Caesar and Vercingetorix, the king of the Gauls, into this true to life and very detailed story of an advanced and settled culture on the verge of cataclysmic change, only underscores what was lost when "civilization" reached the "barbarians" of Europe.
DRUIDS is a pleasure to read. It reads more like an actual memoir than fiction, and is written with humor, sensitivity, and pathos. DRUIDS sheds light on a little-known portion of history, and for those of us dissatisfied with the "official" brand of history sold to us in most books, DRUIDS is a refreshing and very successful tale of the meeting of cultures, and the rise and fall of civilizations, told from the perspective of one observant but imperfect human being.
Book Review: Enlightning
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book as a project for a college class I am taking, I thought it would be good, but I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. The link I felt between the characters and myself was amazing. It has been a very long time since I read a book that has captured my attention with such a force. Makes me long for a more simple time.