"Elidyr Mwynfawr, King of Aeron, was a weak, greedy fool, and like many another such fool, he died of his folly. But because he was a King, in his dying he cost many better men their lives as well, and this was the way of it: for I, Gwernin Kyuarwyd, was there, and saw much of it myself, and the tale that I tell you is true..." In 6th century Wales, the ash spear - pren onn - was a symbol of warfare and of manhood, but it also stood for awen, the poetic inspiration of the bards. As war comes to North Wales, bardic apprentice Gwernin must master all three of its meanings in order to keep himself and his friends alive. From otherworldly dangers to rich rewards in the fire-lit halls of kings, from bloody battle and grueling labor to tender romance, The Ash Spear follows him in the thrilling conclusion of this first trilogy in the Storyteller series.
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G. R. Grove is a storyteller and poet specializing in medieval Welsh material. Her Storyteller series of novels grew out of her visits to Wales and her own experiences as a teller of tales. She has also published two volumes of poetry. She blogs in English and (sometimes) Welsh at http://tregwernin.blogspot.com/.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceeding Expectations,
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This review is from: The Ash Spear (Paperback)
It seems a rare thing when not only the writing but the story itself stays on the same high level through a series of books, and rarer still when the story continues to get better. I would place The Ash Spear, and the Storyteller series as a whole, in that most rare category (and that certainly is not a slight on the earlier entries in the series, these tales are just that good).
Once again we follow Gwernin Storyteller on his quest to learn the trade and lore of the bard, and once again Grove crafts a rich portrayal of the lands, people, and culture of 6th century Britain. As she did in adding a bit more action in Flight of the Hawk, Grove adds another element to the story, balancing the inclusion of a larger sense of the more spiritual or supernatural elements of British lore with the flow of characters, culture, and action already attained in the series. Also, to this reader at least, the wonderful flashes of humor used throughout the series really hit at the right moments in this book, both cutting and creating tension in the tale even more so than in the previous volumes. Overall, I think this is the best of the three Storyteller books.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three time's the charm,
This review is from: The Ash Spear (Paperback)
Ms.Grove has truly refined her voice in this latest installment of the "Storyteller" series. Though this is perhaps the most magical of the trilogy, it is also the most human, with all of the messy consequences that come from human interaction and imperfection. Heroic Kings are not always wise, and foolish boys find that they are not always shielded from their own mistakes. This darker tale, far more epic in scope than either earlier book, grabs the reader by the navel and pulls one along down unexpected roads, leaving one with no desire to follow the narrator's admonition that the next chapter, "O my children, is a story for another day."
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Dark ages" brought to life.,
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This review is from: The Ash Spear (Paperback)
This was a fantastic read that I couldn't put down! I love the way G. R. Grove illuminates the so-called "dark ages" of Britain in such a refreshingly believable, down-to-earth manner. Her writing style is concise and unpretentious, and she really gets into the skin of her characters, showing us every aspect of their daily lives, from their mundane chores to their troubled politics, and their mysterious spirituality.
The Ash Spear builds on Gwernin's adventures in the previous two books, Storyteller, and Flight of the Hawk, deepening further his relationships with Talhaearn, Taliesin, Neirin and Rhianedd. In the beginning of this book, Gwernin is asked to accompany master bards Taliesin, Talhaearn, and Ugnach to help his friend Neirin, walk "the Dark Path" a Druidic spiritual rite of passage. Neirin's spiritual ordeal seems to be mirrored in Gwernin's later adventures, though Gwernin's ordeals have the added dimension of harsh reality. Gwernin has a knack for getting himself into trouble, mainly because of his straightforward nature, and in this book he gets into the worst scrapes of his life so far. What with British kings antagonizing each other for more land and power, and Saxons, who tend to enslave any Britons who get in their way, Gwernin, caught up in the middle of it all, has a very exciting year. He learns much from his experiences, especially about what is really important in life, and in the end makes a surprising decision that shows how much he has grown up in his most difficult year. The Ash Spear is full of exciting adventure and with every chapter I wanted to find out what happened next, so, unfortunately, I finished it too fast. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about Gwernin and his adventures in the next book.
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