Customer Reviews

Caverns of Magic

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I greatly enjoyed this book which taught me a lot about both caves and mythology. It is written in a delightful, humorous and literate style and gradually casts a spell on one. I will never think of caves the same way again - the author shows how they are full of wonders and magic.

Well-known author Dr Hal G. P. Colebatch gives us a fascinating literary tour through the great stories of caves, covering the ancient myths and legends of dwarves, kolbolds and trolls in the Underworld as well great caves scenes in adventure novels and some scientific anthropoloyy and speleology, all written in a clear style and with many touches of humor. As well as scientific and literary information, Colebatch can evoke the magic of the underground, of faerie and the Celtic, Norse, Teutonic and classical myths.

The distinguished Australian naturalist and television star Harry Butler provides a foreword.

I would recommend this book for many reasons. It is fun, educational and a delight to read. Parents will also find it an excellent way to introduce their children to some of the great classics of adventure writing, such as "King Solomon's Mines,", "She," "The Coral Island", "The Swiss Family Robinson," and more modern works like "The Inheriors" and "The Clan of the Cave Bear," and the lovers of the great works of J. R. R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" the works of c. S. Lewis and Count Tolstoy's modern masterrpiece about Merlin, "The Coming of the King" may find their appreciation of these mighty tales enhanced (Many of Colebatch's own stories in the science-fiction series "The Man-Kzin Wars) also take place in caves).

For the tourist, it also gives a guide to many of the great and spectacular caves of the world.

There is also some information on cave conservation, and a strange true story about some great caves north of Perth, Western Australia - said to be among the greatest and most spectacular in the world - which were found and explored early in the last century, but whose entrances have now apparently disappeared under shifting sands.

For anyone who has an interest in the underground, this book will prove a delight and a treasure. Dr Colebatch was awarded an Australian Centenary Medal in 2003 for writing and this book must add to his reputation.