Customer Reviews

Erceldoune & Other Stories

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I did not know what to expect from 'Erceldoune and Other Stories'. Being a Brit and living all my life aware of the Northern Ireland 'troubles' I had to overcome a little resistance to reading stories about Ulster. Fortunately, having first read Richard Leigh's book 'Grey Magic' I came to 'Erceldoune' with an understanding of Leigh's perspective on the 'troubles'.The energy of resistance was grounded.

'Erceldoune' is in four parts.

There is an essay on Mythic Logic which seems to be a considerable enlargement on some ideas articulated in a paragraph or two from the Leigh's book 'The Temple and The Lodge.'

The short story 'Druidess' is an atmospheric tale from the grim heart of the 'troubles' and points up the disconnect between "a limitless expanse of sorrow" and "....woman - whose mission, therefore, as she instinctively recognizes and accepts, is to heal, to restore, to reconcile, to hold things together, or at least to try".

The bulk of the writing is found in the two novellas 'Erceldoune' and 'Oisin Society'.

The story 'Erceldoune' centers around a singer - Rafe (Thomas) Erlston from West Virginia and his visit to the countryside around Belfast.
Rafe Erlston has an 'adventure', a kind of black version of Thomas the Rhymer's visit to the land of Faery. Erlston definately has to be rescued from the denizens of this particular manifestation of 'Faeryland'. The trauma of his rescue brings enlightenment and a renewal of his poetic voice and impulse.
This story is a brilliant and totally engaging re-telling of the Thomas the Rhymer story - a contemporary telling of old ideas.

For me , the story 'Oisin Society' was the unexpected highlight of the book. What a great story! Richard Leigh is truly an expert storyteller and 'Oisin Society' is truly a ripping yarn if ever there one. To outline any story details would be to take away all surprise - you simply MUST read this one for yourself!

Enhance your reading time by plunging into these stories - you will be richly rewarded.