Porius: A Romance of the Dark Ages [Hardcover]

John Cowper Powys (Author), Wilbur T. Albrecht (Author, Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This edition of Powys's novel contains material excised from the 1951 original. Set in northern Wales in the year 499, this Arthurian tale is a mixture of mystery and philosophy. For serious literature collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 900 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse Univ Pr (Sd) (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091256816X
• ISBN-13: 978-0912568164
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.2 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,711,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A herculean read, which is well worth the effort., November 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Porius: A Romance of the Dark Ages (Hardcover)

This monster of a novel is well worth the time and effort that it takes to appreciate and digest. I have read Maiden Castle and Glastonbury Romance which are books writtn by Powys as well, but this was my favorite. The book revolves around the Saxon invasion of England and the defense of the realm by King Arthur. It is written from the point of view of a local chieftan's son and also delves into philosophy, mysticism, religion, and general human existence. Celtic belief, the Mithraic cult, and Christianity all clash together in a couple of days, which is the frame of time that this book covers. At first I didn't see how such a long and intricate book could cover such a short period of time in this format, but it does it brilliantly. As always Powys is an author for readers that need a bit more.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars go for it!, May 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Porius: A Romance of the Dark Ages (Hardcover)

A great novel which is almost an artistic summation of Powys's ideas. Not easy reading but worth rereading to gain a full insight into the mind of the century's least appreciated literary genius.