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The Greener Shore: A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia
 
 
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The Greener Shore: A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia [Hardcover]

Morgan Llywelyn (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)


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Book Description

May 30, 2006
At last, the haunting sequel to Morgan Llywelyn’s phenomenal epic Druids. The Greener Shore unfurls the story of a brave and mystical people who learned to manipulate the forces of nature–in order to control magic.

As druids in Celtic Gaul, they had been the harmonious soul of their tribe, the Carnutes. But when Julius Caesar and his army invaded and conquered their homeland, the great druid Ainvar and his clan fled for their lives, taking with them the ancient knowledge. Guided by a strange destiny, they found themselves drawn to a green island at the very rim of the world: Hibernia, home of the Gael.

Here they would depend for survival on an embittered man who had lost his faith–and a remarkable woman who would find hers. Burning with hatred of the Romans, Ainvar can no longer command his magic. But his mantle falls on unexpected shoulders. In a beautiful, war-torn land of numerous kingdoms and belligerent tribes, Ainvar and his beloved wife, Briga, struggle toward an uncertain future. Their companions include the volatile Onuava, widow of their fallen chieftain; Lakutu, Ainvar’s dark and mysterious second wife; Ainvar’s son, Dara, who seems more drawn to poetry than to combat; and the “Red Wolf,” the young warrior who is as close as kin and is determined to find Ainvar’s missing daughter.

Other forces are at work in Hibernia as well–the spirits that haunt the island, forces older than even the magic of the druids. Through them Ainvar seeks his redemption . . . as Briga seeks her rendezvous with history.

Filled with the deep feeling, stunning detail, and rich characters that made Druids a masterwork, The Greener Shore is a superb saga of an amazing world and its wondrous ways–a much-awaited novel that will delight all the devotees of this admired author.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Devotees of Llywelyn's glorious Celtic fantasy, Druids (1991), will welcome this sequel, a beautifully told adventure story that avoids the usual adventure story clichés. After Julius Caesar triumphs over Gaul, the druid Ainvar and his three wives sail west, steering clear of Roman-occupied Albion, to the brilliant green island of Hibernia (so-called because a Roman expedition mistakenly assumed "winter lasted all year" there). Soon after landing, Ainvar encounters the Túatha Dé Danann, the diminutive original folk of Eriu (the island's Gaelic name). The Túatha Dé Danann, who usually are invisible to people, ask only to be remembered. Ainvar is distraught when they no longer appear, but is comforted to learn from a bewildered warrior that the Túatha Dé Danann once unexpectedly revealed themselves to him. Later, Ainvar briefly inhabits a wolf's body and hears the piercing scream of the death-predicting banshee. Throughout, Ainvar's "senior wife," Briga, provides both wisdom and support. Not just fantasy fans will appreciate this gentle, quietly dignified tale. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

When last we saw Ainvar the druid, his tribe's revered sacred grove was being destroyed by Roman legionnaires at the end of the popular Druids (1991). Ainvar himself was in danger of following his beloved king into captivity and death. Now we learn that that was not to be. Ainvar and his family have escaped to Ireland after years of hiding in the forests of Gaul. There they encounter other Celts with somewhat less refined cultural ways, and there they create a new Celtic society from the remnants of Gaulish mysticism as well as from earthy Irish folkways. This highly readable tale offers unforgettable women characters, of whom Ainvar's magical and sensuous wife, Briga, is an especially vivid example. As always, Llywelyn can be counted on to create a compelling tale with strong characterizations. Her devoted readers will not be disappointed. Patricia Monaghan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Del Rey (May 30, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0345477669
  • ISBN-13: 978-0345477668
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ainvar looks back towards the land as he sails west with his three wives and other survivors on the vast sea knowing his side lost to the swords of the Romans. Caesar destroyed the Sacred Grove and conquered Gaul (see DRUIDS). As he journeys to his new home in exile on the island of Eriu, a place the invaders call Hibernia because they believe it is winter year round, Ainvar sadly knows he can never go home. Only his wise senior wife Briga seems to understand his depressed mood as the others are into their personal woes.

When Ainvar and his small party arrive at Hibernia they encounter the wee folk Túatha Dé Danann and other Druids and Celts. As time passes, Ainvar struggles with adapting to the new world and when the Túatha Dé Danann never reappears his depression grows. Briga who possesses Druid magic quietly leads their party's adjustment with a perceptive wisdom and bits of unseen magic that enables the once proud Carnute survivors to adapt while also helping her spouse with his feelings of failure.

Though the wait has been over fifteen years, Celtic historical fantasy readers will appreciate this powerful sequel to the delightful DRUIDS. The story line is filled with action and adventure starting from the moment that the dejected Ainvar keeps looking back at Gaul with hunger and sadness while the endless waves remind him of the Roman legions. The tale never slows down as they reach their destination and adjust to their new home and at all times provides insight into the lives of the Druids and their followers.

Harriet Klausner
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
A Richly Distillled Tale July 26, 2007
Format:Paperback
Whatever I found lacking in this novel's predecessor,Druids, has been aged to perfection in the years since the first novels appearance. This one was so well told and well formed, I can only say I just kept dreading the end. It felt like a story becoming myth as it was unfolding for me. I could go on for pages about what I liked in this book, but surely one thing I ought to mention is how wonderfully Llywelyn weaves the ancient Celtic teachings into the narrative as it is being related. Ainvar proves a worthy vehicle (as a character) to transmit this knowledge. Knowledge still, and perhaps even more,useful to us in the dark days of the 21st century as we come ever closer to paying the awful price for our separation from nature, the greatest teacher of them all.
There is much truth in fiction if you know where to look, and though she does not burden the reader with these gems, they are there to be pondered. Though I rarely say this, this book is too good to be read only once. I really, really hope she continues this tale into the next generation, though that would mean parting with characters to dear to consider having to say goodbye to! Very highly recommended.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Over the past 20 years, I've read several of Morgan Llewellyn's books, including "Lion of Ireland," "Bard," "Grania,""1916," "1921," and the companion novel to "The Greener Shore," the book "Druids." I have always admired her ability to weave fact and fiction, using the latter to flesh out the former into compelling reads that really make you feel as if you're there and can understand the characters, the landscape, and the times.

This novel, however, disappointed me. There is material in this that is drawn from historical, archaeological, scholarly, and literary sources. However, there's also MUCH poetic license taken. Please don't read this thinking you're getting any kind of accurate portrayal of the ancient druids. This is a fantasy story, like "Mists of Avalon" or "Lord of the Rings."

And, even as stories go, it was less a story and more a spiritual credo. It had a kind of "Celestine Prophecy" "Bridge Across Forever" quality to it, as if the novel were simply a vehicle for expressing a particular set of (very modern New Age) beliefs. The writing was saturated with repetitious talk about "the pattern," "the Source," the sanctity of nature, the experience of death, reincarnation, etc., not in a way which engaged the reader nor furthered any plot, but as an end in itself.

The novel is written in the first person, from Ainvar's point of view, and most of it takes place entirely in his head as he ruminates over past failures, current failures, possible future failures, the nature of the universe, the perfection of nature, the magic which has seemingly abandoned him, crises of belief, and the hatred he has for Caesar and the Romans. But very little actually HAPPENS. Ainvar is little more than a spectator watching as various, disconnected activities, triumphs and tragedies, swirl around him. There are characters who seem terribly important to him -- such as Red Wolf, his wife Briga, his lost daughter Maia, and the fairy spirit woman of Ireland -- but these characters are mostly absent from the novel and the promise of their importance never plays out, other than as macguffins for sparking Ainvar's metaphysical and mental meanderings.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Greener Shore
I have read most everything Morgan Llywelyn has written. This book sort of is a follow on to her book "Druid". Read more
Published 9 months ago by Whisky Warrior
Curious
It is my impression that Morgan may have written an outline for this book, but I do not think she wrote this book. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Liz
Druids of Hibernia review
This book takes up where 'Druids' (a prior book by the same author) left off altho having read Druids is not really a requirement of following what's happening in this one altho it... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Larry E. Manter
SO BORING!
I bought this in the audiobook format and almost fell asleep at the wheel. I love all things Celtic and was excited to pick up a good piece of historical fiction since it got... Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. Carter
Audio version: 3.5 stars
Chief Druid Ainvar, his three wives and their children, and about 15 other survivors from their Celtic clan are sailing west to Hibernia after years of hiding in the forests of... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Katherine Hooper
Listen to sample of audio first
I accidentally ordered the audio book instead of the text version. I love Morgan Llewelyn's work, but something about the accent given the characters by the narrator makes this... Read more
Published on February 25, 2010 by Lindar
Another masterpiece
Morgan once again has captured the Celtic spirit. It is a great sequel to her novel Druids. Her novels give the reader a glimpse into another time. Read more
Published on July 25, 2008 by Sarah Brown
'Remember us.'
Escaping from Gaul when Julius Caesar and his army conquer their homeland, the High Druid Ainvar leads his clan to a new life in Hibernia. Read more
Published on March 6, 2008 by J. Cameron-Smith
Very disappointing
(WARNING: Some possible spoilers below - though I tended to try and be vague)

Druids is one of my favorite books, so I was very excited to hear of this sequel. Read more
Published on October 19, 2007 by Celt
Historic Fiction
This book kept my interest and helped me to understand the many cultures that influenced Irish life before Chrisitanity. Very interesting!
Published on October 6, 2007 by Jan Kindwoman
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