The Witches of Eileanan [Paperback]

Kate Forsyth (Author)

Book Description

Series: Witches of Eileanan | Publication Date: July 1, 1998

In the Celtic land of Eileanan, witches and magic have been outlawed, and those caught for practicing witchcraft are put to death! It is a land ruled by an evil Queen, where sea-dwelling Fairgean stir, and children vanish in the night. But in a valley deep in the mountains, young Isabeau grows to womanhood under the guidance of an elderly witch, and must set out on a quest, carrying the last hopes of the persecuted witches.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In a land where witchcraft has been forbidden, young Isabeau learns the old ways in order to take her place in the battle to overcome the forces that threaten her world. Australian poet Forsyth's fantasy debut details a richly imagined universe with a distinctly Celtic flavor and introduces a resourceful and courageous protagonist. This first novel in a projected trilogy belongs in libraries where the demand for epic fantasy is high.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Roc (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451456890
• ISBN-13: 978-0451456892
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,290 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Novel Fantasy for those with Novel Minds, November 23, 2000

By 

Shyxlilfox (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Witches of Eileanan (Paperback)

I first stumbled upon the second book of the series at my local library when I was searching for readable fantasy. With all those other books out there that were either generic or just boring, I didn't expect much from this one (since it wasn't as highly publicized as Jordan or Eddings). However, I realized how wrong I was after reading it. Although there were some similarties to Jordan's WoT, this book had characters that weren't -just- good or evil. The magic, mystery, characters, and riddles were all woven into each chapter beautifully to keep me wanting more.

The use of dialect also enhanced the reading and kept the book realistic to it's Scottish roots. The fantasy books that just keep to the traditional-fantasy-Medieval-kinda-thing gets a little repetitive... so the use of dialogue helped. For those who couldn't decipher the words, all it really takes is a little reading in between the lines. Actually, after reading The Pool of Two Moons (Book 2 of the series), I found myself thinking in Scottish Brogue, which was quite silly when I was trying to type an e-mail to my friend with words like "Och" and "ken."

The Third book in the series did contain a lot more warfare than I would've liked. However, fans of Forsyth would know that she wishes to show the readers about Scottish history and their persecution for Pagan beliefs. With conflicting religions in Eileanan (The Coven Vs. The Bright Soldiers), war is bound to happen. The warfare just makes the book more realistic and enticing than typical hero-wins-easily-with-magic-bad-guy-loses fantasy.

The females in this story also appealed to me when I started reading the book. The three main-female characters Isabeau, Meghan, and Iseult all have conflicting personalities, and Forsyth does wonders to show how these three females trudge through life. This is not only a fantasy book, but a "coming-to-age" book for young readers. This book simply proves that not everyone can have happy endings.

To conclude this long review, I'd just like to say Forsyth brings a lot of reality, history, and magic into her works. Why not read it as book equal to Jordan's WoT series (which I found quite tedious after awhile) instead of seeing it as a copy of the series? All three books have their strong and weak points, like all books. But this series definitely has more strong points than weak. People will definitely have fun reading this series, and may Éa bless ye all.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Witches of Eileanan, December 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Witches of Eileanan (Paperback)

This is the first book by Kate Forsyth that I have read and I found it to be extremely magical and captivating. From the moment I began to read I could not put it down. I thought the way she changed the wording around a little was very interesting. Also, I liked the way she showed the story from different character's points of view. As for the characters, my heart ached for Isabeau, and Ishbel intrigued me immensly. Also, I loved the way Iseult was so much in contrast to Isabeau. I wonder about their history and what is to happen with them. I am very curious as to how Margrit of the Thistle and the dragons will later fit into the story. All in all, it was a wonderful book, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Discovery!, December 31, 2005

By 

Denise Cross "Delilahsue" (Jackson, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Witches of Eileanan (Paperback)

I must believe that most Fantasy fans have already heard of this grand series about the The Witches of Eileanan- but if you have not, you must take the time to read these books! Wonderful characters, adventures abound, a bit of mystery and intrigue- and it takes place in a world that reminds me of Ireland or Scotland. (having never been to either place I cannot be sure) This is one of those books that once you start reading, it is hard to put down. I have already read the first two in just a week- I should know. :) If you are looking for something new to read I urge to give it a try.