Alan Garner - The Moon of Gomrath

[andydecker]

Alan Garner – The Moon of Gomrath (Collins, 1963, hc, this edition Armada Lions, 1972, seventh impression 1978, 156 pages)

 

The sequel to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is in its Armada Lions edition a nice paperback. There is a map and an afterword by the writer where he talks about the spells, Celtic names and Welsh myths he used. Also he includes a reading list for those who are interested in such things, mentions books which will be impossible to get today.

The Mabinogion, translated by Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones, Everyman's Library 1949; The Black Book of Caermarthen, The Red Book of Hergest, The Book of Aneurin and The Book of Taliessin, translated by W. F. Skene, Edmonston and Douglas, 1868 and The God of the Witches, M. Murray, Faber and Faber, 3rd Ed 1952 and The Old Straight Track by A. Watkins, Methuen, 1925. Garner writes: 'This last book, which argues that pre-historic man used a system of long-distance, straight tracks, marked by stones, cairns and beacons, is full of the most romantic elements of archaeology and folk-lore.'

So the story isn't just dreamed up but has roots in much research.

[helrunar]

Dr Margaret Murray's God of the Witches is still readily available, in the US at least. I usually see a copy in the metaphysical bookshop down the block from the office. There is an electronic edition which I think is free on certain platforms (Gutenberg, possible) and used copies are on sale on a popular retail platform for around US$22. I think some of those other titles are likely also to be available via Gutenberg or reprints.

That's a beautiful cover and looks like a great edition. My edition is Ace books from the mid 1960s with a cover painting by (Catherine) Jeff Jones.

cheers, Steve