Holdstock, Robert Books

Mythago Wood

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Top-tier Contribution to Fantasy Literature 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood is an underappreciated, yet significant contribution to the fantasy genre in many ways. To start out with, the work is well written and conveys a dark and mystical mood in a forest setting. Also the plot of Mythago Wood is anything but formulaic; nevertheless, the events in the book move along at a steady pace.
However, the point of Mythago Wood is not to showcase a fast-paced, action-driven plot. Mythago wood really shines because the work is about a journey "within." It canvasses topics including familial estrangement, biological urges and the inner psyche. The characters that enter the magical Ryhope wood must face the ancient archetypal Mythagos created from the collective conscience of the humans nearby, including themselves.

Throughout the novel Holdstock does an excellent job of incorporating a variety of Celtic folklore and mythology into the mystery. The characters in the story struggle with emotions including love, jealousy, fear, and anguish. Holdstock purposely pits the powers of reason, rationality and scientific measurement against the ever-shifting, human-repelling powers of Ryhope wood. Holdstock leaves enough mystery about the workings of Ryhope wood so that he can continue to reveal the characteristics of Ryhope wood over the course of several very good sequels.

In Mythago Wood, Holdstock has made a significant contribution to the fantasy genre by creating a meaningful novel that is more than run of the mill bestselling "plot-candy." He has also avoided recreating the already well-done good vs. evil theme or the power of language theme. Even though Ryhope wood exists alongside the reality of post WWII England, expect to be completely immersed in the fantasy of the wood.

But don't read Mythago Wood because of its significance within the fantasy genre. Read it to expand and test your mind and to engage your imagination in a new way.

Editorial Review:

Myth and Terror in the Forest Deeps

The mystery of Ryhope Wood, Britain's last fragment of primeval forest, consumed George Huxley's entire long life. Now, after his death, his sons have taken up his work. But what they discover is numinous and perilous beyond all expectation.

For the Wood, larger inside than out, is a labyrinth full of myths come to life, "mythagos" that can change you forever. A labyrinth where love and beauty haunt your dreams. . .and may drive you insane.

The Broken Kings: Book Three of The Merlin Codex

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Argo, the ancient ship, has returned and hides beneath Urtha's fortress in Alba. Jason and the Argonauts are aboard her, enchanted into sleep. Niiv is still Merlin's lover, still seeking magic and mysteries, still a delight and torment to him.
 
Something is wrong in Alba. An unknown force is affecting the land. The omens are frightening. The feckless Sons of Llew arrive, having stolen their uncle's chariot and horses once again. They bring news of hostels, gateways between the worlds of the living and the dead. An enormous gathering of the Shades, of the dead and the unborn, are being drawn to them.
 
Meanwhile, Kymon and Munda, Urtha's son and daughter, are coming of age. Kymon is angry, boastful, ready to fight the Shades of Heroes, and violently annoyed by his father's diplomacy. Munda, on the other hand, is possessed of the Sight and welcomes the new, strange force in the land. She breaks taboo to visit one of the hostels. She comes back speaking of the Killer of Kings, the son of Jason.
 
And as Merlin walks in and out of time, clinging to his magic and the remains of his youth, the forces set in motion will determine the fate of kings and kingdoms alike.

The Hollowing

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

terrific deep fantasy 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Overcome and unable to move following the death of his son Alexander, Richard Bradley feels he has no reason to live. However, just as his despair overwhelms him Richard meets scientists Alexander Lytton and Helen Silverlock, who believe that the lad still lives, but in some way foreign to human thought in the midst of the mankind's unconsciousness within the dark Ryahope Wood. They further explain that they have studied the wood that is under siege from the mind of its newest entry, Richard's son. Lytton and Silverlock hope that Richard can save their precious wood from his son whose fears are destroying it.

Unable to resist even the slightest hope, Richard follows scientist Arnauld Lacan into the wood where he begins to find a weird world with different natural laws as all myths breath here. However, he fails to find Alexander, whose lament continues to erode the wood. As he penetrates myths and legends with no gain to his quest, Richard loses his last sliver of hope until he encounters Sarin the Tall Grass Lady from biblical times, who if she chooses can help him complete his quest though he does not know if she would and if she does what the outcome would be..

This is a terrific deep fantasy that like its predecessors (see MYTHAGO WOOD and LAVONDYSS) is extremely complex and rich so it will take several days to read to taste the vast flavors. Readers will wander along with Richard savoring various mythos like Jason (some are worth re-reading because one time is not enough) as the multifaceted story line contains so much to grasp. Robert Holdstock is at his mythological best with this Mythago Cycle entry.

Harriet Klausner

Editorial Review:

A NOVEL IN THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD-WINNING MYTHAGO CYCLE

Ryhope Wood, Mythago Wood, is the great forest steeped in mystery, whose heart contains secrets that change all who come there.

Alex Bradley is a damaged and visionary child. Little does he know that the distorted creations of his mind are alive inside nearby Ryhope Wood. When the forest claims him, his father goes in pursuit, along with a scientific expedition looking for the secret of "mythago-genesis"...

But inside Ryhope, Alex has created a hundred forms of the Trickster-all of them seeking their maker, and all of them deadly.

Lavondyss: Journey to an Unknown Region

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Somebody keep that man away from the lillies, or he will gild them to death! 1 out of 5 stars.
11 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I read Mythago Wood and loved it. I was excited to move right on to Lavondyss, knowing it was considered perhaps obscure but ultimately more rewarding. Good God, was i wrong. The book is overwritten and hopelessly convoluted. Furthermore it suffers from a preciousness that insists on overdescribing everything. For example, at one point that main character finds a dismembered penis, which she refers to as "a sorrowing." A sorrowing? Dude, it's a cut off penis. Don't get cute on me. Also, cut off penises are the tip of the ice berg when it comes to mangled, slashed, destroyed and burned body parts that litter the pages. The fact that it's so gratuitious makes it absoltuely boring. At some point, you get to your 60th chopped off head or your 20th devoured corpse and your eyes glaze over and you long for the controlled brutality of, say, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where at least nobody stoops to describing body parts in the romantic diction of an insufferable college poem about losing their virginity. I usually don't write smack down reviews of books that I've read- god knows the poor authors struggle enough- but sometiems you need to step up and say, people, this is not good. This is bad. Looking at all the positive reviews, I am filled with dread. If we continue to encourage and perpetuate this type of writing, my favorite authors will be ruined as they let themsleves get lax and start putting down on the page everything that pops into their heads. We must make a stand against overwritten tripe! Robert Holdstock is a good author. He's written a great book in Mythago Wood. Then he went off hte deep end and wrote this. I almost threw it away half way through, but I became rivited by the desperation in the prose. It's horrifyign and compelling to watch Holdstock struggle to make sense of htis and come up with the most mundane twists on everything. A character can't walk across a room without turning into a giant tree, a wolf, an incarnation of themselves as a child and finally, oh, a steaming pile of horse hockey. Read this to learn how not to write. If you still doubt me, just go through the book and count all the times the characters say, "Of course!" And then proceed to pull some amazing revelation out of their mind that the author just totally made up and is completely not related to the text, or is related in a kind of enjambed forced at sword point sort of way. They say of course like every page. Every. Page. At least for a while there. Don't spend money on this book, send it to a fund we'll set up to hire a roaming editor who will dispense vengence on writers who try to perpetrate this junk under the banner of art. It is really the black flag banner of anarchy.

Editorial Review:

When Harry Keeton disappeared into Ryhope Wood, his sister Tallis was just an infant. Now, thirteen years old, she hears him whispering to her from the Otherworld. He is in danger. He needs her help. To help him, she must find her way to Lavondyss, at the heart of the wildwood, where she will be changed forever.

Lavondyss: Journey to an Unknown Region

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Wonderful 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Without a doubt this is Robert Holdstock's finest work, even surpassing the superb Mythago Wood. For some people, Lavondyss DOES require more determination to get the most out of it, but if you have an open mind and good imagination then you'll revel in this work of art. It's marvellous - I can't recommend it highly enough.

Dream-like quality reading! 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

After reading Mythago Wood, I really got into this 2nd novel, but after a bout halfway through it, found it mired in non-movement.

The story did not progress as fast as Mythago Wood, and I can see why people didn't like it as much. I found myself inthralled at the writing, which is excellent by the way, but at mid-way, found myself growing bored with no progression in the storyline.

I liked the overall dreamy feel and quality of this finely written novel, but I wanted more action and adventure like in the 1st one. Tallis, along with some of the other mythago characters, are quite interesting to read about, but after a while, I felt like I was being force fed muddied dreams. This is one of the few rare books or movie that gave me weird dreams, due to the strange imagery and wording, I suppose.

I think the next novel, The Hollowing, is much better than this one. It has a much faster pace and I only have 60 pages left to read of it before I'm through. I already like the pacing and more adventurous feel to this one. It is much more like Mythago Wood. Still in all, this author is well worth the try.

The Iron Grail (Merlin Codex)

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

delightful fantasy 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Seven hundred years have passed since Merlin and Jason (see CELTIKA) searched for the Golden Fleece, but now the magician resides in Alba where he receives three warnings including one about a man who wants him dead for betrayal. Also Merlin is warned to beware of a being used by a man and a ship that is more than a ship.

Merlin travels to Ghostland to rescue the children of the warlord Urtha at about the same time that Jason sailing the Argo arrives in Alba still seeking his son Kinos the "Little Dreamer" after failing in his reconciliation with his older boy. Merlin joins Jason on his quest to the Otherworld, where the latter's wife Medea probably has hidden Kinos from him. Jason believes the Mage is assisting him out of guilt because Merlin's first love Medea faked the deaths of the sons she had with Jason. Still the Argo captain wonders if he can trust the magician once they locate Medea who may have Merlin under her spell.

Combining English and Greek mythology, Robert Holdstock provides the audience with a delightful fantasy as the audience will enjoy the exploits of Merlin and Jason as they struggle to find the lost lad. Though some of the early fantasy scenes seem unnecessary, this epic tale is exciting non-stop action especially once Jason arrives on the scene. The second Codex tale is a treat for Camelot fans and Greek mythos readers who will want to hitch a ride on the Argo as the adventures in Otherworld are fun to follow as the two heroes each know that love can blind the purest.

Harriet Klausner

Editorial Review:

After long travels, Merlin has returned to Alba, the future England. Likewise, Urtha, High King of the Cornovidi, is coming home as well. And Jason is sailing in on the Argo, to seek his son who hides somewhere in the kingdom.

But Urtha's stronghold has been taken by warriors from Ghostland. They claim it as their own. Now there will be war--against the Otherworld.

In this sequel to Celtika, myth and history weave together into a tale of honor, death, and magic. At the core of the story is Merlin himself, the enchanter in the prime of his life, reckless, curious, powerful, yet a stranger to his own past--a past that is catching up with him.

Alien Landscapes

Robert Holdstock, Edwards Malcolm

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great artwork, interesting writing 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This book looks at some of the best science fiction series, such as Herbert's Dune, Clark's Rama, and Niven's Ringworld, and examines the settings and their impact on the stories. Each chapter covers a different series, and the artwork that accompanies the text is just amazing. I've spent many hours simply staring at the images -- it's more of picture book than a book you sit down and read, though there is quite a bit of writing. I recommend it to science fiction fans.

Interesting.... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Sometimes you look at the artwork of a story and think, that's totally correct. Sometimes you look at it and sayd, well I would have pictured it in another way. And sometimes, as in the case of the Hothouse image of the Sodal, a image is wrong. In this book, outside of that one image, the artists really explore the stories and delight me with their choices.
Well, the Time Machine looked weird and there was only two images, so that was a let down, but the rest is good.

Celtika

Robert Holdstock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good read 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Just finished Celtika by Robert Holdstock....a excellent read with a new twist on the story of Merlin and Jason (from Golden Fleece fame). If you're a stickler for keeping true to the old myths you may not like it, if however you like seeing tales told from a different perspective go for it. Takes you to a magical world 700 yrs after Jason's famous quest. Great cast of characters.

Editorial Review:

Centuries before he meets Arthur, Merlin wanders the Earth, eternally young, a traveler on the path of magic and learning. During his journeys, he encounters Jason, and joins in his search for the Golden Fleece.

Hundred of years later, Merlin hears of a screaming ship in a northern lake, and divines that is the Argo . . . that Jason still screams our for his sons, stolen by the enchantress Medea and thought dead. But death is not the end, and Merlin's trek to the North leads to the revival of both man and ship, with new companions and a new quest-to find Jason's sons.

Roving from the frozen north to the blighted island that will become Arthur's realm, from the deep forests of ancient Britain to the sun-washed shores of ancient Greece, Merlin's journey is an epic tale of mystery and enchantment.

Other Edens 2

Christopher Evans

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John Boorman's the Emerald Forest

Robert Holdstock, John Boorman, Rospo Pallenberg

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