Product Description

In the tradition of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon, Ellen Evert Hopman weaves Druid history and spirituality into an engaging love story. This Bardic teaching tale is set in a fictional third-century Ireland when Christianity is sweeping across the Celtic Isles. During this time of crisis, love blooms between Ethne, a Druid healer, and her patient, a Fennid warrior. Their passionate affair suffers a tragic blow when Ethne is called upon to become the high queen.

Told from the Druid perspective, Hopman recreates the daily life, magical practices, politics, and spiritual lives of the ancient Celts during this historic turning point. Druid holy days, rites, rituals, herbal lore, and more are brought to life in this Celtic fantasy—illuminating Druidic teachings and cultural wisdom.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #323052 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 360 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780738712628
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Ellen Evert Hopman (Massachusetts) has been active in American Druidism since 1984. She is co-chief of the Order of the Whiteoak (Ord na Darach Gile), a popular author of Druidry-related titles, and a master herbalist. She teaches at the Grey School of Wizardry and has contributed to several Pagan journals.  

Customer Reviews

Sweet and Tender
A masterful written, fictional, love story based in third-century Ireland, this book animates the basic life style of the ancient Celts. Penned along the same lines as The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Priestess of the Forest examines historical class systems, symbols and life passages as seen through the eyes of the Druid class.

The author, Ellen Evert Hopman, currently the co-chief of the Order of the Whiteoak (Ord na Darach Gile) masterfully moves from writing non-fiction to this historical fantasy. Her aim was to engage the reader while teaching the ways of Druidic practice, ancient Celtic daily life, rites and rituals.

The story begins with the main character, Ethne, alone in her woodland hut. Her peace is shattered when a seriously wounded Fennid warrior is brought to her for healing. As she battles to keep him from death, she falls in love with him and he for her as he regains his strength. Unfortunately for them, the world they know is being invaded by a new religion, one that demands they leave behind their own beliefs and practices.

As with all good narratives, there are good guys and bad guys. Ethne is asked by the high Priest and Priestess to become the King's bride. As Queen, they hope she will keep the Druidic ways strong in the land. Since we know the book is a historical fiction, the new religion of Christianity will win out in the end, but I kept hoping for a different conclusion. In the end the bad guys win, but Ethne's personal story has a happy, if bittersweet, finale.

I was fascinated by the brief author interview, which followed the story. Ms. Hopman goes into detail about historical Druids as well as their modern day counter parts. She hopes that this book will be used to further teachings of the rites and passages she included as samples throughout the story line. Also included in the book's back matter is a very useful recommended reading list of books divided by various categories.

If you are looking for some light reading, but want more than a bit of fluff, this is the book for you. This is a masterfully crafted tale that teaches as well as entertains.

Reviewed by W. Lyon Martin author of Ordinary Girl - A Magical Child, An, Aidan's First Full Moon Circle and Watchers.

A Joy To Read!
I have always love Ellen's work, but this is the first I have read of her "fiction" style. All I can say is I hope there is another book to follow this one!!

This book incorporates information from various accurately researched Celtic sources, yet does not make them out to be something other than what we do know about them. I mean she doesn't imply it has a special hidden usage, so therefore she is not misleading.

I know I would love to have had her go further in depth to share the ceremonies/rituals and such talked about, but in truth we don't know exactly how they were all done and that sort of leaves it up to the imagination and thus drives us to do our own research and work. She does give much though of her own views and a few shared views on the subject in a few of the scene's.

Ellen goes further in that she also accurately shares herbal knowledge and lore for plants that would have been found in those periods and the uses they might have been applied to in caring for those who are sick and injured. This also, I feel, drives one to want to learn more.

I devoured the book in under 3 days. Probably would have done it faster but I had to work too - so I can buy more books like hers! She has inspired me to view some of the works I already have, in new lights. She inspired me to look further into a few things I had a base knowledge of, and she also made me hope that there will be a second book that might go into the life of the characters after the "main setting" - I won't go into details as I don't want to spoil the ending!!

Overall I give this 5 stars. It isn't a "how to" book so to speak and it doesn't promise to be a historical document that one might say is fact, but it is a view of one who follows the path of the Druids and is an accurate attempt to give her view on how life might have been from all her studies. I wish we had more books like this!!

If you are looking for a book to tell you how the Druids of old did their magics and ceremonies and such, then this isn't the book for you. But if you want a good read that is a mind stimulant and thought provoker, this is an excellent source with some good resources on where to look for more.

A Wonderfully Entertaining and Enlightening Book
The author has masterfully woven the current understandings of the Celtic Reconstruction movement into a beautiful and moving story. Her characters are engaging and real, her scholarship current, and her purity of intention leaves us with a reading experience that is both educational and entertaining. The rites and ritual actions presented in the book will be familiar to anyone who has studied/practiced any form of Celtic Reconstruction spirituality. By skillfully placing these elements throughout the plot, Ms. Hopman has effectively crafted the first work of fiction, to my knowledge, that incorporates CR spiritual principles into the lives and lifestyles of believable characters. This has the effect of "bringing to life" ideas that may have otherwise remained intellectual constructs with no practical basis. The description of Brighid and her associated lore presented on pgs. 145-146 is one of the most concise and beautiful descriptions I have read anywhere. For all of these reasons, I heartily recommend this book!