Alan Garner – T E Shepherd

The voice that inspires

Thomas — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 19:54:50 +0000

The Voice That Thunders by Alan Garner

I began to read this book of essays and lectures with some trepidation. Since before my teenage years I have loved Alan Garner’s books and have grown up with them at my side, but it has been a relationship that has become progressively difficult. His books, particularly Strandloper and Thursbitch, which can be near to incomprehensible. I was thus worried, that this book of essays would be a similarly difficult read.

I am so glad that I didn’t let these concerns stop me from reading The Voice That Thunders though. Yes, there are some intellectally challenging chapters that shows Garner’s detailed knowledge of his subject, but mostly it is a collection of talks that cannot fail you to write stories and enjoy words.

It’s a book that I can’t begin to count the number of times I quoted sections from it, let alone the number of times I didn’t because it wasn’t convenient at the time, and then I’d passed another half dozen of quotable passages. An inspiring read!

A book that makes you want to read and re-read books

Thomas — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:13:49 +0000

Four British Fantasists: Place and Culture in the Children’s Fantasies of Penelope Lively, Alan Garner, Diana Wynne Jones, and Susan Cooper by Charles Butler

I’ve owned this book since it came out in 2006 but have shamefully only just got around to reading it. I am sorry that this is the case because it is a fascinating read. Through a series of four literary essays and a conclusion Charles Butler discusses the work of four of my favourite authors in this book.

At first glance you may wonder why he has selected these four to discuss, when on the face of it their writing (particularly Penelope Lively’s) does not perhaps seem that similar. The reason, because they have all written fantasy for children and they were all students at Oxford at the same time, at a time when Tolkien and Lewis were teaching. He goes on to explain how this chance of circumstance doesn’t really, curiously, have anything to do with it.

Reading this book made me look at some of my favourite books in a whole new light, and has filled me with many pertinent quotes to do with my own writing. I also have a burning desire to re-read so many books on the basis of what Charles Butler has written.

The story of a girl made out of flowers

Thomas — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 10:06:43 +0000

The Owl Service by Alan Garner

“…why didn’t you cut the pattern into flowers from the start, you silly girl?” Roger asks his step sister at the end… because we wouldn’t have been given this gloriously enjoyable story if she had.

This was a re-reading of the book after having seen the actual Owl Service finder plate at the recent Magical Books expedition at Oxford Bodleian Library. After being disappointed Brett my re-reading of two of Alan Garner’s books earlier this year, I was a bit apprehensive about this one. I needn’t have worried. Despite being set in the 60s this book is as current and as fresh as ever. Even the references to film photography and home processing don’t age it.

It’s a story that involves a dysfunctional family and their housekeeper and her son who know more about the secret that lies in the Welsh valley than they ought. It’s a classic tale, from an old Welsh myth, worth reading.

A story of what happens after the epic fantasy adventure

Thomas — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:09:56 +0000

Boneland by Alan Garner

When I discovered that Alan Garner had written a new Alderley book I was both excited and nervous. His later books have a tendency to be weird, or, in the case of Thursbitch, down right incomprehensible…

In preparation for reading this book I re-read both the earlier books, not that I really needed to as this does make a fine, standalone, novel. Boneland is advertised as adult sequel to the earlier children’s books. I think it makes a great crossover book no less accessible for younger readers and a great example of what I call real-world fantasy.

After my fears I really enjoyed this book and found out actually a better, stronger, and more highly conceived book than either Weirdstone or Gomrath. They are now to the earlier books and the setting is just as inspiring; it is also a brilliant story of what happens after the events of some of the most epic fantasy tales.

A story of what happens after the epic fantasy adventure

Thomas — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:09:00 +0000

Boneland by Alan Garner

Originally published at Originally published at shepline: the journal. You can comment here or there.