Currently Reading...

I have just dove into the first book in the Mabinogion series by Evangeline Walton. The Prince of Annwn is one of four books that came out in the '70s. They are based on the Welsh stories of the same name, which I know next to nothing about. It might actually be nothing about.

Regardless of past knowledge I have taken the plunge. I had never heard of these books before but came across some random post on X and started taking a look. I fell in love with the covers of the books as they had that weird 1970s vibe, early 70s vibe that is hard to describe (vol 3 really caught my eye). The titles too as they are volumes but branches. That book to the right is the First Branch in the Mabinogion. I've never run across that but absolutely love it.

So with cover and titles in hand, I scoured ebay until I found the books in readable, affordable form and scooped them up. They've been on the read table since they arrived. I just finished up reading Blum's UFO book Out There and an account of WWI called Poilu and felt the need for some good old fantasy. Particularly since Blum's book was very frustrating with a great ending and the WWI book was amazing but a little depressing (read it). So on to the Prince of Annwn!

I'm only about 50 pages in but am loving every minute of it. Walton has a superior writing style. It is vibrant and engaging and epic in its feel. I feel like I'm passing through a myth.

That is the volume, or Branch, that caught my eye. I could begin to tell you why.