First published 2020
Taliesin shifts between forms as easily as he shifts between centuries. This sixth-century Brythonic bard chronicles battles fought with both sword and sorcery across the ancient kingdoms of Britain. He serves as prophet and witness, bridging the old Welsh mythologies with emerging Christian beliefs. Through his voice, warriors clash in forgotten kingdoms while magic crackles through the landscape of early Britain. The poems span centuries of composition, finally compiled in fourteenth-century North Wales as The Book of Taliesin. Taliesin himself remains an enigma, perhaps one poet, perhaps many writing under his name. His verses pulse with ecstatic imagination, by turns boastful, clumsy, and jubilant. This translation by Gwyneth Lewis and Rowan Williams presents the complete collection for the first time in over a century, making these visionary poems accessible to contemporary readers.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, ancient, epic
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: bridging-old-and-new, prophetic-witness
Setting: Britain, North Wales
Period: 6th Century, 14th Century
304 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics