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Grey Isles #1
Journey to Aprilioth
The Sorceress who waits, the Beast who bars the path, the star that never perishes, the Broken Tower where the last answer lies. They fled to the White City after the sea rose to destroy the unfinished circle of stones. Now the Old Gods stir once again and a young man sets off in search of the knowledge that may bind the Gods and be the salvation of his people.
- GenresFantasy
439 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1980
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58 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Kernaghan
32 books18 followersEileen Kernaghan lives in New Westminster B.C. Her short stories and poems have appeared in many
North American publications, both mainstream and speculative. Her
nine historical fantasy novels reflect her lifelong fascination with
ancient cultures and lost civilizations. Eileen's latest young adult
novel is Sophie, in Shadow, from Thistledown Press. It's set in India under the Raj, circa 1914.
North American publications, both mainstream and speculative. Her
nine historical fantasy novels reflect her lifelong fascination with
ancient cultures and lost civilizations. Eileen's latest young adult
novel is Sophie, in Shadow, from Thistledown Press. It's set in India under the Raj, circa 1914.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 19, 2010
When I was around 13, I remember reading this book and being "wowed." I'm not sure why - I think part of it was the setting: a post-Diluvian (Atlantean) world, early Celtic Britain, Cretan civilization. At the time, I was becoming interested in the Matter of Britain, the Celts, Atlantis, Minoan Crete, and similar things so it was another case of the "right book at the right time."
I've been hankering to reread for a while now, and I've gone ahead and reacquired a copy of it from Thriftbooks.com, along with its two sequels (little did I know back in 1980).
There are a couple of books standing in the way right now but they'll soon pass and I'll see if another book from my youth measures up to memory...
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Well, I wasn't "wowed" on rereading this ghost of my past but I can see why I was 30 years ago. As noted above, it has the Atlantis theme going for it, it moves along at a good pace (even at 440 pages, you can read it in a weekend), and it has a fair amount of sex (always a plus in the eyes of a newly pubescent teen-ager). And while I wouldn't give it more than 2.5-3 stars today, I still enjoyed the story.
It's set around 1600 BC as near as I can figure based on internal evidence. In pre-Celtic Britain, the descendants of the grey-eyed sorcerors who once lived in the Grey Isles (Atlantis) persist with fragments of their ancestors' ancient knowledge, enough to know that the Old Gods, pre-human, uncontrollable forces of nature, are stirring again and could bring about another cataclysm. The priests decide they need to send someone to another group of refugees who fled even farther from the disaster, to the island of Thera (Aprilioth) in the Mediterranean (a former contender for the title of "Atlantis"), in the hope that they may have the knowledge to bind the Old Gods. Fortuitously, Nhiall, a young priest-in-training, finds himself in an untenable position vis-a-vis the tribe's chief - he has killed his brother - and becomes the perfect candidate for the priests' schemes. So off he goes into the little known world of the Eastlands.
Anyone familiar with Joseph Campbell knows what happens: Our hero embarks upon a journey of spiritual discovery, which ends in enlightenment. In this case, wisdom is bittersweet: The Old Gods can't be wholly or forever bound - the Grey Isles were doomed as is Aprilioth - but for every ending there is a new beginning.
I'm not recommending this to anyone - For the adult reader, there's nothing special about the writing though Kernaghan is a capable enough; unless you have a "history" with her already (as do I) there's little to distinguish her from dozens of other authors. A YA might find it interesting but I'd recommend an older one because of the (sotto voce) S-E-X. There's nothing explicit, the camera always pans up into the trees before the action really starts, but it's not hidden and parents might want to exercise some control.
I've been hankering to reread for a while now, and I've gone ahead and reacquired a copy of it from Thriftbooks.com, along with its two sequels (little did I know back in 1980).
There are a couple of books standing in the way right now but they'll soon pass and I'll see if another book from my youth measures up to memory...
_____________________________________________________________________
Well, I wasn't "wowed" on rereading this ghost of my past but I can see why I was 30 years ago. As noted above, it has the Atlantis theme going for it, it moves along at a good pace (even at 440 pages, you can read it in a weekend), and it has a fair amount of sex (always a plus in the eyes of a newly pubescent teen-ager). And while I wouldn't give it more than 2.5-3 stars today, I still enjoyed the story.
It's set around 1600 BC as near as I can figure based on internal evidence. In pre-Celtic Britain, the descendants of the grey-eyed sorcerors who once lived in the Grey Isles (Atlantis) persist with fragments of their ancestors' ancient knowledge, enough to know that the Old Gods, pre-human, uncontrollable forces of nature, are stirring again and could bring about another cataclysm. The priests decide they need to send someone to another group of refugees who fled even farther from the disaster, to the island of Thera (Aprilioth) in the Mediterranean (a former contender for the title of "Atlantis"), in the hope that they may have the knowledge to bind the Old Gods. Fortuitously, Nhiall, a young priest-in-training, finds himself in an untenable position vis-a-vis the tribe's chief - he has killed his brother - and becomes the perfect candidate for the priests' schemes. So off he goes into the little known world of the Eastlands.
Anyone familiar with Joseph Campbell knows what happens: Our hero embarks upon a journey of spiritual discovery, which ends in enlightenment. In this case, wisdom is bittersweet: The Old Gods can't be wholly or forever bound - the Grey Isles were doomed as is Aprilioth - but for every ending there is a new beginning.
I'm not recommending this to anyone - For the adult reader, there's nothing special about the writing though Kernaghan is a capable enough; unless you have a "history" with her already (as do I) there's little to distinguish her from dozens of other authors. A YA might find it interesting but I'd recommend an older one because of the (sotto voce) S-E-X. There's nothing explicit, the camera always pans up into the trees before the action really starts, but it's not hidden and parents might want to exercise some control.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2014
Journey to Aprilioth is little more than a lighthearted adventure. Quite fun, if you enjoy that sort of thing.
It stars a young boy, Nhiall, training to be a priest in a time when Assyrians yet walked the Earth, and people wrote on clay tablets. From the opening, I had hoped that it would be a sort of fantasy due to lack of science. That, there is much that is mystical to the characters, but we as a modern audience know better. Not only does the author not follow through with this, but she goes fully into the fantastical realm, at times.
Another minor complaint I have is that Nhiall spends almost the entire book a slave or captive of one person or another. The situations are quite varied, and he retains his agency throughout, but by the end I found myself sighing, "Looks like he's just getting captured again."
Even so, it was a very pleasant read, and it overflowed with the spirit of adventure. It has been quite some time since I had so much fun with a book, and I mean to enjoy it again, in perhaps five years.
It stars a young boy, Nhiall, training to be a priest in a time when Assyrians yet walked the Earth, and people wrote on clay tablets. From the opening, I had hoped that it would be a sort of fantasy due to lack of science. That, there is much that is mystical to the characters, but we as a modern audience know better. Not only does the author not follow through with this, but she goes fully into the fantastical realm, at times.
Another minor complaint I have is that Nhiall spends almost the entire book a slave or captive of one person or another. The situations are quite varied, and he retains his agency throughout, but by the end I found myself sighing, "Looks like he's just getting captured again."
Even so, it was a very pleasant read, and it overflowed with the spirit of adventure. It has been quite some time since I had so much fun with a book, and I mean to enjoy it again, in perhaps five years.
March 1, 2016
Dull and poorly researched short story that repeats itself ad nauseum, about a Superman (that is so super that even kryptonite wouldn't hurt him) that gets betrayed and captured. Then a princess or a priestess gets smitten by his innocent looks and frees him, he travels on to the next city/tribe and the story repeats itself. No plot and acid-trip ending. Stay away
February 28, 2026
Beautiful. I had forgotten how good this was.
I seem to be maturing as a reader; I get more out of the reading every time. I’m glad I have learned, or at least I am learning, to slow down and savour the words instead of racing after plot. There is so much more to be enjoyed in life if you pay attention a little more.
I seem to be maturing as a reader; I get more out of the reading every time. I’m glad I have learned, or at least I am learning, to slow down and savour the words instead of racing after plot. There is so much more to be enjoyed in life if you pay attention a little more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews