Taliessin through Logres & The Region of the Summer Stars

by Charles Williams, Sørina Higgins (Introduction)

When Taliessin through Logres was published in 1938, it received widespread critical acclaim. Alongside its partner companion The Region of the Summer Stars, it stands as one of the most profound and challenging works in Williams' body of work--and one of the most important to understanding him fully. In this new edition, both Taliessin through Logres and The Region of the Summer Stars are found together, with a new introduction by Williams scholar Sørina Higgins.

Genres: Poetry, Fantasy, Arthurian, Fiction

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Charles Williams


Charles Walter Stansby Williams is probably best known, to those who have heard of him, as a leading member (albeit for a short time) of the Oxford literary group, the "Inklings", whose chief figures were C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. He was, however, a figure of enormous interest in his own right: a prolific author of plays, fantasy novels (strikingly different in kind from those of his friends), poetry, theology, biography and criticism. — the Charles Williams Society website

Reviews

[Timothy Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels miserly to give this less than five stars given how completely and utterly blown away I was by so many of the earlier poems. It’s just that, comparatively speaking, I think “Region of the Summer Stars” – while really helpful in that it clarifies certain plot elements – is distinctly less virtuosic than “Taliessin Through Logres.” I will admit, though, that could be nothing more than a lack of stamina on my part. I read almost every poem in “Taliessin Through Logres” two or even three times before moving onto the next – aloud first, for the sheer pleasure of the sound and rhythm, and then again to try and get at least a rudimentary handle on what it was “about.” Absolutely incredible, mind-boggling, world-rocking stuff. I think it’s some of my favorite poetry I’ve ever read; really the kind of thing that makes you go, "Wait, words can do this?!"

Some highlights:

“Prelude”
“The Vision of the Empire”
“Mount Badon”
“Taliessin’s Song of the Unicorn”
“Bors to Elayne; The Fish of Broceliande”
“Taliessin on the Death of Virgil”
“The Coming of Palomides”
“Bors to Elayne; On the King’s Coins”
“The Son of Lancelot”
“Taliessin at Lancelot’s Mass”
“The Calling of Taliessin”

If you’re not sold yet, just read “Taliessin’s Song of the Unicorn” right through, breathlessly.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He called to the lords: This is his day; to me: / Catch as catch can; but absence is a catch of the presence."

Williams is often referred to as the oddest or craziest of the Inklings, the literary discussion group whose members included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. I can see why, he is a brilliant poet that can do wonders with symbolism but at times gets too cryptic or uses analogies that are so crude that it is easy to get lost or distracted. That said, I enjoyed reading this a lot more than I expected. The parts of Palomides were particularly touching, hence why I cited part of a passage above. He goes on a spiritual journey, struggling to separate his interpretation of reality with actual reality. His 'questing beast' is found in the blank between the two and ends with him converting to Christianity. Fascinating stuff. I did need a critical guide at the start, particularly for the symbolism of describing Europe using the anatomy of the female body. A very intriguing analogy that mimics the church's idea of the body of Christ but a little tough to grasp if you're not in on it from the get-go.

In general, the entire work has a lot of discussions about images and representations of reality that can cause us to abstract ourselves away from what is really happening. Some parts went over my head, as the symbolism was too dense. I'm discussing this in a bookclub next week with people that know a lot more about this than I do so hoping to learn more then. What I will say is that Williams has done an excellent job of layered his poetry with what makes Arthurian legends so durable: the wish to love, to achieve greatness, to find a way to cope with an uncertain life but, most of all, the wish to eternalize all this in stories in the hope that these hopes may survive our generation and live on in the next.

[Katherine Sas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm never sure how to rate this kind of modernist poetry, especially as written by the highly esoteric Charles Williams. "He seems a bit above my likes and dislikes," to quote Master Gamgee. That being said, I did enjoy letting the sounds wash over my ear and picking out little moments or allusions to Arthurian romance that I recognized. Sorina's introduction was helpful in explaining how to go about explicating the poem, even if I don't have it in me to re-read several times right at the moment. But I look forward to coming back to these poems later to try to discover the other 95% of the iceberg.

[Linnea Kroeger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked what I understood, but I only understood a very small part of what I read. I will need to come back to this one, after I go and become more familiar with the Athurian Legends.

So three stars for now, since I did like it, but I didn't understand it.

[Ben Perley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Williams is a difficult author to follow as he winds and wanders through his stories, but I always emerge grateful for the diversions. This collection of poems on the Matter of Britain is easily the most intricate, dense work I’ve ever encountered from the old Rosicrucian: indeed, this might be the most complex work I’ve ever read, full stop. He clearly intended this to be his magnum opus, combining all his deep, nearly inscrutable erudition into a surging exclamation of hope and love.
“Taliessin Through Logres” represents the culmination of Williams’ theory of co-inherence: through God’s love and mercy, we can truly feel and bear each other’s burdens in love. Arthur’s kingdom (Logres) is the perfect vehicle for this theory as the Company attempts to carve chivalry from the overrun bones of Britain.
Enter the forest of overlapped imagery and symbology, and don’t fear if you can’t see three feet in front of you; C.S. Lewis himself admitted that some of Williams’ allegory was too obscure even for him. There is still much reward to be found here, and I will certainly be returning to see what more I can mine from the subtle depths.
Highly recommend, especially for any with even a passing interest in the Arthurian Saga.

[Elizabeth Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeing Charles Williams' theology take on the royal garb of poetry was a delight. The poems contain many references to "exchange," "images," "the way of affirmation," etc. While they are indeed difficult to understand (I would have had no idea what they were about if not for Sorina's introduction), they are beautiful in such a way that one doesn't care. I began underlining words that Williams coined, often delightful hyphenated creations such as "trine-toned." These poems made me want to do a deeper dive into the King Arthur legends.

[cadfael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to understand, being unfamiliar with the Grail story, but sublime and beautiful in language and mood. Five stars for it being something I can continually return to.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, because I'm finding it basically unreadable, and the experience makes me feel stupid. Remember when you were little, and some books were just to hard for you? And as you got older, they became easier to read? I'm 54, so I can't use that as an excuse anymore. I really wanted to love this, but I tried in my 20s, I tried, in my 30s, and I gave it one last go.

I like poetry--especially the Alligator Pie kind--but this sort of weird modernist poetry, regardless of subject, just isn't something I understand/enjoy/want.

Oh well, more time for Dorothy Sayers or Diana Wynne Jones.