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Mabinogion Tetralogy #1
Prince of Annwn
From the back cover:
Evangeline Walton is the author of Prince of Annwn, The Children of Llyr, The Song of Rhiannon and The Island of the Mighty - each a branch of the epic Welsh book of mythology, The Mabinogion.
The Saturday Review said about her work: "These books are not only the best fantasies of the 20th century, but also great works of fiction. They are actual retellings of the diverse legends of The Mabinogion in novel form...dealing with Good and Evil...and the nature of love."
Evangeline Walton is the author of Prince of Annwn, The Children of Llyr, The Song of Rhiannon and The Island of the Mighty - each a branch of the epic Welsh book of mythology, The Mabinogion.
The Saturday Review said about her work: "These books are not only the best fantasies of the 20th century, but also great works of fiction. They are actual retellings of the diverse legends of The Mabinogion in novel form...dealing with Good and Evil...and the nature of love."
180 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1974
24 people are currently reading
2272 people want to read
About the author
Evangeline Walton
34 books119 followersEvangeline Walton was the pen name of Evangeline Wilna Ensley, an American author of fantasy fiction. She remains popular in North America and Europe because of her “ability to humanize historical and mythological subjects with eloquence, humor and compassion”.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
September 3, 2011
Evangeline Walton first wrote the Mabinogion Tetralogy in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Only the fourth book in the sequence was published at the time, under the title The Virgin and the Swine. The series was rediscovered in the early 1970s; The Virgin and the Swine was reprinted as The Island of the Mighty, and the other three books saw publication for the first time. Prince of Annwn is the first in the sequence but was the last to be published. It was a nominee for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1975. I read it as part of a challenge at Fantasy Literature.
The four novels are based upon four related tales from Welsh mythology, known as the Four Branches of the Mabinogi. Prince of Annwn is an adaptation of the first “branch,” “Pwyll Prince of Dyfed.” Walton expands upon the original tale, fleshing out descriptions and journeys and character motivations, but keeps the essential elements of the story and strives for a similar prose. In her own words, “My own method has always been to try to put flesh and blood on the bones of the original myth; I almost never contradict sources, I only add and interpret.”
In “Pwyll Prince of Dyfed,” Pwyll has a series of encounters with the uncanny. He meets Arawn — king of Annwn, the land of the dead — and switches places with him for a year. He meets his otherworldly bride, Rhiannon. Then, he and Rhiannon lose their son for a time, and Rhiannon is unjustly blamed for his disappearance until the child is returned. Prince of Annwn includes the first two of these plotlines but not the third.
Walton’s Wales is a time and place in flux. The female-centered paganism of the Old Tribes is giving way to the male-centered paganism of the New Tribes. Christianity has not yet arrived but is on the horizon. Pwyll is a man of the New Tribes, typical of his people in some ways and atypical in others. He’s a manly-man; his favorite pursuits are hunting, fighting, and wooing fair women. He firmly believes, too, that men should rule. Yet he loves women and has more respect for them than many of his peers, and questions some of the teachings of the New Tribes’ druids. He’s a sympathetic character, possessing all manner of human weakness but doing his best to live up to his sense of honor.
With his internal conflicts and doubts, he makes a great character through which to experience the story and its themes. Prince of Annwn is a good yarn, but it also makes you think. Walton raises a number of questions. Can human belief shape reality? When is innovation beneficial, and when is it destructive? Is death a thing to be feared? How does one know whether one has chosen the right side of a fight? These ideas, and more, are explored through Pwyll’s thoughts and his conversations with others.
The writing style is deceptively simple. Walton never takes very long to describe anything, and she doesn’t use a lot of twenty-dollar words. Sometimes the writing seems almost dry, and then suddenly you’ll find yourself reading a passage that, in a few brief sentences, perfectly captures the beauty or dread or wonder of whatever Walton is depicting. Imagery of light and color is particularly well-done. This isn’t heavy prose that feels like a seven-course meal; it’s more reminiscent of the simple fare Pwyll enjoys in Rhiannon’s orchard: a perfect apple and a cup of pure, clear water.
--"Pwyll did not want to meet those eyes, but he could not escape them. Through their shining blackness cold seemed to stream through his blood and bones. Knowledge streamed with it, knowledge that he could neither understand nor keep. His brain reeled away from that awful wisdom, that poured into it as into a cup, and overturned it, and was spilled again."
--"A woman sat there, and it was from her that the light in that place came. Her body shone like the sun; her one thin garment hid it no more than water would. Her hair shone, it streamed red gold to her noble, high-arched feet, which were tender and rosy white as the apple blossoms. But when Pwyll tried to look at her face, he could not, his eyes fell, so he knew that She was no woman but a Goddess, and that that place lived through the living Glory that was Herself."
--"A great road of light cleft the dark sky, fell in purifying brilliance upon the lintel where that monstrous Bird had sat, enthroned. Down that glorious pathway flew three singing birds, and one was white, and one was green, and one was gold as morning."
As mentioned above, Walton leaves off the final episode of the story, in which Pwyll and Rhiannon have a son, Pryderi, who goes missing. This makes the ending feel a bit abrupt to a reader familiar with the original, and is my only disappointment in Prince of Annwn. I wanted to see what Walton would do with this part of the story. I wonder if it appears in one of the other three books.
I’ll certainly be seeking out the others as soon as possible. Prince of Annwn is an excellent read, whether you’re new to the Mabinogion or already familiar with it. It’s also a valuable piece of fantasy history. I’d been meaning to read it for years, and only regret taking so long to get around to it.
The four novels are based upon four related tales from Welsh mythology, known as the Four Branches of the Mabinogi. Prince of Annwn is an adaptation of the first “branch,” “Pwyll Prince of Dyfed.” Walton expands upon the original tale, fleshing out descriptions and journeys and character motivations, but keeps the essential elements of the story and strives for a similar prose. In her own words, “My own method has always been to try to put flesh and blood on the bones of the original myth; I almost never contradict sources, I only add and interpret.”
In “Pwyll Prince of Dyfed,” Pwyll has a series of encounters with the uncanny. He meets Arawn — king of Annwn, the land of the dead — and switches places with him for a year. He meets his otherworldly bride, Rhiannon. Then, he and Rhiannon lose their son for a time, and Rhiannon is unjustly blamed for his disappearance until the child is returned. Prince of Annwn includes the first two of these plotlines but not the third.
Walton’s Wales is a time and place in flux. The female-centered paganism of the Old Tribes is giving way to the male-centered paganism of the New Tribes. Christianity has not yet arrived but is on the horizon. Pwyll is a man of the New Tribes, typical of his people in some ways and atypical in others. He’s a manly-man; his favorite pursuits are hunting, fighting, and wooing fair women. He firmly believes, too, that men should rule. Yet he loves women and has more respect for them than many of his peers, and questions some of the teachings of the New Tribes’ druids. He’s a sympathetic character, possessing all manner of human weakness but doing his best to live up to his sense of honor.
With his internal conflicts and doubts, he makes a great character through which to experience the story and its themes. Prince of Annwn is a good yarn, but it also makes you think. Walton raises a number of questions. Can human belief shape reality? When is innovation beneficial, and when is it destructive? Is death a thing to be feared? How does one know whether one has chosen the right side of a fight? These ideas, and more, are explored through Pwyll’s thoughts and his conversations with others.
The writing style is deceptively simple. Walton never takes very long to describe anything, and she doesn’t use a lot of twenty-dollar words. Sometimes the writing seems almost dry, and then suddenly you’ll find yourself reading a passage that, in a few brief sentences, perfectly captures the beauty or dread or wonder of whatever Walton is depicting. Imagery of light and color is particularly well-done. This isn’t heavy prose that feels like a seven-course meal; it’s more reminiscent of the simple fare Pwyll enjoys in Rhiannon’s orchard: a perfect apple and a cup of pure, clear water.
--"Pwyll did not want to meet those eyes, but he could not escape them. Through their shining blackness cold seemed to stream through his blood and bones. Knowledge streamed with it, knowledge that he could neither understand nor keep. His brain reeled away from that awful wisdom, that poured into it as into a cup, and overturned it, and was spilled again."
--"A woman sat there, and it was from her that the light in that place came. Her body shone like the sun; her one thin garment hid it no more than water would. Her hair shone, it streamed red gold to her noble, high-arched feet, which were tender and rosy white as the apple blossoms. But when Pwyll tried to look at her face, he could not, his eyes fell, so he knew that She was no woman but a Goddess, and that that place lived through the living Glory that was Herself."
--"A great road of light cleft the dark sky, fell in purifying brilliance upon the lintel where that monstrous Bird had sat, enthroned. Down that glorious pathway flew three singing birds, and one was white, and one was green, and one was gold as morning."
As mentioned above, Walton leaves off the final episode of the story, in which Pwyll and Rhiannon have a son, Pryderi, who goes missing. This makes the ending feel a bit abrupt to a reader familiar with the original, and is my only disappointment in Prince of Annwn. I wanted to see what Walton would do with this part of the story. I wonder if it appears in one of the other three books.
I’ll certainly be seeking out the others as soon as possible. Prince of Annwn is an excellent read, whether you’re new to the Mabinogion or already familiar with it. It’s also a valuable piece of fantasy history. I’d been meaning to read it for years, and only regret taking so long to get around to it.
July 9, 2023
The Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh mythological tales compiled in the 12th century, has an uncanny beauty and fierceness. Evangeline Walton did a masterful job in capturing that beautiful strangeness in her Mabinogion tetralogy, four books that correspond to the four branches of that mythology. Her novels are faithful to The Mabinogion while fleshing out the tales, making them more accessible to modern readers without compromising any of their odd, otherworldly beauty.
Prince of Annwn is chronologically first in the series, representing the First Branch of the Mabinogion. It’s composed of two separate tales, each about the young hero Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed. Both tales illustrate the strangeness of magical Otherworlds that lie close enough to the physical world that it is possible, sometimes to wander into them unawares.
In the first tale, Pwyll is recruited (possibly entrapped) by Arawn, Lord of Annwn. Annwn is the Otherworld where go the dead to await rebirth, and as its lord, Arawn is a god of death. Yet, Arawn needs assistance from the mortal Pwyll as a champion to kill a foe that is beyond his own power to slay. Pwyll and Arawn swap places for a year and a day, each taking on the appearance of the other and ruling each other’s realms for the duration. This tale establishes the prowess and character of Pwyll, and his alliance and great friendship with the Lord of Annwn.
The second tale follows in the aftermath of the first. It begins with the hostility of Pwyll’s druids, who view him as a threat to their power. From this clash, Pwyll is forced to take a perilous traditional quest that has often proved fatal to those in his line. His quest leads him into another Otherworld, a sort of Welsh Fae realm. Here, dream, reality, and time itself are unpredictable. And here Pwyll attempts to win an extraordinary bride, and makes a deadly and lasting foe.
Walton’s adaptation of The Mabinogion into fantasy literature deserves to be far better known. Her prose conveys all of its beauty and strangeness without being unduly convoluted. If you have any interest in fantasy as a genre or mythology, I urge you to read it.
Prince of Annwn is chronologically first in the series, representing the First Branch of the Mabinogion. It’s composed of two separate tales, each about the young hero Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed. Both tales illustrate the strangeness of magical Otherworlds that lie close enough to the physical world that it is possible, sometimes to wander into them unawares.
In the first tale, Pwyll is recruited (possibly entrapped) by Arawn, Lord of Annwn. Annwn is the Otherworld where go the dead to await rebirth, and as its lord, Arawn is a god of death. Yet, Arawn needs assistance from the mortal Pwyll as a champion to kill a foe that is beyond his own power to slay. Pwyll and Arawn swap places for a year and a day, each taking on the appearance of the other and ruling each other’s realms for the duration. This tale establishes the prowess and character of Pwyll, and his alliance and great friendship with the Lord of Annwn.
The second tale follows in the aftermath of the first. It begins with the hostility of Pwyll’s druids, who view him as a threat to their power. From this clash, Pwyll is forced to take a perilous traditional quest that has often proved fatal to those in his line. His quest leads him into another Otherworld, a sort of Welsh Fae realm. Here, dream, reality, and time itself are unpredictable. And here Pwyll attempts to win an extraordinary bride, and makes a deadly and lasting foe.
Walton’s adaptation of The Mabinogion into fantasy literature deserves to be far better known. Her prose conveys all of its beauty and strangeness without being unduly convoluted. If you have any interest in fantasy as a genre or mythology, I urge you to read it.
May 28, 2011
Prince of Annwn is the first in a series of retellings of the Four Branches of the Mabinogion. Evangeline Walton wasn't Welsh, but nonetheless she made herself very familiar with the sources, and while she added to the story, there was nothing that I could see that wasn't in the spirit of it. She expanded and humanised the stories of the Mabinogion, giving Pwyll more of a journey and an arc of character growth, and adding a conflict between older faiths and new ones. At times there was a bit of endorsement of the 'Universal Spirit' idea: "In essence all Gods are the same, and one; but few mortals have glimpsed that Untellable Glory, and no human mind may hold it." Which, given that I'm a Unitarian Universalist, appeals to me.
Evangeline Walton's prose is clear and easy to read, and while at times there's a touch of the archaic about the phrasing and such, it doesn't get ridiculous or bogged down in it, and sometimes Pwyll's thoughts are refreshingly modern and direct. There are some beautiful passages, too. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the tetralogy.
Evangeline Walton's prose is clear and easy to read, and while at times there's a touch of the archaic about the phrasing and such, it doesn't get ridiculous or bogged down in it, and sometimes Pwyll's thoughts are refreshingly modern and direct. There are some beautiful passages, too. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the tetralogy.
September 25, 2020
I had no idea what to expect from this book, except that the other three novels in Walton's Mabinogion chronicles are part of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series and all of them have an incredibly good reputation. I was not disappointed. At the beginning of the book it mentioned earth was a shadow of Arawn's world, which called up memories of Zelazny's Amber. I was also reminded of Michael Moorcock's work and the dreamlike quality of Lord Dunsany. One of the first impressions I had was the solidity of the writing. I knew I was in good hands right away. I don't often find that so obvious so early on in a novel. It happened in the first few pages. The Mabinogion is Welsh mythology from the 5th or 6th century. But tis tale is timeless and speaks to our world today. Excellent.
January 3, 2019
I had high hopes for this book. I loved the Mabinogion, mostly because the strong female characters. In this book all character were equally bland. Pwyll is just another hero, like many others, and Rhiannon is placed on a pedestal, causing a severe lack of personality. The numerous musings, philosophical and otherwise, slowed the story down enormously.
Conclusion: Don't let this book fool you. The Mabinogion is one of the coolest mythologies out there.
Conclusion: Don't let this book fool you. The Mabinogion is one of the coolest mythologies out there.
September 24, 2017
This may be the most mythical of the Mabinogion, with a story about a Welsh prince exchanging places with Arawn, god of the underworld. He discovers Arawn was kind of hoping he'd defeat an invading foreign god, Havgan, while he's there, since Arawn couldn't do it the first time around. If you were wondering whether Pwyll manages to defeat Havgan, I... won't spoil it for you that he does, but I will just say it's more a question of what Pwyll has to sacrifice in order to do so ;)
The second part of this story is Pwyll's seeking of a goddess, Rhiannon, as a wife. He enters the realm of the gods by way of a dangerous pathway, avoids death at the hands of a murderous druid, and tricks his main competitor, a native inhabitant of the gods' realm, in order to win freedom for Rhiannon to marry him.
The stories are interesting, the characters plausible and understandable, and I certainly enjoyed my first exposure to Welsh cultural background.
The second part of this story is Pwyll's seeking of a goddess, Rhiannon, as a wife. He enters the realm of the gods by way of a dangerous pathway, avoids death at the hands of a murderous druid, and tricks his main competitor, a native inhabitant of the gods' realm, in order to win freedom for Rhiannon to marry him.
The stories are interesting, the characters plausible and understandable, and I certainly enjoyed my first exposure to Welsh cultural background.
January 9, 2013
I absolutely enjoyed the descriptions of ominous happenings, Walton’s evocative language, and the straightforward attitude toward sex, but I found the stories too simplistic. I would like to read more basic retellings of Welsh mythology in a Bullfinchish manner rather than continue this series that fills out the stories beyond their original telling. I love the classic Greek story of Hercules and his young companions competing against the universal constructs, but flesh that 3 page story out to novel length and I’m snoring. If the original Welsh tales were larger in scope like the Homeric/Aeneid works this would be fine, but they more resemble the basic Greek and Norse mythology tellings than those epic works.
July 9, 2012
I know this is incredibly ridiculous, but I searched for this book after discovering it is one of Stevie Nicks favorites & explains the story of Rhiannon ...one of my favorite songs. I'm so glad I read this book. it was more than I expected. Very beautiful story with love, hate, drama, and death. No wonder Stevie wrote a song about her :)
January 11, 2025
This novel was beautiful. It took me a while to read, but mainly because I had to stop and think at the end of each chapter (like I do with a lot of works of philosophy).
Walton's does prose like J.M.W. Turner paints: expressive, colorful, eerie, romantic, etc. I really love it.
For those unaware, this novel is a retelling of the Welsh story that I'm doing my thesis on (first branch of the Mabinogi). The stories therewithin are very important to me, so I would be extremely critical if this was a disrespectful retelling.
However, the novel had a good mix of scholarly interpretation and creative flair. I disagree with Walton on many interpretive matters (which is good because if I agreed with her on all the things my thesis would be irrelevant), but she captures a lot of the essence of the story very well (Pwyll's focus on friendship, the uncanniness of Otherworlds, the importance of self-control, etc.)
It talks about sex a lot in a way that may be off-putting to some, but I did not mind it. Pwyll has potency anxieties in the second half of the novel, which is refreshing because it's a type of personal struggle I haven't seen a male character go through in fantasy.
I found it interesting that Walton was one of Paolini's big inspirations. *The Inheritance Cycle* was important to me as a child, and The Mabinogi (which inspired this which inspired *The Inheritance Cycle*) is important to me as an adult.
Walton's does prose like J.M.W. Turner paints: expressive, colorful, eerie, romantic, etc. I really love it.
For those unaware, this novel is a retelling of the Welsh story that I'm doing my thesis on (first branch of the Mabinogi). The stories therewithin are very important to me, so I would be extremely critical if this was a disrespectful retelling.
However, the novel had a good mix of scholarly interpretation and creative flair. I disagree with Walton on many interpretive matters (which is good because if I agreed with her on all the things my thesis would be irrelevant), but she captures a lot of the essence of the story very well (Pwyll's focus on friendship, the uncanniness of Otherworlds, the importance of self-control, etc.)
It talks about sex a lot in a way that may be off-putting to some, but I did not mind it. Pwyll has potency anxieties in the second half of the novel, which is refreshing because it's a type of personal struggle I haven't seen a male character go through in fantasy.
I found it interesting that Walton was one of Paolini's big inspirations. *The Inheritance Cycle* was important to me as a child, and The Mabinogi (which inspired this which inspired *The Inheritance Cycle*) is important to me as an adult.
July 4, 2025
4.5 - I love all kinds of mythologies, so it's no wonder I would love this book too!
I'm usually very ambivalent about mythological retellings because I prefer it when authors use established characters to tell new stories that are completely detached from the original tales but Walton has found the perfect middle ground.
As far as I can tell, she sticks very close to the actual First Branch but fills the space in between with so much life, additional context to make it more accessible, and deeper characterisation.
As a warning, you should be interested in mythology, otherwise the weirdness and pre-Tolkien fantasy style can be off-putting (technically the book was published after Tolkien but that's because of its crazy publication history).
For example, druids demanding their king to fuck a horse and drink its blood is probably not a fantasy motif you’re familiar with lol.
It also has some outdated views on women, or rather the original story corset does, but it doesn't stop Walton from putting her feminist interpretation in between the original tale, which adds another really interesting dynamic.
Also, here's the link to the video essay that brought me to Walton. I can't recommend it enough!
I'm usually very ambivalent about mythological retellings because I prefer it when authors use established characters to tell new stories that are completely detached from the original tales but Walton has found the perfect middle ground.
As far as I can tell, she sticks very close to the actual First Branch but fills the space in between with so much life, additional context to make it more accessible, and deeper characterisation.
As a warning, you should be interested in mythology, otherwise the weirdness and pre-Tolkien fantasy style can be off-putting (technically the book was published after Tolkien but that's because of its crazy publication history).
For example, druids demanding their king to fuck a horse and drink its blood is probably not a fantasy motif you’re familiar with lol.
It also has some outdated views on women, or rather the original story corset does, but it doesn't stop Walton from putting her feminist interpretation in between the original tale, which adds another really interesting dynamic.
Also, here's the link to the video essay that brought me to Walton. I can't recommend it enough!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2022
This story is actually great, the main character is very well-writen.
April 1, 2023
Book of two halves, firstly Pwyll of Dyved is called down to the underworld by Arawn to fight another god on his behalf(!) and secondly Pwyll tries his best to end up marrying Rhiannon (she of the Birds). Walton does her best here, but doesn't quite pull off the trick she manages in Children of Llyr of making this seem like a seamless novel of her own devising; rather it seems like what it is - a clever adaptation. 3.5 stars rounding down.
February 18, 2018
3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. My favourite of Walton's Mabinogion retellings thus far, I think because the conflict here is primarily internal rather than a series of battles in which relatively unsympathetic characters take part. There's still plenty of action, but the action here is more metaphorical - when Pwyll is fighting the bird-demon, for instance, it's clear that the bird is representative of self-doubt rather than a straight-up feathery monster. And because the story is so focused on Pwyll's internal journey, I ended up feeling more for him than I do for most of Walton's other characters - while realising that this series is well-written, I've felt little emotional response to the previous books. I actually cared about what was happening here (on top of admiring the technique of it all) so that was an improvement.
February 27, 2011
The first of a tetralogy of short novels, published in an omnibus edition. A little hard to follow at times, but a good story. The main problem was the profusion of typos. I'm talking big typos too, like a word misspelled in the title of one of the books in the inside flap of the dust jacket. I mean, seriously? Here's the punchline: the publisher of this edition is Overlook Press. Yes, they overlooked quite a lot. Ba-dum-chah. You can't make this stuff up.
June 30, 2010
What a delightful find. Simple language, evocative imagining of the legends. Reminded me of a translation of the stories of Cuchulain I read (some time ago, can't remember author, argh). Plenty of gender conflict material here with the Old Tribes matrilineal (ignorant of father's role in child creation) and the New Tribes patrilineal.
June 14, 2017
This is pretty fun. I don't know the Mabinogion at all, so I can't say how accurate or not it is. It's definitely a great adventure though! I particularly like the severed heads flying around; the language, which is thoroughly salted with good description; the titanic moral struggles; the prevalence of virtue and honor (although of a peculiar kind I wouldn't personally recommend); and the liberal use of capital letters, as for the words 'Shadow', 'Beginning', 'Fate' and 'Illusion'.
A couple things: I would say that Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber owes a debt of some kind to this book, except that that came out in 1970 and this in 1974. So maybe it's the other way around? Or more likely they were both getting inspiration from the same mythology. Particularly the way the characters pass between worlds is very similar, and I like it.
One notices the author on several occasions taking a time-out from the actual story to have the characters philosophize, and it breaks the immersion pretty badly. You just can't have your legendary medieval druid-hero-king argue modern US politics without making him look like a puppet. Those of us who write novels should take notice; we will look just as corny in 40 years if we're not careful.
A couple things: I would say that Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber owes a debt of some kind to this book, except that that came out in 1970 and this in 1974. So maybe it's the other way around? Or more likely they were both getting inspiration from the same mythology. Particularly the way the characters pass between worlds is very similar, and I like it.
One notices the author on several occasions taking a time-out from the actual story to have the characters philosophize, and it breaks the immersion pretty badly. You just can't have your legendary medieval druid-hero-king argue modern US politics without making him look like a puppet. Those of us who write novels should take notice; we will look just as corny in 40 years if we're not careful.
May 18, 2024
Evangeline Walton's Mabinogian tetrology is a classic epic fantasy series which predates Tolkein. It's based on the four branches of the Welsh myth cycle. Influences of the Mabinogian can be see in the Hobbit, and Michael Moorcock's Prince Corum and Elric series. Some suggest that influences of the Mabinogian can also be found in C.S. Lewis's space trilogy.
She first published the Virgin and the Swine in 1936, and it was republished in as the Island of the Mighty in 1970. Interestingly, it is actually the fourth branch. She wrote and published the books in reverse order, publishing Prince of Annwn, which is the first branch, in 1974.
Anwnn is the story of Pywll, king of Dyved. He is called upon by Death, the Prince of Anwnn, to fight a battle that not even a god can fight. It's a basic hero's journey fighting monsters, learning of himself, making friends and enemies along the way.
Walton uses elegant language which is not as dense as Tolkein can be at times. It is the story of good and evil being in constant flux with each other. To my reading, she also hints at Christian themes in the way Lewis does in the Chronicles of Narnia. Also addresses environmental issues. I'm looking forward to reading the other three branches.
She first published the Virgin and the Swine in 1936, and it was republished in as the Island of the Mighty in 1970. Interestingly, it is actually the fourth branch. She wrote and published the books in reverse order, publishing Prince of Annwn, which is the first branch, in 1974.
Anwnn is the story of Pywll, king of Dyved. He is called upon by Death, the Prince of Anwnn, to fight a battle that not even a god can fight. It's a basic hero's journey fighting monsters, learning of himself, making friends and enemies along the way.
Walton uses elegant language which is not as dense as Tolkein can be at times. It is the story of good and evil being in constant flux with each other. To my reading, she also hints at Christian themes in the way Lewis does in the Chronicles of Narnia. Also addresses environmental issues. I'm looking forward to reading the other three branches.
March 3, 2025
A short and pretty good if at times slow read based on the Welsh Mabinogion; first in a series of four that is now out of print (the compendium appears available as an ebook but only as an ebook). Lauded at the time of its release in the 70s.
I read The Mabinogion about 20 years ago (Gantz translation if I remember right) and really enjoyed it. It’s been so long now that I barely remember any of it at all and thought Evangeline Walton’s novelization would be a fun refresher course. It mostly is, but with some drawbacks. I would have given this first volume in the tetralogy 4 were it not for a little bit too much telling rather than showing in the prose combined with instances of excessive dialogue heavily skewed towards a New Age spirituality, the presence of which isn’t surprising given the book’s date, but the proselytizing nature of it is a bit heavy handed.
At any rate, a generally fun and short read (it’s only 176 pages long) and I intend to finish the series and see if the subsequent volumes improve upon the first.
I read The Mabinogion about 20 years ago (Gantz translation if I remember right) and really enjoyed it. It’s been so long now that I barely remember any of it at all and thought Evangeline Walton’s novelization would be a fun refresher course. It mostly is, but with some drawbacks. I would have given this first volume in the tetralogy 4 were it not for a little bit too much telling rather than showing in the prose combined with instances of excessive dialogue heavily skewed towards a New Age spirituality, the presence of which isn’t surprising given the book’s date, but the proselytizing nature of it is a bit heavy handed.
At any rate, a generally fun and short read (it’s only 176 pages long) and I intend to finish the series and see if the subsequent volumes improve upon the first.
June 29, 2024
I'm not sure where I got this book or how many decades I've had it in my home library, but I finally decided to give it a try. Glad I did because I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of old school fantasy books where there's 1 major male character - Conan, Elric, etc... In this case all of the other characters were VERY minor except maybe Arawn and Rhiannon. Still, it had a kind of fairy tale feel where the character has to figure his way out of sticky situations he can't just beat with his sword.
There was a sensuality to it that might offend younger readers, but it really seemed to promote feminism overall (the author is a woman). Lots of the hero lusting after some epic beauty that caused him to risk everything or used to show how honorable he was. Either way, the book was fun and creative, so I'll definitely be looking for the other books or the omnibus edition.
There was a sensuality to it that might offend younger readers, but it really seemed to promote feminism overall (the author is a woman). Lots of the hero lusting after some epic beauty that caused him to risk everything or used to show how honorable he was. Either way, the book was fun and creative, so I'll definitely be looking for the other books or the omnibus edition.
June 26, 2017
Evangeline Walton's retelling of the first branch of the Mabinogion (actually the fourth to come out) is beautifully written, incredibly eerie in the magic, and a great story too. In Part One, Pwyll, prince of Dyved is lured into the underworld of Annwn where he must take the place of Arawn, lord of Death, for a battle with an invading death god (fairly obviously embodying the most militant, vicious aspects of Christianity). In Part Two, Pwyll must take a bride and winds up chosen by Rhiannon, a princess of Otherworld. However she has a suitor in her own world who's willing to fight dirty ... All around excellent, though the grumbles about the modern world (in glimpses of the future various characters have) get a bit much.
March 6, 2022
This book is the beginning of a tetralogy written by an American unassuming lover of fantasy and especially the Welsh collection of mythological tales called the Mabinogion. Walton wrote four books retelling the Mabinogion, but only the last was published at the time and it didn’t fare well. However, when fantasy grew in popularity in the 70s, that book was rediscovered. A publisher searched for Walton and found her in seclusion in Arizona. They found out she had three other books written and all four were published. She gained fame for the work, being called by many one of the greatest fantasies ever. This book was nominated for the 1975 Mythopoeic Award.
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Come visit my blog for the full review…
https://itstartedwiththehugos.blogspo...
November 25, 2023
I understand that this was wrote in the 30s, but it really bothers me how much the original material was appropriated so it could be more "ooooh celtic mythology". The Mabinogion was never "celtic mythology", it is medieval welsh literature. Anyway I digress.
They did Pwyll so dirty in this. In the og he was a straight up chad, maybe a little absent-minded but all around a good guy. In this he is so whiney and incapable, he just lets everything happen to him and moans about it the whole way through. Plus he has to fight with himself not to sleep with another man's wife, something which never even occured to the OG Pwyll. Cringe.
They did Pwyll so dirty in this. In the og he was a straight up chad, maybe a little absent-minded but all around a good guy. In this he is so whiney and incapable, he just lets everything happen to him and moans about it the whole way through. Plus he has to fight with himself not to sleep with another man's wife, something which never even occured to the OG Pwyll. Cringe.
September 15, 2025
The first half was amazing. We had this epic story of good and evil between the old world women centered religion and the newer fire and brimstone world of patriarchal religion, namely Islam and Christianity. Epic battles, Gods and Goddesses, strange tests and interesting philosophy.
The second part went downhill fast though. The MMC must marry after his adventures, so he travels to a hill and falls asleep. He meets a goddess, chases her down, fails and must ask her to stop running from him. At which point, she agrees to marry him. There’s also an evil Druid who tries to kill him.
A very silly way to end what was otherwise a deep and interesting first half.
The second part went downhill fast though. The MMC must marry after his adventures, so he travels to a hill and falls asleep. He meets a goddess, chases her down, fails and must ask her to stop running from him. At which point, she agrees to marry him. There’s also an evil Druid who tries to kill him.
A very silly way to end what was otherwise a deep and interesting first half.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2021
These books have a deceptive depth to them; you could read them just as fantastical, surreal adventure, or as Walton apparently intended, as a commentary on the new religions of the east (Christianity, Judaism, Islam - primarily Christianity, I assume) as opposed to the old beliefs of Wales, at this time.
She's such a good writer. However you read the stories, they're like fairytales or folktales - brief, powerful windows into something that's gone but that was beautiful and frightening and true, in its time.
She's such a good writer. However you read the stories, they're like fairytales or folktales - brief, powerful windows into something that's gone but that was beautiful and frightening and true, in its time.
September 28, 2025
A very brief book. But not as brief as the original stories it was adapted/revisioned from. Evangeline Walton took the Mabinogion and fleshed it out, not only in characters and dialogue but also in intrigue and prose. It was a delightful read. The first book is a lot less polished than the second, both in terms of plot and craft, but to me this is a positive sign. It means there is hope that the next branches are even more refined, as the Walton herself grew as an author. Can't wait for the second branch. Heard that one is the best among the four.
July 20, 2019
Aunque había leído sobre algunas de estas historias, nunca me había tomado al tiempo de conocerlas a fondo. El Mabinogion no es tan conocido ya, pero su influencia está marcada en mucha literatura galesa.
Aunque esta es solo una reinterpretación, es fascinante. Es como leer clásicos griegos, romanos, indios, mayas... donde se nos muestra una cosmovisión compleja y sus personajes son reflejo de la personalidad, intereses y pasiones de cada cultura.
Definitivamente quiero leer los demás.
Aunque esta es solo una reinterpretación, es fascinante. Es como leer clásicos griegos, romanos, indios, mayas... donde se nos muestra una cosmovisión compleja y sus personajes son reflejo de la personalidad, intereses y pasiones de cada cultura.
Definitivamente quiero leer los demás.
February 2, 2024
Could we please bring Evangeline Walton back from Annwn and elect her president? This book is right up there with the Barbie movie as one of the most surprisingly insightful works of fiction I've had the pleasure of enjoying. I also love that at the end Ms. Walton cites the sources of inspiration for the liberties she takes with her retelling. Thank you, Evangeline Walton, you may be my new favorite author.
April 30, 2019
I was hoping to find an another Patricia A. McKillip, but it is closer to Gaiman's Norse Mythology, which is not actually a surpise. I didn't enjoy it quite as much, but it was okay.
November 1, 2022
The first of Evangeline Walton's expansions of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi was written last -which leaves Walton slightly in a corner, since she has to bear with the decisions she's previously made in the series, but it also means it might be the most skillfully-written of them all. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
August 1, 2023
The First Branch of the Mabinogion. Basically the story of Pwyll up to the point of his marriage to Rhiannon. Doesn't include birth of Pryderi. Elaborates on the basic story.
While basically the medieval Welsh tale in plot, it doesn't capture the magic of the original. What she adds distracts rather than improves.
While basically the medieval Welsh tale in plot, it doesn't capture the magic of the original. What she adds distracts rather than improves.
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