The Greener Shore: A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia

At last, the haunting sequel to Morgan Llywelyn’s phenomenal epic Druids. The Greener Shore unfurls the story of a brave and mystical people who learned to manipulate the forces of nature—in order to control magic. As druids in Celtic Gaul, they had been the harmonious soul of their tribe, the Carnutes. But when Julius Caesar and his army invaded and conquered their homeland, the great druid Ainvar and his clan fled for their lives, taking with them the ancient knowledge. Guided by a strange destiny, they found themselves drawn to a green island at the very rim of the world: Hibernia, home of the Gael. Here they would depend for survival on an embittered man who had lost his faith—and a remarkable woman who would find hers. Burning with hatred of the Romans, Ainvar can no longer command his magic. But his mantle falls on unexpected shoulders. In a beautiful, war-torn land of numerous kingdoms and belligerent tribes, Ainvar and his beloved wife, Briga, struggle toward an uncertain future. Their companions include the volatile Onuava, widow of their fallen chieftain; Lakutu, Ainvar’s dark and mysterious second wife; Ainvar’s son, Dara, who seems more drawn to poetry than to combat; and the “Red Wolf,” the young warrior who is as close as kin and is determined to find Ainvar’s missing daughter. Other forces are at work in Hibernia as well—the spirits that haunt the island, forces older than even the magic of the druids. Through them Ainvar seeks his redemption . . . as Briga seeks her rendezvous with history. Filled with the deep feeling, stunning detail, and rich characters that made Druids a masterwork, The Greener Shore is a superb saga of an amazing world and its wondrous ways—a much-awaited novel that will delight all the devotees of this admired author.

About the Author :
Morgan Llywelyn is the New York Times bestselling author of Lion of Ireland and many other novels chronicling the Celts and Ireland, from the earliest times to the present day. She has won numerous literary awards, was named Exceptional Celtic Woman of the Year, is a founding member of the Irish Writers Centre, and is past chairman of the Irish Writers’ Union. Her critically acclaimed novels of both history and mythology have been translated into many languages. She is an Irish citizen and lives in Dublin.

Review :
“The Greener Shore may well be Morgan Llywelyn’s masterpiece. A shimmering tale of ancient Ireland and the coming to its shores of a small band of Gallic Celts fleeing Caesar’s destruction of Gaul, it is a seamless blend of history, myth, fantasy, and imagination. One almost believes that Ms. Llywelyn was there at the time, a druid woman who was part of that peaceful immigration. Welsh in origin, American by birth and early life, and Irish by adoption, she is surely one of the great Celtic storytellers of her time.”—Andrew M. Greeley “A tale full of adventure and excitement; of magic, romance, and spiritual longing–a quest for identity. It is a brilliant sequel to the acclaimed novel Druids. Brilliant? There is no other adjective for the much admired work of Morgan Llywelyn.”—Peter Tremayne, author of the Sister Fidelma series Acclaim for Druids “A masterpiece . . . From page one, the fires of your imagination will burn with a white heat. . . . Beware the druids! Unless you have twenty-four hours of nonstop reading time, don’t touch it!”—Tulsa World “Splendid and compelling.”—Anne McCaffrey “Llywelyn imaginatively and vividly portrays the druid rituals and their close ties to nature, and authentically depicts daily life among the Celts as well.”—Publishers Weekly