Medieval Realms: An Eclectic Collection

By C.J.S. Hayward

A QUOTE: You look out of the eternity; your eyes are now open because you have eternity in your heart and your heart in eternity. In the distance, you see dolphins; one of them turns to you, and begins to swim. The others are not far off.It lets you pet its nose, and nestles against you. You grab onto its dorsal fin, and go speeding off together. The water rushes by at an exhilarating speed; the dolphin jumps out of the water, so that you see waves and sky for a brief moment before splashing through the surface.The dolphins chase each other, and swim hither and thither, in and out from the shore. After they all seem exhausted, they swim more slowly, until at last you come to a lagoon.In the center, you see a large mass; swimming closer, you see that it is a sunken ship. You find an opening; inside, all is dark, but you find a passageway.After some turns, you come up in a different place. You come up through a fountain in a public garden; the bushes and ivy are a deep, rich shade of green, and sheets of water cascade down the yellowed marble of the fountain. It is ornately and intricately sculpted, with bas-relief scenes of a voyage.WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT: On television, a medieval fantasy shows Robin Hood's crew enter an enchanted mansion. The heroine sees a magical apparition in a magic mirror, and reassures herself, saying to herself, "I am... having... a biochemical reaction "Knowing, or not knowing, the Middle Ages makes a tremendous difference in writing medieval fantasy. It is not simply talent, but knowledge of the Middle Ages makes a great deal of difference in writing medieval fantasy literature. To someone who does know something of medieval culture, it is a sapping experience to read fantasy or fairy tales about twentieth century Americans dressed up awkwardly in armor.The author has spent a great deal of time studying medieval literature and culture; he has read medieval versions of the Arthurian legends, and theological classics from the High Middle Ages.These works are not perfect. But they are the works of someone who tried hard to understand the Middle Ages.Table of ContentsPrefaceThe Sign of the GrailA Picture of EvilThe SpectaclesA Dream of LightFirestorm 2034The Steel O

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 179026202X
• ISBN13: 9781790262021
• Release Date: November 2018
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 426 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"