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The Weirdstone of Brisingamen Paperback – October 17, 2017

by Alan Garner (Author)

4.4 1,510 ratings

Book 1 of 2: The Weirdstone trilogy

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From the author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted Treacle Walker and the Carnegie Medal and Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize-winning classic, The Owl Service

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time.

“Alan Garner’s fiction is something special.” – Neil Gaiman

When Colin and Susan are pursued by eerie creatures across Alderley Edge, they are saved by the Wizard. He takes them into the caves of Fundindelve, where he watches over the enchanted sleep of one hundred and forty knights.

But the heart of the magic that binds them – Firefrost, also known as the Weirdstone of Brisingamen – has been lost. The Wizard has been searching for the stone for more than 100 years, but the forces of evil are closing in, determined to possess and destroy its special power.

Colin and Susan realise at last that they are the key to the Weirdstone’s return. But how can two children defeat the Morrigan and her deadly brood?

Editorial Reviews

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“Alan Garner’s fiction is something special. Garner’s fantasies were smart and challenging, based in the here and the now, in which real English places emerged from the shadows of folklore, and in which people found themselves walking, living and battling their way through the dreams and patterns of myth.”― Neil Gaiman

“The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is one of the most important books in children’s fantasy. It has been an enormous inspiration to me and countless other writers, and is as enjoyable and fascinating now as it was when I first read it, wide-eyed and mesmerized, at the age of ten.”― Garth Nix

“Alan Garner is indisputably the great originator, the most important British writer of fantasy since Tolkien, and in many respects better than Tolkien, because deeper and more truthful. His work is where human emotion and mythic resonance, sexuality and geology, modernity and memory and craftsmanship meet and cross-fertilise. Any country except Britain would have long ago recognised his importance, and celebrated it with postage stamps and statues and street names. But that’s the way with us: our greatest prophets go unnoticed by the politicians and the owners of media empires. I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration.” ― Philip Pullman

About the Author

Alan Garner was born and still lives in Cheshire, an area which has had a profound effect on his writing and provided the seed of many ideas worked out in his books.

His fourth book, ‘The Owl Service’ brought Alan Garner to everyone’s attention. It won two important literary prizes – The Guardian Award and the Carnegie Medal – and was made into a serial by Granada Television. It has established itself as a classic and Alan Garner as a writer of great distinction.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks; Reissue edition (October 17, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008248494
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008248499
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.9 x 5.1 x 7.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,387,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,955 in Children's Classics
- #8,738 in Children's Mystery, Detective, & Spy
- #19,426 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books

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4.4 1,510 ratings

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Dustin Prisley

A Classic Done Right

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2023

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A beautiful edition of a sublime novel!

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ealovitt

A mixture of Arthurian & Scandinavian folklore

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2002

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In "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen," award-winning Cheshire writer Alan Garner retells the ancient legend of the cave of the sleeping king as a Young Adult fantasy. His story treads very lightly on the mantle of "Lord of the Rings," and a bit more heavily on Arthurian legend, but draws mainly from local folklore and Scandinavian mythology.
Except for school, a brief stint at Magdalen College, Oxford, and service in the Army, Mr. Garner has lived in Cheshire near Alderly Edge, as did generations of his family. He knows the `Weirdstone' terrain as well as its folklore, and he writes about what he knows: the cliffs and meres of Alderley Edge; and the maze of mines and tunnels that underlies Cheshire.
`Weirdstone' doesn't follow the path of a true Arthurian romance, except for the Cave Legend, and the brief appearance of Angharad Goldenhand who might or might not be the Lady of the Lake.

(The story of a king and his followers sleeping in a secret cave predates Arthur, but became attached to him as the `once and future king,' who will wake to serve his country again in time of great peril.)
There is also the wizard who guards the Cave. In this story, his name is Cadellin, and a few centuries past he misplaced the Weirdstone of Brisingamen while bargaining for a milk-white mare.
This story really begins when two children, Colin and Susan get off the train at Alderley Station. They are going to stay on the Mossock farm while their parents travel abroad, as Mrs. Mossock was their mother's former nurse. Susan happens to be wearing a bracelet set with an unusual stone, and we gradually learn the history of the stone, which has been passed down from mother to daughter of a local Chesire family, and finally to Susan. As family legend has it, a wizard traded the stone for a milk-white mare.

Very soon Colin and Susan discover the truth of the family legend, when they are rescued from a band of goblins (svart-alfar) by the wizard, Cadellin, and are taken to the cave where a King sleeps, along with a hundred knights clad in silver and mounted on milk-white steeds.

Cadellin doesn't realize why Colin and Susan were being hunted by the servants of Nastrond, the evil spirit of Ragnarok. Only after Susan's bracelet is stolen by a skeletal creature of the mist, does Cadellin understand that she possessed his magical Weirdstone.
Colin and Susan's quest to return the stone to Cadellin leads them on a desperate chase through the mines beneath Cheshire, and into a countryside transformed by a fierce and unseasonable fimbulwinter (the immediate prelude to the end of the world---Ragnarok.)

This is not a good story for the claustrophobic (I almost lost it when the kids were stuck down in the mine)or for those who don't like things that go bump in the night. There are monsters galore; almost too many to keep track of. There are powerful wizards, both good and evil.
And then, there is Ragnarok.
However, this is a good read for those who are not easily frightened (or who love a good fright), and who have at least some knowledge of Arthurian legends and Scandinavian folklore.

23 people found this helpful

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Ohioguy

Weirdstone of Brisingham is a must read for fans of LOTR

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2015

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Whereas LOTR is an Epic scale work, Weirdstone is a much more focused, immediate tale. Yet it has an irrepressible charm. Alan Garner does an exceptional job of blending the fantastical events of Arthurian and Norse mythology against the backdrop of rural Cheshire, England of the 1970's. Building "nail-biting, on the edge of your chair" suspense in the process.

To this day, I still recall the worst trial of the mind imaginable, crawling through the mines of Alderley.

His characters both good and evil are beautifully drawn and the dialogue is excellent. And like Tolkien, he has a real linguistic skill in crafting appropriate names. Who can forget the evil Svarts and the Mara. Or the noble Lios Alfar.

For any fan of LOTR, Weirdstone is a must read. I also think it would make for a tremendous movie ... if done properly.

9 people found this helpful

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Katie

A Real Page Turner!

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2006

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"The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" is a great tale for older children and adults alike. It's filled with awesome fantasy - wizards, witches, warlocks, and more - and the old-English language, coupled with other vivid details, allow your imagination to take you along for the ride...

The gist of the story is this... two children named Colin & Susan arrive at Alderley to be looked after by family friends (the Mossocks). While there, strange things begin happening - and at the root of these strange happenings is a family heirloom, and the ultimate "fight" between good and evil to obtain this heirloom and the power it holds.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy-type books. It's a fun, imaginative book, where the pages seem to turn themselves.

4 people found this helpful

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Lucy R.

This is a Fantasy for Children

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2020

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I am an adult, but occasionally I deviate from my usual to experience other genres and authors unfamiliar to me. I found this book to be simple and straight forward which is appropriate for children. It enforced family loyalty and respect for the elders while weaving in magic, mystery and suspense appropriate to keep a child’s interest. My three-star rate was because the adult in me grew very bored by the endless route toward the ending. I felt like perhaps 20 pages could easily have been deleted and nothing lost. However, you should consider that children might see it in a totally different light. Certainly, children should read broad genres and for fantasy, this is a good one.

2 people found this helpful

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Honora McDonald

One of the best fantasy works of the last century

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2015

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One of the best fantasy works of the last century, without question. Alan Garner is a master on a level only slightly lower than Tolkien and Lewis. This is a charming yet powerful story set in Cheshire, in a mystical place called Alderley Edge, concerning a brother and sister who accidentally, and literally, stumble into Faerie. Beautifully written, weaving together elements of Celtic, Nordic and Saxon mythologies, "Weirdstone" is a perfect book for reading on a cold, rainy night in the accompaniment of hot cocoa and a warm blankie. The highest recommendation.

6 people found this helpful

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Bethel999

Sweet Little Gem

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2018

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I am an adult; an avid reader, especially of classics and 'moral' tales. I really enjoy YA fiction. This little gem is a little slow getting started, but I enjoyed the tale. The characters are likable & the story believable within the context of fantasy. I look forward to checking out the sequels.

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Eclectic Galaxie

The Best Book I Ever Read as a Kid

Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2015

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My all time favorite book from my childhood. I read it multiple times in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, again as an adult, and then again recently as an audio book that is brilliantly read and unabridged. Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter in an easy-reading book written for kids but just as great of a story for adults. I'd love to see it made into a movie.

2 people found this helpful

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Rod

As good as I remember

Reviewed in Canada on January 7, 2021

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I read this book when I was a child and loved it. I had forgotten the name of the book as an adult and finally was able to successfully Google it. So 36 years later I am reading it again and enjoying every page. I will be reading this to my 7 year old son after I've finished it for myself.

Tomo

すぐに届きました。

Reviewed in Japan on November 12, 2020

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キレイな状態ですぐに届きました。
ありがとうございました。

One person found this helpful

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Victor

The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen: Alan Garner, unabridged reading by Philip Madoc – Classic tale

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2014

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First published in 1960, this is the first novel from the pen of Alan Garner. 55 years on it still stands up as a masterpiece.

It’s nearly thirty years since I first read the book. I am sad to say that until recently I have been unable to read it again, for reasons that I will mention later. The book made a huge impression on my 8 yr old self, and decades later whilst re-reading it I find that despite the gulf of years I could clearly remember the story line, characters and many of the events in the book. There are not many books from my childhood that have made that kind of impression.

Garner has woven a rich tale, and tells the adventures of two children who become involved in the magical world around them and the quest of the wizard Cadellin to return the Weirdstone of Brisingamen to its rightful place in Fundindelve and to keep it from the evil Nastrond and the Morthbrood.

The tale starts off as a normal everyday tale and Garner cleverly and subtly uses folklore to introduce magical elements, hinting at otherworldliness until one particular scene where the children suddenly realise uncontrovertibly that there is a lot more to the world than that which they know. Often compared to Tolkien, Garner takes inspiration (and indeed, many words) from the same sources that inspired Tolkien as they both share a deep interest in folklore. But whereas Tolkien invented a whole new world for his adventures, Garner roots his firmly in the here and now, weaving a tapestry from the myth and legend of the land with hanging it on the wall of real life. It feels a lot less fantastical and more naturalistic that Tolkein’s work, almost a continuation of ancient myths and an exploration of how they would appear if the old characters and creatures were to suddenly appear in today’s world. There is also a sense of two worlds running alongside each other, the everyday and the magical. At least once the question is asked – which is the real world and which is the dream world? This questioning of reality is something else that I remember strongly from my first reading of the book.

Garner has a good story to tell, with many fascinating concepts, but what makes it really special is his writing style. He has a knack of describing places, people and adventure so clearly that you are instantly caught up in it. And it is his descriptive power that prevented me from reading the book again for so many years. There is a section in which the children and two dwarves must travel through a narrow tunnel, his descriptions of the journey in the dark squeezing through small cracks in the rock with the weight of the earth seeming to press down upon them touched a nerve, awakened a nascent claustrophobia within me and gave me nightmares for a week afterwards. It still inspires real fear in me when I re-read it today. It is extremely well written.

Though the two protagonists are children, I read it first as a child and it is often sold as a children’s book, I would not describe it as such. It is a book for all ages, children will enjoy the adventure, adults may find more in the weaving of folklore and the questioning of reality (and enjoy the adventure!) There is something here for everyone. 5 stars for the book.

This version is an unabridged reading by the late, great Philip Madoc. His rich tones do the tale full justice, racking up the dread and tension or bringing forth the excitement as necessary. I could listen to it all day (and indeed, I did!) There are short bits of music between chapters but no other sound effects. Liner notes are excellent, NAXOS do really well at this. There is a full list of chapter points, an essay from Garner about the genesis of the book and a short bio of Madoc. It’s on 5 discs and clocks in at 6 hours 20 minutes. The discs come in a cunning fold out double jewel case. It’s a great production of a great book, 5 stars.

19 people found this helpful

Veilleur

Lutins et monstres, souterrains et montagnes

Reviewed in France on August 30, 2011

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Depuis 1960, ce livre enchante les enfants, petits et plus grands, voire très grands, par sa capacité à les entraîner dans un monde d'aventures peuplé des êtres de l'heroïc fantasy, et ceci bien avant que l'on connaisse l'engouement pour ce style, particulièrement avec Tolkien. Alan Garner connaît les ressorts du romanesque et nous emmène, avec Colin et Susan dans une quête où la détention d'une pierre engage la sauvegarde ou la destruction du monde. Roman d'action plus que de réflexion, Alan Garner nous fait suivre deux enfants, Susan et Colin dans cette aventure classique où les rebondissements ne manquent pas. Le monde de l'auteur n'est pas dans le pur "heroic fantasy", éloigné des contingences terrestres de ce monde. La littérature anglaise de ce genre nous a habitué à mêler intimement le fantastique au monde réel. On l'a vu dans les chroniques de Narnia , dans Les Chroniques de Spiderwick , dans Harry Potter . Même l'antique Alice au pays des merveilles venait d'un monde réel bien que le conte se déroule en grande partie dans le monde du rêve. Avec "Weirdstone", le fantastique jaillit continuellement sous les pieds des enfants, leur apprenant à se méfier des éléments inconnus, apprenant à affronter leurs peurs. Et il y a de quoi en avoir dans ce livre, particulièrement dans la section centrale lorsqu'ils doivent affronter le labyrinthe des mines. L'action est menée tambour battant même si je trouve que la fin tombe particulièrement abruptement. J'aurais aimé avoir un épilogue un peu développé.

Ce roman est introuvable en langue française et c'est bien dommage. En tant que lecteur francophone, j'ai trouvé que l'anglais utilisé n'était pas si simple que cela pour un ouvrage destiné à la jeunesse. Les adjectifs qualificatifs nombreux m'ont fait recourir assez souvent au dictionnaire et certains dialogues en anglais mâtiné de gaélique m'ont déconcertés au début. Cela étant, ce livre fait partie des classiques de la littérature jeunesse dans les pays anglo-saxons et se doit d'être connu.

3 people found this helpful

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Al Maha

Well Worth A Read Or Re-Read - Buy It For Your Grandchildren

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2016

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It is not the 'greatest fantasy novel ever written' as suggested. But it is a fine piece of writing with good description and narrative, and engaging characters. I first read it as a young teenager and over the years wondered what happened to the author who seemed to fade from early promise. From a reader's perspective a long chain of follow-up novels would have been something to look forward to, but there is no such chain. This book is supposedly part of a trilogy (all three books are 'free-standing' and do not require any knowledge of the others in the series to be read enjoyably). In truth, the series is not really a trilogy due to the disconnect in time and theme between the first two books and the last one.
The novel has no Potter-style pyrotechnics: the magic is restrained, ancient and deep. The writing is closely focused on the narrative - although the lead characters are teenagers of the Sixties/Fifties there is no dramatic teenage 'angst', no simmering of repressed passions, no summer of love, few references to the period, no digressions from the thrust of the story. If you did not know when the book was published then you could have guessed at the 1950's or 1940's or 1930's. In fact it was published in the early 1960's.
If Tolkien and CS Lewis are the Oxbridge of English/Irish magic fantasy story-writing, and JKR is the community college version, then Alan Garner is the thin 'redbrick' layer between these two veins of magic writing. And there is much to like in his writing, stripped and plain, nothing too exotic; like his setting of Alderley Edge - Middle England with its feet up having a quiet flight of the imagination with a nice cuppa at hand while the wind rattles the windows and beats the chimneys. It goes without saying that nothing will get truly out of control, and that the mythic underground army of knights will not need reawakening.
It is great that this novel is still being read, but hopefully more by school children who can learn much about writing style from reading it, rather than old nostalgics. When I read it first as an early teen it charmed me. I should stress that, because, looking back after 50 years, one's comments are inevitably infected by all that has transpired since. This story was written by a young man for young folks. And it still works well.

3 people found this helpful

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The Weirdstone of Brisingamen Paperback – October 17, 2017

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