An outstanding contribution to the genre. Robert Holdstock's writing is most similar to the work of a cult fantasist like [a:Ursula Le guin|8094097|Ursula Le guin|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], whose material is similarly rooted in Celtic mythology, but I could never quite get into her stories - there was always a layer that eluded me. With Robert Holdstock, the opposite is true. His work is lively, invigorating, and yet immersed in mystery and obscurity. A better analogy than Ursula Le Guin might be found in a comparison to the book [b:Thursbitch|925775|Thursbitch|Alan Garner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320484654s/925775.jpg|910780], which similarly tells of places that exist outside time and space, but stay preserved, constantly experiencing one particular historical period.

In any case, I found this book remarkably worthwhile. It does take a little time to get going, but after the first 100 pages or so, things start happening with increasing urgency, and the inevitable crushing conclusion starts to be hinted at. So, if you want a quick read, a good page-turner, try something less esoteric, but if a good story is what you're looking for, one that will stay with you well after you've reached the last page and finished reading, then [b:Mythago Wood|126192|Mythago Wood (Mythago Wood, #1)|Robert Holdstock|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1308639607s/126192.jpg|121534] is the one to choose.