Tuesday 24 May 2016

Myth, Legend And History In Fiction

How many mythical, legendary or historical figures are woven into the fabric of Poul and Karen Anderson's The King Of Ys?

Julius Caesar visited Ys although he did not mention it.

Augustus' engineers built the Ysan sea wall and public buildings in the Forum.

Magnus Maximus, Western Roman Emperor, sent the future King Grallon to Ys.

St Martin helped Grallon and counselled his cousin, the future St Patrick.

St Corentin became chaplain to Ys.

The Morrigu and Mithras appeared in battles outside the city.

Grallon sends a messenger to the dictator Stilicho.

The Sea God, Lir, Son of Chaos, remains off-stage but destroys the city.

Niall of the Nine Hostages is the human agent of the destruction of Ys.

Grallon's daughter, Dahut, unwittingly helps Niall, then haunts the sea above the sunken city.

The Andersons masterfully combine these elements into a single narrative.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I agree! THE KING OF YS is a novel EPIC in scope and fully worthy of being placed alongside THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Here I had in mind John Wright's comments about epics, science fiction, and "mainstream" literature.

Sean