A cover blurb says, "Carlos Castaneda meets J.R.R. Tolkien". That pretty much sums it up. Lots of weird head-tripping with a very thin overlay of Anglo-Saxon culture. There are pages and pages of references provided at the end. But most of it all dates from the 1960s and earlier, with a handful with dates in the 70s and early 80s, when the book was published. My feeling is that if Bates truly had real evidence for the "wizarding" initiation the book describes, he could/would have pointed to it directly rather than attempt "credibility by numbers". ( )

Bates's short novel is a thoroughly historically rooted fantasy about a Christian Monk who relocated tot h British Isles to convert the pagan populace but is instead converted himself. The book is a soothing balm to the modern pagan soul and would be of great interest to the fan of historical fiction wanted desperately to break out from 1 family of Tudors and WWII drama. The historiography is sound, the writing is lush,t he characters are likable, the world of pagan Britain feels alien, strange, familiar, and lush. ( )

Anglo Saxon shamanism in unlikely fiction

The Way of Wyrd is Bates attempt to turn an eye on what life would have been like for someone approaching an Anglo-Saxon community before the conversion to Christianity. Brand is a monk who has been charged to perform a mission to convert a Heathen kingdom to monotheism. Upon landing on the shores, Brand has an unusual experience, and then meets the unpredictable shaman Wulf who becomes his guide. Through the journey our monk learns the ways of this man on the outside of the community who is neck deep in his path. Brand holds to his faith, scoffing at the tales Wulf tells him, but as their travels continue events transpire to show Brand that perhaps there is more in heaven and earth than what monastery life has taught him. A major spiritual crisis tests his faith and may even take his life.

For the story itself I give around 4.5 stars, but for the writing of it I would give 3 stars. Bates is a good technical writer, but felt he did not capture the narrative as a fiction writer would have. Still, I highly recommend this title to anyone interested in a peek into northern cosmology. ( )

It's been a while since I read this, but it is a very good story, I believe, about the questions one must ask when confronted with beliefs contrary to one's own that are more credible than what one "knows" to be true. If you like this book, you must check out the album it influenced by the band Sabbat and the album "Dreamweaver: Reflections of our yesterdays." At least check out the lyrics at http://lyrics.rockmagic.net/lyrics/sabbat/dreamweaver_reflection_of_our_yesterda... The album actually inspired me to read the book. ( )