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Lore of the Saelvatici cover art

Lore of the Saelvatici

By: Steven C. Davis, Wulfenstæg
Narrated by: Joanna Swan
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Summary

It is a time of old gods, of new beliefs and new restrictions on living. Sherewode stretches nearly from coast to coast, from the Humber in the North, to Buckingham in the South; from Willenhall in the West to Crowland, East of Ermine Street, with tendrils running all the way to Kernow, Scotland, and Wales. Everywhere Saxons and the old Ænglish are being crushed under the cruel bootheel of the Normans. Thousands of years of history is being stolen, plundered, sold off. Justice and belief are under attack, being rewritten by the Normans—belief in the Christ of the East is in ascendancy while everywhere belief in the Forest gods such as Cernunnos is failing, being discredited, being outlawed. And when Cernunnos himself is slaughtered by Norse gods, the people of Sherewode find themselves all alone.

But not all hope is lost. Sherewode is a dangerous place, an Old forest, full of memories, full of the echoes of gods and spirits. It is the refuge of vagabonds and outlaws, cutthroats and Norsemen, Anglo Saxon outcasts and the old Ænglish. It is a place of malice and mystery, a place of hope and vengeance.

And something is stirring in the depths of Sherewode. The Sælvatici are rising and with them comes up a ragged band of heroes.

For hundreds of years the accounts contained herein have been hidden, buried in a house in Rievaulx, Yorkshire. Now they have finally come to light and, with them, the questions arise. Is Hurnungaz the one we think of as Robin Hood? Were the Sælvatici freedom fighters or terrorists, were they Robin Hood’s men or an entirely different cult or sect? Just how vast was what we now call Sherwood? Was it truly the lair of the old Ænglish, Anglo Saxon outcasts, Pagans, heretics, cutthroats, vagabonds, Norsemen, and wolfs’ heads?

These lost tales paint a vivid picture of times in the Dark Ages—but are the Sælvatici truly gone, or do they still walk amongst us?

From the dark the Hooded may rise—but who—or what—is Caerne?

©2021 Steven C. Davis (P)2021 Steven C. Davis

What listeners say about Lore of the Saelvatici

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Evocative, eerie and haunting pagan tales

This is a story, or set of interwoven stories that weaves through history. The narrative, which often becomes poetry, chant, or spell, tells of the uncanny, retells things we half understand or know, and isn’t afraid to delve deeper than we’re often comfortable with.

What makes this such an evocative piece is the power of the narration. Swan’s voice is with you throughout, blending a incredible range of voices, but often becoming more than just a narrator, or storyteller, but the very voice of the land, the gods inhabited the tales.

This is something that will stay with you, haunting you long after you’ve finished listening.

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Engaging and novel

I really enjoyed the concept and the writing style.

The performance is excellent. lots of vocal variety but always engaging and stylistically appropriate.

I also enjoyed the subtle music and sound effects.

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A wonderful collection of pagan stories

A sometimes scary, always fascinating collection of stories, Beautifully read, perfect for the spooky season.

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Passionately narrated, fascinating material.

As someone who failed to finish The Prince (Machiavelli) and struggled with Dante's Inferno, old language tales have been difficult for me. This however has won me over.

Joanna's narration pulls you in as she clearly understands and enjoys the material, passing on her enthusiasm for it in her storytelling.

It brings a whole new appreciation for old Pagan tales and I would recommend it for anyone who is fond of campfire tales and magic.

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Life, Death and the Forest

An inventive and lyrical collection of fragmentary 'found' tales from post-Norman Britain: dark, sexual and mystical.
Beautifully narrated by Joanna Swan, with Sherwood and the Hooded, Stag and Wolf, Cernunnos and Caerne weaving in and out of the tangled stories.

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Unexpectedly captivating

I went into this audiobook a little blind, with no knowledge of Pagan, Anglo Saxon or Norse mythology, but I was captivated. This is well beyond my usual reading material, which left me all the more compelled as it gripped me.

This is a collection of tales with the common thread of mythology tieing them together - Hurnungaz. And the question is he the legend on which Robin Hood was built? With ancient gods, a dark forest, great oaks and mighty stags, the book delves into old Ænglish mythology in the depths of Sherewode (Sherwood).

There is no doubt that this audio production is skillfully done, with the narrator, Joanna Swan, literally pulling you into the stories with incredible performance skills. With the addition of apt music and sound effects, the experience is akin to an audio drama.

It is highly recommended for those interested in old Ænglish and pagan mythology, and history. Or those you fancy something entirely different to carry them off for a while. Brilliant!

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Engaging stories told by a captivating narrator

As someone who has never taken an interest in Pagan, Norse, or woodland folklore, I was concerned that this would be littered with references that I didn't understand. I needn't have worried. The tales skilfully create a vivid picture of life in the Dark Ages, without requiring prior knowledge. Although they are all interlinking tales, they each stand up indepedently as great pieces of storytelling, so you can dip in and out at will. I don't know if the book was written as a performative piece, but once you've heard Joanna Swan's superb narration, it's obvious why these stories lend themselves to an audio-drama format. Joanna offers a sense of authority, instills the tales with deep emotion when required, and just generally heightens the sense of drama throughout. She was hugely captivating with her range of accents/voices, keeping me hooked on stories that I couldn't have imagined myself listening to beforehand. Having come across it in this format however, I am definitely keen to hear more.
Ray Tempesta

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