For Aífe, the beautiful, adopted daughter of Drui healer Ethne and her warrior partner Ruadh, life revolves around the sacred beauty and ancient mystery of the Old Ways. Surrounded by lush, green trees and frolicsome wildlife, the Forest School has been the heart of her Druidic education-and her beloved home. But to become a healer and priestess, she must leave behind all that she loves and journey to the Druid Isle . . .Handsome and spirited, Lucius is resolved to seek adventure outside of the Christian monastery where he was raised. Following a daring escape one night, Lucius arrives at a Pagan Gaulish village and discovers their gentle way of life. But a political firestorm is brewing, and Lucius is caught in the middle as the church and the Romans attempt to destroy everything the Druids hold dear. In his desperation to escape ruthless enemies and untold dangers, Lucius finds himself on the Druid Isle, where he will face the biggest decision of his life. Set on a third-century island off the coast of Scotland, this instructional Celtic tale delves deeply into the spiritual mysteries of the Druids, offering glimpses of Druidic daily life, herbal lore, and ancient rituals, along with a fascinating look at the Romans, Gauls, and Britons. Includes a Celtic/Druidic glossary. Much of the beauty of this book is in Hopman's descriptionof the Druid rituals and liturgies as the wheel of light turns from Samhain,through Brighid's day of Imbolc, to Bealtaine and then to Lughnasadh beforeagain celebrating the return of Samhain. Also, the frequented Celtic sacredsites such as the hill of stone, and the places of the sacred fires, bring alivethe ways of the Celts and their Druids of the time. Her use of ancient Irishwords and their correct pronunciation added to the life of the book,pronunciation that I practiced while reading them. Such descriptions and thepersonal life and practices of Ellen Evert Hopman show that the Druid ways cansurvive after about 1700 years, the hope and prediction of the Priestess Ethne.This rekindling of the ways of the ancient people of the Earth provides us withcontinued and deep hope for the future. Nicholas E. Brink, PhD, author of Ecstatic Soul Retrieval,Power of Ecstatic Trance, Baldr's Magic, and other volumes. While Hopman's research and careful descriptions of Druidrituals, beliefs and philosophy will be invaluable to those seeking the Druidpath, she has succeeded in writing alive, compelling novels that will keep anyreader turning page after page, far into the night. Patricia Lee Lewis, Founder of Patchwork Farm Writing &Yoga Retreats and author of the award-winning book of poems A Kind of Yellow This daring sequel follows two intersecting stories of ayoung monk and a Druidess, one seeking to know his hidden origins, the otherseeking to save her ancestral ways. Their journeys during the tumultuoushistorical setting of a third-century Gaul, Britain and Ireland will provideyou with a series of wisdom lessons and insight into the clash of twoworldviews. The Druid Isle is a must-have for any serious Druidic library. Michael Scharding, archivist of the Reformed Druids of NorthAmerica and publisher of The Druid Inquirer Ellen has done it again with a wonderful sequel. The bookgrabs you right from the start... One of the best features is the small bits ofold lore from the Druids scattered throughout. I would definitely recommendthis book for anyone's library! Rev. Skip Ellison, Archdruid of Ár nDraiocht Féin (ADF) andauthor of Ogham: The Secret Language of the Druids and The Solitary Druid: APractitioner's Guide