Those Old Gods by Mihangel

[Chris James]

Another good dose of history from Mihangel and a delightful tale. By melding the old world and the new, his modern characters explore love's ancient past and find their own.

As with much of ancient history it is difficult to know what is fact and what is fiction. This is evident in Those Old Gods, and yet we want it all to be true, if only for the sake of two delightful boys. Mihangel's concerns aside, the presentation of the archeology methods were quite stunning and believable.

What remains of Roman ruins in the British Isles must be a fascination for those who delve into them. It's hard to imagine a foreign culture such as ancient Rome having a greater influence anywhere else, and completely ironic that the later Christian Roman period did much to wipe away those early traces.

My thanks to Mihangel for such an embraceable love story. Bravo.

So go read: http://www.awesomedude.com/mihangel/gods/index.htm

[Bruin Fisher]

Set in my local stamping grounds I read this with considerable interest and was not disappointed. And a heart-warming tale too. Splendid.

We have some lovely place names - Chew Magna, Nempnett Thrubwell, Ubley, Chipping Sodbury - they're all real places.

[Gee Whillickers]

An excellent story. I first read it on iomfats, and then re-read it once it appeared here. Just as good the second time around.

[Lugnutz]

Amazing what you can find on a dig. Aces to you.

[Huw Jones]

Re-read this story and loved it again. I've decided I've not got the patience to be an archaeologist but if I could guarantee as much excitement on a dig, I'm off to buy wellies, a trowel and a paintbrush.

Mihangel's trademark attention to detail, woven into a lovely romance.

[J.J.Janicki]

I realize I'm getting into this way late..

I sure do wish I'd happened across something like this when I was in my teens. It's still unlikely that I would have been giving an oral book report on it, but...

Well, at least I would felt a lot better inside. It is that good.

[Anthony]

I agree with you all. I was delighted to see it arrive at awesomedude and I read it again and I really enjoyed it as much as I had before.

Anthony

[Cole Parker]

Great to see you here again, Anthony (with a silent h).

C

[DesDownunder]

Spurred on by my recent reading of Mihangel's The Middle Way, I decided to read Those Old Gods, and was rewarded with another tale of romance and history.

It is a measure of tolerance and acceptance of the value of myth, in our modern lives, that we can look upon the old gods as still being a meaningful metaphor for psychological cognisance of spiritual and romantic realities.

I agree with all the positive comments above, and thank you Mihangel for a wonderful story.

[Rutabaga]

Another worthy Pick from the Past. I didn't recognize the story at first, but by the third or fourth chapter I realized that I had indeed read it before.

We could all use some Mapotus in our lives!

R

[Lugnutz]

x2. After a few chapters, I knew I read this before.

[Cole Parker]

Any and everything by Mihangel is worth rereading several times.

C

[Merkin]

I loved this story when I first read it and I've reread it every year since. When it first came out (2007?) I dedicated this poem to Mihangel:

Upon Reading Mihangel's Those Old Gods

The old god saw our hearts' desire:
our love, or lust, or art, or dire
deeds done; all known. We had his nod
when we believed, and showed the god
our noble aim. Our only thought,
the honesty of love. We sought
to venerate, and hoped to gain
his approval and acclaim.

But we forgot. An aeon's toll has taken
our knowledge of his ways. We live forsaken.

We are no more protected: we've left
our heritage, and thus bereft
we may no longer call for aid--
until such time as can be paid
an offering where love abounds,
and two united should be found
whose lips and hearts resound above
the name Maponus, god of love.

The sacrifice, though scant, is quite sublime.
Required, but a splash of lovers' wine.

[ChrisR]

What a wonderful piece of ... fiction? Who can really explain the power of the gods and Gods of our beliefs, and even moreso those of the peoples who have gone before? A wondrous story which must first cast off a dark cloak to offer hope, and does so brilliantly.

[Mihangel]

Thanks again, guys, for the kind words. Whether golden or not, this is an oldie indeed – 2003, to be precise. And Chris is right: there are mysteries which I’m happy to leave as mysteries. As Hamlet put it, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”