Subject: Review: "A Machynlleth Triad" by Jan Morris and Twm Morys

From: [email-masked] (p-m agapow)
Date: 15 Apr 1997 13:56:54 GMT

"A Machynlleth Triad" by Jan Morris and Twm Morys
		A Postview, copyright 1997 p-m agapow

Three snapshots of a Welsh crossroads town: the early 15th century and an
abortive attempt at freeing Wales from English authority; the present
where Welsh and English culture uneasily coexist; the 21st century where
Machynlleth is the capital of a vibrant Welsh Republic.

"A Machynlleth Triad" is certainly different.  Although there has recently
been an upsurge in using England and Scotland as settings for SF/F, Wales
and, pseudo-blarney and Celtic mysticism asides, Ireland have been almost
totally neglected.  Further, the triad of stories is recounted in both
English and Welsh versions.  Which I guess means that the use of the
letters 'y', 'g' and 'w' is about average across the length of the book.

The past and present sections of the triad are written in a quite
evocative style with an eye for details: the weekly market that 700 years
later is still running, the marker stone lost in the heart of a housing
estate, the rebel Owain storming around Machynlleth with his entourage as
he attempts to build a Welsh state, the houses of power and influence in
the 15th century that are tourist attractions by the 20th.  It is odd that
these two mesh so well when one is a historical fantasy and the other
essentially reportage.

The future snapshot fares less well.  It is understandable that the
authors steered clear of depicting overt technological change.  That's a
hard and unpredictable bet to make and their interest is mainly in social
change.  The credibility of this social change is however swamped by their
amour for Welsh identity.  The Welsh army, the Welsh medical system, the
Welsh literary scene are renown throughout the world.  The minimalist
Welsh government and judicial systems (both charming ideas, charmingly
depicted) work excellently.  Each element by itself is believable, but in
combination raises scepticism.  Maybe the authors are not trying to
forecast so much as provoke the changes.  Perhaps, given the neglect
mentioned above, Wales needs a book like this.

Outrageously priced for what you get -- remember the same story appears
twice -- the book is appearing widely on remainder tables.  Although the
future section is disappointing, I recommend the book for its other two
sections as a good depiction of a strange world.  [***/interesting] and
"parod sineiaidd" on the Sid and Nancy scale.

%A Jan Morris and Twm Morys
%B A Machynlleth Triad
%I Viking
%C London
%D 1994
%G ISBN 0-670-85479-4
%P 182pp
%O hardback, Aus$19.95

paul-michael agapow ([email-masked]), La Trobe Uni, Infocalypse
"There is no adventure, there is no romance, there is only trouble and desire."
[archived at http://www.cs.latrobe.edu.au/~agapow/Postviews/]