Official Knitter's Book Swap...package arrived...

...ages ago, sorry! Thank you so much to Gabrielle who sent me "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" by Alan Garner...
...as well as a veritable stash of yarny goodness (Debbie Bliss Pure Silk - 2 skeins no less, and some Louise Harding Sari Ribbon) along with a challenge to use said yarn, and some lovely sparkly yummy beads also included, to create a knitted item inspired by the book. Looking forward to getting started on the book tonight (as little Boo is being very good and sleeping soundly for the moment, despite a yucky cold, thank you Olbas Oil!) and will see what sort of creation comes to mind...

Synopsis

The heart of the magic was sealed with Firefrost, the Weirdstone of Brisingamen...should Nastrond destroy the stone, then the magic will die away. When Colin and Susan are pursued by eerie creatures across Alderley Edge, the Wizard - Cadellin Silverbrow - takes them to safety deep in the caves of Fundindelve. Here he watches over the enchanted sleep of one hundred and forty knights, awaiting the fated hour when they must rise and fight. But the Weirdstone of Brisingamen is lost and the forces of evil are closing in. The children realise that they are the key to its return, but how can they defeat the powerful magic of the Morrigan and her deadly brood. First published in 1960, four decades before "Harry Potter", Alan Garner's novel of magic and wizards has endured and become a modern classic of children's literature.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is a fantasy story by the author Alan Garner, first published in 1960. It is set in and around Macclesfield and Alderley Edge, Cheshire, and tells the story of two children, Colin and Susan, who are staying there whilst their parents are overseas. Susan has a bracelet, containing the Weirdstone of the title, that makes the children hunted by the forces of evil. The novel borrows extensively from Celtic, Norse and Arthurian legends. Many of the locations in the book and in the sequel, however, are actual places which Alan Garner knew from his childhood. These include the ancient Wizard's Well and inscription, the open mine pits, and the beacon.

Its sequel is The Moon of Gomrath.

The two novels have been dramatised as a pair by BBC Radio.

In the 1970's, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen was also adapted as a musical (written by Paul Pearson) and was staged in Manchester and Essex. The cast included Hugo award-winning artist Sue Mason, who also designed the progam book. The songs from the show were recently re-arranged by pagan band Inkubus Suckubus with a view to resurrecting the musical for a modern audience, though copyright restrictions make this unlikely in the near future.