The Roots of the Mountains: Wherein is told somewhat of the lives of the Men of Burgdale, their Friends, their Neighbours, their Foemen, and their Fellows in arms.
About this audiobook
William Morris’s “The Roots of the Mountains” is one of the hidden wellsprings of modern fantasy tales, a formative influence on J.R.R Tolkien’s vision of Middle-earth.
It chronicles the epic story of two kindred peoples as they struggle against raiders from afar, forge fragile alliances, and discover love, honour and sacrifice in the shadow of looming conflict.
A story in which a young man, the Face-of-god, navigates relations with important women in his life; the Bride, the Sunbeam and Bow-May. He faces the disapproval of his father, but must win not only his respect, but that of his people.
This full-cast edition preserves the depth, the poetry and mythic power of Morris’s original, while carefully updating language and presentation, making this classic of the fantasy genre fully accessible and gripping for today’s listeners.
Voices were generated by AI from Elevenlab artists.
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About the author
Robert W. Smith is an author of books on Fiji, but a massive fan of William Morris's writings. Up to retirement, he worked in International Development as a finance and private sector expert. He has a master's degree from Oxford University.
William Morris (1834–1896) was a visionary Victorian poet, novelist, and designer who is widely celebrated as the grandfather of modern high fantasy literature.Before J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis created Middle-earth and Narnia, Morris pioneered the genre by inventing entirely fictional worlds rich with their own distinct cultures, landscapes, and mythologies.
A central figure in the Pre-Raphaelite movement, he began his literary career writing celebrated medievalist poetry like The Defence of Guenevere and The Earthly Paradise, before translating epic Icelandic sagas.
In his later years, Morris turned to prose, authoring foundational masterpieces including The Well at the World's End and The Roots of the Mountains (1889).
His unique ability to blend ancient folklore, chivalric romance, and heroic adventure forever reshaped the landscape of speculative fiction.
