Taliesin was King Arthur's poet who, like Merlin, was said to have shamanic powers. His story reveals a vast legacy of initiatic wisdom, much of it lost. Matthews, a well-known Arthurian scholar, has brilliantly mined medieval and pre-medieval sources, embellishing them with the rich heritage of Celtic folklore. These tales are part legend, part fiction, and part mythology - alive with the power of one of the most compelling mystical/literary traditions ever extant.