This article is about the novel. For the TV adaptation, see The Owl Service (TV series). For the English band, see The Owl Service (band). For overnight public transport service, see Night service (public transport).
The Owl Service
First edition
Author
Alan Garner
Language
English
Genre
Young adult fantasy novel, horror, supernatural fiction
Publisher
William Collins, Sons
Publication date
1967
Publication place
United Kingdom
Media type
Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages
156 pp (first edition)
ISBN
0001846035
OCLC
156462103
LC Class
PZ7.G18417 Ow[1]
Preview warning: Page using Template:Infobox book with unknown parameter "location"
The Owl Service is a low fantasy novel for young adults by Alan Garner, published by Collins in 1967. Set in modern Wales, it is an adaptation of the story of the mythical Welsh woman Blodeuwedd, an "expression of the myth" in the author's words.
Garner won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British author.[2] It was named one of the top ten Medal-winning works for the 70th anniversary celebration in 2007, selected by a panel to compose the ballot for a public election of the all-time favourite.[3] Garner also won the second annual Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a similar award that authors may not win twice.[4] Only six books have won both awards in the 45 years from 1966 to 2011.[a]
The mythical Blodeuwedd is featured in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. She is a woman created from flowers by the king of Gwynedd, Math, and the magician and trickster Gwydion, for a man who was cursed to take no human wife. She betrays her husband Lleu in favour of another man, Gronw, and is turned into an owl as punishment for inducing Gronw to kill Lleu. In Garner's tale three teenagers find themselves re-enacting the story. They awaken the legend by finding plates from a dinner service with an owl pattern, which gives the novel its title.
Henry Z. Walck published the first US edition in 1968.[1]
^ ab"book | the owl service". Library of Congress. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
^"Archive | Alan Garner | The Owl Service". The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenway Children's Book Awards. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018.
^"70 Years Celebration". The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenway Children's Book Awards. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016.
^"Guardian children's fiction prize relaunched". The Guardian. 12 March 2001. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
Woodsy Owl is a national symbol and advertising character for the United States Forest Service with the aim of motivating children to form healthy, lasting...
The barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl or eight-hooter owl, is a North American...
sequel, The Moon of Gomrath (1963), and a third book, Boneland (2012). He wrote several fantasy novels, including Elidor (1965), TheOwlService (1967)...
The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests...
as a director, the mystery romance Three (1969). Hills also starred as Alison in TheOwlService (1969), a television adaptation of the Alan Garner novel...
Adam Young, who created the project while experimenting with music in his parents' basement. Owl City developed a following on the social networking site...
The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or...
The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), also called the shoco, is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America...
novel, TheOwlService (1967), makes the story of Blodeuwedd an eternal cycle played out each generation, in a Welsh valley. The only way to break the cycle...
night owl in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Night Owl may refer to: An owl Night owl (person), a person who is most active or creative during the night...
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), also known as the polar owl, the white owl and the Arctic owl, is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls...
Golden State Warriors) and supplement BART in the early morning. Overnight night bus "Owl" service - part of the All Nighter network - includes eight 24-hour...
penal colony No. 18 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, commonly known as the Polar Owl (Russian: Полярная сова...
1938), commonly known as Grey Owl, was a popular writer, public speaker and conservationist. Born an Englishman, in the latter years of his life he passed...
The Web Ontology Language (OWL) is a family of knowledge representation languages for authoring ontologies. Ontologies are a formal way to describe taxonomies...
Pebyr was the inspiration of Alan Garner's 1967 novel TheOwlService. Garner adapted his novel for Granada Television in 1969. TheOwlService TV series...
novel TheOwlService through the character of Huw Halfbacon (the last name a reference to stealing pigs). The name Gwydion also appears in the Sierra...
Global Information