{"product_id":"the-poisoned-chalice-liam-donnelly-9798235075818","title":"The Poisoned Chalice","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Poisoned Chalice\u003c\/em\u003e is a dark, intelligent, and atmospheric study of druidic divination, Celtic seers, prophecy, and the ancient burden of sacred knowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the Celtic world, the seer was more than a fortune teller. The vates, later remembered through the figure of the ovate, stood at the dangerous crossing point between ritual, kingship, omens, sacrifice, memory, and power. These were the men and women consulted before battle, succession, healing, crisis, and judgement. Their authority came from knowledge, but that knowledge carried a terrible cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrawing on classical sources, medieval Irish and Welsh tradition, archaeology, and careful historical reconstruction, Liam Donnelly explores the world of druidic foresight with both scholarly caution and haunting narrative force.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInside this book, you will discover: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe role of the vates and ovate in Celtic religious life\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe relationship between druids, bards, seers, and kings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe use of fire, dreams, omens, sacrifice, and ritual signs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe political power of prophecy in ancient tribal society\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe tragic burden of the seer who knows what others cannot bear\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe survival of divinatory thinking in tarot, surveillance, algorithms, and modern prediction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the sacred groves of Mona to the madness of Suibhne, from bull sacrifice to the ethics of knowing in the modern age, \u003cem\u003eThe Poisoned Chalice\u003c\/em\u003e asks one haunting question: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf the future could be known, would knowledge save us, or destroy us?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA powerful book for readers of Celtic history, druidic tradition, divination, ancient religion, occult philosophy, and the darker side of spiritual knowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Liam Donnelly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798235075818\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Black Bell Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/29\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 140\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.43lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.33d","brand":"Liam Donnelly","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":50665512861951,"sku":"9798235075818","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-poisoned-chalice-liam-donnelly-9798235075818","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}