The Old Gods Waken (1979)

"In the wilds of Southern Appalachia lies Wolter Mountain -- a sacred place for the Indians and for their predecessors. But the land atop the mountain, taken over by two Englishmen, Brummitt and Hooper Voth, is undergoing frightening changes.

"Strange and evil rumblings begin to happen around the mountain -- man-like creatures prowling around, mysterious voices reciting evil incantations that terrorize Luke and Creed Forshay who live at the foot of the mountain. Then a wandering minstrel, known only as John, learns that the Voths are Old World druids who are hell-bent on reawakening the pre-Indian spirits that sleep at the summit of Wolter Mountain. Armed with his own arsenal of mystical powers, John and an Indian medicine man must fight their way through the druid's sorcerous defenses to rescue their friends from certain death at the hands of the blood-sacrificing priests.

"A tale of mysticism and terror featuring the author's famous wanderer-hero."
~~front & back flaps

I've loved this series since I read the first book, Who Fears the Devil? a good 30 or more years ago. Silver John wanders the Appalachias, his guitar strung with silver strings, and comes upon situations that prove the truth of the old folk songs: "In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines ..." Eerie, haunting songs. And Silver John wrestling against evil, vanquishing it with his silver strings.

The first stories of John were collected in Who Fears the Devil? This book is the first Silver John novel, written 16 years later. It differs by being a novel rather than a collection of stories, and also because John takes second place in the final battle against the evil at the summit of Wolter Mountain. A bit of research informs me there are other books in the Silver John series that I haven't read. It will be interesting to see how they compare with these two. ( )

This is the first of 5 "Silver John" books, plus a short story collection. What attracted me to this series is that it's LOADED with folklore, folk-magick, and backwoods legends -- real ones from the hills, not just made up ones. Wellman was a folklorist, so nearly all the folktales, superstitions, ballads, and legends are all real Appalachian lore. Silver John arms himself with a guitar strung with silver strings to ward off evil. Like all Wellman's books, I only wish it wasn't so short. ( )

John has a visitor. An attractive university type, Holly is a folklorist. There may be a little bit of matchmaking happening in his rural brain there, aimed at young Luke.

He, and one of his neighbours, a Cherokee chief, realise there is some druidic type activity going on nearby, and then, both Holly and Luke are kidnapped.

The elder pair must set out to rescue them, and Chief Reuben's supernatural knowledge is invaluable, especially against the Raven Mockers.

Some nifty pole vaulting over supernatural flames achieved, as well.

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2006/11/john-balladeer-old-gods-waken.html ( )