Further Reading

The Mechanisms albums are based on a number of traditional and mythological sources. This is a bibliography of places where further material can be found for those interested in reading about the background material.

## High Noon Over Camelot

High Noon over Camelot is based on the legends of King Arthur. There are numerous parallel traditions forming this mythos, which also forms part of the 'Matter of Britain'. Given the number of different stories, with very different interpretations of the character, only what might be considered the key, large stories are listed here, a more detailed list of reading may be found here, with options to read both the translations and original language where possible.

### Primary Sources

* **History of the Kings of Britain,** Geoffrey of Monmouth, 12th cent: here (Aaron Thompson translation) (wikipedia)

* **Roman de Brut,** Wace, 12th cent: here (the Arthurian sections only, Eugene Mason translation) (wikipedia)

* **Arthurian Romances,** Chrétien de Troyes, 12th cent: here (Penguin Classics)
	+ Contains:
		- Erec and Enid (wikipedia)
		- Cligès (wikipedia)
		- The Knight of the Cart (Lancelot) (wikipedia)
		- The Knight of the Lion (Yvain) (wikipedia)
		- The Story of the Grail (Percival) (wikipedia)

* **Layamon's Brut,** Layamon, 13th cent: here (the Arthurian sections only, Sir Frederic Madden translation) (wikipedia)

* **The Vulgate and Post-Vulgate Cycles,** Anonymous, 13th cent:
	+ Extracts Version here
	+ Complete Version: (Vol 1),(Vol 2),Vol 3), (Vol 4) (Vol 5)
	+ (wikipedia, Vulgate), (wikipedia, Post-Vulgate)

* **Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,** Anonymous, 14th cent: here (W A Nielson translation) (wikipedia)

* **Le Morte d'Arthur,** Thomas Mallory, 15th cent: here (edited by Sir Edward Strachey) (wikipedia)

* **The Stanzaic and Alliterative Morte Arthur,** Various Anonymous, 14-15th cent: here (edited by Larry D Benson) (wikipedia, Alliterative), (wikipedia, Stanzaic)

* **The Mabinogian with Additional Welsh Arthurian Romances,** Various Anonymous: (Lady Guest translation) (wikipedia)
	+ Contains:
		- Culhwch ac Olwen (wikipedia)
		- Peredur fab Efrog (wikipedia)
		- Geraint ac Enid
		- Owain
		- The Dream of Rhonabwy (wikipedia)

### Encyclopedias

* **The Arthurian Name Dictionary,** CW Bruce: here
* **The New Arthurian Encylopedia,** LJ Norris: here

## The Bifrost Incident

The Bifrost Incident revolves around Norse mythology, particularly the stories of Ragnarök. Note that the written sources for pre-Christian Scandinavian beliefs are all written post-conversion, being high medieval, so complete accuracy to the beliefs held is doubtful. It also includes references to 2 famous H.P Lovecraft gods: in Ragnarok, there is a singular mention of Azathoth, and Red Signal heavily references Yog Sothoth (the incantation is lifted directly from the Necronomicon in the Lovecraft series).

### Primary Sources

* **The Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson, 13th cent:** here (Anthony Faulkes translation) (Wikipedia)

* **Poetic Edda, Various Annonymous, 13th cent:** here (Bellows translation) (Wikipedia)

Included also are some large compilations of the non-religious sagas which give an idea of the non-mythic folklore of Scandinavia, these again are high medieval and not contemporary.

* **Translations by the Viking Society for Northern Research:** here
	+ Includes:
		- Hiemskringla (Wikipedia)
		- Jomsviking Saga (Wikipedia)
		- Volsungs Saga (Wikipedia)

* **Gesta Danorum,** Saxo Grammaticus, 12th cent: (books 1-9) Wikipedia

* **The Skaldic Project:** here
	+ A compilation of early medieval Scandinavian poems and kennings

### Encyclopedias

* **Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend,** A Orchard: here
* **Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heros, Rituals and Beliefs,** J Lindow: here

## Other

### Frankenstein

Frankenstein is based on the Mary Shelley novel of the same name. It is available here.

### Alice

Alice is based on the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and is available here. There was a sequel written as Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There, which is available here.

### Swan Song

Swan Song is based on Tchaikovsky's first ballet, "Swan Lake". The Kirov Ballet's performance of "Swan Lake" is available here.

### Hereward the Wake

Hereward the Wake is based on the nineteenth century historical novel Hereward the Wake: Last of the English by Charles Kingsley, and which is available here.

Hereward is also a semi-mythological figure and Early-English freedom-fighter who appears in several chronicles, including the Peterborough Chronicle and the Gesti Herewardi (Michael Swanton translation).