Enormously happy is how I felt after reading this. There is so little Christian SciFi in existence it is exciting to grab it when it appears. It took me awhile to see where Lawhead was going with the book, but the later chapters are very engrossing. Unlike his other SciFi work, Dream Thief, this has more of a fantasy element to it- something like Lewis' Space Trilogy. It is certainly more scientific than Lewis, but the science seems to exist more to put the characters in a new environment- whereas Dream Thief was the classic "What might life be like then?"

This edition combines two previously separate books. I'd definitely recommend this edition- it's cheaper, and frankly the first book didn't really end- it felt like it was only Part 1 of a larger work. Now this is rectified.

Empyrion is so rich with Truth. With Allegory, the highest form of Truth. It is Science Fiction as Devotional. It is a story of two cities. Fierra is a vision of Heaven- although the Fierri are quick to point out it is only a poor imitation of the real thing. Usually the description of a life of a truly good people is rather boring; but Lawhead pulls it off by juxtaposing their lives with the situation of the protagonist Orion in evil Dome. Lawhead uses the Fierri to describe- not teach in a preachy style, but show- what a life completely devoted to God can be like. It is a natural search for the Joy present in the Infinite. It is going to a concert and leaving without applauding, because the true joy for the artists was simply performing and expressing their gift in pure worship to the Father. It is searching one's soul to give control to the Creator to finally gain control.

In contrast Dome is a place of rage, anger, and forced control. All that is evil has been pent up there for millennia, breeding upon itself, not allowing real air in. Indeed, when Dome-dwellers or Earthlings first breath real air they initially experience great pain, for the goodness of purity is painful for those who have known only death and decay. The pain is a death we must all go through.

This was also a great read as a companion to Don Richardson's Eternity in Their Hearts. Richardson makes the argument that all people groups throughout time have been prepared for the Gospel by images of God within their own culture. Empyrion applies this type of idea to another culture in the future, or possible future. How would God, YHWH, reveal Himself to a people on another planet with no knowledge of Him? As he explores this idea he gives a gripping allegorical description of hell and paradise. And there seems to be an indication of the idea that the Trinity is a revelation of God that we see, but it may not be the entirety of Him- He may be more than simply Three. Certainly an intriguing idea.

The main negatives: until Lawhead really explains the situation in Dome, one is very confused by all the names and references to different groupings- it would have been better to have detailed that earlier. I loved that the Fierri had a firm commitment to harm no living thing, but I found parts confusing when it appears that they do harm. I think Lawhead could have done more without resorting to killing to have the protagonists win battles. And Lawhead throughout alludes to a great evil force controlling the religious beliefs and atmosphere of Dome, yet never resolves the battle with this force.

The scariest part: Dome reminded me a lot of Earth.

The most wonderful part: Fierra looked very achievable, if one begins with oneself, one individual at a time. For the good of the many is the good of every individual.

This book is another excellent example of Mr. Lawhead's high-quality work. Another review said that this book shows the evils of a religious state. That's not actually true. In the book, there are two religious states, one is perfect in every imaginable way, while the other is evil and completely corrupt. This book seeks to show that its not necessarily the existance of religion that caused it to become good or evil, but the nature of that religion. Even if you're not interested in these aspects of the story, you can still thoroughly enjoy the book as a science fiction work. This omnibus edition is very nice, because the first book *cannot* stand on its own. Its a cliffhanger ending. When I read it, I read it in separate volumes originally, and I had to get on Amazon and order the second book immediately because it was such a cliffhanger!

Lawhead did an excellent job with this story, as both "The Search for Fierra" and "The Siege of Dome" are worth reading without relying upon the other. If you want to examine the book with the intention of getting lessons from it, then it has great lessons on deception and abuse of power, as well on the proper use of one's abilities. However, it is NOT religious in nature, especially christian. If you know much on the history of christianity and the religions spun from its doctrine then you could see in this book a good example of what a religion driven state can lead to, as it has before in our history. Definately worth reading if you like sci-fi, but NOT if you are looking for religious material.

As I said in the title place, the first and second book of the Dragon King Trilogy was better; they both had excitement and action. The third was good too, but didn't have much action in it. I like books with adventure in it so that might be the reason I didn't give this book 5 stars. But I still enjoyed it. To enjoy this book properly, I think it is better to read, "In the Hall of the Dragon King" and "Warlords of Nin" first.

Quentin is now the Dragon King. He has 3 kids,two girls and a boy. His wife Bria is now the Queen. Mesandor had enjoyed peace for a long time. With his legendary sword, Shaligkeer the Shining Sword (I forgot to tell about it in my "Warlords of Nin" review. "Warlords of Nin" is the second book.), which was made from the precious stone called lathrinil.

Quentin soon faces a severe test as his son is kidnapped, his most trusted couselor, Duwin the Holy Hermit, is killed, and when he hears that his archenemy Nimrood the Necromancer had returned. (I was so shocked at the part where Durwin died!)Quentin is filled with grief and frustration that he does not know what he is doing. He murdurs one of the kidnappers mercilessly and loses his great sword, the Shaligkeer. King Quentin loses, as it seems to him, everything he holds dear and plunges into despair. It does not help that one of his lords, Lord Ameronis was full of ambition and leaped at the chance to become King. Soon Mesander fights with one of his lords and the whole land is thrown into turmoil as the common people and also the knights, lords, and nobles of the King, hears rumores that Quentin had lost his sword and that it was because he followed the Most High God that he was punished by other gods.

What will happen to King Quentin? What did it mean that Nimrood the Necromancer, assumed dead, came back?

Quentin learns a valuable lesson in this book, that when it seems that God was not with you, it was because you had drawn away from Him. Not because He had left you.

This book was interesting and at the same time, some parts were exciting. Especially the part where Quentin's son is kidnapped and the last part. I can't tell you how the last part is or it'll be telling the whole story. :) I suggest that you would read this because it would finish the Dragon King Trilogy and also because this book is a good book.

"The Sword and the Flame" is the third title in Lawhead's "Dragon King" Trilogy, the series which propelled him to success. Quentin has assumed the throne, with Bria his queen, and is now the father of three children. The kingdom firmly established, he is busy building the King's Temple, a temple dedicated to the Most High. And he is armed with the enchanted sword, "The Shining One", whose "flame was the symbol of the god's presence with the King, and more." (p.94)

But enemies old and new are fiercely opposed to Quentin's overturn of the old gods. The evil necromancer Nimrood returns to collaborate with the defenders of the old gods - the priests at the temple of Ariel, who see the construction of the King's Temple as an inevitable sign of the destruction of their own High Temple. Suddenly, the peace of Quentin's kingdom becomes overshadowed by darkness. A close friend of Quentin is killed, his son kidnapped. Quentin must face open hostility from his enemies, and! even conflict from his own people, and treachery from his own supporters. But worst of all the flame of the sword goes out, and the hopes for the kingdom appear to be extinguished along with it: "One fell thrust and the fire of the white lanthanil blade had been quenched. The awful significance of what had happened struck him like a thunderbolt...the hand of the Most High was removed from him." (p.77-8) Is there any hope for Quentin or his kingdom?

The ensuing struggle makes this book the most emotional of the series. Certainly we are treated to lots of Lawhead excitement and action, one of the highlights being the intrigue and conflict of a castle under seige. But "The Sword and the Flame" doesn't quite have the same blazing glory of battle as the previous volume. It is far more introspective, as it focuses on Quentin's loneliness, his deep, dark and total despair, which nearly extinguishes his faith. "Now there was only darkness. In the space of half a day he had los!t his son, his trusted friend, and - worst of all - the favor of the Most High. His mind reeled at the enormity of his trouble, his heart ached with sorrow, his body throbbed with grief and exhaustion." (p.85) Lawhead treats this subject with raw and gripping emotion, precisely the ability later developed and fine tuned which made the "Pendragon Cycle" so powerful. Perhaps even more compelling than the glory of a kingdom, is the tragedy of a fallen king, who is so distraught that he rejects the Most High (p.166) and tumbles into the depths of despair.

Yet this personal struggle of the king occurs in the context of a great struggle for his kingdom. Does the extinguished flame of the enchanted sword mean that the Most High no longer is to be trusted? The people of the kingdom are convinced that the old gods are humbling their king for having chased after a new god (p.159). Yet in the end, even when the people are ready to lose faith in the Most High, the Most High is fait!hful. "It is not the One who forgets us, but we forget him." (p.199) Quentin must realize that "the flame of true faith can not be kindled on the fuel of the old religion." (p.230) When he renews his faith, the tide turns. The climax of the book is particularly powerful, with scenes reminiscent of the confrontation on Mount Carmel between Elijah the prophet of the Most High and the prophets of Baal.

In many respects, Lawhead's medieval fantasy world is reminiscent of Tolkien's world, although Tolkien's many fantastic creatures are absent. But what is absent in Tolkien is present in Lawhead: the Most High God. It is the strong spiritual vision where the Most High God and faith in God is central that makes Lawhead's books so powerful and so wholesome. Lawhead's "Dragon King" Trilogy paints a picture of spiritual warfare, kings and kingdoms, prophets, dreams and visions, and above all faith in the Most High. It's the picture of a time much like the glorious Old Testament !days of David and Solomon, who with prophets and visionaries fought for the peace of the Kingdom of the Most High in the era before the coming of Christ. Although not as deep or profound as "The Pendragon Cycle", this series of Lawhead "Lite" is still unquestionably a success.

This is a great finish to the series that Lawhead developed. You can start with this book, but I would recommend reading the previous two first. Quinten again is matched against the evil Nimrod. He loses his son, his sword, and his wife has left him, to seek advice from the God most High, in his most needful hour. The book weaves in Christianity in a mysterious way and still has a great story line! What more can you ask??

I'd just like to point out that Arthur could not have incestuous sex with his sister: he had no sister! Morgian was the step-sister of Charis, she was the youngest child of the King of Atlantis! I also agree with the reviewer who pointed out that this is set, not in the middle ages, but in the 6th century. At this point, Arthur had no established capital. No Camelot, no established court, no court intrigue, and Gwenhwyvar's protector may or may not have been Lancelot Du Lac, who was a knight of France, not Ireland. Lawhead brings in a great historical perspective with the true setting and the Gaelic names. I love how he, in the series, connects legends from all over the classical world. He perfectly fuses the Mediterranean stories of Atlantis with the Gaelic and Celtic myths about Taliesin, the Greatest bard who ever lived... the characterization is wonderful. Merlin really comes alive, because he's not just an old wizard in a pointy hat, he's a man who was born from a union of two great cultures. You see him live and love, you see him suffer. He's a real person, as are all the characters. Morgian is evil, but she is beautiful, and seductive. She's a mother. Arthur isn't the perfect king. He's not the perfect man. He struggles. He loses. This story is anything but flat!

This book is an amazing end to a wonderfully woven tale. Lawhead takes the debates of current Arthurian scholarship, does his own digging, has produced a masterful story that creates a hint of realism in an otherwise fantastic late medieval tale.

The heavy Christian influence is indeed important, as Christianity not only was the excepted religion of Roman Britain at the time, but also the state religion of Rome (the great bishop Germanus was sent to Britain around 400 AD to battle the Pelagian heresy). This is refreshing compared to Malory and those who have attempted to re-tell the story in a 'magical' way.

Lawhead's Arthur seems to be more of the heroic Christian Warrior-King that Geoffrey of Monmouth describes than the tragic king of Malory and Chretien de Troyes.

The end is just that: the end. Pendragon is a mixture of tales that piece together Lawhead's story in Arthur. Its that simple.

Though written to be enjoyed by any reader, Lawhead's "Arthur" is especially enjoyable for scholars of Arthurian legend. Despite the fact that Lawhead's story does not directly parallel most of the traditional legends about King Arthur, he weaves into his tale the thread of the young Christian faith as it spreads throughout the Isle of the Mighty. It is a tale of peace-making at a time when war was the only way to deal with enemies, of kingmaking at a time when kings were more than bureaucrats, of balancing a desire for glory with a love of honor, of friendship that sacrifices everything, of loyalty that demands the ultimate price, and of faith in a King who is higher than any earthly lord. Lawhead very skillfully uses three different narrators to tell this tale, successfully developing their personalities through three separate writing styles. This technique does more than merely give the reader three perspectives of the story; it lends insight into Arthur's personality gleaned from three vastly diverse relationships. I highly recommend this book as a study of Arthurian legend, a study of the cultural history of Britain, and as a challenge of faith.

I wasn't going to write a review for this book until I read all of the others. Of course this is a marvelous story and a great work of literature, which I have come to expect from Stephen Lawhead. But I decided to write this to point out to any who read reviews before buying books that almost without exception, the people who wrote the negative reviews following prove themselves fools. One reviewer actually read the whole book and completely missed the significance of Taliesin's death (Taliesin was already dead before the arrow struck him. I won't be any more specific for the benefit of those who haven't read) and another insists that potatoes were invented in America in the 1800's! So please READ THIS BOOK! You won't be sorry unless you are really, really dumb (as folks sometimes are!).

I have read quite a bit of Arthurian literature, fictional and research oriented. That said, TALIESIN is one of the better works of fiction that I have read (though by far not the best). Lawhead's knack for description is his greatest strength as an author...you can actually "see" the land, the people, even the Otherworld while reading. I'll admit, Lawhead plays fast and loose with history (Taliesin didn't even exist till AFTER the time of Arthur), and at times the motives of the characters are unclear...except for Charis, who is probably the SECOND best character he has ever created. By the way, Lawhead's focus on Christianity during the Roman Britain era is not as unbelievable for the time period as some reviewers have opined. Overall...TALIESEN is a good novel, though if you would like to read his best work, read MERLIN...probably Lawhead's finest creation.

In his stunning five-volume "Pendragon Cycle" series, Stephen Lawhead weaves together the two independent legends of the lost kingdom of Atlantis and that of King Arthur with sparkling originality and breath-taking colour. Although the premise of these two legends being concurrent is historically impossible, one has to grant Lawhead this freedom because he clearly intends his book to be read as fantasy, not as historical fiction. "Taliesin" is the first book in the series, and consists of two separate story-lines, one introducing us to Charis, princess of Atlantis and one of its few survivors, the other introducing us to Taliesin, prince of one of the British tribes. Towards the end of the book, the twin plots merge with the romance and marriage of Charis and Taliesin, leading to the birth of the remarkable Merlin, thus setting the stage for the rest of the series about the legendary King Arthur.

Lawhead's fantasy is not altogether without flaws. I did not feel I truly knew the characters and scenery in the same intimate way as in Tolkien and other fantasy greats. The plot is not always consistently paced, and occasionally seems to degenerate into an aimless history without a real sense of an obvious conflict that needs to be resolved. But Lawhead's fantasy world is still dazzling, and the further I got into his world, the more I found myself drawn in by a convincing, compelling, and enthralling story-line. On the one hand Lawhead has created something heroic and noble, but the heroism is accompanied with an equal measure of tragedy, thus evoking emotions in the reader that range from ecstasy to genuine grief.

One of the highlights of this fantasy work is that Lawhead writes as a Christian, seeking to present a consistent Christian world-view in the course of his writing. The sorrow one inevitably feels at the destruction and decay in the lives of individuals and societies eventually proves itself to be a sorrow over the destructive effect of sin. Over against the empty paganism and rituals of polytheism, Lawhead presents the worship of the true God, the Creator.

Lawhead's theology is not altogether free of criticism. I am not inclined to give pagan religions and prophets as much power and credibility as Lawhead does, since I think Romans 1 teaches us not to regard them as imperfect "shadows" of the pure religion (p.371), but perversions which are little else than the worship of powerless wood and stone (Isaiah 44:6-20). Although Lawhead clearly acknowledges God as the True God, it seemed to me that his focus on God as Creator comes at the expense of a recognition of God as Redeemer. Certainly there is ample reference to Jesus Christ, but Lawhead seems to have overlooked a wonderful opportunity to present the gospel of Jesus Christ's work as a payment for sin. Perhaps this is not surprising given that he portrays the Christian religion in the form of Roman Catholicism, mirroring its emphasis on outward rituals that dispense grace (p.403). However, I must concede that Lawhead could simply be reflecting history in this respect.

But although I do not share all of Lawhead's religious convictions, this did not prevent me from finding this book both profound and stimulating. In fact, the wonderful imagery and the complexity of Biblical allusions frequently astounded me. The Biblical imagery is exceedingly subtle and skilfully woven into the story-line, soaking the novel and giving it richness and depth rarely found in fantasy. The astute student of Scripture will notice veiled references to the Great Flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God's questions to Job, Satan, John the Baptist, the Person of Jesus Christ as described in Revelation, the work of Jesus Christ as prophet, priest and king, the heavenly temple and kingdom, and more. Lawhead's positive portrayal of sexual purity, his beautiful picture of marital love and faithfulness, and his delightful portrait of the unique roles of husband and wife are solidly Biblical and particularly touching.

If you are a fan of profound Christian fiction or else simply enjoy reading original and thoughtful fantasy, you will find this book a real treat. If you enjoy both categories, this is a must have.

Who would have thought that a combination of science fiction christianity would ever exist in a book. Grant it, Star Trek and Star Wars have themes which touch on religion. However, neither bases the story on Chrsitianity. The Dream Thief addresses the question of religion's existance on other planets.

It is true that we kow life does not exist on Mars. It is also unlikely that any life form is capable of producing the technology that exists in this book. However, if you suspend this disbelief, the book is enjoyable. The story includes a dream experiment which leads to the discovery of life on Mars, and the lead character's (Spence) discovery of his faith in God and subsequent exploration of the Martian Christianity. Another sub-plot also demonstrates Spence falling in love which adds another sunstantial layer to the story.

All of these themes make a theme that is truly enjoyable. Even though I am not a fan of fiction, I enjoyed this book.

Wow! This was a *great* book. I don't exaggerate when I say this is the best Christian Sci-Fi I have ever read. I enjoy Lewis' Space Trilogy very much, perhaps more than Dream Thief, but, while the Space Trilogy is technically Sci-Fi, Lewis' writing style and his understanding of science, even for when he wrote it, makes Lewis' works read more like Fantasy. Lawhead is the first Christian author I have ever read who has a believable future- true science fiction. Though I've read only four of Lawhead's works so far, I far prefer his Sci-Fi to his Fantasy.

It is great to see that we (Christians) still exist in the future. In every other book I have ever read, and I have read a lot of science fiction, the Christians are not ever mentioned, as if a plague came and wiped all of us out sometime in the late 21st century. Religion in Sci-Fi is given short shrift in general, but, if mentioned, it seems to usually be anything but monotheistic.

This isn't a Christian dogma book, where everything is allegorical- Christians, and God, are simply an integral part of the storyline, and there is a Christian worldview behind it. Yet there are many non-Christians who play important roles as well, including a number of the key protagonists and heroes. A non-Christian should not feel intimidated in picking up this book- it is a very good read. The story line catches you, moves quickly, and it's almost as if you're out of breath waiting for the next event. Though the one disappointment I had was sometimes it felt like sections of action were skipped and only referred to after the fact, I stayed up a couple nights till 2 or 3 in the morning till my eyes could no longer focus and my brain kept rereading the same paragraph.

And Lawhead doesn't even go for easy answers with his Christians. They aren't conservative/fundamentalist, as Christians are commonly portrayed as all being, but clear and logical thinkers. Christianity isn't presented as a Western religion, which is accurate, as it has not been in numbers since the 70's, now that most Christians are in the 2/3rds world, and if the Nestorians are included, it was primarily an Asian religion until 1000 AD. Indeed, the primary Christian in the book is from the largest Baptist state in the world, Nagaland, India. Christianity also isn't shown as just a moral belief with an idea of some great deity we can pray to, but with an excluded middle. This is a God who can and does work miracles- amazing, believable ones- just as He does in real life.

Would that this were a genre, rather than, as it would seem, the only book of it's kind out there. The biographical conversion story is an old, valuable format in Christian literature. Here now it has been merged with science fiction in an engrossing and believable way. And in an inspiring way. Too often when I read science fiction I come away with a sense of hopelessness. Often the underlying worldview of the author, seeping through the pages of his or her work, is one without hope, in the sense of expectant joy about the future. This was not the case in Dream Thief. The reader gains a strong understanding that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him. One identifies with the main character feeling a number of times that all is lost, and the situation too dire to be saved. But when looking back throughout the experience, retrospectively God's hand can not be ignored. I could easily recommend this to friends to read so that they might draw closer to truly understanding and being one with God.

Lawhead's exploration into space has captured where his Celtic stories never could go. Combining the aspects of an epic adventure and well worth reading. 3 or 4 times. I have yet to find someone, who was this creative in the use of Science fiction elements. I've read the book 4 times and would suggest you read it also.

One of the things I like about Lawhead is that he knows the history and the folklore of the times he is writting in. In the Pendragon Cycle, he creates a Britain that to the best of my knowledge is more like the way actual 6th century Celtic Britain was. Song of Albion was a Celtic fantasy while in some ways similar to many "Celtic" fantasies, except Lawhead actually knows Celtic Mythology. Byzantium was a multi-layered drawing of the world of the mid-Dark Ages. This book is a great representation of the era of the Crusades. A weak plot however brings it down. I don't think that it is bad, just read any of the books I've mentioned first.

This is a must read! Lawhead has always done an incredible job writing trilogies (the original Pendragon trilogy, the Dragon King trilogy, and the Song of Albion trilogy were all excellent), but The Celtic Crusades just might surpass them all. The reason is the stregth of the historical truth that is behind this novel, and the books to follow. Lawhead has always done a wonderful job at historical research and his study of the Crusades is evident. Words aren't minced - he show's it exactly how it happened (or almost, historically it was bloodier). The Iron Lance is a sequal to Byzantium (a few hundred years later)and the book is just as good. If you enjoyed Byzantium (or any of Lawheads previous books - as I do - note my cool email address), you'll love The Iron Lance. I'm already watching the out-of-print web sources for The Black Rood advance copy. I can tell that this is a trilogy that will get stronger with every book. Read this book, you won't regret it - I guarantee! Also, ignore the bad review a few down from me, he obviously is missing a lot!

I'm not entirely convinced that the person who submitted the negative reviews below actually read the book, so I am submitting my personal impressions of the book instead.

Lawhead is second to none in the genre of historical fiction, but don't take my word for it, books like Byzantium and the Pendragon cycle are now the industry's established benchmark for their respective themes. And that is not without good reason.

The first thing that you notice as you read this (or any other Lawhead) book, is the attention to detail that instead of making the story tedious, transport you there instantly. The pace and style of this book is somewhere between Ben Hur and Indiana Jones, with a dash of Ivanhoe, and the Ancient-meets-Medieval melange of genres is pulled off masterfully by this skilled author.

This is a fine novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I have ordered Black Rood, which seems to be getting good reviews as well, but I do not need a review to tell me how good these books are. They are treasures, and I will read this again (something I rarely do) while I wait for The Black Rood!

I'll confess to being a Stephen Lawhead fan, but this book and its sequel would have intrigued me had I never heard of the author, just as they easily held my attention though I am hardly a science-fiction fan.

Lawhead weaves a tale of a jounalist trying to report on the growth of a new civilization, who finds that all is not as it should be. Orion's experiences as he attempts to unravel the mysteries and intrigues of Fierra mercilessly grasp the reader's attention, and Lawhead's typical weaving of the storyline insure that all the details of the story work together -- one casual observation in the first book's opening chapter comes into play partway through the second. The bittersweet ending and the characters' interactions both ring true to real-life credibility.

Overall, this is not my favorite book, but I certainly enjoyed reading it and would read it again. And that is one of the highest compliments one can pay a book, no?

Firstly, I should say that the omnibus version, containing both books, is available. It is humongous, but you can get it and save some cash. These books have a lot of depth to them and aren't the average sci-fi "lets see how many futuristic ways we can kill people" approach. Lawhead's character's are developed over time. Sometimes they will surprise you. The standard first chapter synopis of main characters is absent. You have to follow the development of the individuals throughout the books. Lawhead writes with a different sense of pace and buildup than you may be used to from his other series. I read this series as a kid and have always liked it for its uniqueness. The books create a believable world and a complex society while leaving the thinking reader plenty of mysterious clues and hints to ponder. Lots of fun elements of political science, anthropology and sociology undergird this first book,which takes place mostly in Dome. Don't expect everything to be spelled out right away, and don't expect wholesale slaughter and gigantic battle scenes. The great sci-fi epics like "Dune", and "Lord of the Rings" succeed because they give a reader a sense of reality. Events seem like real history. The "Dome" books don't reach the level of Herbert or Tolkien; few if any books do. However, they have an element of this same reality that allow the reader to become immersed and enter a new world and, after all, isnt that the point of sci-fi?

My first encounter with Lawhead was the brilliant "Song of Albion" trilogy, which is fantasy. I fell in love with his style of writing with its poetic descriptive and yet driving technique. His fantasy is well-woven and fleshed out. Page-turners.

And his science fiction is no different. Once again, the books begin slightly boring and have a few moments within them that are a little bit too lengthy for me--but the reasoning in those passages I feel could not really have been omitted from the books. They are brilliant and take science fiction to a whole new level. Instead of simply being a quest, these books are a commentary. They show the developement of religion, civilization and it's downfall in a world far from us, and somehow strike a familier chord.

Definately up there on the favorites list!

In the Hall of the Dragon King

I first read this book when I was about nine years old. At the time, I thought it was the best fantasy book I had ever read. I then promptly put the book down and never touched it again until recently.

The story is about a boy named Quentin, who is sent on a mission by a wounded knight to give a message to the Queen. That of course sends him on all sorts of adventures, during which he finds the one true God and saves everyone. It is a very Christian book.

My opinion has changed somewhat since I was nine. Next to other books Dragon King simply doesn't compare. The beginning, though it's supposed to be exciting, is slow. The characters take awhile to develop personality and the overall feel of the book makes me think that it had a really bad editor.

There are lots of reasons why it is still a good book, though. The plot is very original, and once you get past the boring parts, it is very fun to read. The battle sequences are lovingly played out, the connection to God and Jesus is cleverly interwoven, and there are even some funny parts in there.

Overall, for young readers it is a must, and older readers should read it too.

Christopher C., (age, 14), Yokota, Japan

This book is amazing! Would that my first novel would be this successful (200,000 copies is a level not reached by most books)!

In this book, Quentin is torn from his life's work in the temple of Ariel to help a wounded knight's message reach his queen in time. When Quentin gives the message, the queen asks for his help in rescuing the man she loves more than anyone else . . . her husband, King Eskevar. Together, with several other companions, they go through many trials and dangers to try to get the good king back from the evil wizard, Nimrood.

A good read if you like Lawhead, fantasy, or books with lots of Christian symbolism. The other books in the series are not quite as good, but are still much better than the average pagan fantasies out there today.

In The Hall Of The Dragon King is an adventure about the hero in all of us. It's the story of a young boy named Quentin, whose great destiny is thrust upon him quite unexpectedly. As you travel with Quentin, his hopes and dreams become your hopes and dreams, his fears and pain become yours, and his victory is your victory. You find yourself cheering him on and booing the bad guy. Lawhead's vivid writing style brings all of his stories to life, and fills the reader with a sense of adventure. You can't put his books down until they're finished! I love his works. If you've never read a Lawhead book, this is a great one to break you in. You'll find yourself scanning the bookstores for his name, and anything he's written will somehow find its way onto your bookshelves. I'm sure of it.

Stephen Lawhead is one of my favortie writers. His first three books in the Pendragon series left me with tears of joy and craving more. In Grail, his fifth book in the cycle, Lawhead again dips into the Arthurian world and explores the holy grail, the cornerstone of Arthur's "Realm of Summer." The first third of the book catches you up to speed with the characters, the middle third explores the current conflict, and then the last third is all action. Yet the action and set-up feel extremely forced and contrived, leaving me thinking that this had to be some sort of contractual obligation with Avon. When the book finally starts moving, it unfortunately relies on cliches--the evil witch who kidnaps the queen and leads the rescue party into a huge, dark woodland where the characters get seperated and lost. Although the ending is unique to Lawhead, the first three-quarters of the book are listless, cliched, and previously explored in earlier books. Lawhead is one of my all-time favorite writers, and I'm very sorry to not recommend this book.

SRL always delivers a great read, but this book didn't reach the same level of excellence as the first three in this series. I'd have to compare this to the fourth book, Pendragon. Both are good stories, but seem to be dragging the story of Arthur out. In the third book he concludes the story. The fourth and fifth then go back and tell us more about the life of Arthur. If you've read the first three books you should read this one also, but I would not recommend starting here. Like always SRL does an excellent job of taking the legend (in this case the Holy Grail) and presenting it in a more realistic light then many other fantasy novelists who make up extremely unrealistic fantasies. Once I finally got involved in the series I enjoyed it. For a really good read I'd recommend Byzantium or the Song of Albion trilogy.

Lawhead's Done It Again!

It is truly the mark of a good author when a relatively long book series retains all of it's brilliance and originality to the very end. Lawhead has accomplished this and more with his wondrous Pendragon Cycle.

Grail is the 5th and final installment in the series (unless you include Avalon in the list). While I think that this is the weakest book of the series, it is still superb and certainly worth the read. The atmosphere of the book is very unique. Unlike the previous books in the series, the enemy is largely supernatural - a much more frightening enemy than the Picti, Angli, or Vandali. Morgian is definetely at her worst - and she even gets a few opportunities to narrate the story (a very peculiar twist.)!

Really my only complaint about the book regards Lawhead's choice of characters. It seems that many of the major characters that were seen in Arthur and Pendragon have faded to the backdrop - replaced by relatively new characters. These characters are fine, but I would have rather seen more of characters like Bedwyr, Cai and Arthur.

I'm very disappointed by this book. Mr. Lawhead is one of my favorite writers, but "Patrick" is his weakest book so far (even compared to his early Dragon King series). I have to wonder, with other reviewers, just what "flavor" of Christian Mr. Lawhead is.

As for Pelagius...yes, he was acquitted by a pope--Pope Zosimus. BUT--Zosimus was preceded by Pope Innocent (d. 417), who had *condemned* Pelagius and his disciple Coelestius. Two North African synods held in 416, and the General Council at Carthage in 418 also *condemned* Pelagius' doctrine. "Zosimus then retreated from his earlier position and published an epistle requesting that all bishops subscribe to the canons of this council" of Carthage (R.C. Sproul, "Willing to Believe", 44).

If you want to enjoy Stephen Lawhead's writing, read the Song of Albion trilogy or the first three books of the Pendragon Cycle. Those are his best works, IMHO. If you want to learn about the REAL St. Patrick, read his "Confession" and "Breastplate Prayer". There's no fuzzy theology or Pelagian nonsense there.

I'm a big fan of Lawhead's "The Iron Lance" and his "Song of Albion" series. With high hopes, I purchased this historical novel. My knowledge of St. Patrick is limited, and I looked forward to discovering more of his life and his spiritual influence in Ireland.

"Patrick: Son of Ireland" does many things well. The settings are believable and well-researched, the language fluid, and the dry details turned into fascinating tidbits. I particularly enjoyed the Roman battle scenes and descriptions of the Plague. Sobering stuff. Succat, later known as Patrick, is a character with flaws and foibles, a man who grows slowly into the understanding of his calling. And when Succat comes to a final point of humility and turning, Lawhead paints a succint and touching scene. He employs Pelagius, who plays a minimal part in only the final thirty pages of the book, to address Succat: "You have learned what a man can do in his own strength...Perhaps now it is time to learn what God can do with a man who knows the limits of his strength."

Unfortunately, the book never allows us to see the result of this turning. We witness years of futility in Succat's life, and, in fact, we ourselves grow weary of his attempts to escape slavery and of the deceits he thrusts upon even those he claims to love. I appreciate that all this brings Succat to a medieval mid-life crisis, but I would've enjoyed seeing the working out of his newfound knowledge. I even started to suspect that Lawhead would be throwing a sequel our way. Instead, he throws us a bone--a prologue and epilogue that tidily skim over Patrick's years of hard spiritual work.

I trod my way along the arduous trails of Succat's life, found some wisdom to be gained and some eventual rewards, but felt cheated by the blithe conclusion. Am I missing a sequel, or is this all we get?

This story about the early years of St. Patrick's life is reminiscent of Lawhead's Byzantium. The writing is fairly crisp and the story moves along well. It is easy to picture yourself in 4th-5th century Europe.

However, the greatest fault of the book is the awkward attempt to continue to reform Pelagius. I first noted some inkling of this in Byzantium and it become a fairly key element of the Celtic Crusades trilogy. History has held Patrick to be an anti-Pelagian, rejecting the heresey that one can convert him(her)self, a philosophy that has reared its head in American Evangelicalism (where it appears Lawhead has deep roots). In fact, history holds that Patrick's religious instruction occurs off the British Isles to shield him from the Pelagian heresey.

However, Lawhead creates a pre-Patrick Christian movement in Ireland led through the druid community by the Cele De (or Ceile De) spoken about prominently in the Celtic Crusade trilogy. The Cele De are seen through sympathetic eyes in the first half of the book as followers of Pelagius and the opponents of Pelagius are seen as narrow minded and power hungry. Later, Lawhead creates a fictional meeting between Patrick and Pelagius where Pelagius is seen as an instrument for Patrick's conversion (or re-conversion) and Patrick is just about seen as blessing Pelagius as orthodox in his teachings. This latest attempt at propping up Pelagius to support a current day belief is a lamentable portion of the book.