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Summary: Lawhead's beast series yet.
Review: This series is magical without the hocus-pocus. The mystical link between worlds is enchanting. As one who owns all of Stephen Lawhead's fictional works, I can easily say that this series is the best. Each book leaves you wanting more. Whenever there is a chance for Lewis to go back to the real world you find yourself saying "No! What if you can't get back?" The series is simply beautiful.
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Summary: The Start of an Addiction
Review: I believe that this was the first of Lawhead's books that i read. And, now that i have traversed his literature more thoroughly, I see the characteristics of Lawhead shining through to make a brilliant story in the heart of another world. The story (characteristically for Lawhead) begins slightly slowly. In the middle of Oxford England weird things are happening, and honestly I didn't really get it or get into it until Oxford was far behind. As soon as the England part was over I was thrust into gripping suspense. I could not put this book down. The series quickly became my favorite trilogy ever--and subsequently my favorite books ever--with the beautiful description of a lost celtic world, enthralling story of a boy's journey into manhood and heroism, and driving plot. This is a must read for anyone who loves adventure, suspense, mythology, learning, or just a gripping page-turner. Two thumbs way way up!
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Summary: Read this book!
Review: I have loved Celtictstories for years, Lawhead is one of the best of a new breed in the genre, it and the other books in the trilogy are breathtaking!
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Summary: What a wonderful story! Emotional and engaging
Review: I have rarely read another book or series of books that so fully and effectively transport you to another world like Stephen R. Lawhead's The Song Of Albion series does. As the first volume of this series, this begins the story of Lewis Gillies, an American scholar in modern day England who travels with his buddy Simon Rawnson to Scotland to check out a tabloid story. Turns out that the tabloid story isn't so trumped up after all. After Simon disappears due to unexplainable phenomena, Lewis is drawn into ancient Scotland to find him and bring him home.
The adventure that ensues is an adventure and drama of an epic scale that sees Lewis become a warrior and a hero. A story of betrayal, greed, adventure and a touch of romance, filled with great characters and peppered liberally with Celtic legends and lore, this is a story that is hard to put down. Go ahead, take the journey. When it is over, you, like Lewis, may wish you never had to leave the world of ancient Albion. I know I was hooked and you just might hooked on it too. Peace.
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Summary: Great Book
Review: I read this book only because another book in the series sounded interesting and this is the first of the trilogy. It has a very slow start, but when it picks up I couldn't put the book down. It is a great story and I would recommend it to anyone. (I also recommend buying all three so you don't have to keep running out to the store for the next one!)
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Summary: A fantastic Celtic fantasy
Review: In a trilogy that lies along the spectrum of two other British-born trilogies--Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and C.S.Lewis' "Space Trilogy"--this is a fantasy that will be hard to put down. I took a few weeks to read the first volume, a week to read the next, and a few days for the third. The inner logic pulls you forward while the events continually surprise. There is here the beauty of Ireland (though in a more primal form), the heroism of the Celtic warriors, the subtlety of kingship derived from the people, the tenderness of friendship and romance. Though one need not be familiar with Celtic lore to appreciate these books, those who have done some study in it will it come to life.
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Summary: Worthy fantasy adventure novel based on Celtic mythology
Review: Lately I've noticed that in the last one hundred years or so, English fiction has certain repeating themes. The Paradise War by Stephen Lawhead begins a series built around one of these "British-isms": ordinary, humble folk from our dreary mundane world stumbling into a magical parallel world quite by accident. Unlike the obvious Chronicles of Narnia-type examples however, this series was written purely for grownup audiences. Lewis is a graduate student at Oxford; one of those bookish, plain sorts who would never get any female attention if it weren't for his handsome, impulsive roommate Simon. One day they decide to take a road trip north to investigate some paranormal happenings reported in a tabloid. Simon ends up crossing over into the parallel world unwittingly, and a few months later a frantic and confused Lewis follows to "rescue" him. Instead, Lewis finds that Simon has passed four years as a warrior in the fantastic and barbaric Otherworld of Albion and has settled in happily. In order to survive in this savage and beautiful land, Lewis must also undergo an extreme transformation. Meanwhile, the barrier between the worlds is wearing thin and leaking through to England. Disaster for both worlds is inevitable unless Lewis can convince his friend to return with him and find a solution. Lawhead depicts this alternate realm of Albion as a legendary paradise that is based on a lot of research into Celtic folklore and traditions. I can really respect the labor of love that this kind of world-building represents. The author is also careful to remain true to the harsher realities of survival in a primitive culture; there are battles and grim bloodshed depicted (fans will get their share of this Lawhead staple), almost a surreal counterpoint to the lovely land and peoples he describes. There are also spiritual themes weaving through the plot: the evils of pride and folly, and how these things have far-reaching consequences throughout time and space; providence; and inner transformation being more important than anything physical. Lawhead delivers these messages masterfully and without preaching. The Song of Albion promises to be a rich, absorbing read if this first book is any example. My reaction to TPW was enthusiastic, even though I do not normally seek out fantasy that involves so much war strategy and action thrills. Despite a few choppy transition passages, the storytelling is solid. I anticipate picking up book two immediately to continue the adventure.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle
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Summary: Don't pass this one up.. you will love it!!
Review: Lawhead at his finest. I am reading this series for the second time and it is so engrossing. You get lost in these books. If you love to read and get lost in the pages of a book, this series is for you. Lawhead treats the Celtic myths with dignity and imagination. He knows his stuff but doesn't over mystify it or weigh it down with religious sentiment. I have read countless books with the Celtic myths as their background and most do just that.
Great reading.... only problem is the adventure of these books is over too fast. Guess I will have to read them again!!
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Summary: Good Time-Killer
Review: With a lot of time on my hands these days and having this book and its follow-ups to hand, I thought why not give it a bash. In truth, the series is very readable, and you can picture both characters and environment reasonably well, and trundle through the chapters at a pace which pleases. The only problem I have is that it's just not very gritty. The language is all just a touch too antiseptic, and lacks believability. Having just been transported to another world, and a violent one at that, full of marauding semi-naked Celtic huntsmen, the contrast between new and old, (which consisted of nothing more exciting than wondering when exam results would arrive), would surely raise a few expletives from even the most sweet tongued well groomed young man?
That aside, and assuming that you like your fiction in this vein, you'll enjoy this offering. I guess its a bit like a bath... some people want to be invigorated by one, and others want to just lay and soak. Buy the trilogy and you can soak way 'till even your wrinkles have wrinkles.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: You know, I've just read the new Harry Potter. And a couple of other books that I'm not proud of. And I really had nothing to say about any of them, one way or the other. But I wanted to write something about this book. Gosh, ITS SO GOOD! Thats that!
I was so impressed and pleased to have stumbled upon this book.
I just happened to pick it up; I read one of Lawhead's others before and remembered that other reviewers had said that other book wasn't one of his best. So I decided to try it and apparently found his best. Geez.
The ideas that it has, they're so savory. Could it be that the fairy world is just a go around the cairn away?
His logic, argument, writing style, magic, whatever it was, had me convinced that there truly is another world out there. And it is beautiful. Imagine that world----that world with out our modern conveniences---the most profound perhaps, imagine that world with out our modern sound. We are always bombarded with it.
That first part of the book is there to convince us that there is another mysterious realm. Its a fast pace to get there, too.
Simon, the main characters friend, is an intriguing enigmatic fellow. We think we know him so well until the last of the story.
The next part of the book is gaining acceptance and appreciation of that other realm.
And the last part is fighting to keep it whole and sound. It seems an uphill battle---can't wait to find out in Book 2.
You can not die and not have read this! I couldn't believe this book hadn't won any awards---if I had one to give, I would. Perhaps this review will suffice.
On to Book 2! The Silver Hand! Oh, and if you go to Stephen Lawheads official website, you can get a pronounciation guide to all our favorite characters! Yay!
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