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The Pendragon Cycle #3
Arthur
“Evocate . . . intriguing . . . enthralling.� Locus
In a forgotten age of darkness, a magnificent king arose to light the land.
They called him unfit to rule, a lowborn, callow boy, Uther’s bastard. But his coming had been foretold in the songs of the bard Taliesin. And he had learned powerful secrets at the knee of the mystical sage Merlin.
He was ARTHUR—Pendragon of the Island of the Mighty—who would rise to legendary greatness in a Britain torn by violence, greed, and war; who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity; and who would fall in a desperate attempt to save the one he loved more than life.
In a forgotten age of darkness, a magnificent king arose to light the land.
They called him unfit to rule, a lowborn, callow boy, Uther’s bastard. But his coming had been foretold in the songs of the bard Taliesin. And he had learned powerful secrets at the knee of the mystical sage Merlin.
He was ARTHUR—Pendragon of the Island of the Mighty—who would rise to legendary greatness in a Britain torn by violence, greed, and war; who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity; and who would fall in a desperate attempt to save the one he loved more than life.
451 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1989
266 people are currently reading
4,893 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Lawhead
115books2,652followersStephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium, Patrick, and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion.
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
October 18, 2007
I read this book in high school. I'm sure I read it before the year I graduated, but since I can't remember the specific year, I'll just put 96.
This book was fantastic when I read it in High School. It was truly a different perspective to the story of King Arthur than in books that I originally read on Arthur.
It's interesting that in many depictions of Arthur, the version of Christianity that he is depicted of following differs from story to story, and in this version, Arthur's Christianity probably follows a more Gnostic version of Christianity, as a result of Merlin's Atlantean Mystic leanings.
All in all, this novel includes a lot more Celtic ideas than other versions of King Arthur's story. Great read.
This book was fantastic when I read it in High School. It was truly a different perspective to the story of King Arthur than in books that I originally read on Arthur.
It's interesting that in many depictions of Arthur, the version of Christianity that he is depicted of following differs from story to story, and in this version, Arthur's Christianity probably follows a more Gnostic version of Christianity, as a result of Merlin's Atlantean Mystic leanings.
All in all, this novel includes a lot more Celtic ideas than other versions of King Arthur's story. Great read.
October 22, 2016
A really cool and epic Arthurian retelling. The best I've ever read. It's all so real and I can totally see every single part happening in real life.
The characters are all very real and 3-D, not really relatable in the sense of the word, but there are certainly things to connect with. The story tellers each have a unique voice and cadence and I really love how it doesn't switch POVs except in each book 'part' so I can get stuck nice and comfortably inside one person's head.
The writing style is often hard to read, wherefore this book isn't just a pick-up-and-go sort of thing, and it can seem to drag at times just because of that.
The plot itself kept up a good pace most of the time, and I really liked the ending. Just the hinting of a distant hope, because King Arthur will return one day. It gave me legit shivers.
I definitely recommend this series to everyone (but probably mostly 14-ish +). A rather good read indeed (although I still think the first one is the best).
The characters are all very real and 3-D, not really relatable in the sense of the word, but there are certainly things to connect with. The story tellers each have a unique voice and cadence and I really love how it doesn't switch POVs except in each book 'part' so I can get stuck nice and comfortably inside one person's head.
The writing style is often hard to read, wherefore this book isn't just a pick-up-and-go sort of thing, and it can seem to drag at times just because of that.
The plot itself kept up a good pace most of the time, and I really liked the ending. Just the hinting of a distant hope, because King Arthur will return one day. It gave me legit shivers.
I definitely recommend this series to everyone (but probably mostly 14-ish +). A rather good read indeed (although I still think the first one is the best).
September 23, 2024
3⭐️
The first person narration through (I think) 3 different POVs was very confusing
Arthur’s story.
There is a very descriptive scene of a woman trying everything she can think of to seduce a man that is trying to resist her�.
Language: 1 a, 1 ba
The first person narration through (I think) 3 different POVs was very confusing
Arthur’s story.
There is a very descriptive scene of a woman trying everything she can think of to seduce a man that is trying to resist her�.
Language: 1 a, 1 ba
November 22, 2017
A beautiful, epic treatment of the Arthurian legends, with several interesting twists that diverge from what I was expecting. The Celtic or Old English interpretations of several names made each new character a mysterious revelation, and the multiple narrators made the story a fascinating shift of perspectives. Yet through it all was a sense of nobility and heroism that I deeply appreciated. Most surprising was the esteem in which the Christian faith has been upheld through the books so far. As big a fan I am of Bernard Cornwell's historical warfare fiction (including another spin on the Arthurian legend), his work is vehemently anti-Christian (or, at the very least, anti-church)...so it was refreshing to read of Christianity as a light in the world instead of the ugly, corrupt caricatures found in Cornwell's stories. I am anxious to get started on "Pendragon"!
May 4, 2017
Seguimos con otro gran libro dentro de esta saga. Si en el anterior teníamos a Merlin, aquí vamos con Arturo, el otro gran personaje que da nombre a todas las sagas artúricas, el "héroe" y leal caballero por excelencia.
Lawhead sigue manteniendo el tono narrativo que hace que no puedas parar de leer página tras página.
Arturo deberá luchar…y lo hace, acompañado por Merlín y su magia, símbolo de la unión de celtas y atlantes
Lawhead sigue manteniendo el tono narrativo que hace que no puedas parar de leer página tras página.
Arturo deberá luchar…y lo hace, acompañado por Merlín y su magia, símbolo de la unión de celtas y atlantes
August 16, 2014
Rating: 2* of five
The Publisher Says: In a forgotten age of darkness a magnificent king arose to light the world.
They called him unfit to rule—a lowborn, callow boy, Uther's bastard. But his coming had been foretold in the songs of the bard Taliesin. He had learned the uses of power from his guide and protector, Merlin. He was Arthur, Pendragon of the Island of the Mighty—who would rise to legendary greatness in a Britain torn by violence, greed and war; the Lord of Summer who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity . . . and whose noble, trusting heart would be broken by treachery.
My Review: Battle, battle, battle; foreshadowed Religious Event; battle, battle; Merlin and Morgian (variant spelling in the source document, even though I hated it I'm using it) sparring; oh hell, nothing much new.
BORING!
B...O...R...I...N...G!!!
This work is licensed under a .
The Publisher Says: In a forgotten age of darkness a magnificent king arose to light the world.
They called him unfit to rule—a lowborn, callow boy, Uther's bastard. But his coming had been foretold in the songs of the bard Taliesin. He had learned the uses of power from his guide and protector, Merlin. He was Arthur, Pendragon of the Island of the Mighty—who would rise to legendary greatness in a Britain torn by violence, greed and war; the Lord of Summer who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity . . . and whose noble, trusting heart would be broken by treachery.
My Review: Battle, battle, battle; foreshadowed Religious Event; battle, battle; Merlin and Morgian (variant spelling in the source document, even though I hated it I'm using it) sparring; oh hell, nothing much new.
BORING!
B...O...R...I...N...G!!!
This work is licensed under a .
April 23, 2011
OH.MY.GOSH. This is my absolute, most favorite book about King Arthur EVER written. It's not the magical, golden, dripping with gems story that you might be thinking. This is a soldier's story, a man who could discern the ebb and flow of a battle better than anyone every had. Arthur was a hero of battles, a great leader even though he was young. I was enchanted with this version of Arthur. The battle at Hadrian's wall had me breathless. The description of the land, the smell of the horses and the fear emanating from them, the smell of metal and blood, and damp earth were all so real. Just as real were the clashing of the swords, the screams of the men and horses pierced and dying on the battle field. I could gush and gush about this book. Arthur. Man of my dreams, King of my heart.
December 20, 2016
I need to read this one again, but I remember Arthur and loving this book.
March 2, 2021
The best in the series I think. Loved it.
August 5, 2019
With the third book, the events take us even closer to the heart of the Arthurian legends - every secondary character from Malory's tales has the accurate appearance here as well but in a much more enjoyable narrative. :)
The round table, the values of emerging Christianity blending with the Celtic lore of old, everything is here in a very satisfying way. But what makes the book really great is the plausible and well-documented way in which the historical times of the 6-7th century Britain are also portrayed. The battle with foreign invaders (Catharge refugees), the tense relationships between the many British kings and the similar social structure of Ireland, everything comes together in a most vivid and plausible world picture.
The round table, the values of emerging Christianity blending with the Celtic lore of old, everything is here in a very satisfying way. But what makes the book really great is the plausible and well-documented way in which the historical times of the 6-7th century Britain are also portrayed. The battle with foreign invaders (Catharge refugees), the tense relationships between the many British kings and the similar social structure of Ireland, everything comes together in a most vivid and plausible world picture.
April 27, 2008
The archetypical Western Canon hero can be quite boring. Having a stiff upper lip, square jaw, abjuring preemptive action and being achingly pious can result in a distinct lack of dramatic tension for the reader. Lawhead's Arthur overcomes all of the above disadvantages (and more) and coming across as a genuinely interesting and inspiring character. Lawhead also adopts a multiple first person narrative to good effect in this book. Highly recommended, but be sure to read the first two books in the sequence first.
May 11, 2009
Good story == I have been re-reading the five book series of King Author by Stenphen R. Lawhead. The books begin at the tail end of the Roman heydays and the implosion of Atlantis. They take the reader through the few people who escaped to Britain and establish a community there. Heir to these people if Merlin and King Author. The stories are greatly embellished and provide believable tale of Authur, his round table, knights, many battles and the search for the holy grail. Good reading! These books are on my home bookshelf and get read regularly about every couple of years.
January 1, 2013
Just as good the second time around! :D
May 17, 2016
The Pendragon Trilogy, by Stephen R. Lawhead, which includes Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur. I read old paperbacks from Avon Books which I received as hand-me-downs from my aunt. The original publication dates were 1987, 1988, and 1989.
Turns out I was confused about these books. I had figured out the order of the trilogy as Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur, but here and there I would see other titles in the series. So, once I had finished the trilogy, I researched and discovered that the “trilogy� was expanded, a few years after publication, into a “cycle,� with the addition of two more books: Pendragon and Grail. The problem? Because Lawhead released these after realizing the giant hole he left in the plot in the quick wrap-up of Arthur, he ended up writing into the hole. In other words, the books suddenly stop being (or working) chronologically. Called “more like an appendix� and “better than Arthur,� the latter books are now read by many in a makeshift order, which I wish I had done.
Sorta. Because even though I would have appreciated the whole thing in the chronological-event order without the gaping hole, I didn’t enjoy the first three books enough to want to continue to two more. I’m still torn on whether or not I should or want to continue the series.
In the words of Jessi from GoodReads, “If I were to go back in time, I would read the first book in Pendragon, then the first two books of Arthur, then go back and finish Pendragon, then finish Arthur. That’s how it actually goes sequentially.� Although, with Grail thrown in there, you would have to insert it before Arthur‘s third and final “book.� For a list of the chronological progression, see the Wikipedia article HERE. But how obnoxious do we want to get? How much does all this jumping around and amending take away from the quality of the series? I mean, reading it without knowing these tricks, I just got to the end and–through tiny little tears–thought, What?!? We worked our way (the entire time) up to the Kingdom of Summer and then it was SKIPPED?!?
But to be honest, it wasn’t as surprising as it should of been, because the whole trilogy has major issues with plot development. We’ll get to that in a minute.
First, let’s talk about another super-handy list at Wikipedia that–had I known then what I know now–I would have printed out to have hand while reading. This list is the modern character and place name equivalents of the ones that Lawhead uses. In his defense, the whole series is moved back several centuries (to fifth century Britain from medieval times) to line it up more closely with the demise of Atlantis and the Roman empire. From there, the books are highly history-inspired, which means that the names have been made more appropriate to the time period. However, I really fault Lawhead for not giving us a simple list by which to decipher the characters and places we have grown accustomed to, like the (obvious) Guinevere as Gwenhwyvar, or–the much less obvious–Excalibur as Caledvwlch.
Not to mention, it would have been helpful to know why I was beginning an Arthurian trilogy on Atlantis, with nary a character to recognize (or so I thought).
Basically, I love reading Arthurian legends, but–despite its fan-base and high recommendations–I have a lot to complain about this series. Some more:
The narrator changes. This wouldn’t be so bad if it happened on a consistent basis, but it doesn’t. And there were times I was wondering who on earth was talking to me, and why. Not only that, but the voice barely changes (or not at all) between the narrators. Only the perspective does.
The book was rampant with negative phrases like “no less than.� It drove me batty.
There were a lot of battles. Detailed. Especially in Arthur. Some people live for that type of fantasy writing. I do not.
The series just plain lacked excitement. The best bits were really the middle of Taliesin and the end of Arthur. In between, I was usually bored.
Lawhead has a really strange way of in-your-face foreshadowing. In and of itself, it’s a bit laughable. But when you pair it with lack of delivery, it’s downright infuriating. Like, he might say, “Their fears for the morning would prove to be true.� Then, in the morning, maybe it would drizzle and then they would win the battle. WHAT?!? This happened over and over and over. I would get all psyched up for some fore-told event, and the event itself would fizzle in a lake of mediocrity and ordinariness.
Specifically, Morgian’s (Morgan le Fay) evilness is talked up frequently and Merlin is always showing physical anxiety about her. But when she does show up–so rarely–she’s almost all talk and she accomplishes very little. The two truly vile things she actually does manage are off-screen and vague. The same is true for Guinevere (in the negative), but I am assured that she comes more into her own in the later books.
All in all, I felt very unfulfilled with character and plot development. I felt like there were a whole mess of words which took me nowhere. And the development that did happen came in fits and starts that trailed off into oblivion. (It’s hard to accurately describe this feeling. Because I know, literally, the plot did continue on. But it was like running in a dream. Or like you were reading an author’s plot notes. Or running on a treadmill. There was no zing. No exceitement.) Plus, it seems to me that Lawhead omitted many of the messier sides of his primary characters in favor of a glossier Christianity (and I say this as a Christian.) This is boring and inauthentic. Where is the affair? Where is the illegitimate son? It’s part of the legends, and it’s part of what would make these characters both relatable and–in the long run–heroes.
Lawhead is quite an author for telling, anyways. He’s more likely–at least in these books–to tell you that something is “majestic� than to help you feel its majesty.
In conclusion, if you like Arthurian legends or classic fantasy and are willing to persevere when things are less than perfect, then you should take a crack at this series. I would recommend having a list of the modern names, nearby, and also read the books in the order recommended above. Keep a keen eye on passing time (while understanding that some of the characters live much longer than mere humans), place, tribes/people groups, and people. With the cursory knowledge that you now have, of the series, I’m pretty sure you’ll have a much better experience than I did.
Oh, and Atlanteans = Elves.
(Please note that Lawhead would argue me on this last point, as well as give a much clearer explanation on why the books ended up in the state they did. See his comments at The Starving Artist review.)
_______________
QUOTES:
TALIESIN:
“‘Yes, and good fortune will require more of you than failure ever did'� (p155).
“‘That is where you are wrong, woman. There is never enough time for love-making. We must take it when we can'� (p330).
“‘That matters but little,� Cuall reminded him. ‘They are here, and that is the meal that is on our plate'� (p336).
MERLIN:
“Yet, every man has two names: the one he is given, and the one he wins for himself� (p15).
“And as there is much evil in the world, there is much doubt also� (p15).
“Humility, if it comes at all, most always comes too late� (p21).
“…the twin fields of bed and battle� (p27).
“A city is an unnatural place� (p30).
“But as I said, men’s hearts remember long after their minds have forgotten� (p38).
“You must understand, Myrddin Bach, not every man will follow the Light� (p45).
“They did not trust writing, and in this showed remarkable wisdom� (p61).
“I believe that certain powerful events leave behind their own lingering traces which also color the land in subtle ways� (p135).
“…the seasons fly? Up they swirl, winging back to the Great Hand which gave them. They fly like the wild geese, but nevermore return� (p193).
“Be thankful you are knit with such strong stuff� (p324).
“To decide for one is to decide against another. I never imagined it would be this hard� (p328).
“This is our work in creation: to decide. And what we decide is woven into the thread of time and being forever� (p328).
“But remember the church is only men, and men can become jealous of another’s favor. Do not hate them for it� (p329).
“…even though I know the Light is ever found in the lost unlikely places� (p333).
“Hearing with understanding is perhaps the greater part of wisdom� (p347).
“Once spoken, a word can not be called back; once loosed, an arrow cannot return to the bow. What happens, for good or ill, happens forever, and that is the way of it� (p364).
“As I have said, the illuminating spirit, like the wind, goes where it will, and sheds a light that all-too-often obscures as much as it reveals� (p381).
“…you are not the first man to love a woman. Stop acting like a wounded bear and let us discover what can be done� (p385).
“It happens like this sometimes–and all the plans, all the reasons, all desires and possibilities fade to nothing. And all that remains is the single unwilled act� (p392).
“Of course, there is no certainty in following, either. That is what makes it faith� (p393).
“Unreasonable men are even unreasonable, and only become more so when threatened. Truth always threatens the false-hearted� (p393).
“…forgive yourself as you have been forgiven. Your failings are not unique to you alone� (p421).
“That she loved where she should rightly despise was her glory� (p439).
ARTHUR:
“If you feel maligned and impugned in his presence,� he said, ‘no doubt it is the truth working in you'� (p35).
“It was, they discovered, the foundation stone of the worlds-realm, so they decided to lift it up and see what lay beneath it. This they did. And do you know what they found?�/’I cannot say. What did they find?�/’Love,� replied Myrddin simply� (p148).
“…as if good men and brave did not sleep in turf houses in ground hallowed by their own blood� as if war were a word� (p197).
“Great Light! The enemy’s power is so fragile! The devils can use only what we ourselves give them� (p220).
“‘Then be worthy, boy. No one stands between you and your honor!'� (p330).
“That which is given to us to do, we will do,� he said and turned his face away. ‘We are men and not angles after all'� (p404).
***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
Turns out I was confused about these books. I had figured out the order of the trilogy as Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur, but here and there I would see other titles in the series. So, once I had finished the trilogy, I researched and discovered that the “trilogy� was expanded, a few years after publication, into a “cycle,� with the addition of two more books: Pendragon and Grail. The problem? Because Lawhead released these after realizing the giant hole he left in the plot in the quick wrap-up of Arthur, he ended up writing into the hole. In other words, the books suddenly stop being (or working) chronologically. Called “more like an appendix� and “better than Arthur,� the latter books are now read by many in a makeshift order, which I wish I had done.
Sorta. Because even though I would have appreciated the whole thing in the chronological-event order without the gaping hole, I didn’t enjoy the first three books enough to want to continue to two more. I’m still torn on whether or not I should or want to continue the series.
In the words of Jessi from GoodReads, “If I were to go back in time, I would read the first book in Pendragon, then the first two books of Arthur, then go back and finish Pendragon, then finish Arthur. That’s how it actually goes sequentially.� Although, with Grail thrown in there, you would have to insert it before Arthur‘s third and final “book.� For a list of the chronological progression, see the Wikipedia article HERE. But how obnoxious do we want to get? How much does all this jumping around and amending take away from the quality of the series? I mean, reading it without knowing these tricks, I just got to the end and–through tiny little tears–thought, What?!? We worked our way (the entire time) up to the Kingdom of Summer and then it was SKIPPED?!?
But to be honest, it wasn’t as surprising as it should of been, because the whole trilogy has major issues with plot development. We’ll get to that in a minute.
First, let’s talk about another super-handy list at Wikipedia that–had I known then what I know now–I would have printed out to have hand while reading. This list is the modern character and place name equivalents of the ones that Lawhead uses. In his defense, the whole series is moved back several centuries (to fifth century Britain from medieval times) to line it up more closely with the demise of Atlantis and the Roman empire. From there, the books are highly history-inspired, which means that the names have been made more appropriate to the time period. However, I really fault Lawhead for not giving us a simple list by which to decipher the characters and places we have grown accustomed to, like the (obvious) Guinevere as Gwenhwyvar, or–the much less obvious–Excalibur as Caledvwlch.
Not to mention, it would have been helpful to know why I was beginning an Arthurian trilogy on Atlantis, with nary a character to recognize (or so I thought).
Basically, I love reading Arthurian legends, but–despite its fan-base and high recommendations–I have a lot to complain about this series. Some more:
The narrator changes. This wouldn’t be so bad if it happened on a consistent basis, but it doesn’t. And there were times I was wondering who on earth was talking to me, and why. Not only that, but the voice barely changes (or not at all) between the narrators. Only the perspective does.
The book was rampant with negative phrases like “no less than.� It drove me batty.
There were a lot of battles. Detailed. Especially in Arthur. Some people live for that type of fantasy writing. I do not.
The series just plain lacked excitement. The best bits were really the middle of Taliesin and the end of Arthur. In between, I was usually bored.
Lawhead has a really strange way of in-your-face foreshadowing. In and of itself, it’s a bit laughable. But when you pair it with lack of delivery, it’s downright infuriating. Like, he might say, “Their fears for the morning would prove to be true.� Then, in the morning, maybe it would drizzle and then they would win the battle. WHAT?!? This happened over and over and over. I would get all psyched up for some fore-told event, and the event itself would fizzle in a lake of mediocrity and ordinariness.
Specifically, Morgian’s (Morgan le Fay) evilness is talked up frequently and Merlin is always showing physical anxiety about her. But when she does show up–so rarely–she’s almost all talk and she accomplishes very little. The two truly vile things she actually does manage are off-screen and vague. The same is true for Guinevere (in the negative), but I am assured that she comes more into her own in the later books.
All in all, I felt very unfulfilled with character and plot development. I felt like there were a whole mess of words which took me nowhere. And the development that did happen came in fits and starts that trailed off into oblivion. (It’s hard to accurately describe this feeling. Because I know, literally, the plot did continue on. But it was like running in a dream. Or like you were reading an author’s plot notes. Or running on a treadmill. There was no zing. No exceitement.) Plus, it seems to me that Lawhead omitted many of the messier sides of his primary characters in favor of a glossier Christianity (and I say this as a Christian.) This is boring and inauthentic. Where is the affair? Where is the illegitimate son? It’s part of the legends, and it’s part of what would make these characters both relatable and–in the long run–heroes.
Lawhead is quite an author for telling, anyways. He’s more likely–at least in these books–to tell you that something is “majestic� than to help you feel its majesty.
In conclusion, if you like Arthurian legends or classic fantasy and are willing to persevere when things are less than perfect, then you should take a crack at this series. I would recommend having a list of the modern names, nearby, and also read the books in the order recommended above. Keep a keen eye on passing time (while understanding that some of the characters live much longer than mere humans), place, tribes/people groups, and people. With the cursory knowledge that you now have, of the series, I’m pretty sure you’ll have a much better experience than I did.
Oh, and Atlanteans = Elves.
(Please note that Lawhead would argue me on this last point, as well as give a much clearer explanation on why the books ended up in the state they did. See his comments at The Starving Artist review.)
_______________
QUOTES:
TALIESIN:
“‘Yes, and good fortune will require more of you than failure ever did'� (p155).
“‘That is where you are wrong, woman. There is never enough time for love-making. We must take it when we can'� (p330).
“‘That matters but little,� Cuall reminded him. ‘They are here, and that is the meal that is on our plate'� (p336).
MERLIN:
“Yet, every man has two names: the one he is given, and the one he wins for himself� (p15).
“And as there is much evil in the world, there is much doubt also� (p15).
“Humility, if it comes at all, most always comes too late� (p21).
“…the twin fields of bed and battle� (p27).
“A city is an unnatural place� (p30).
“But as I said, men’s hearts remember long after their minds have forgotten� (p38).
“You must understand, Myrddin Bach, not every man will follow the Light� (p45).
“They did not trust writing, and in this showed remarkable wisdom� (p61).
“I believe that certain powerful events leave behind their own lingering traces which also color the land in subtle ways� (p135).
“…the seasons fly? Up they swirl, winging back to the Great Hand which gave them. They fly like the wild geese, but nevermore return� (p193).
“Be thankful you are knit with such strong stuff� (p324).
“To decide for one is to decide against another. I never imagined it would be this hard� (p328).
“This is our work in creation: to decide. And what we decide is woven into the thread of time and being forever� (p328).
“But remember the church is only men, and men can become jealous of another’s favor. Do not hate them for it� (p329).
“…even though I know the Light is ever found in the lost unlikely places� (p333).
“Hearing with understanding is perhaps the greater part of wisdom� (p347).
“Once spoken, a word can not be called back; once loosed, an arrow cannot return to the bow. What happens, for good or ill, happens forever, and that is the way of it� (p364).
“As I have said, the illuminating spirit, like the wind, goes where it will, and sheds a light that all-too-often obscures as much as it reveals� (p381).
“…you are not the first man to love a woman. Stop acting like a wounded bear and let us discover what can be done� (p385).
“It happens like this sometimes–and all the plans, all the reasons, all desires and possibilities fade to nothing. And all that remains is the single unwilled act� (p392).
“Of course, there is no certainty in following, either. That is what makes it faith� (p393).
“Unreasonable men are even unreasonable, and only become more so when threatened. Truth always threatens the false-hearted� (p393).
“…forgive yourself as you have been forgiven. Your failings are not unique to you alone� (p421).
“That she loved where she should rightly despise was her glory� (p439).
ARTHUR:
“If you feel maligned and impugned in his presence,� he said, ‘no doubt it is the truth working in you'� (p35).
“It was, they discovered, the foundation stone of the worlds-realm, so they decided to lift it up and see what lay beneath it. This they did. And do you know what they found?�/’I cannot say. What did they find?�/’Love,� replied Myrddin simply� (p148).
“…as if good men and brave did not sleep in turf houses in ground hallowed by their own blood� as if war were a word� (p197).
“Great Light! The enemy’s power is so fragile! The devils can use only what we ourselves give them� (p220).
“‘Then be worthy, boy. No one stands between you and your honor!'� (p330).
“That which is given to us to do, we will do,� he said and turned his face away. ‘We are men and not angles after all'� (p404).
***REVIEW WRITTEN FOR THE STARVING ARTIST BLOG***
March 10, 2024
3.5 stars
《There will be no bringing back the light once it has gone.�
♤arthur: warrior, strategist, trusting
♤pelleas: poor guy deserved a better ending
♤bedwyr: friend, loyal, actually managed to not die
♤aneirin: bard in training, patience young padawan
Arthur has pulled the sword from the stone, but he still has to win a kingdom.
Book 3 of the Pendragon Cycle wasn't as interesting to me as the first two, perhaps because Arthur doesn't have a POV - the story is told by three men who knew him - Merlin's best friend, Arthur's childhood friend, and Merlin's student.
Turns out that the next two books in the series - Pendragon and Grail - take place within the time frame of this book, so that should be interesting.
This book was very much a war story, and I missed the sense of magic that the first two had, being narrated by Charis and Merlin. And, I do like war stories (The King's Swift Rider is a favorite). But there was a lot of war and not a lot of character development, so. Yeah. Good book, just not as good as the first two. Plus, that one scene with Morgian did not help. I get it that she's evil, but I would have preferred for her to stay in that really creepy immortal witch lady vibe instead of random seductress number one. Just my two cents. Here's to hoping Pendragon has more character development and some great showdowns between Merlin and Morgian!
Content:
*Note: most of the content listed is not overly detailed, with the exception of the violent content.
A female villain tries to seduce a guy. She disrobes, but he flees the scene. (I personally wasn't comfortable with this scene.)
Mention of an incestuous relationship.
Mention of rape.
Mention of a man never having a wife "to bed".
Frequent battle violence.
War atrocities, up to fairly detailed.
Murder/killings.
Death of a child.
Infrequent language (wh- , the longer b word, a- ).
*Note: Sorcery stuff used by the antagonist.
*Note: Mentions of demons and possession.
Ages 17+
《There will be no bringing back the light once it has gone.�
♤arthur: warrior, strategist, trusting
♤pelleas: poor guy deserved a better ending
♤bedwyr: friend, loyal, actually managed to not die
♤aneirin: bard in training, patience young padawan
Arthur has pulled the sword from the stone, but he still has to win a kingdom.
Book 3 of the Pendragon Cycle wasn't as interesting to me as the first two, perhaps because Arthur doesn't have a POV - the story is told by three men who knew him - Merlin's best friend, Arthur's childhood friend, and Merlin's student.
Turns out that the next two books in the series - Pendragon and Grail - take place within the time frame of this book, so that should be interesting.
This book was very much a war story, and I missed the sense of magic that the first two had, being narrated by Charis and Merlin. And, I do like war stories (The King's Swift Rider is a favorite). But there was a lot of war and not a lot of character development, so. Yeah. Good book, just not as good as the first two. Plus, that one scene with Morgian did not help. I get it that she's evil, but I would have preferred for her to stay in that really creepy immortal witch lady vibe instead of random seductress number one. Just my two cents. Here's to hoping Pendragon has more character development and some great showdowns between Merlin and Morgian!
Content:
*Note: most of the content listed is not overly detailed, with the exception of the violent content.
A female villain tries to seduce a guy. She disrobes, but he flees the scene. (I personally wasn't comfortable with this scene.)
Mention of an incestuous relationship.
Mention of rape.
Mention of a man never having a wife "to bed".
Frequent battle violence.
War atrocities, up to fairly detailed.
Murder/killings.
Death of a child.
Infrequent language (wh- , the longer b word, a- ).
*Note: Sorcery stuff used by the antagonist.
*Note: Mentions of demons and possession.
Ages 17+
July 30, 2011
Then, upon waking one morning, it came into my mind that Morgian, Queen of Air and Darkness, was fear driven. It is so simple! Why did she act now after all these years? Because something drove her to act � and the something was fear. Morgian was afraid.
I'm so glad I got around to re-reading this book! It's such a brilliant book about the Arthurian legend! It shows Arthur becoming a great and strong king to rule over Britain but also focus' on the other people that helped get him there, with a huge focus on the Merlin/Arthur friendship.
I think my favourite parts will always be the parts between Merlin and Morgian the way you can feel their old friendship still lingering just below the surface but it can never be the same way ever again because too much has happened.
The one thing I don't really enjoy about Lawhead's writing is the way he drags on the battles and camping scenes, I understand their relevance but a lot of the time the small battles that mean nothing go on for pages and then aren't at all related to the task at hand and that bothers me a fair bit about his writing and seems to be a common element.
I do love how descriptive he is with scenery and characters and how extremely evolved his characters are, they feel so real and are very relatedable which is sometimes hard to find with Arthurian literature.
I'm so glad I got around to re-reading this book! It's such a brilliant book about the Arthurian legend! It shows Arthur becoming a great and strong king to rule over Britain but also focus' on the other people that helped get him there, with a huge focus on the Merlin/Arthur friendship.
I think my favourite parts will always be the parts between Merlin and Morgian the way you can feel their old friendship still lingering just below the surface but it can never be the same way ever again because too much has happened.
The one thing I don't really enjoy about Lawhead's writing is the way he drags on the battles and camping scenes, I understand their relevance but a lot of the time the small battles that mean nothing go on for pages and then aren't at all related to the task at hand and that bothers me a fair bit about his writing and seems to be a common element.
I do love how descriptive he is with scenery and characters and how extremely evolved his characters are, they feel so real and are very relatedable which is sometimes hard to find with Arthurian literature.
August 23, 2011
Lawhead's continues his Pendragon series with Arthur. Like the first two books, I also enjoyed reading this book. In this story, we see Arthur become the foretold high king ruler of the Isle of the Mighty. We are taken through the arduous process Arthur must undertake to create the Kingdom of Summer. Arthur and Myrddin must combat treasonous kings as well as multiple invasions of Britain by barbarians. The battle sequences are epic and very well told. I'm glad Lawhead chose to use the first person account of the story once again, this time from a perspective of three characters. I gave this book four stars because of two reasons. The ending was a bit odd and appeared abrupt as if injected to meet a deadline. Also, like the other books, there's a good deal of Christianity wrapped into the story, as there may have been in 4th and 5th century Britain. However, I found it less intertwined and more preachy in this book.
September 30, 2011
Just finished the 3rd in Stephen Lawheads 'Pendragon Cycle', "Arthur". While it took me longer to get through than the previous two books, it was no less entertaining. Lawhead continues to weave wonder fiction around history and myth. While the depth of character was maintained in this book, the storyline was not nearly as detailed as the earlier ones. To portray Arthur as a master strategist, the story is filled with the history and detail of many battles. The unfortunate thing is that the story between these battles often seemed forced nor as detailed as his prior books. This is not necessarily a bad thing because it helped paint the picture that this time of Arthur's life was filled with the intensity of war. The ending of the book was sudden, quick, and caught me totally unprepared!
December 3, 2014
Continuing on in the Pendragon series, "Arthur" is a great read. I love this series and having a thing for Arthurian Legend, I have read a lot of these. This is now my favorite Arthurian series. I love the rich language, the writing reminds me of J.R. Tolkien. Lawhead is a great storyteller and his characters come alive. This series is written with Arthur and Merlin as followers of Jehu (Jesus) and is full of honor and bravery. Some of they typical Arthurian characters are missing and some have come in a new and different way. I give it five stars! No swearing and no sexual content. I can recommend for ages 14 and up, though it is geared for adult reading.
January 30, 2023
(4th Read Through. 1/10/23 . Also note - only read books 1 & 2, as I come back to read 3 after reading Pendragon and Grail.)
Still one of, if not, my favorite Lawhead book, but this was also the first time that I saw a glaring hole in this book - namely that, for most of the book, Arthur never really loses anything. Every major battle he’s winning, every person that joins is on his side� it’s pretty one sided.
Having said that - man, it is still so good. Lawhead is great at making the epic feel personal and individual, and giving such a breath of optimism that lacks many fantasy and historical fiction novels. And few describe battles as well as Lawhead�
Still one of, if not, my favorite Lawhead book, but this was also the first time that I saw a glaring hole in this book - namely that, for most of the book, Arthur never really loses anything. Every major battle he’s winning, every person that joins is on his side� it’s pretty one sided.
Having said that - man, it is still so good. Lawhead is great at making the epic feel personal and individual, and giving such a breath of optimism that lacks many fantasy and historical fiction novels. And few describe battles as well as Lawhead�
December 13, 2010
Great ending to a fun series. This was probably my favorite book in this series as most of the characters were quite familiar to me (from King Arther and Queen Gwenhwyvar to Merlin of course). The book is a tale of Arthur uniting the British "Summer Kingdom" together and so there is a lot of battles and war. All the same, I quite enjoyed the story and was very impressed overall with Stephen Lawhead's ability to tell this story and his knowledge of the British legends. I plan to read more from him.
September 8, 2010
Lawhead is a Christian writer that has the ability to weave Christianity into the fabric of a story (even historical fiction) without cheapening the faith or ruining the story. This is what he has accomplished in his telling of Arthur story.
Imagine beginning with the destruction of Atlantis, the conversion of the Druids and Christianization of the British Isles. A fantastic story!
Imagine beginning with the destruction of Atlantis, the conversion of the Druids and Christianization of the British Isles. A fantastic story!
August 7, 2011
Lawhead is a brilliant writer in many aspects but also not so brilliant in others, his lengthy scenes and descriptions can drag on too long and be completely unrelated to the story. But a lot of the time I do enjoy his writing and how he portrays each character, I especially like how Arthur is portrayed as a strong and yet vulnerable young king.
Overall I really enjoyed this book.
Overall I really enjoyed this book.
October 27, 2015
Este libro hace homenaje a los dos mejores personajes de las leyendas Artúricas. Muy épico y con mucha acción, está muy bien escrito y logro que olvidara mis prevenciones con esta saga debido al amor que le tengo a la vulgata escrita en el medioevo.
October 8, 2016
Another worthy viewpoint on this legend
May 28, 2020
I actually gave up. The religious references were way too much.
February 9, 2023
I really enjoyed the second half of this one a lot. Definitely read the remainder of the series before finishing Book 3 of this.
Final thoughts on the series:
I really underestimated how much I was going to enjoy this. If you are coming from a linguistically modern YA background, the old english-y style of Lawhead's works might feel a little rough to keep up with at first.
The main characters are very easy to root for (I love Merlin) because they are clearly real people who still struggle with fear and hardship but hope and integrity keep them afloat on the moral life raft.
The one thing I really really REALLY loved were the female characters. Wow. Some of the situations these women found themselves in were truly so inspiring and really made me think of how I deal with my conduct and emotions in the face of trials and hardship. About 95% of the female characters were portrayed as what a woman should strive to be. Absolutely outstanding on that front. Will want to read the whole series again at some point.
Cons were some of the religious musings were a little weird (although historically accurate, I would say for when this story is supposed to be taking place.) And there were a few sections in some of the books that did feel like they dragged on with a lot of politics that didn't seem totally necessary to the story.
I listened to the audiobook for free on Hoopla.
Final thoughts on the series:
I really underestimated how much I was going to enjoy this. If you are coming from a linguistically modern YA background, the old english-y style of Lawhead's works might feel a little rough to keep up with at first.
The main characters are very easy to root for (I love Merlin) because they are clearly real people who still struggle with fear and hardship but hope and integrity keep them afloat on the moral life raft.
The one thing I really really REALLY loved were the female characters. Wow. Some of the situations these women found themselves in were truly so inspiring and really made me think of how I deal with my conduct and emotions in the face of trials and hardship. About 95% of the female characters were portrayed as what a woman should strive to be. Absolutely outstanding on that front. Will want to read the whole series again at some point.
Cons were some of the religious musings were a little weird (although historically accurate, I would say for when this story is supposed to be taking place.) And there were a few sections in some of the books that did feel like they dragged on with a lot of politics that didn't seem totally necessary to the story.
I listened to the audiobook for free on Hoopla.
April 2, 2024
Where have these books been my whole life?
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, loved the second book, and was absolutely over the moon for the third. What an ending� I must begin the fourth, although I have little clue of what is next. I’m slightly older than these books and cannot rightly fathom why I’ve never heard of them before, but thrilled that I have now.
Intelligently written as well as spiritually edifying. This book had me full of hope one moment and in despair the next. It’s been awhile since I’ve cried so much from a book as well as inspired. Thank you Stephen Lawhead.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, loved the second book, and was absolutely over the moon for the third. What an ending� I must begin the fourth, although I have little clue of what is next. I’m slightly older than these books and cannot rightly fathom why I’ve never heard of them before, but thrilled that I have now.
Intelligently written as well as spiritually edifying. This book had me full of hope one moment and in despair the next. It’s been awhile since I’ve cried so much from a book as well as inspired. Thank you Stephen Lawhead.
January 7, 2025
Not thrilled with how he’s ended this series. A little angry. A little unsettled.
Pelleas� book was SO BORING I did not care at all and he was a bad storyteller. Bedwyr’s chapters were the best, liked the action and how he gave personality and life to the Cymbrogi. Anieran’s book made me nostalgic for Bedwyr’s. those were the good old days, which was literally like 30 pages prior so cudos to lawhead for that.
Gwen??? Could have been so cool but was only shown once to be a badass?? Also he just decided to cut the whole Lancelot / affair side plot out? I kept waiting for that and felt like there was some set up for it but apparently not. Loved her protector dude tho and his whole battle-mad-rage bit.
CAI Arthur and bedwyr xoxo my fav throuple
Pelleas� book was SO BORING I did not care at all and he was a bad storyteller. Bedwyr’s chapters were the best, liked the action and how he gave personality and life to the Cymbrogi. Anieran’s book made me nostalgic for Bedwyr’s. those were the good old days, which was literally like 30 pages prior so cudos to lawhead for that.
Gwen??? Could have been so cool but was only shown once to be a badass?? Also he just decided to cut the whole Lancelot / affair side plot out? I kept waiting for that and felt like there was some set up for it but apparently not. Loved her protector dude tho and his whole battle-mad-rage bit.
CAI Arthur and bedwyr xoxo my fav throuple
November 3, 2023
I really enjoyed how most of the places (and even some of the people) are based on real places, many I've been to around Wales and the Border Country. The use of Welsh gives the story a real sense of history and truth.
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