Patrick: Son of Ireland

This book is absolutely without a doubt one the best books I have ever read. Granted, you have to be into Stephen Lawhead's style to enjoy it, though there might be room for exceptions there . . . but really the struggles of the main character within himself and his quest are awesome and powerful. Having read all but a few of Stephen Lawhead's books, I would quickly say this is definately one of my favorites if not THE favorite. Absolutely worth owning.

Stephen Lawhead has done it again, another brilliant historical novel with a deeply Christian message. Christian, but without hitting the reader over the head. No body does it better in plotlines and characterizations. I confess I knew very little about Patricius or Patrick outside of St. Patrick's day and the legend about driving the snakes out of Ireland. I still don't know much more about Patrick the "sainted" one, but it is an excellent tale of redemption. We are taken through a young man's many struggles as he is enslaved as a teenager, whisked off to Ireland where he is often beated for trying to escape, and then his venture into being a Druid when he finds true love. He finally does escape to England where he finds his past hs been wiped out and ends up in Gaul as a soldier. From there he goes to Rome where he becomes an important figure with a family. Alas, this poor fellow suffers like Job and every time he has a high he goes to the very depths of despair when he is either near death or wishes to be dead. How he overcomes all this and accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and returns to Ireland is fascinating though the reader will wish there were more detail about his revival. It ends in triumph, but we know him better as the man seeking redemption than we do about what he actually accomplished in Ireland. This 579 page book really could have used an extra 100 pages at least or a sequel. I have to assume that converting the whole of Ireland to Christianity was his legacy. Still, an excellent book in every way.

This book was one of the best Stephen Lawhead books I had read, and I have read everything he's ever written. I have read the opinions posted here too, and I have to say I am disappointed in the comments.There is nothing wrong with the story save that it won't loose its grasp upon the reader until he has read each and every line.And I don't see a love for paganism in Lawhead at all, only a love for the truth. The Druids of old had some (what people might say was) power...and some were good, some were bad. And some of them in searching for the truth found it.But none of the issues pierces the true point of his stories...Lawhead is not trying to create new doctrines, or a new way that we should follow. He is just telling an amazing story, and instead of getting wrapped up in all the details of this and that, let the story take its toll on you. Like the stories druids told of valour and honour, friendship and loss, great victories and great pain: they are there to inspire the reader and to help them remember what's important, to taste of something higher than themselves. Not to analyze but to remind us to live. And of what is worth living for.

I didn't have much of any opinion about St. Patrick before I read this book. Truthfully, I wasn't too interested. But this book has changed forever the way I will look at this saint - and possibly a lot of other things as well. Lawhead presents such a beguiling world, I was immediately drawn in and wanted to live there. Heck, I did live there while I was reading. I shivered with cold on the mountain with the mad shepherd Madog, and ached with pain when the king's champion beat me ... I mean, Succat. (Hint: he wasn't always called Patrick. In fact, he had four names. I'm not giving anything away, it says so right in the front of the book.) Not being a historian, I don't know how much of what happened in the book really happened in real life. But it is Lawhead's special talent to make you believe it could have happened just this way, and probably did. At least, he convinced me. I'm going back for more - I think Byzantium will be next on my list.

Here is a sure winner. Love, death, betrayal, and redemption all wrapped up in an subtly addictive plot. Take the phone off the hook, 'cause once you start this book you won't be able to stop. A true Tour de Force! Being a history major, I appreciated the massive depth of research that must have gone into the background of the story. That said, it stays pretty much out of sight because the tale moves effortlessly from point to point and the reader is swiftly caught up in the tumultuous events of life in the early 5th century. The redering of the people -- whether, Irish, Roman, Barbarian, or British -- was never less than precise, and the various locations all ring true. That in itself is an achievment. I especially liked the fascinating insight into the Roman Legion's way of fighting barbarians on the northern frontier. It took me right back to 'Gladiator' but with greater feeling. Also, Succat himself is an engaging narrator -- sometimes ascerbic, sometimes naive, sometimes profound, but never predictable. Great Stuff! This is the first of many Lawhead books for me. I'm hooked.*(A note for those who seem overly-worried about Pelagius: The so-called heretic Pelaguis stood 'trial' for his beliefs and successfully defended them,and was acquitted by the Pope. It was only after the poor guy was dead and gone that his enemies succeeded in branding him a heretic. It's true. You can look it up.)