Taliesin (The Pendragon Cycle, Book 1)

I was very excited to get this series. An avid reader of Sci-Fi Fantasy as well as Arthurian legends and Celtic work, I was sorely disappointed. Instead of the book ringing true, he twisted the mythology to make the pagan storyline the same old evil adage and inserted a christian theme. I took all the rest of the series and donated them. I owned a bookstore for several years and was caught off guard.

This was my first exposure to Stephen Lawhead's writing, and I am impressed. The Atlantis he creates is so real and believable, I actually had to check the encyclopedia to make sure it was just a legend! The characters, even minor ones, are well developed and very believable. The romance is very well done between all the couples in the story. Lawhead's vivid imagery and obvious love for all things Celt, makes the Celtic culture come alive in this book. The greatest strength I see in Lawhead's writing is his ability to create believable characters that the reader feels close to. By the end of the story, Charis was like a sister to me. I read this book as entertainment to escape from the monotony of stay-at-home motherhood, but it ended up being so much more. This story was about the meeting of two cultures, the inner conflict of religious belief, and most of all, the story of one woman's faith journey. I would highly recommend this book.

These books sold very, very well for the author in what can only be described as an impossibly crowded genre. It seems every fantasy novelist attempts, at some point, a re-telling and definitive edition of the Arthurian myth. It is the only subject more trampled and copied than Tolkien. It is also the genre that lapses in to the most astonishing absurdities. Lawhead, with these three books (Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur) has contributed something very relevant and very new to the genre. It gives the myth a burst of idealism and Christianity not seen since Tennyson with the Celtic traditions not seen since the Mabinogion. Sadly, with the publication of the latter three--and far lesser novels (Pendragon, Grail, and Avallon) the series is much damaged and diminished. We believe that Lawhead would've been far better served to let the trilogy stand on its own where it's not so intimidating and probably would've enjoyed subsequent reprinting. As it stands, our rating for this book is slightly tarnished by these later publications and endanger the proud work of a very, very good author. WHO SHOULD READ: Readers who enjoyed Tolkien a great deal and who read Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, and others searching for that same idealism will come closest to finding it here with Lawhead. Readers who enjoyed Marion Zimmerman Bradley's feminized version of the legend in The Mists of Avalon will find this work operating as a kind of opposite: Bradley employing the traditional pagan religious elements and feminism while re-working the French side of the myth while Lawhead invoking Christian theology and masculinity in t the Celtic side of the myth. They are very interesting to read together. These books are excellent choices for teenagers for whom idealism is second nature. Oddly, readers deeply impressed with the idealism of the people living in "The Land" in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever will find themselves deeply compelled by this work. WHO SHOULD AVOID: Scholars of Arthuriana, those more versed in Malory, Monmouth, Eschenbach, de Troyes, and even Tennyson, will probably be a bit disappointed. They are going to be much less impressed with what they might regard as overly-dramatic prose and much more sensitive to the liberties--particularly the Christian liberties--that Lawhead takes with the story. Certainly those readers who are inclined to much more cynical writing styles of the late 20th and 21st century--people who enjoy the subtle undercurrents and "un-heroism" of more modern irreverent works--will probably become bored and irritable with the constant nobility (just as they would become bored with Tennyson's Idylls of the King). People looking to investigate the actual history and evolution of the mythology would not be well-served by reading this book but should look to the actual source material of Malory and perhaps some of the earlier Celtic works such as Monmouth and The Alliterative Morte d'Arthure. READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT I

Lawhead wrote his famous trilogy of Christian fantasy novels on the Arthurian legend:1 _Taliesin_, 2 _Merlin_ 3 _Arthur_.------------------The problem was it had taken so long for Lawhead to get Arthur on the throne, there was too little space now for anything more, except his downfall. So by popular demand, two volumes were added in the middle of the saga at the time while Arthur reigned in full glory as Britain's high King.These welcome additional volumes were 4 _Pendragon_ (story of the invading Black Boar- i.e. the Vandal horde) and 5 _Grail_ (story of the revolt against Arthur by one of his own knights in league with hard-hearted witch Morgian).So here's the revised order to read them to keep the story straight: 1Taliesin, 2Merlin, 3Arthur partI [Pelleas], 3Arthur partII [Bedwys], 4Pendragon, 5Grail, 3Arthur partIII [Aneirin].-----------Now the problem was a rather sad situation: at the final end, Arthur is missing, presumed dead, and as always in these retelling of the Arthur legend, there is the vague hint that one day when Britain's need is great, we will see the return of the King. Hence: one last volume, set in our own perilous future: volume 6 _Avalon_.Enjoy a wonderful journey!

The tales are King Arthur are magnificently told and fashioned into 5 books of the Pendragon Cycle: 'Taliesin', 'Merlin', 'Arthur', 'Pendragon', and 'Grail'. Lawhead does an excellent job in this first book of this series of books. The first one tells the story of Charis, an Atlantean princess who escapes the devastation of her homeland, the once peaceful kingdom Atlantis. In her refuge, she journeys to the ancient lands of Wales and Britain. There she meets her future love, Taliesin, mystical seer and druid prince. It's between these two lovers that two worlds join together in a land full of chaos and the fate of it's future hangs in the balance. From this union the birth and miracles of Merlin, the fabled magician are manifested. This brings alive the legend of Pendragon, Uther and King Arthur. Lawhead, often called the 'Celtic Tolkien' brings to life in every detail of it's ancient history and the characters. You experience it with vibrant realness, resonance and passion. This would be an excellent addition to any Arthurian literature and anyone studying ancient history and mythology. Each book is a remarkable tapestry of eloquent and descriptive stories of the Arthurian epic, mysticism and the age of chivalry. The old tale is given a new light that entertains and dazzles. If you like ancient Celtic history and fantasy this is an absolute recommendation!

This book is one of the best i've ever read and for good reason. The plot is great and the characters are really written well. I had to look up once or twice to make sure i was still in this world and not there with Charis and Taliesin. Stephen Lawhead wrote it all so well you start to think you are part of it. I can't wait to finish the rest of the Pendragon cycle. All in all this book is great, the battle between good and evil, light and dark, friendship and enemity is strong and weaves the words like a web that you get caught in and never free yourself from. A great novel