The Endless Knot

A wedding, a fire, a set of Celtic legends, a kidnapping, a choice, and a dangerous quest into the wilderness. In the third and final book of the Song of Albion Trilogy Lawhead takes us to the end of our journey--or perhaps the beginning. It is yet another well-thought-out well-researched book full of not only a dynamic plot, poignant relatable characters, and unforseen twists; but also a resivoire of knowledge of Celtic mythology. The depth of Lawhead's understanding and interweaving of the myth is breathtaking and brilliant. This is THE best trilogy I have ever picked up, and, though I don't often do this, I forsee myself reading them again.

Well, here we go. This is the light at the end of the tunnel, and what a journey it's been so far. A treacherous claimant to the throne of Albion has been defeated. Now Llew Silver Hand rigtfully and completely reigns as Aird Righ (High King) of Albion and all seems right. He and Lady Goewyn admit their love for each other during a festive celebration and soon a wedding is in full swing. I loved the gentleness of the passion shown between the two without it becoming crude or overly explicit. However, as is soon discovered, all is NOT right, yet, within Albion. Llew is hearbroken to think that just as his kingship is established he must leave Albion forever. He insists that the giving of his silver hand means that he must have someting more to do... a further task to accomplish in Albion, and indeed he does. The final part of this BEAUTIFUL three act play concerns the retrieval of a treasure known as the Singing Stones (stones that hold thanks to magical means the ancient "Song Of Albion", and which played a prominent role in both THE PARADISE WAR and THE SILVER HAND), along with the kidnapping and rescue of Queen Goewyn from the clutches of the villainous Siawn Hy (Simon Rawnson under his Celtic name). I really loved the many parallels in all three books between the ancient Celtic world and that of Christianity. The most moving thing to me in the book is the way in which the goal is achived. The sacrificial death of High King Llew for the sake of Goewyn and his people transforms Albion back to a state even greater than its former pristine glory, and mirrors perfectly the sacrificial death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus that saved the souls of the entire world. Fittingly, when Lewis is sent home, the people of this world have a new eagerness and fervor and a greater genuine love for Jesus. Just as Albion is restored, this world gets changed in quite a dramatic way too. Also, the romantic aspect of Llew's life does take a gently uplifting turn at the end of the book but I won't spoil that for you. Read it yourself and find out. ;) All in all, the only thing I didn't like about this book is the fact that it's conclusion means that the Song Of Albion series is over and complete. I find myself wishing there was more to read, more to tell. A sure sign that a series has touched you is that you wish there was more, and this series definitely did that for me. I find an earlier reviewer's comparison with a powerful and passionate symphony more than fitting. GREAT work Stephen. My hat is off to you forever for writing such a great of work.

If literature is music, then Lawhead's "Song of Albion" trilogy is a profound symphony, with a tremendously passionate ending. In the final book of the series, "The Endless Knot" (which sees the welcome return of Llew as the narrator), both the High King Llew and his ally King Cynan find themselves wives: Llew the beautiful Goewyn, and Cynan the mysterious Tangwen. Without becoming sappy or secular in his depiction, Lawhead shows the beauty of pure and passionate love between husband and wife. But Llew's joy is quickly dashed as the two queens are abducted and carried off to distant lands. Accompanied by their warband and the bard Tegid, Llew and Cynan set off in pursuit. The quest through hostile lands and far-off places turns into a Tolkienesque journey, as the land itself becomes the essence of evil, with putrid smells and hidden enemies. As they venture into the heart of evil through the Foul Land (Tir Aflan), our heroes must battle a hostile landscape and its corrupt creatures which have been awakened by evil, such as the dreaded Wyrm which has been awakened by evil. When they finally discover the source of the evil that has stolen their brides and threatened Albion, the shock is greater than ever, because it ushers in a final battle is against the intruder Simon (Siawn). The conflict reaches an apocalyptic climax in the closing pages, as Llew and Simon meet face to face. The cruel bondage of many that Llew seeks to liberate is a clear portrayal of the horrific slavery to Satan. Meanwhile in Llew, Lawhead paints a portrait of the work of Christ as Messianic king, who "becomes justice for his people" who in turn can "shelter beneath his protection" (p82). Like Christ, Llew sacrifices his own life to rescue his bride. And just as the Bride of Christ will be completely redeemed on the day of His return, so Llew's arrival culminates in a grand conflagration that purifies the world of evil and transforms it to perfection. "Out of the molten heat, I saw the foul land of Tir Aflan recast, reshaped, and in fire reborn. Nothing escaped the refining fire of his irresistible will: all imperfection, all ugliness, all weakness and deformity, all frailty, infirmity, disease, deficiency and defect, every fault and failing, every blight and every blemish, every flaw effaced, purged, and purified...When the fire at last subsided, Tir Aflan had been consumed and its elements transmuted in a finer, more noble conception: recreated with a grandeur as far surpassing its former degradation as if an old garment had been [taken] away and not merely restored, but replaced with a raiment of unrivalled splendor." (p394). Lawhead's extensive description of this cosmic transformation is moving, and all the more moving because of its deep spiritual significance for Christians. Llew's dazed shock at returning to the real world in the end mirrors the reader's emptiness after a passionate and profound journey to the other world. "How could anyone ever understand even the

I believe that one of the marks of a classic is that it can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Well, this book certainly fit. I'm 11, and I loved it! Another is that it can discussed for a long period of time. I finished this book a while before my dad and after he finished it, we discussed it for half an hour. There was quite a bit of symbolism combined with Christianity to make you wonder for a long time. One thing that he suggested near the end of the book is that everyone in our world has a parallel in Albion. I noticed a few similarites between Cynan and the old Simon, as well as Tegid and Professor Nettleton. Lewis probably didn't have one, since he was the hero. Book Two ended without a cliffhanger and a happy ending. At the end, this one almost made me cry. Too many plot details have already been revealed, so I won't tell you anymore. This trilogy is one of the best of all time, up there with Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. However, if you are a kid, have your parents read them first and make sure they're all right for you. It's fairly graphic and has some...ahhh...content. (If you catch my drift) I guess the point of my review is: BUY THIS BOOK! You won't be disappointed.

A incredibly well written powerful piece, The Endless Knot is the best book I have ever read. Why it has not won international acclaim is beyond me. The climactic ending gripped me and I found myself almost in tears when the book finally ended.