There is perhaps no author writing fiction today with the Celtic flourish that Stephen Lawhead brings to the table. His Pendragon Cycle is the finest interpretation of the Arthurian mythos available on the market today, and his consistent attention to theme and culture is simply astounding. With The Song of Albion, he reached, in this reviewer’s opinion, the pinnacle of literary success. At the risk of sounding a little bit sappy, I will tell you that this series holds the distinction of being the only fantasy works that provoked both me and my wife to tears.
The books do an excellent job of painting the picture of life in both modern England as well as a pseudo-Celtic otherworld, reminiscent of his earlier works with the Arthur legend, but made more vivid from the perspective of the main character, Lewis, a modern Brit experiencing the world firsthand. By interpreting the world of the Tuatha de Danann from the perspective of a 20th Century college student, Lawhead is able to recount what’s remarkable about this otherworld in clear, dramatic imagery that appeals to the reader at a visceral level. Essentially, the world viewed through the eyes of a college student is more complex, more bizarre, and more wonderful in its contrast to modern life.
The books begin with The Paradise War, which chronicles Lewis’ first journey to the world of Tuatha de Dannan, which is called Albion by its inhabitants. When his friend and fellow student Simon disappears, he investigates and ends up in the otherworld with Simon. He gradually grows in importance and success and thwarts the great and evil enemy of Albion, Cythrawl. The enemy in his anger unleashes Lord Nudd, an evil prince dedicated to Albion’s destruction. Lewis discovers and uses the Song of Albion to defeat the enemy, However, all is not well as we learn Simon had manipulated kingly succession. The Paradise War ends with Lewis seeking to bring Simon out of Albion and thus preserve the beautiful otherworld.
The second book in the series is The Silver Hand, and it shows the remarkable ability of Lawhead to manipulate the reader’s emotions better than most on the market today. It’s a roller coaster of a novel. In simplest turns, Simon has backed a weak prince to make him king. The bard Tegid chooses Lewis to be king. Eventually, a tragic betrayal ends with Simon arranging for nearly all of the bards in Albion to die and Lewis’ hand is cut off, making him ineligible to be king. The land in Albion has become corrupted by the civil war, and even the water is poisonous. Lewis is thrown into a poisonous lake in the hopes of killing him, but instead his hand is restored as a perfect hand of silver. In a series of up and down, on-again off-again, and blisteringly powerful scenes; Lewis eventually regains the throne and condemns the traitors to death. Simon is hit with a spear but disappears, evidently back to modern England.
The third book, The Endless Knot, really shows Lawhead’s craft as a writer. Lewis remains in Albion as king and marries. His wife is kidnapped and brought to the “Foul Land.” Against the advice of his longtime friend Tegid, he travels with the rescue party, and there faces the “Brazen Man.” This bronze-armored champion of evil forces Lewis to give himself up in order to save his wife, and lewis ends up sacrificing himself in order to save his wife. By this time, the reader is in utter despair and the roller coaster is in full swing. However, when Simon finally kills Lewis, the Song of Albion is released on Albion, and the purity of the otherworld is restored as all of the evil elements are consumed by the righteousness of the song. Albion is saved, and Lewis is expelled to modern England once more.
I can’t do the actual books justice, but if you read them be sure to have plenty of tissues available. Lewis saves the incredible underworld and loses his access to it. The life he came to love is forever lost, but the loved ones left behind will flourish.
Lawhead is remarkable at painting a picture of the Celtic world of legends. His characters are vivid, and made even more vivid by their development via the eyes of modern man. In same ways, the reader might draw parallels from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars series, where a modern man experiences and describes the civilizations of the red planet. A great deal of freedom to interpret the images and the events in the strange world are available to the author with this device, and Lawhead utilizes them perfectly. Above all, Lawhead follows the cardinal rule of great fiction—don’t tell the reader, show the reader. The series is lush and rich, and even the newest fan of fantasy fiction will find joy in it. In fact, the series is one of those rare fantasy compilations that crosses genre boundaries and will likely appeal to the vast majority of all readers.
Obviously, I’m a great fan of this series, but to be fair, there are some issues. The end is a sort of dues ex machina, with a magical backlash saving the day. If you re-read the series carefully, you’ll see plenty of foreshadowing for it, but it still feels a bit like a cop-out. There are times when the overtly Christian message of the book interferes with the storytelling as well.
On the whole, though, the flaws in the series are far outweighed by the brilliant imagery and the incredible Celtic tapestry Lawhead weaves. Any reader will have to try hard to be disappointed in the books. Be advised, although entertaining, these books require more thought than the typical fantasy tripe available on the market today. If you’re looking for a pleasant and forgettable read, these might not be right for you. If you’re looking to disappear into a world of mythology and culture with powerful and memorable characters, get the books today.
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Tags: Stephen Lawhead, the paradise war, the silver hand, The Song of Albion
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