Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R. Lawhead

From the Publisher:
Slave, soldier, lover, hero, saint,—his life mirrored the cataclysmic world into which he was born. His memory will outlast the ages.

Born of a noble Welsh family, he is violently torn from his home by Irish raiders at age sixteen and sold as a slave to a brutal wilderness king. Rescued by the king's druids from almost certain death, he learns the arts of healing and song, and the mystical ways of a secretive order whose teachings tantalize with hints at a deeper wisdom. Yet young Succat Morgannwg cannot rest until he sheds the strangling yoke of slavery and returns to his homeland across the sea. He pursues his dream of freedom through horrific war and shattering tragedy—through great love and greater loss—from a dying, decimated Wales to the bloody battlefields of Gaul to the fading majesty of Rome. And in the twilight of a once-supreme empire, he is transformed yet again by divine hand and a passionate vision of "truth against the world," accepting the name that will one day become legend . . . Patricius!

My Comments:
A friend I respect very much recommended this author to me years ago. I love St. Patrick's Day, and thought this would be a great time of year to crack this book open. As I started it, I was momentarily put off by the language. I was afraid it would be too epic, too verbose. About 40 pages in and I was hooked! My fears were for not!

Lawhead is known as a Christian author I suppose. Some of the reviews I read were disappointed in Patrick, because the character Lawhead wrote about was less then saintly. He was very human. He could be selfish, he could be very flawed. But he was also very brave and courageous. I so enjoyed Patrick's journey from spoiled Nobleman, to abused slave, to potential druid to soldier to husband and father and statesman to holy man. It was an inspired story that I was sad to see come to an end. I wanted more. The book came full circle, and ended beautifully, but I still wanted more.


Keep It Or Pass It On? My husband wants to read it because I gushed and bubbled about it so much. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Lawhead's books. I visited his website and he's doing a book on Robin Hood now. It sounds so fantastic!