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Overview
A magnificent historical novel about the early life of the man who would one day be known as St. Patrick. In the summer of the year AD 405, Irish raiders under the command of King Eochaid attack the western coast of Wales, setting fire to towns and farms, stealing cattle and grain, and carving a fiery swathe through the peaceful countryside. Many of those who survive the attack are rounded up and carried back to Ireland. Among the survivors is a 16-year-old boy named Succat—the impulsive and willful young scion of a British noble family—who is sold in the slave market to a merciless ruler. When Succat is gravely punished after a foiled attempt to escape, he comes to the attention of Cormac, a novice Druid eager to practice his healing skills. Succat learns to respect the Druid's lore and love of learning and is given a new name, Patrick, the Celtic word for nobleman. What follows is the story of Patrick's "missing years"—years of calamity, defeat, and crushing disappointment that form him into a bard and advisor to the High King of Ireland, and lead to the mission for which his name will be remembered throughout history.Author Biography: Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include the first two books of the Celtic Crusades, The Iron Lance and The Black Rood; Byzantium; the Pendragon Cycle; the Song of Albion and Dragon King trilogies; and the science fiction novels Empyrion I and II and Dream Thief.
Synopsis
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!
Publishers Weekly
Devotees of prolific historical novelist Lawton (The Iron Lance) will enjoy this picaresque, which follows the legendary eponymous Irish saint through the "lost years" between his escape from slavery and his missionary work in Ireland. Though Succat, the hero, does not receive his more familiar name until late in the story and doesn't encounter even a single snake, he blazes a thrilling-and meticulously researched-trail across the Holy Roman Empire. Succat, the son of a Christian family of well-to-do fifth-century Britons, is captured by Irish raiders and sent to Ireland as a slave. After years of brutal conditions, he manages to escape. Having lost his faith in the Christian God while a slave, Succat studies druid theology and lives in a home with other druids, who give him the name "Patrick," Celtic for nobleman. He eventually returns to Britain; serves for a while as an assistant to Bishop Cornelius, who helps him find his faith again; studies in Gaul; and goes on to Rome, where he becomes a city official, marries and has a daughter. Yet Patrick is haunted by his memories of Ireland and comes to believe that he has a special mission there: to convert the Irish people to Christianity. His triumphant return changes the history of Eire. Lawhead wisely keeps the fantasy and folklore to a minimum and never grants Succat superhuman qualities. Patrick is unfailingly sympathetic and believable, and his story of losing and finding faith will resonate with a wide spectrum of readers. (Feb.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Devotees of prolific historical novelist Lawton (The Iron Lance) will enjoy this picaresque, which follows the legendary eponymous Irish saint through the "lost years" between his escape from slavery and his missionary work in Ireland. Though Succat, the hero, does not receive his more familiar name until late in the story and doesn't encounter even a single snake, he blazes a thrilling-and meticulously researched-trail across the Holy Roman Empire. Succat, the son of a Christian family of well-to-do fifth-century Britons, is captured by Irish raiders and sent to Ireland as a slave. After years of brutal conditions, he manages to escape. Having lost his faith in the Christian God while a slave, Succat studies druid theology and lives in a home with other druids, who give him the name "Patrick," Celtic for nobleman. He eventually returns to Britain; serves for a while as an assistant to Bishop Cornelius, who helps him find his faith again; studies in Gaul; and goes on to Rome, where he becomes a city official, marries and has a daughter. Yet Patrick is haunted by his memories of Ireland and comes to believe that he has a special mission there: to convert the Irish people to Christianity. His triumphant return changes the history of Eire. Lawhead wisely keeps the fantasy and folklore to a minimum and never grants Succat superhuman qualities. Patrick is unfailingly sympathetic and believable, and his story of losing and finding faith will resonate with a wide spectrum of readers. (Feb.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.VOYA
Lawhead attempts to reclaim the lost years of the legendary Saint Patrick's life, from his escape from slavery to his life in the dwindling Holy Roman Empire and his eventual return to Ireland. Born Maewyn Succat, Patrick has a good life as the son of a fifth-century noble Briton. When captured by marauding Irish raiders, he is forced into slavery in Eire, and he must endure a brutal life. His ultimate escape finds him a broken man, devoid of faith. He finds shelter first with the Druids and then with Bishop Cornelius in Britain. Between the two, he ultimately regains his faith and finds his way back to his birthright of Christianity. His subsequent life in Rome, where he marries and has a daughter, finds him haunted by dreams of Ireland, and he braves a rough journey to return and find his place back in the community of Eire and ultimately into the history books. Devoid of supernatural happenings and the snakes that Patrick is credited with driving out of Ireland, Lawhead's novel paints a compassionate and believable tale about a man regaining his faith. Filled with rich realism and believable characters, this first-person narrative will engage readers interested in the legend of Saint Patrick as well as those simply attracted to novels that investigate medieval culture. The few weak points can be forgiven as necessary for the character's development. Engaging action scenes and gripping dialogue keep the story flowing, while the novel's quiet themes maintain its depth. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2003, HarperCollins, 454p,— Heather Hepler