Recent Reads - No Safe Harbor

No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig - Cara Hamilton leaves Ireland and arrives in New York hoping to find the twin brother she'd thought dead. Eoghan's only communication with her was a few lines of a letter and he warned her not to trust anyone, so she is very guarded with what she shares. A kind stranger points her to a boarding house and she meets a fellow Irishman named Rourke who seems trustworthy and like a good friend to her. But she heeds her brother's warning and lets everyone believe she has no living relations. For now.

Rourke and his family have been looking for Eoghan Hamilton in order to take revenge, and Rourke senses that Cara must be a sister to the man he seeks. If he can get information from her, he can get to Eoghan, but he is finding it difficult to stomach seeing Cara come to any harm and his loyalties and instincts are torn.

Cara discovers that she may have an enemy within the boarding house, and realizes that whoever is hunting Eoghan probably wishes her harm as well. Her questions may be leading her to her brother, but is she also leading an enemy closer to him at the same time? She wrestles with whether to trust and believe Rourke, just as he is wrestling with his growing feelings for Cara and growing discomfort with the path of revenge he's on.

I really enjoyed this story and the suspense throughout. Cara's desperation to find her brother made her over-cautious to share information at times, and led her to make some reckless choices in her search, but both made sense in context. She and Rourke are both very likeable characters, even as Rourke's motives fluctuate and he seems to waffle between wanting vengeance for his father's death and wanting to live in an honorable way that would have made his father proud. Even Eoghan's character is in question at times, which adds to Cara's tension. The ending isn't quite what I expected, and did set up a sequel (it is Book One of a series, after all), but I was satisfied that it didn't leave too many loose ends that it shouldn't have.

From the publisher:

Lured by a handful of scribbled words across a faded letter, Cara Hamilton sets off from 1896 Ireland on a quest to find the brother she'd thought dead. Her search lands her in America, amidst a houseful of strangers and one man who claims to be a friend―Rourke Walsh.

Despite her brother's warning, Cara decides to trust Rourke and reveals the truth about her purpose in America. But he is not who he claims to be, and as rumors begin to circulate about an underground group of dangerous revolutionaries, Cara's desperation grows. Her questions lead her ever closer to her brother, but they also bring her closer to destruction as Rourke's true intentions come to light.

This is a book featuring a found family trope (#22) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

This is fourth in The 52 Book Club's Connections Challenge. It was published in the same year as the previous book, 2012.

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot, and at  the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2025 hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker.

#histficreadingchallenge

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Man With One of Those Faces

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

A Man With One of Those Faces by Caimh McDonnell - I should start out by explaining why I decided to read listen to this book. One of the readers in the 52 Book Club shared a photo of a hilarious dedication in a novel, and many of us commented wanting to know the title and author because it was so clever. (Of course, I cannot now remember what the dedication was, or which novel it came from.) Upon learning the title and that it was by Caimh McDonnell, I declared that I wanted to read his work based only on that dedication. A search at Amazon and at my library didn't turn up that title, but did turn up this one, which happens to take place in Dublin, fulfilling one of the 52 prompts, so I borrowed the audiobook version and hoped for the best. Not only have I not been disappointed, I have been thoroughly delighted with this story! 

Many questions about Paul Mulchrone arise right from the start of the story, and nurse Brigit Conroy asks a lot of them. What we find out early is that he has that 'familiar' kind of face, and one of the things he does is allow elderly hospital patients who are alone to believe he is the son or nephew or grandson or whatever, in order to provide some companionship to them. It's not entirely altruistic though. Brigit asks Paul to look in on an elderly man without much time left, and it leads to a very odd conversation and the man attempting to murder Paul. It's a case of mistaken identity, but the old man dies during the scuffle and Paul is left to try to explain what happened even though he doesn't know who the man really was or why he wanted to kill whoever he thought Paul was. 

Later, someone tries to attack Paul back at his apartment, and he reluctantly teams up with Brigit to try and figure out why. They find themselves in a bizarre race to stay ahead of the would-be killers, trying to figure out how the few pieces they have connect before they can even speculate what the missing pieces might be. An old copper friend of Paul's, an aging detective and his upstart partner, an elderly woman who thinks Paul is her grandson, Paul's lawyer, and several other characters take part in the chase, but Paul and Bridget really don't know who is on their side or who can be trusted.

The result is a narrative that is full of suspense and intrigue, but is also full of sardonic wit and comedy. It's a somehow twisted version of detective noir with dark humor. I laughed out loud plenty of times - sometimes even during tense scenes - because the descriptions, reactions, and dialog was so funny. Narrator Morgan C. Jones is fabulous and his voice characterizations and accents added so much to the atmosphere and my enjoyment of the story. This is the kind of book that is best enjoyed in audio format, in my opinion! And I enjoyed it so much I will plan on listening to the following books in the series.

One important caveat - it is also full of very colorful language and there are some gratuitously violent scenes. If f-bombs and similar profanity or vulgarity of language will offend you, steer clear.

From the publisher:

The first time somebody tried to kill him was an accident.

The second time was deliberate.

Now Paul Mulchrone finds himself on the run with nobody to turn to except a nurse who has read one-too-many crime novels and a renegade copper with a penchant for violence. Together they must solve one of the most notorious crimes in Irish history . . . 

. . . or else they'll be history.

A Man With One of Those Faces is the first book in Caimh McDonnell's Dublin Trilogy, which melds fast-paced action with a distinctly Irish acerbic wit.

*********************

This is a book set in the city for the Summer Reading Challenge.

This is a book set in the city of Dublin (#47) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - As Death Draws Near

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

As Death Draws Near by Anna Lee Huber - Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage are on their honeymoon when they receive instructions from Gage's father to investigate a murder in Ireland. The victim was a young woman related to Lord Wellington was a postulant at an abbey. With very little information to start with, and annoyed that Lord Gage would cut short their honeymoon, Kiera and Gage travel to Ireland and take on the investigation.

Tensions are high in the village near the abbey, because of the conflict between Protestant and Catholic and growing unrest and potential hostility between Ribbonmen and Orangemen. Kiera does her best to gather information from the nuns and students at the abbey, while Gage talks with villagers. They both run into dead ends when people are reluctant to talk to them, and are frustrated when they uncover facts that Lord Wellington and Lord Gage would have known but had not shared. Finally, one of the nuns comes to a decision to share important insights with Kiera, but is found murdered before she can do so. 

While the investigation itself is very frustrating for both of them, it also starts Kiera questioning her role and purpose, and whether she is following a calling by assisting Gage in investigation. Conversations with the Mother Superior expose Kiera's uncertainties about whether she is right to use the knowledge she has about anatomy, and whether she should continue taking an active role now that she's a wife and will potentially become a mother. The expectations of married gentlewomen of the time period are addressed as part of this personal struggle, and the political and religious conflicts are the backdrop for the intriguing murder mystery with a surprise twist.

(I've fallen quite behind, but do check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near  (from my first reading in 2018), A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Connect Five Friday - Ireland

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee - thank you!

The Friday Five Link Up is a List Link Up hosted by The Book Date. It can be five connections of any kind. Books can have been read last year or any year. Books can be used more than once. They may not have been read yet. . . It can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Maybe it's not a list of actual books, but things connected to books - e.g. favourite book shops, recipes etc. It might even be five movies related to books or five poems or five poets or five bookish moments, five thoughts about reading - be creative! The link-up will be open each Friday and will close on Thursday. Use the hashtag #connect5books

I toyed with the idea of finding five books with bad luck or superstition themes, but that proved harder than I thought. With St Patrick's Day coming up, I decided instead to share five books set in Ireland.

Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R. Lawhead - a favorite of mine! A historical novel of the life of St Patrick, who was kidnapped by Irish raiders and sold as a slave. He was later rescued by Irish druids and then escapes Ireland to return to his homeland, and finally returns to Ireland as a Christian missionary. Love this book, and often read it around this time of year!

As Death Draws Near (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage cut short their honeymoon when they are sent to Ireland to investigate the murder of a young nun. Because of the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, and hostilities between Ribbonmen and Orangemen, the investigation keeps running into dead ends.

The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie - The Duke of St. Easton journeys to Northumberland to collect young Alexandria Featherstone, as he has been named her guardian after her parents' death. But Alex doesn't believe her parents are dead and leads him on quite the chase across England and Ireland.

Maire by Linda Windsor - Maire is an Irish warrior queen that takes a reformed mercenary, Rowan of Emerys, as a hostage during a raid. At first she thinks him a coward but changes her mind as she sees the strength and power of his commitment to God.

Dubliners by James Joyce - a collection of fifteen short stories telling about Irish middle class life in the early years of the 20th century. On my "want to read" list!

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - In the Region of the Summer Stars

This post contains affiliate links.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

'Fool,' sniffed Liam before taking his leave of Conor. 'This is your own fault. You poked your nose into the hornet's nest and got what you deserved.'
~In the Region of the Summer Stars (Eirlandia Series) by Stephen R. Lawhead, page 71

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by I'd Rather Be At The Beach. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

Conor

I was ten summers old when the world changed. Twelve more have passed since then, yet I recall the details of that day as if it had happened yesterday and I was still that bare-legged boy.

Along with the other boys of the rath, my younger brothers and I were playing at hare and hounds when a rider appeared on the coast path. Visitors were a rare enough diversion that we dropped our game and ran to see who it might be.

We followed him for a closer look. The stranger was tall and gaunt, with a face burned brown by the sun and burnished by the wind. His eyes were sunk deep in his skull and looked out upon the world with the keen and haughty stare of a hunting hawk. His clothing and appearance marked him at once as something strange and mysterious to our young eyes. . .

Here's the blurb:

A new Celtic fantasy from the critically acclaimed author of the Pendragon Cycle.

Ravaged by Barbarian Scalda forces, the last hope for Eirlandia lies with the island's warring tribes.

Wrongly cast from his tribe, Conor, the firstborn son of a Celtic king, embarks on a dangerous mission to prove his innocence.

What he discovers will change Eirlandia forever. For the Scalda have captured the mystical Fae to use as an ultimate weapon.

And Conor's own people have joined in the invasion.

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - As Death Draws Near

This post contains affiliate links. 

As Death Draws Near (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage are on their honeymoon when Gage's father interrupts with a missive instructing them to go to Ireland to investigate the murder of a young nun. A postulant, actually, and she had been a relative of the Duke of Wellington. Naturally the newlyweds are not pleased that their honeymoon is being cut short, and so abruptly, but there is some satisfaction in knowing that Lord Gage did acknowledge Kiera as taking a strong role in the investigation.

Gage and Kiera travel to Ireland and start gathering information from the nuns and anyone in the little village that will speak with them, but find it slow going. Because of the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, many of the people are mistrustful of Gage and Kiera. One of the nuns, Mother Mary Fidelis, seems to have some insights but before she can decide whether to share those with Kiera, she is also murdered. Hostilities flare between Ribbonmen and Orangemen, and the investigation keeps running into dead ends.

Can Kiera and Gage follow the various threads and discern the truth before the murderer claims another victim?

What I found especially fascinating in this installment of the Lady Darby series is the treatment of the hard questions about her purpose and calling that Kiera faces, and the wise and godly advice she gets from the Mother Superior and Mother Mary Fidelis. The historical conflict between Irish Catholics and English Protestants is also handled deftly. A good mystery which also provides a backdrop for Kiera and Gage to explore questions about the expectations of married gentlewomen in their time, and for a little perspective on the political and religious conflict of the time as well. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the latest in the series soon!

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts, A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder

This book is a Book From a Favorite Series for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date.

©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Brigid of Ireland

This post may contain affiliate links. 

Brigid of Ireland by Cindy Thomson - I had really looked forward to reading this novelized telling of the early life of St Brigid of Ireland, and was pleased to have won it in a giveaway. Despite my eagerness, and the great promise of the tale of a lesser-known saint and the 5th century Ireland setting, the story never really grabbed me the way I'd expected it to do.

Thomson takes the accepted facts about the early life of St Brigid and many of the legends and traditions regarding her life and miracles attributed to her, and combined it into an historical novel. Brigid is born a slave to her father, and when she is still very young, her mother is sent away. Brigid yearns for her mother and for love and acceptance, and from an early age she demonstrated great compassion and charity for the poor. She earned a reputation for offering food to the poor, yet whatever she gave away was miraculously replenished. Brigid was raised as a Christian in an Ireland that was still largely pagan, and as she grew older and was reunited with her mother, she devoted her life to spreading the gospel throughout Ireland and to caring for the poor. This novelized version also pits Brigid and her mother against an evil king's druid who wants to use Brigid's powers for his own gain.

I wanted to like this book much more than I did. Unfortunately, I found it to be just okay. I didn't dislike it, but it also didn't hold my attention and make me want to turn the pages and find out what happened next. It took me a very long time to read, because I frequently set it aside and wasn't compelled to come back to it because it was interesting - I came back because I realized that I still hadn't finished and felt like I probably should. I was about three-quarters of the way through the book before I was really rooting for any of the characters and wondering how the current crisis would work itself out. But soon after that, I became a bit confused by the chronology (unsure how much time was passing), and then the ending was quite abrupt. Even an Epilogue summarizing Brigid's life and work from that time forward would have helped the story wrap up more satisfactorily.

For those interested in the lives of Irish saints, this may be a decent read, but it wasn't one that kept my attention, and I'd have to rate it as "just okay".

©2008-2015 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {The Good Knight}

The Good Knight by Sarah Woodbury - Sometimes you can find something really good among the freebies for Kindle. In my opinion, The Good Knight was one of those finds for me. A mystery with a bit of romance, and set in medieval Wales - no wonder the description had me hooked! The story was not a disappointment either, with well-developed characters and an intriguing mystery. At times I did feel a little confused, as if there was some background I had missed, and I did check to make sure this wasn't the second of a series! It is the first in this series, although a prequel novella is available as well. Most of the missing pieces were supplied later in the book, so other than those few moments of "did I miss something?" or disconnects in the storyline, the story was quite satisfying, and the twists and turns in the mystery plot kept me wondering and guessing along with Gareth and Gwen as they unravel the knots of murder, conspiracy theories, and political maneuvering. The ending was a bit abrupt - it felt like there should be a bit more, but maybe that's so I'll read the second book in the series?

Gwen is the daughter of a court bard, who also happens to be a spy for one of the Welsh princes. When her party stumbles upon the scene of an ambush on the way to a royal wedding, she renews her contact with the knight who was courting her before he was dismissed from his lord's service. Gareth is also a spy, and together they work to find out who conspired to murder the king who was on his way to be married. There are plenty of suspects to consider, but when Gareth himself is accused of the crime, things really get complicated. Turns out that very few characters in this book are completely trustworthy or can be neatly categorized as "good guys" or "bad guys". And as a bonus, at the end I found out that some of the characters and plot are based on actual events.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Patrick: Son of Ireland}

Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R Lawhead - This is at least the fifth time I've read this book. At least. But Lawhead is one of my favorite authors, and I haven't yet grown weary of re-reading his work. As should be obvious from the title, this is a novel based on the life of St Patrick of Ireland. Lawhead takes the details known about Patrick's life and weaves a rich and adventurous storyline around them, adding cultural and historical detail and some more mythical elements as well. The story begins with Succat as a rather dissolute young man in Britain, and his capture by Irish raiders. He spends his years in Ireland as a slave, always scheming how he can escape, even after he has made a commitment to studying with the druids and to marry an Irish woman he cares deeply about. He finally makes good his escape, but his return to his homeland is full of disappointment. He eventually heads to Gaul as a soldier, and from there goes to Rome as the guest of an influential politician. While in Rome, Patrick finds some happiness with a wife and child, and is building his own political career, when plague comes to the city and he is struck by tragedy once again. Finally, he receives his calling to return to Ireland.

Lawhead blends fantasy, mysticism, and history into a fascinating novel. While it definitely presents St Patrick as more human than saintly, it also glosses over some of the distinctly Christian influence and teaching associated with Patrick's bringing the gospel to Ireland. This story effectively ends with Patrick's arrival back in Ireland and the beginning of his ministry there, but the "Christianity" presented in this novel is still a bit ambiguous, and some readers may not appreciate the treatment of ancient druidism or mystical practices as being completely compatible with Christian beliefs. 

My comments from a previous read: Patrick

By the same author: The Skin Map; The Pendragon Cycle: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, Grail

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Maire}

Maire by Linda Windsor - On Sunday (St Patrick's Day), I decided I wanted to read something with a nod to Ireland, so I pulled out my copy of this historical novel. I've read this before, as well as some other novels by this author, and knew it would be an enjoyable trip to fifth century Ireland. Maire is the young warrior queen of Gleannmarra, wanting to take her rightful place as leader of her people. On a raid she takes Rowan, a Welsh nobleman, as her hostage and also as her husband. By going through a form of marriage with him, she hopes to avoid being married to the druid who has been in charge of her lands until she comes of age. Maire and Rowan learn to trust each other and work as a team as they return to find Gleannmarra has been all but ruined by the druid's greedy rule. Together they work to restore the prosperity of their people. Rowan is also a believer in the One God and his integrity, courage, and wisdom soon win the respect of the people, and especially Maire, who eventually comes to accept the One God as well.

My previous review: Maire

By the same author: Healer, Thief

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {The Romance of Tristan}

The Romance of Tristan by Beroul, and The Tale of Tristan's Madness, translated together by Alan S. Fedrick - It seems to me that the Tristan and Isolde stories vary so widely that it's hard to believe any of them come from a common source.  I was looking for a version of the story that was suitable for kids and never did find it, but I did pick up this translation of a very old written source.  Beroul's epic poem - or, the portions that remain of it - is thought to be the oldest extant version of the Tristan and Isolde narrative, and it is translated into English prose by Alan S. Fedrick.  There are amusing and odd details throughout, and the story is quite a bit different from the Avalon novels I read recently, and different from almost any popular version I've ever heard.  The story-telling style is also a departure from what modern readers are used to, but Fedrick's introduction does a fair job of explaining how troubadour or jongleur stories were commonly told and how the tales may have developed before and after the time of Beroul.  Of Beroul himself, nothing is known, except that his poem dates from about the middle of the twelfth century.

The introduction is more detailed reading than the stories themselves, but I do recommend it for background.  The opening and closing sections of Beroul are lost, so this book offers a summary based on a reconstructed narrative from another scholar.  The translation of Beroul's work begins with The Tryst Under the Tree, and from that point it reads like a simple chapter book, although not all of it is suitable for children.  I found it a quick and interesting read - almost like a cheap romance from medieval times.

Recent Reads {Maire}

Maire by Linda Windsor - some time ago I was introduced to author Linda Windsor after picking up a book from the library feature shelf.   Her historical novels are really intriguing me!  This one is the first in a trilogy called The Fires of Gleannmara, and is set in fifth-century Ireland.  Maire is the young warrior queen of Glennmara who meets Rowan of Emrys when her warband attacks his settlement in Wales.  Maire takes Rowan as her hostage and husband, in order to secure tribute from his settlement and to save herself from an arranged marriage to a druid she doesn't trust.  She doesn't understand Rowan's faith or dedication to the one God, but finds that she can trust Rowan's courage and wisdom, and eventually comes to faith in the one God herself.  Windsor sets her fictional characters into an historical Ireland that brings the early days of Christianity in Erin to life.  A very enjoyable story!

By the same author:  Healer, Thief

Recent Reads {Patrick: Son of Ireland}

Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R. Lawhead - I've been a fan of Lawhead's historical fiction for a few years now, and if I remember correctly, this was the first book of his that I read.  Lawhead weaves a richly detailed storyline for St Patrick's background around the historical details known about his life before he returned as a missionary to the Irish.  The narrative begins in Succat's youth, introducing us to a privileged young man in Britain.  He has the misfortune of being taken by Irish raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland, where he spends seven years before finally managing his escape.  In Lawhead's version, he begins training with the druids before leaving Ireland.  When he returns to Britain, it is to find his family dead and the estate gone, and his former friends much changed.  He winds up as a soldier in Gaul, then finds a measure of success and happiness in Rome.  When the plague lays the city low and claims his wife and child, he is plunged back into despair, but it is during this time that he receives his calling to return to Ireland.  I love how Lawhead takes the historical character and events and adds a supporting cast of fascinating characters, and incredible detail to the backstory.  As in his Celtic Crusade, Pendragon, and Robin Hood series, Lawhead blends history and legend and fantasy so well it's sometimes hard to tell where the line between fiction and history falls.

I have sometimes  been puzzled by the inclusion of Lawhead's books in Christian bookstores, however, so I want to add a caveat of sorts.  While Lawhead does usually present Christian beliefs very positively, he also presents ancient druid beliefs, mythical elements and some mysticism as compatible with, or even a component of Christianity.  This wouldn't sit well with all readers, which is why I point it out.  In my personal opinion, since it is fiction, and fantasy fiction at that, it's not something that bothers me.  But I wouldn't consider these books to be exactly "Christian fiction" either.

As I said though, Lawhead has become one of my favorite authors, and though this is at least the third time I have read Patrick (I like to read it every year around the middle of March!), I enjoyed it just as thoroughly, and am considering how soon I might re-read some of his other books that I own.

By the same author:  Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, The Skin Map