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Stephen R. Lawhead
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Taliesin: Book One Of The Pendragon Cycle Mass Market Paperback – January 1, 1990

by Stephen R. Lawhead (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,206 ratings
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This is the remarkable adventure of Charis - the courageous princess from Atlantis who escapes the terrible devastation of her land - and of the fabled seer and druid prince Taliesin, singer at the dawn of the age.Audiobook read by Nadia May.
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  1. Book 1 of 6
    The Pendragon Cycle
  2. Print length
    486 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Avon
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 1990
  6. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001J88UUE
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon; 4th ptg. edition (January 1, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 486 pages
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,206 ratings

About the author

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Stephen R. Lawhead

Stephen R. Lawhead

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Stephen R. Lawhead is a multi-award winning author of mythic history and imaginative bestsellers. In over thirty years of professional writing he has established an international reputation and is known for such works as the KING RAVEN trilogy, a re-telling of the Robin Hood legend; and the PENDRAGON CYCLE, an historic retelling of the King Arthur legend.

Other notable books include the historical works Byzantium, Patrick, Avalon; fantasy series THE SONG OF ALBION and the DRAGON KING Trilogy; as well as works of science-fiction Dream Thief and EMPYRION, and the five-book series BRIGHT EMPIRES. Lawhead makes his home in Oxford, England, with his wife.

You can find out more by visiting www.stephenlawhead.com

Or Visit him on Facebook at Stephen R. Lawhead

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,206 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Christa
5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Dang What A Story!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023
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Legends, Love, Loss, Triumph, Battles, Prophecy, Good and Evil...

This book has it all in spades!!

Lawhead beautifully takes the favorite stories if our time and weaves them into a tale not just fantastic but very believable at what might've happened! Worth every reading moment!

Christa
5 people found this helpful
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Julie La Crout
4.0 out of 5 stars A unique, creative take on Arthurian lore
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023
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Blending the legends of Atlantis and King Arthur is a bold, creative challenge — and one that no one else has attempted, to my knowledge.

That makes this 1st installment in The Pendragon Cycle series a worthwhile read for any fans of either legend.

It is mostly well-written and entertaining, though the plot structure leaves a little to be desired. The book starts very well and ends very well, but there are stretches in the middle that are either a slow slog or jump between time periods a little too jarringly, and the climax of the story is either weak, unclear, or in the wrong part of the book (perhaps a combination of being weak, unclear, misplaced).

Plot structure is often a mess in Arthurian literature, as medieval writers rarely wrote well-constructed plots and contemporary writers rewriting medieval literature often fall into the traps of trying to “stay true” to the so-called “canonical” lit. However, with a take as fresh and original as Lawhead created here, it seems like that’s a trap he should have easily avoided.

Lawhead may also not write romances particularly well. Taliesin is largely a love story and the actual “falling in love” part of it leaves a lot to be desired. The story of what brings the characters together is great. The story of what happens to the characters once they’re officially a couple is great. The story of what happens in between is rather dull and sometimes painful. For example, there’s an entire chapter devoted to one character arguing with herself about whether she’s in love, which just serves as an unnecessary distraction from the story.

In any case, I’ve been focusing a little too much on the negative for a book that I rated 4/5 stars. Like I said in the beginning, it’s well-worth a read by fans of both Atlantean and Arthurian legends. I look forward to reading the rest.
13 people found this helpful
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zoe1157
5.0 out of 5 stars A Favorite Arthurian Tale
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2023
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I read this book decades ago, when it was first published. I loved it then and am proud to say it has aged well. The poetic prose, the Celtic authenticity, the placing of events shortly before the Romans abandoned Brittain, all lend depth and fascination along with the history. The fact that this is a Christian retelling is a bonus. There are few good fantasy stories out there for believers. Let this one be a breath of fresh air.
6 people found this helpful
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Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024
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Bought it to read in anticipation for the Daily Wire show. Really enjoyable
11 people found this helpful
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Mary
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2023
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A great read and very well written as well. . Obviously Spirit led. Can’t wait to read the next book.
4 people found this helpful
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SGC
3.0 out of 5 stars Not for me
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
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The skipping around narrative got old fast. I stayed with it for 300+ pages and finally decided I didn't care enough about anybody to slog through to the end. I got the feeling that author got bored, too, and would abruptly proclaim a problem solved ( eg Charis' s surgery) . You may love but it's not for me.
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CSM
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting intertwining of Rome, Atlantis, Jesus and the story of King Arthur.
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
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The writing is excellent and the story captivating. You will need to look past the historical mis-matches as this is obviously a somewhat alternate universe where Rome existed at the same time as mythical Atlantis and that corn was present in England before the discovery of the Americas. The necessity of this comes from including the life and impact of Jesus Christ on those in the story. Regardless I’m loving it and will continue reading the series.
6 people found this helpful
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RD_Prime
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2023
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Truly a great start to a fabulous tale. Praise to Jesu and this song of hope. Read it slowly and savor the flow.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Glowinn Kim Gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2023
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I did not find any part of this story lacking, just the opposite, this is my second time reading this book and have enjoyed it full each time. Thank you and have a smile in your day.

Glowinn Kim Gibson
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Jonathan Blythe
5.0 out of 5 stars A rich and creative yarn!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2024
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The characters and plot was well chosen, sometimes the descriptions were a little over done but an enjoyable read. Recommend it
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Pranal Dongre
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but service was bad
Reviewed in India on November 28, 2022
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The book took long time to arrive (like almost a month) and I had to myself visit the blue dart delivery service center to get my package as the delivery person wasn't keen on getting it delivered. Book is really good btw.
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Francisco
5.0 out of 5 stars Uno de los mejores títulos disponibles
Reviewed in Mexico on October 22, 2018
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Definitivamente el primero de muchos para lograr atraparte en este mundo fantástico de leyendas druidas, la Atlantida, la leyenda de Arturo y Merlín. Sencillamente excelente.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Story
Reviewed in Australia on September 30, 2020
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Taliesin is a fast-paced story that has everything — adventure, action, romance, poetry, tragedy, mystery. I think Stephen Lawhead is a greatly underrated writer.
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