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The Song of Albion #1
The Paradise War
From the dreaming spires of Oxford, Lewis Gillies drives north to seek a mythical creature in a misty glen in Scotland. Expecting little more than a weekend diversion, Lewis finds himself in a mystical place where two worlds meet, in the time-between-times - and in the heart of a battle between good and evil.
The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Paradise War crosses the thin places between this world and that, as Lewis Gillies comes face-to-face with an ancient mystery - and a cosmic catastrophe in the making.
The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Paradise War crosses the thin places between this world and that, as Lewis Gillies comes face-to-face with an ancient mystery - and a cosmic catastrophe in the making.
444 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
409 people are currently reading
12833 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Lawhead
101 books2,744 followersStephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium, Patrick, and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion.
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
Also see his fanpage at Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/stephenlawhead...
Stephen was born in 1950, in Nebraska in the USA. Most of his early life was spent in America where he earned a university degree in Fine Arts and attended theological college for two years. His first professional writing was done at Campus Life magazine in Chicago, where he was an editor and staff writer. During his five years at Campus Life he wrote hundreds of articles and several non-fiction books.
After a brief foray into the music business—as president of his own record company—he began full-time freelance writing in 1981. He moved to England in order to research Celtic legend and history. His first novel, In the Hall of the Dragon King, became the first in a series of three books (The Dragon King Trilogy) and was followed by the two-volume Empyrion saga, Dream Thief and then the Pendragon Cycle, now in five volumes: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail. This was followed by the award-winning Song of Albion series which consists of The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot.
He has written nine children's books, many of them originally offered to his two sons, Drake and Ross. He is married to Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, also a writer, with whom he has collaborated on some books and articles. They make their home in Oxford, England.
Stephen's non-fiction, fiction and children's titles have been published in twenty-one foreign languages. All of his novels have remained continuously in print in the United States and Britain since they were first published. He has won numereous industry awards for his novels and children's books, and in 2003 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Nebraska.
also write under the name Steve Lawhead
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 612 reviews
April 16, 2009
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
As an avid fantasy reader, I was reluctant to try this trilogy because Lawhead is not one of the best known fantasy writers. My husband bought me the book because Lawhead is a Christian and he thought I should try it.
I was very pleasantly surprised! The writing is excellent. The story is interesting, meaningful, and epic in scope while still progressing rapidly enough to finish in three books.
It contains all of the elements I look for in a fantasy: vivid description, many interesting and well-developed characters, problems to solve, quests, romance, war, tension, intrigue, and a happy ending.
I couldn't be happier.
Read more Stephen Lawhead book reviews at Fantasy literature.
As an avid fantasy reader, I was reluctant to try this trilogy because Lawhead is not one of the best known fantasy writers. My husband bought me the book because Lawhead is a Christian and he thought I should try it.
I was very pleasantly surprised! The writing is excellent. The story is interesting, meaningful, and epic in scope while still progressing rapidly enough to finish in three books.
It contains all of the elements I look for in a fantasy: vivid description, many interesting and well-developed characters, problems to solve, quests, romance, war, tension, intrigue, and a happy ending.
I couldn't be happier.
Read more Stephen Lawhead book reviews at Fantasy literature.
May 9, 2008
This is the first book of a trilogy; and like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books (which he originally didn't want to separate into three volumes --that was the publisher's idea), the Song of Albion books basically form a unit that should be read and considered together. An evangelical, Lawhead displays the influence of C. S. Lewis in places in his writing; the Christian symbolism in the last volume, The Endless Knot, is particularly clear. But his fantasy vision is his own, heavily influenced as well by Celtic mythology (American born, he moved to England to have better facilities for studying Celtic history and culture), and his fantasy world is supposedly the Celtic Otherworld, with a recreated Bronze Age Celtic culture whose elements of primitive monotheism he stresses (more so than they were in actual pagan Celtic society). He makes very creative and original use of different features of Celtic lore, such as the Silver Hand (which provides the title of the second volume), the endless kettle, Beltane fires, etc.
Lawhead is a capable stylist, skilled at creating absorbing plots, characters, and atmosphere; he does that here, and (as expected from an evangelical writer) there are no problems of bad language or sexual content in the trilogy. It is, however, very violent (a trait more marked in the last two books), with a good deal of grisly killing, massacres, blinding and beheading, often with the innocent, and characters the reader likes and cares about, on the receiving end of it. This is a reflection of a clear-eyed awareness of the capacities and results of human evil, squarely faced; but it's definitely not for the squeamish.
Lawhead is a capable stylist, skilled at creating absorbing plots, characters, and atmosphere; he does that here, and (as expected from an evangelical writer) there are no problems of bad language or sexual content in the trilogy. It is, however, very violent (a trait more marked in the last two books), with a good deal of grisly killing, massacres, blinding and beheading, often with the innocent, and characters the reader likes and cares about, on the receiving end of it. This is a reflection of a clear-eyed awareness of the capacities and results of human evil, squarely faced; but it's definitely not for the squeamish.
April 28, 2020
Book 1 of the Song of Albion series first published 1991.
There was a time back in the seventies and eighties when I read nothing but fantasy to the point, I think, that I over dosed on it. Of all the fantasy authors I have read over the years Stephen R. Lawhead was not one of them. So when these series of books came into my possession I rubbed my hands together in anticipation of losing my self in the world of make believe once again. But it didn’t take long before a sense of familiarity overtook me. I have read these storylines so many times in the past that there was no sense of adventure awaiting me.
This is on me and nothing to do with the author Mr. lawhead.
The tale has all the ingredients of a good fantasy.
Two young men, students from Oxford University, are lured to a place in Scotland where a real, if dead, Auroch was found. It doesn’t take long before they are magically transported to the land of Albion, where there is conflict of such magnitude that the very existence of both their world and ours hangs in the balance.
There are two camps facing this evil and our young heroes end up in opposite sides. Their friendship is soon tested to the point where they become enemies.
As with most fantasy stories there are lots of monsters, trials by adventure and the eternal battle of good against evil.
For all that I have said above I have no doubt that I will be reading the next two books in the series. I need to know if our world will survive. Happy days.
It probably deserves more but because of my lack of awe 3.5 stars was the best I could do.
There was a time back in the seventies and eighties when I read nothing but fantasy to the point, I think, that I over dosed on it. Of all the fantasy authors I have read over the years Stephen R. Lawhead was not one of them. So when these series of books came into my possession I rubbed my hands together in anticipation of losing my self in the world of make believe once again. But it didn’t take long before a sense of familiarity overtook me. I have read these storylines so many times in the past that there was no sense of adventure awaiting me.
This is on me and nothing to do with the author Mr. lawhead.
The tale has all the ingredients of a good fantasy.
Two young men, students from Oxford University, are lured to a place in Scotland where a real, if dead, Auroch was found. It doesn’t take long before they are magically transported to the land of Albion, where there is conflict of such magnitude that the very existence of both their world and ours hangs in the balance.
There are two camps facing this evil and our young heroes end up in opposite sides. Their friendship is soon tested to the point where they become enemies.
As with most fantasy stories there are lots of monsters, trials by adventure and the eternal battle of good against evil.
For all that I have said above I have no doubt that I will be reading the next two books in the series. I need to know if our world will survive. Happy days.
It probably deserves more but because of my lack of awe 3.5 stars was the best I could do.
September 28, 2016
So what is The Paradise War?
Epic then, epic now, it is one of the first things I remember my mother reading to me when I was young, allowing me to visualize the might and magic of this well-woven portal into Celtic adventure and Otherwordly feats. Beleaguered by the shift from Oxford academia and the more intellectual-style of prose such dictates, Stephen R. Lawhead's first book in The Song of Albion Trilogy finds its legs firmly rooted in grit and gore and snow and song, reminding me that anyone can be a true hero so long as they walk the endless knot-maze path buried down in their heart. This being the first time I've read the book since becoming a published author and writing Celtic fantasies of my own, the effect is profound and surreal, if not subtle and subliminal, as The Paradise War thrills those hungry for fantasy's most famous tropes on the surface, but more than that, stirs a sense of longing and belonging deep within, which upon reading, cannot be denied. As the story at its core is an exaltation and an exhortation of the divinity of the arts and the sublime nature of the search for the song and the spirit of song, the essence of life and the music of ancient bloods and other tongues, I cannot help but be moved to tears that such a seed was sown within my own knot-maze path to becoming an author, the effects of which will forever spread like a single sonorous note, or a ripple upon an endless ocean.
Such is the way of the fabric writers weave, the books readers read, and the breath humans breathe.
Recommended for lovers of classic fantasy.
Buddy read with Jackie Boyster.
Epic then, epic now, it is one of the first things I remember my mother reading to me when I was young, allowing me to visualize the might and magic of this well-woven portal into Celtic adventure and Otherwordly feats. Beleaguered by the shift from Oxford academia and the more intellectual-style of prose such dictates, Stephen R. Lawhead's first book in The Song of Albion Trilogy finds its legs firmly rooted in grit and gore and snow and song, reminding me that anyone can be a true hero so long as they walk the endless knot-maze path buried down in their heart. This being the first time I've read the book since becoming a published author and writing Celtic fantasies of my own, the effect is profound and surreal, if not subtle and subliminal, as The Paradise War thrills those hungry for fantasy's most famous tropes on the surface, but more than that, stirs a sense of longing and belonging deep within, which upon reading, cannot be denied. As the story at its core is an exaltation and an exhortation of the divinity of the arts and the sublime nature of the search for the song and the spirit of song, the essence of life and the music of ancient bloods and other tongues, I cannot help but be moved to tears that such a seed was sown within my own knot-maze path to becoming an author, the effects of which will forever spread like a single sonorous note, or a ripple upon an endless ocean.
Such is the way of the fabric writers weave, the books readers read, and the breath humans breathe.
Recommended for lovers of classic fantasy.
Buddy read with Jackie Boyster.
April 15, 2021
This book read like a cross between historical fiction and fantasy. There is enough Celtic history to make a case for a historical novel, but historical fiction purists would turn their noses up at the fantasy elements. I found the blend fascinating.
It read a bit like an author's time travel fantasy into a historical period that the writer loved enough to thoroughly research, yet the Mabinogion brand Celticism incorporated enough of an Otherworld blend to allow the author to merge fantasy without breaking historical concepts. Basically, the Celtic view of the Otherworld and its elements of the fantastic were so closely aligned with the fantasy elements in this story that it is still technically historical.
Once the narrator travels back in time, even the ability to distinguish time itself or the desire to return follows a familiar Celtic theme. After a bit of storyline immersion I didn't want to return either.
This is one of those books I found myself picking up at odd times when I didn't really even have time to read just to see what would happen next. The story is definitely plot driven rather than character focused (other than a very of main characters), but it worked well for me in spite of this. I started the second book already and have the final in the series on deck.
Five stars.
It read a bit like an author's time travel fantasy into a historical period that the writer loved enough to thoroughly research, yet the Mabinogion brand Celticism incorporated enough of an Otherworld blend to allow the author to merge fantasy without breaking historical concepts. Basically, the Celtic view of the Otherworld and its elements of the fantastic were so closely aligned with the fantasy elements in this story that it is still technically historical.
Once the narrator travels back in time, even the ability to distinguish time itself or the desire to return follows a familiar Celtic theme. After a bit of storyline immersion I didn't want to return either.
This is one of those books I found myself picking up at odd times when I didn't really even have time to read just to see what would happen next. The story is definitely plot driven rather than character focused (other than a very of main characters), but it worked well for me in spite of this. I started the second book already and have the final in the series on deck.
Five stars.
April 5, 2015
I really liked the first 150 pages or so and thought the last 300 pages were pretty boring. Basically I didn't like the actual portal fantasy section. I think I would enjoy it if Stephen Lawhead wrote a contemporary novel, like a psychological thriller or literary fiction or something along those lines, but this wasn't for me.
February 20, 2011
Although I truly admire the language and prose Stephen Lawhead uses in his novel, the book totally lacked all elements of a good story. There was no plausible plotline or storyline of events that I could follow. All the events were seamlessly unrelated, random and discordant. There was no greater plot, no quest or manner in which the characters followed. There was no goal, no objective, hardly a conflict or an antagonist to defeat. Lord Nudd who I suppose was supposed to be the "villain" of the story had no character, no purpose, or no goal in what he did. The characters were not developed and the attempts to do so fell a long way off the mark.
Many of the characters annoyed me, especially Simon, Tegid, and Meldron (which is pretty much all the characters there were in the book). Their personalities were not defined enough so that their random outbursts and statements made no sense and had no standing. Prince Meldorn who was initially a kind and valiant Prince all of a sudden turned into some sort of usurper and greedy power hungry noble. Simon who was carefree and adventerous suddenly became the instigator of all things evil in Albion. Tegid was a major pessimistic bard who annoyed me with half his attempts of bringer a downer on everything.
Lewis' character (or whatever his name is, really) was not developed enough for me to be annoyed at. He had no personality, and after reading 400-something pages I would be hard pressed to find one adjective to describe him.
All in all, I felt the book had potential to be a lot better, but sadly, that was not the case.
Many of the characters annoyed me, especially Simon, Tegid, and Meldron (which is pretty much all the characters there were in the book). Their personalities were not defined enough so that their random outbursts and statements made no sense and had no standing. Prince Meldorn who was initially a kind and valiant Prince all of a sudden turned into some sort of usurper and greedy power hungry noble. Simon who was carefree and adventerous suddenly became the instigator of all things evil in Albion. Tegid was a major pessimistic bard who annoyed me with half his attempts of bringer a downer on everything.
Lewis' character (or whatever his name is, really) was not developed enough for me to be annoyed at. He had no personality, and after reading 400-something pages I would be hard pressed to find one adjective to describe him.
All in all, I felt the book had potential to be a lot better, but sadly, that was not the case.
March 31, 2015
Solid 4 stars, great read! Can't wait to pick up the next one!
January 9, 2012
The first in a trilogy, The Paradise War follows the amazing and fantastic adventure of a young college student by the name of Lewis Gillies. When he follows his friend on an sudden and unlikely urge to explore the strange appearance of a long extinct beast in Scotland, he is shocked when his friend disappears inside a cairn and does not return. It is only when he attempts to follow Simon that he understands why.
Albion is where he finds himself. It is the Otherworld, and he is thrust into it so quickly and violently that he doesn't even have time to protest the series of events that lead to his warrior training and the events that will follow. Lewis is in Albion, a land so steeped in Celtic myth, lore, legend, and culture that the novel resonates with this fantastic framework and thrills the reader with their own discovery of it.
Lewis comes to love Albion so well that the thought of returning to the drab, gray, meaningless life that he left behind him makes him sick. How could a person desire to take a shadow of a thing over the reality? He comes to realize, though, that the presence of strangers has brought a new influence in to the ancient ways and traditions of the country, and that it is steadily bringing about the downfall of the world. Simon is a changed man, and his greedy words of dissent whispered into the right ear causes waves that cannot be stopped. Lewis realizes that he must prevent anything else from taking place, and though it grieves his heart, he tries to force Simon back to their own world, only to be met with surprise.
This book is my introduction to the works of Stephen Lawhead, and I must say that I am very impressed. He has created a rich and colorful world that so thoroughly held me captive in a way that books have not done for a while. I fell in love with the beautiful descriptions, the wonderful lore that made the skillful foundation for the work, and the very characters themselves caught at my mind and are still clinging there.
I personally loved The Paradise War and can't wait to finish the second book in the series, The Silver Hand, although I would probably not recommend the series for younger teens and below.
Finally, I just want to say, I think I love Great Britain more than ever! At the very least I find the ancient history and mythology fascinating.
Albion is where he finds himself. It is the Otherworld, and he is thrust into it so quickly and violently that he doesn't even have time to protest the series of events that lead to his warrior training and the events that will follow. Lewis is in Albion, a land so steeped in Celtic myth, lore, legend, and culture that the novel resonates with this fantastic framework and thrills the reader with their own discovery of it.
Lewis comes to love Albion so well that the thought of returning to the drab, gray, meaningless life that he left behind him makes him sick. How could a person desire to take a shadow of a thing over the reality? He comes to realize, though, that the presence of strangers has brought a new influence in to the ancient ways and traditions of the country, and that it is steadily bringing about the downfall of the world. Simon is a changed man, and his greedy words of dissent whispered into the right ear causes waves that cannot be stopped. Lewis realizes that he must prevent anything else from taking place, and though it grieves his heart, he tries to force Simon back to their own world, only to be met with surprise.
This book is my introduction to the works of Stephen Lawhead, and I must say that I am very impressed. He has created a rich and colorful world that so thoroughly held me captive in a way that books have not done for a while. I fell in love with the beautiful descriptions, the wonderful lore that made the skillful foundation for the work, and the very characters themselves caught at my mind and are still clinging there.
I personally loved The Paradise War and can't wait to finish the second book in the series, The Silver Hand, although I would probably not recommend the series for younger teens and below.
Finally, I just want to say, I think I love Great Britain more than ever! At the very least I find the ancient history and mythology fascinating.
July 15, 2010
Well. I must admit I did return this to the library without finishing it. I kept reading and reading, almost to halfway through it just hoping for something to pick up and excite me. But it didn't... even when I got to the Otherworld. Steven Lawhead just did so much better with Hood. With Hood I was enraptured and in love with all the characters and events and could not read fast enough to get what was coming next. But perhaps it is because Hood was from last year (2006) where The Paradise War is from 1991, maybe Lawhead has just gotten better. Who knows. Either way, I do not really recommend this book. There are too many other, better things out there to read.
September 14, 2010
A good, easy-to-follow story, well-told, but it didn't quite live up to expectations. The opening scenes included an aurochs and a green giant, then nothing—other than the obligatory portal experiences—really "Other" for 300 pages. Oh, there's lots of "other"--good ancient Celtic words and culture, but little of Fairie.
In fact, if there's a flaw to Lawhead's approach is that he treats even his spiritual beings as super strong, super evil, etc., but they lack the "feel" of Other.
A quibble. Lawhead often tells rather than shows. Often he describes a scene based on his protagonist's emotional response and not what Lewis/Lydd is responding to.
A fun read.
In fact, if there's a flaw to Lawhead's approach is that he treats even his spiritual beings as super strong, super evil, etc., but they lack the "feel" of Other.
A quibble. Lawhead often tells rather than shows. Often he describes a scene based on his protagonist's emotional response and not what Lewis/Lydd is responding to.
A fun read.
November 19, 2016
4.5 stars. Really enjoyable.
June 5, 2015
I really really wanted to like this book. I'd read a Stephen Lawhead book about a decade ago, and remembered enjoying it. And this book came with a high recommendation from a friend (5 stars no less!) so I was anticipating a good story, well written.
But I couldn't like it. It was dull, dull dull. The two main characters introduced in The beginning pages were irritating and unengaging. The narrative was unbearably slow and pompous. The main protagonist is supposed to be a grad student at Oxford in Celtic studies, and yet he seems to know less than me!
I really tried to persevere. But when you find barely five or six chapters in you are skim reading, skipping whole chunks, and literally having to force yourself to read... Then this is not a book that's working.
So yes, I gave up. Maybe if I'd pushed on a bit futher I'd have gotten into it. But I doubt it.
Very disappointing.
But I couldn't like it. It was dull, dull dull. The two main characters introduced in The beginning pages were irritating and unengaging. The narrative was unbearably slow and pompous. The main protagonist is supposed to be a grad student at Oxford in Celtic studies, and yet he seems to know less than me!
I really tried to persevere. But when you find barely five or six chapters in you are skim reading, skipping whole chunks, and literally having to force yourself to read... Then this is not a book that's working.
So yes, I gave up. Maybe if I'd pushed on a bit futher I'd have gotten into it. But I doubt it.
Very disappointing.
August 13, 2011
Lewis is an American student going to school in Oxford. When his roomate discovers a newspaper article about a legendary beast (an aurochs) that was sighted, they both go on a weekend adventure to try and see it. What they discover however, is a cairn that transports them into another world-the world of Albion.
This book was seriously amazing. I picked it up in the store because the cover caught my eye, but I didn't expect to get swept up in it like I did. It is an amazing fantasy story, with writing so beautiful and descriptive I felt almost as if I were in Albion too! I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone!
Albion Forever! :)
This book was seriously amazing. I picked it up in the store because the cover caught my eye, but I didn't expect to get swept up in it like I did. It is an amazing fantasy story, with writing so beautiful and descriptive I felt almost as if I were in Albion too! I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone!
Albion Forever! :)
June 5, 2017
2.5 stars
I prefer fantasy worlds filled with lots of fantastical elements. Magic, talking creatures, elves, dwarves, fairies, etc. In this book, the Otherworld was fairly realistic (at least historically) for most of the story. That was pretty disappointing. The characters were also rather dull. The ending was decent, and some characters are starting to develop a bit.
I prefer fantasy worlds filled with lots of fantastical elements. Magic, talking creatures, elves, dwarves, fairies, etc. In this book, the Otherworld was fairly realistic (at least historically) for most of the story. That was pretty disappointing. The characters were also rather dull. The ending was decent, and some characters are starting to develop a bit.
November 22, 2018
This is really good stuff.
Only four stars because the second is even better.
But it needs a long and thought-through review.
You can read that, along with thoughts about other things, at this link:
http://nicholaskotar.com/2018/11/21/t...
Only four stars because the second is even better.
But it needs a long and thought-through review.
You can read that, along with thoughts about other things, at this link:
http://nicholaskotar.com/2018/11/21/t...
March 13, 2023
I was so bored for most of the book. Sorry, but this book just wasn't for me.
October 17, 2022
I'd been hoping to finish this last week, but I got my days mixed up so here we are on Monday (that's not a big deal to anyone except me).
I enjoyed the first half very much; this felt like Timeline, only for Celtic mythology and without the STEM. Past that, it descended into a rather middle-of-the-road story. I saw the ending coming a mile off. Audio inconsistencies were a turn-off as well.
I'll likely read the second one, because a) I own it and b) most reviews say it's better. However, most reviews absolutely trash the final book in the trilogy, so... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
I enjoyed the first half very much; this felt like Timeline, only for Celtic mythology and without the STEM. Past that, it descended into a rather middle-of-the-road story. I saw the ending coming a mile off. Audio inconsistencies were a turn-off as well.
I'll likely read the second one, because a) I own it and b) most reviews say it's better. However, most reviews absolutely trash the final book in the trilogy, so... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
April 30, 2012
*This review contains things that are probably spoilers, or at least things that are really close to spoilers, though shouldn't give away anything you don't learn in the first 1/3 of the book... so no major spoilers?*
So, the beginning is way different than the rest of the book. The feeling was different. I liked the first feeling better. Not that the second was bad, it was just really not what I was expecting. But it was a good read and I'm glad I own it and will be happy to dig into the next book really soon.
It was a tad disjointed at times though. A few random characters that are introduced and then not heard from again... And then while you're introduced to the major story arc that's to span the whole trilogy early on in the beginning, it's all but forgotten as the story progressed, (after all, he did spend... 8 or 9 years in this world while putting off saving the world?)
Then there was Simon. I liked Simon in the beginning. But his character was changed sooo much after going into the Otherworld that he wasn't the same person at all. And I guess by the time you saw him it was three years later, but there was no real... realness to why he had become this ruthless, mean person. And I was sad because I thought he would have been fun to read about if he had stayed true to his beginning self. And you don't even see much of his meaner side, he's not in the book that much.
A few other random, little things that I found out of place (Lewis's loyalty to a king he really didn't know, it never explaining how Simon knew so much about Celtic lore in the beginning) but overall a very nice read.
So, the beginning is way different than the rest of the book. The feeling was different. I liked the first feeling better. Not that the second was bad, it was just really not what I was expecting. But it was a good read and I'm glad I own it and will be happy to dig into the next book really soon.
It was a tad disjointed at times though. A few random characters that are introduced and then not heard from again... And then while you're introduced to the major story arc that's to span the whole trilogy early on in the beginning, it's all but forgotten as the story progressed, (after all, he did spend... 8 or 9 years in this world while putting off saving the world?)
Then there was Simon. I liked Simon in the beginning. But his character was changed sooo much after going into the Otherworld that he wasn't the same person at all. And I guess by the time you saw him it was three years later, but there was no real... realness to why he had become this ruthless, mean person. And I was sad because I thought he would have been fun to read about if he had stayed true to his beginning self. And you don't even see much of his meaner side, he's not in the book that much.
A few other random, little things that I found out of place (Lewis's loyalty to a king he really didn't know, it never explaining how Simon knew so much about Celtic lore in the beginning) but overall a very nice read.
December 3, 2010
Three Stars is my perfect rating for this book - no more and no less. It was not by any means a bad book, but was also not something that stood out or grabbed me. While the scenery, history, and lore shines through and is very well written, and I did very much enjoy the vocabulary in this novel, I felt the plot and pace rather systematic and predictable. The depth of most of the characters was mediocre, having a sampling of surface personalities you would find in any medieval story involving a kingdom in peril in the face of evil. I was routinely bored, wanting to get through the bard's long tellings, skimming pages and sections. I didn't even have enough patience to fully read the Song of Albion once it was revealed. It was really only the very beginning that pushed me through the bulk of the book, and the very end (in fact, the very last pages) that might make me read the second.
I feel this book might be better for a slightly younger audience, or new fantasy readers wanting a lighter story. I like my fantasy with a lot more grit and gore, romance and suspense - Freak me out, surprise me, make me laugh, and make me cry. This book was far too predictable for any of that, but I still think it would be a good book for a certain audience.
I feel this book might be better for a slightly younger audience, or new fantasy readers wanting a lighter story. I like my fantasy with a lot more grit and gore, romance and suspense - Freak me out, surprise me, make me laugh, and make me cry. This book was far too predictable for any of that, but I still think it would be a good book for a certain audience.
May 27, 2011
Zzz. Boring! This is only book one of a trilogy, so I guess this book has some excuse for having a LOT of tedious back story, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. It seemed like the entire first 60% of The Paradise War was blah, blah, blah back story. And then. AND THEN. We get to the so-called "good stuff," and still NOTHING HAPPENS.
The main character whines some more, his obnoxious and arrogant sidekick goes on and does some more obnoxious and arrogant things. There's a kiss. And then... the book is over.
Being the first book of a trilogy, it ends with a cliffhanger, of course but I won't be going forward to the second book because I simply will not reward an author for giving me literary blue balls. Jerk.
The main character whines some more, his obnoxious and arrogant sidekick goes on and does some more obnoxious and arrogant things. There's a kiss. And then... the book is over.
Being the first book of a trilogy, it ends with a cliffhanger, of course but I won't be going forward to the second book because I simply will not reward an author for giving me literary blue balls. Jerk.
June 15, 2016
•Typically I reserve 1 star ratings for books that I loath or gave up on. The only reason I didn't give up on this one was just because I didn't want to give up on another book right now.
•My biggest problem with this book was that I was just so bored with it pretty much the entire time I was reading it. I got stuck in the first 40 pages for almost 2 months, at that point I bought the audio book to help push me through it.
•It seems, after attempting two different series written by Lawhead, that I'm just not a fan of Lawhead's books.
•My biggest problem with this book was that I was just so bored with it pretty much the entire time I was reading it. I got stuck in the first 40 pages for almost 2 months, at that point I bought the audio book to help push me through it.
•It seems, after attempting two different series written by Lawhead, that I'm just not a fan of Lawhead's books.
February 14, 2023
A solid 4.5 ⭐️
August 13, 2025
but dangit I FINISHED!
September 17, 2022
VIOLENCE 2/5 🔪
LANGUAGE 1/5 🤬
SPICE 1/5 🌶
LGBTQ+ Representation 0/5 🏳️🌈
wow.
so I took me like a month to read this just because I read like 10 or 5 pages everyday. so it felt very long and boring because I never a lot at nice or got into it. BUT. for the last fourth of the book I got really into it!!! it was the climax and I was there for it!
OVERALLLLLLLL
solid book, I don’t think I would recommend it to anybody unless they were into Celtic culture and stuff like that. not because it was bad book just because it didn’t really do anything for me. like not a bad read just meh.
what I didn’t like:
the whole manly man was a bit much for me. like I get that it’s set back in time where that was a thing but I was a huge fan. it was very primitive and caveman-ish.
what I did like:
every single time there was a training montage scene.
LANGUAGE 1/5 🤬
SPICE 1/5 🌶
LGBTQ+ Representation 0/5 🏳️🌈
wow.
so I took me like a month to read this just because I read like 10 or 5 pages everyday. so it felt very long and boring because I never a lot at nice or got into it. BUT. for the last fourth of the book I got really into it!!! it was the climax and I was there for it!
OVERALLLLLLLL
solid book, I don’t think I would recommend it to anybody unless they were into Celtic culture and stuff like that. not because it was bad book just because it didn’t really do anything for me. like not a bad read just meh.
what I didn’t like:
the whole manly man was a bit much for me. like I get that it’s set back in time where that was a thing but I was a huge fan. it was very primitive and caveman-ish.
what I did like:
every single time there was a training montage scene.
dnf
June 23, 2025An other book from my humongous to be read pile... That went directly into the never-again DNFed..
I have loved this author in the past, but I really couldn't warm up to both main characters, 2 stereotyped idiots that were totally cringe. And the professor that was added after a while was tear-inducing boring.
I got to 20% and I gladly gave up.
This is not the book for me
I have loved this author in the past, but I really couldn't warm up to both main characters, 2 stereotyped idiots that were totally cringe. And the professor that was added after a while was tear-inducing boring.
I got to 20% and I gladly gave up.
This is not the book for me
June 1, 2021
Wyjątkowo kiczowata (ale na swój sposób ta kiczowatość okładek fantasy jest i urocza!) okładka zupełnie nie sugerowała, że oto przede mną tak świetna lektura! Diabelnie wciągająca i porywająca, angażująca emocjonalnie, pozwalają totalnie oderwać się na kilka godzin i przenieść do magicznego świata.
Bardzo spodobał mi się pomysł z przenikającymi się dwoma światami - naszym i fantastycznym królestwem Albionu. To właśnie do tej zamieszkałej przez przedziwne stworzenia i z zapierającą dech w piersiach przyrodą krainy przenosimy się z dwoma oksfordzkimi studentami.
„Wojna o Raj” to powieść magiczna, chociaż samej stricte magii w niej niewiele. Lawhead za to garściami czerpie z mitologii celtyckiej, a sam Albion wraz z jego wierzeniami, językiem i tradycjami wzorowany jest na kulturze staroceltyckiej. Wyraźnie widać też inspirację „Władcą Pierścieni” i mitologią Cthulhu.
Można się przyczepić, że postacie czarno-białe, że główny bohater momentami potwornie irytujący i nierozgarnięty, że autor powtarza sprawdzone tropy i schematy. Jednak absolutnie mi to w trakcie lektury nie przeszkadzało i nie zmniejszało przyjemności z czytania! Zaczarował mnie świat i bohaterowie wykreowani przez Lawheada. Czułam się jak w domu w tej powieści - opisy były tak barwne, plastyczne i realistyczne, że miałam wrażenie jakbym żywcem przeniosła się do Albionu i była współuczestnikiem tej historii. No, straciłam głowę dla tej książki! Pomimo, że nie jest to żadne innowacyjne i przełomowe fantasy, ta książka Waszego życia nie zmieni, ale ma coś w sobie, że uwodzi i bezwględnie rozkochuje w sobie czytelnika.
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Bardzo spodobał mi się pomysł z przenikającymi się dwoma światami - naszym i fantastycznym królestwem Albionu. To właśnie do tej zamieszkałej przez przedziwne stworzenia i z zapierającą dech w piersiach przyrodą krainy przenosimy się z dwoma oksfordzkimi studentami.
„Wojna o Raj” to powieść magiczna, chociaż samej stricte magii w niej niewiele. Lawhead za to garściami czerpie z mitologii celtyckiej, a sam Albion wraz z jego wierzeniami, językiem i tradycjami wzorowany jest na kulturze staroceltyckiej. Wyraźnie widać też inspirację „Władcą Pierścieni” i mitologią Cthulhu.
Można się przyczepić, że postacie czarno-białe, że główny bohater momentami potwornie irytujący i nierozgarnięty, że autor powtarza sprawdzone tropy i schematy. Jednak absolutnie mi to w trakcie lektury nie przeszkadzało i nie zmniejszało przyjemności z czytania! Zaczarował mnie świat i bohaterowie wykreowani przez Lawheada. Czułam się jak w domu w tej powieści - opisy były tak barwne, plastyczne i realistyczne, że miałam wrażenie jakbym żywcem przeniosła się do Albionu i była współuczestnikiem tej historii. No, straciłam głowę dla tej książki! Pomimo, że nie jest to żadne innowacyjne i przełomowe fantasy, ta książka Waszego życia nie zmieni, ale ma coś w sobie, że uwodzi i bezwględnie rozkochuje w sobie czytelnika.
December 31, 2014
I haven't read any later works in the series yet. So, I can only comment on this first title directly. I really enjoyed it. Lawhead either did his research on Celtic culture or managed to bluff very convincingly. Personally, I believe it was the former. Still, it was not paradigm altering. It seemed a pretty standard tale of boy goes to mythical "Otherworld", encounters amazing magical adventure and comes back. (Or does he?) it also reminded me a bit of Tolkien and Lewis's works. It certainly seemed inspired by them. This is not a bad thing though as the tale is enjoyable.
My biggest complaint might be that he sometimes seemed to insert random historical facts about Celtic culture which don't seem necessary to the whole story. A good example from early in the book is the "Green Man". He also never adequately explained the one fact is character seemed to maintain from early in the tale. Namely that Lewis and Simon's presence in the Otherworld was damaging to it.
My second biggest complaint is that I don't feel the main character, Lewis, really grows much from a moral standpoint. He talks about him changing as a person and how his physical body changes, but doesn't seem to show growth of character. If Lewis learns anything in the tale, it's the importance of duty in spite of fear and death, but even that seems to be told to the reader more than shown to him. Perhaps this is because the tale is narrated from the first person?
My favorite parts of the story dealt with the elaborate lore surrounding Albion, the prophecies, the bards, and the way authority worked in the world of Albion. When authors try to tell of the paradoxical contradictions which make up their fantasy world and manage to convey the tensions which come from these, it makes me happy as a reader.
This brings me to one final point. I had been told that this book or maybe the series as a whole is distinctly "Christian". One friend didn't even want to read it because of this. The truth is, after reading this book, I see no evidence for this at all. If Christian themes and philosophies are present, they are presented in a decidedly not distinctly Christian way. The closest I can think of is thee nation of a "creator god" who sits amongst or perhaps at the top of a pantheon of gods. (not a Christian idea) this is a fantasy tale, and I had no problem with this, just as I have no problem with C.S. Lewis being pretty distinctly Christian in his Cosmic Trilogy (those are some of my absolutely favorite books). I felt it merited mention though as some people seem to skip this book and series for that reason.
My biggest complaint might be that he sometimes seemed to insert random historical facts about Celtic culture which don't seem necessary to the whole story. A good example from early in the book is the "Green Man". He also never adequately explained the one fact is character seemed to maintain from early in the tale. Namely that Lewis and Simon's presence in the Otherworld was damaging to it.
My second biggest complaint is that I don't feel the main character, Lewis, really grows much from a moral standpoint. He talks about him changing as a person and how his physical body changes, but doesn't seem to show growth of character. If Lewis learns anything in the tale, it's the importance of duty in spite of fear and death, but even that seems to be told to the reader more than shown to him. Perhaps this is because the tale is narrated from the first person?
My favorite parts of the story dealt with the elaborate lore surrounding Albion, the prophecies, the bards, and the way authority worked in the world of Albion. When authors try to tell of the paradoxical contradictions which make up their fantasy world and manage to convey the tensions which come from these, it makes me happy as a reader.
This brings me to one final point. I had been told that this book or maybe the series as a whole is distinctly "Christian". One friend didn't even want to read it because of this. The truth is, after reading this book, I see no evidence for this at all. If Christian themes and philosophies are present, they are presented in a decidedly not distinctly Christian way. The closest I can think of is thee nation of a "creator god" who sits amongst or perhaps at the top of a pantheon of gods. (not a Christian idea) this is a fantasy tale, and I had no problem with this, just as I have no problem with C.S. Lewis being pretty distinctly Christian in his Cosmic Trilogy (those are some of my absolutely favorite books). I felt it merited mention though as some people seem to skip this book and series for that reason.
August 24, 2020
My feelings on this book were somewhat all over the place, but that may be a reflection on my reading tastes more than the book itself. At the beginning, I was really enjoying the story and the writing style of the author (especially his turn of phases and extensive use of vocabulary), but about a third of the way through my interest started to wain. When descriptions of the Otherworld and life in it began, I began to tune out. I like something that feels atmospheric, yet not descriptive (if that makes any sense) and this felt like the latter. Things picked up for me somewhat as the plot moved forward and the climax was reached, but I never regained the enjoyment I had when I first started reading up the book. One minor complaint - there were a lack of women characters in this book, which I felt made it somewhat shallower. It wasn't necessary to the storyline for female characters, and there were four females that featured for a section of the book, but I missed the feminine element. That too may be a reflection of my reading preferences, however. All this being said, I don't think I'll continue with the series (this is book 1 of 3).
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