What do you think?
Rate this book
The Song of Albion #3
The Endless Knot
Fires rage in strange, hidden fires, dark-flamed, invisible to the eye. Llew Silver Hand is High King of Albion, but now the Brazen Man has defied his sovereignty and Llew must journey to the Foul Land to redeem his greatest treasure. The last battle begins, and the myths, passions, and heroism of an ancient people come to life as Llew faces his greatest test yet.
The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Endless Knot crosses the thin places between this work and that, as Lewis Gillies begins his ultimate quest, striking the final resounding chord in the Song of Albion.
The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Endless Knot crosses the thin places between this work and that, as Lewis Gillies begins his ultimate quest, striking the final resounding chord in the Song of Albion.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1991
153 people are currently reading
2575 people want to read
About the author
Stephen R. Lawhead
102 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
May 18, 2021
Book 3 in The Song of Albion series first published 1991.
A 3 star conclusion.
Well that was a satisfying, if at times, ponderous conclusion to the series.
At the end of book two The Silver Hand the baddies had been dealt with and the land of Albion was once again the tranquil magical place it was meant to be. It was time for Llew, The Silver Hand, to return to his own world. But love had taken a hold of Llew’s heart and he could not tear himself away from all he now held most dear.
Life for Llew, his new wife and the people of Albion now seemed idyllic but Llew’s staying on in Albion had turn the time vortex on its head. This allowed a way in for some very unsavory characters to enter Albion and pillage the land and the people. On top of all that Llew’s new bride has been abducted by these very same people.
This was a mix of fantastical adventure and ponderous delving into the history of Albion.
I’m not one to skim or flick forwards but there was so much bardic songs, poems, eulogies and the like I was forced to do that very thing. Which is a shame as the end game was really good.
As for the end it was just the way that all good fantasies should end. I’ll say no more.
Not a bad read but by no means a great one.
August 28, 2011
I won't lie, when I got to the end of this book I cried. Not only because it was such a touching and emotional ending, but also because I knew it was the end of my stay in Albion. This series...it's simply amazing. I know I've said this before, but the characters in this series are so incredibly full of honor and virtue, it makes you wish you knew them in real life. And Albion itself is such a beautiful land of wonder and beauty that you can't help but wish you could live there forever. There is alot of symbolism in this series, and in this book particularly. The theme of the Celtic knot and the idea that everything we do is connected and intertwined really resonated with me, and I feel I will keep those concepts in my heart even though I have completed the trilogy. The ending is so amazing, so full of hope for the future that I really would love to recommend it to everyone who loves fantasy series. I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time.
Albion Forever! :)
Albion Forever! :)
February 18, 2020
Wow. What a disappointment.
I wish Lawhead had finished the series with book 2. The first two books together make up one of the most exciting and beautiful stories in modern fantasy.
This book is tacked on, it feels, as though it were an afterthought. Nothing happens for 2/3 of the book. Then there's a quest, filled with the narrator ending chapters with phrases like "if only they had known what was about to happen!!!" Dun dun dun... And then, yeah, there's a bit of danger, but nothing extraordinary. You never feel that there's any danger to the main character.
Until the sudden and very anticlimactic hero feat.
And the end. Are you kidding me? Is the author actually suggesting that the hero feat of Lewis in some way made the eucharist more eucharistic? That his feat somehow made people in the real world more religious? There was a reason Tolkien never attempted to write about the Incarnation in his fantasy. It's a very, very bad idea.
It took me half a year to finish this book. I wish I hand't. I wish I had just ended with book 2.
I wish Lawhead had finished the series with book 2. The first two books together make up one of the most exciting and beautiful stories in modern fantasy.
This book is tacked on, it feels, as though it were an afterthought. Nothing happens for 2/3 of the book. Then there's a quest, filled with the narrator ending chapters with phrases like "if only they had known what was about to happen!!!" Dun dun dun... And then, yeah, there's a bit of danger, but nothing extraordinary. You never feel that there's any danger to the main character.
Until the sudden and very anticlimactic hero feat.
And the end. Are you kidding me? Is the author actually suggesting that the hero feat of Lewis in some way made the eucharist more eucharistic? That his feat somehow made people in the real world more religious? There was a reason Tolkien never attempted to write about the Incarnation in his fantasy. It's a very, very bad idea.
It took me half a year to finish this book. I wish I hand't. I wish I had just ended with book 2.
July 18, 2018
The Song of Albion is an amazing series! If you have an interest in Celtic mythology, do yourself a favor and read it.
February 21, 2019
One of the things I really enjoyed about this series was Albion. More than a location, it was part of the story, a character with its own feelings and motives. Early on in THE ENDLESS KNOT, Llew (Lewis) informs us he will never return to Albion, and honestly, I mourned Albion the rest of the book. What? No more Albion? Instead, the bulk of this book takes place in The Foul Lands, which, aside from some cool beasts, was a little disappointing. I'm still not sure how The Foul Lands became foul, or why I should care about its fate.
The ending was at the same time interesting yet expected. I especially liked the use of point-of-view near the end. The conclusion itself left me a little confused, and I'm not sure exactly what the author was trying to say, but all-in-all it felt like a satisfactory finish.
As a side note, I listen to the audio version, and frankly, it was very difficult. Imagine watching your favorite TV series, and after a hiatus, you come back, and all of the actors have changed. The first two books were narrated by one actor, this last by another. It would be one thing if the second actor had attempted to sound like the first actor, but he didn't, and I'm sure he was fine, but I was used to the voices and recognized each character. Hearing them sound entirely different was grating.
Regarding the entire series, I wouldn't say this is the type of fantasy I normally read, so it wasn't fantastic for me, but I'm sure others would love it. Highly recommended for readers of high fantasy who like hero's journey stories.
The ending was at the same time interesting yet expected. I especially liked the use of point-of-view near the end. The conclusion itself left me a little confused, and I'm not sure exactly what the author was trying to say, but all-in-all it felt like a satisfactory finish.
As a side note, I listen to the audio version, and frankly, it was very difficult. Imagine watching your favorite TV series, and after a hiatus, you come back, and all of the actors have changed. The first two books were narrated by one actor, this last by another. It would be one thing if the second actor had attempted to sound like the first actor, but he didn't, and I'm sure he was fine, but I was used to the voices and recognized each character. Hearing them sound entirely different was grating.
Regarding the entire series, I wouldn't say this is the type of fantasy I normally read, so it wasn't fantastic for me, but I'm sure others would love it. Highly recommended for readers of high fantasy who like hero's journey stories.
November 1, 2021
The weakest of the trilogy in my opinion, The Endless Knot is nevertheless a fun read, featuring Lawhead's easy-to-read prose.
There are a few things I dislike in this book, but bear in mind these are my personal views only. SPOILERS beyond.
First up, is that the "other king's wife" character is so blatantly written a mole, here to do "bad things", that it just instantly took me out of the story.
Second, is that two-thirds of this book is just mindless narration. Nothing happens.
And then finally, a rushed ending where everything is BAM finished in a handful of chapters...and then Lewis is back in our world and suddenly has a new girlfriend despite his feelings for Geowyn?
Meh.
That being said, it is neverthless worth reading as it provides "an ending" for the overall trilogy, but while moments of great writing are here throughout, I feel like they are spoiled by poor plot devices and lack of a forward momentum.
There are a few things I dislike in this book, but bear in mind these are my personal views only. SPOILERS beyond.
First up, is that the "other king's wife" character is so blatantly written a mole, here to do "bad things", that it just instantly took me out of the story.
Second, is that two-thirds of this book is just mindless narration. Nothing happens.
And then finally, a rushed ending where everything is BAM finished in a handful of chapters...and then Lewis is back in our world and suddenly has a new girlfriend despite his feelings for Geowyn?
Meh.
That being said, it is neverthless worth reading as it provides "an ending" for the overall trilogy, but while moments of great writing are here throughout, I feel like they are spoiled by poor plot devices and lack of a forward momentum.
January 3, 2025
I have just re-read (for the umteenth time) The Song of Albion Trilogy - and loved it as much as I did the first time.
Lawhead is an outstanding writer that knows how to bring historical fiction to life. He writes as a Christian, without destroying the storyline with awkward Christian-esque metaphors, allegories and evangelical slogans.
In this series one cannot help but think of the main character as a Christ figure, and yet it is set in an alternate ancient pagan Celtic religious context. At various climax points in the Trilogy he lays down his life for his people by performing the hero feat - saving their world from utter destruction. While God is not specifically mentioned, we know that it is the "Sure-Swift-Hand" that saves them over and over again.
For a tale of adventure, virtue and courageous loving leadership - I can't recommend these books too highly!
Lawhead is an outstanding writer that knows how to bring historical fiction to life. He writes as a Christian, without destroying the storyline with awkward Christian-esque metaphors, allegories and evangelical slogans.
In this series one cannot help but think of the main character as a Christ figure, and yet it is set in an alternate ancient pagan Celtic religious context. At various climax points in the Trilogy he lays down his life for his people by performing the hero feat - saving their world from utter destruction. While God is not specifically mentioned, we know that it is the "Sure-Swift-Hand" that saves them over and over again.
For a tale of adventure, virtue and courageous loving leadership - I can't recommend these books too highly!
May 17, 2024
A shocking and satisfying ending to a wonderful trilogy 😌
December 9, 2024
4.5/5 A beautiful portal fantasy that became an allegory for the story of Jesus as Savior. Well done better than when I read it 28 years ago. I got "it" more fully this time around.
February 8, 2025
Completely phenomenal ending to an amazing series. I cried alot, from both sadness and happiness. It's Narnia on steroids. Will recommend to every book lover I know ❤️
October 16, 2014
THIS BOOK is by far the saddest and most depressing of the entire trilogy ...! I'll have to warn you that the ending isn't exactly a happy one... but it's GOOD ok?! REALLY GOOD - READ IT! NOW! It's actually my favorite of the trilogy! I loved what the characters had to go through and enjoyed how they emotionally handled themselves... I thought it was beautiful. I don't wanna give away too much, but I will say that but not in the way you might think. ;) ..Just read this book if you've read the other two, ok? *sobs*
The Endless Knot was a perfect end to the trilogy. I couldn't ask for a better one.~
The Endless Knot was a perfect end to the trilogy. I couldn't ask for a better one.~
March 13, 2020
I did not technically finish this one, but I don’t care. I got to page 316 and just couldn’t force myself to read any further. The past 150 pages of them wandering through the Foul Lands, fighting random demonic forces, and sort of winning just wasn’t cutting it for me. This book was just so dry and I didn’t care about anything that was happening because it all felt pointless to me. They described having a feast at least 10 times in the first 100 pages, which got old. All the dialogue was dumb or confusing and I didn’t care about the characters at all. I wanted this series to make sense and be interesting because the first one was really good, but I was definitely missing something. Maybe if I knew more about Celtic lore it would be more interesting. I skimmed through the remaining 100 pages and got the gist. The original “bad guy” comes back, Lewis “dies”, and is then magically transported back to the real world where he is now alive and falls in love with a girl from the beginning of the first book. The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2023
Probably 2.5 rounded up. This was one big epic quest and it really just didn't have the engagement as the first one. I honestly didnt care by the time the ending came and I'm not trying to throw negativity at the story. It just lacked a spark I think.
April 27, 2025
Last in the trilogy. Pace was slow until second half and then moved quickly to the end. Really good ending to a long journey for the hero Llew of the Silver Hand. In a time when Albion has been torn apart by a selfish, evil man, Llew and his war band and elite flight of Ravens have to stand strong in the face of dark entities and arduous travel. A surprising and fitting ending. Enduring story.
February 5, 2012
I first started reading Stephen Lawhead because of some books published by The Chrystostom Society, a group of Christian authors. I stumbled upon this society because of my love for Madeleine L'Engle.
I found the first two books of this trilogy compelling and exciting, but was dissapointed in this final volume until the end. Even though the "Quest" part of the story seemed unending and was hard to get through, the ending made it all worthwhile!
The quote at the beginning explains it all:
"Since all the world is but a story, it were well for thee to buy the more enduring story, rather than the story that is less enduring." St. Columba of Scotland.
This is truly the most enduring story!
I found the first two books of this trilogy compelling and exciting, but was dissapointed in this final volume until the end. Even though the "Quest" part of the story seemed unending and was hard to get through, the ending made it all worthwhile!
The quote at the beginning explains it all:
"Since all the world is but a story, it were well for thee to buy the more enduring story, rather than the story that is less enduring." St. Columba of Scotland.
This is truly the most enduring story!
April 14, 2015
I liked this trilogy. A lot. However, I must admit the third book was a little too descriptive for my taste. I would skip a sentence here and there, then a paragraph or two as I scanned the text for some sign of moving the plot forward. I may have even skipped a handful of pages near the end when the author rambled on about the changes in the landscape. An odd pacing choice for a climatic scene.
I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy that follows in the Christian tradition of The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe.
I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy that follows in the Christian tradition of The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe.
July 26, 2021
I was hesitant to reread these favorites from my childhood because I read some of Lawhead's later work after I grew up, and I thought it was pretty weak porridge. But in the last several months I've reread both the Pendragon Saga and the Song of Albion, and I can attest that Lawhead's later work was just weaker than his fantastic older work. Don't judge his early work based on his later material without at least giving it a chance.
March 29, 2024
A passionate ending to a profound literary symphony! (5 stars)
If literature is music, then Lawhead’s “Song of Albion” trilogy is a profound symphony, with a tremendously passionate ending. In the final book of the series, “The Endless Knot” (which sees the welcome return of Llew as the narrator), both the High King Llew and his ally King Cynan find themselves wives: Llew the beautiful Goewyn, and Cynan the mysterious Tangwen. Without becoming sappy or secular in his depiction, Lawhead shows the beauty of pure and passionate love between husband and wife. But Llew’s joy is quickly dashed as the two queens are abducted and carried off to distant lands. Accompanied by their warband and the bard Tegid, Llew and Cynan set off in pursuit.
The quest through hostile lands and far-off places turns into a Tolkienesque journey, as the land itself becomes the essence of evil, with putrid smells and hidden enemies. As they venture into the heart of evil through the Foul Land (Tir Aflan), our heroes must battle a hostile landscape and its corrupt creatures which have been awakened by evil, such as the dreaded Wyrm. When they finally discover the source of the evil that has stolen their brides and threatened Albion, the shock is greater than ever, because it ushers in a final battle against the intruder Simon (Siawn).
The conflict reaches an apocalyptic climax in the closing pages, as Llew and Simon meet face to face. The cruel bondage of many that Llew seeks to liberate is a clear portrayal of the horrific slavery to Satan. Meanwhile in Llew, Lawhead paints a portrait of the work of Christ as Messianic king, who “becomes justice for his people” who in turn can “shelter beneath his protection” (p82). Like Christ, Llew sacrifices his own life to rescue his bride. And just as the Bride of Christ will be completely redeemed on the day of His return, so Llew’s arrival culminates in a grand conflagration that purifies the world of evil and transforms it to perfection. “Out of the molten heat, I saw the foul land of Tir Aflan recast, reshaped, and in fire reborn. Nothing escaped the refining fire of his irresistible will: all imperfection, all ugliness, all weakness and deformity, all frailty, infirmity, disease, deficiency and defect, every fault and failing, every blight and every blemish, every flaw effaced, purged, and purified...When the fire at last subsided, Tir Aflan had been consumed and its elements transmuted in a finer, more noble conception: recreated with a grandeur as far surpassing its former degradation as if an old garment had been stripped away and not merely restored, but replaced with a raiment of unrivalled splendor.” (p394). Lawhead’s extensive description of this cosmic transformation is moving, and all the more moving because of its deep spiritual significance for Christians.
Llew’s dazed shock at returning to the real world in the end mirrors the reader’s emptiness after a passionate and profound journey to the other world. “How could anyone ever understand even the smallest, most minute part of all I had experienced? I had been a king in Albion! I had fought battles and slain enemies, and had, in turn, been killed. Only, instead of going on to another world, I had been returned to the one I had left. Nothing had changed. It was as if nothing had happened at all. All I had done, all I had experienced meant nothing.” (p411)
Yet Llew also returns with a new understanding of is present world. After witnessing the reminder of Christ’s sacrifice at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in a local church, he realizes the profound significance of his own experiences for the present. “This is my body, broken for you … Ancient words, words from beyond the creation of the world. Words to explain all that had happened to me. Like a star exploding in the frigid void of space, understanding detonated in my brain. I knew, knew, what it meant… Albion had been transformed – and this world was no longer the same either. Though not as obviously manifest, the great change had already taken place. And I would find it hidden in a million places: subtle as yeast, working away quietly, unseen and unknown, yet gently, powerfully, altering everything radically. I knew, as I knew the meaning of the Eucharistic words of Holy Kingship, that the rebirth of Albion and the renewal of this world were one. The Hero Feat had been performed.” (p413). Llew has a deeper understanding of the growing kingdom of Christ as a result of his heroic and sacrificial death that redeemed his bride, the Church. It is this understanding that makes a journey to Albion more than worthwhile. The return to the real world is dazing, but one returns with a renewed excitement about Christ’s kingdom.
In the end, the Song of Albion is like a literary symphony, with powerful profoundness and passion that captures your heart and sweeps you off your feet, and a magnificent finale that leaves you astounded as the echoes of the last note fade away. Like any great symphony, “The Endless Knot” is literary music that unravels your emotions. By ending this tremendous series with such a brilliant and emotional conclusion, the “Song of Albion” has more than matched Lawhead’s “Pendragon Cycle”, and given it a place among the greatest in contemporary Christian fantasy. If words are music, then this is a song for the heart, soul and mind well worth listening to!
If literature is music, then Lawhead’s “Song of Albion” trilogy is a profound symphony, with a tremendously passionate ending. In the final book of the series, “The Endless Knot” (which sees the welcome return of Llew as the narrator), both the High King Llew and his ally King Cynan find themselves wives: Llew the beautiful Goewyn, and Cynan the mysterious Tangwen. Without becoming sappy or secular in his depiction, Lawhead shows the beauty of pure and passionate love between husband and wife. But Llew’s joy is quickly dashed as the two queens are abducted and carried off to distant lands. Accompanied by their warband and the bard Tegid, Llew and Cynan set off in pursuit.
The quest through hostile lands and far-off places turns into a Tolkienesque journey, as the land itself becomes the essence of evil, with putrid smells and hidden enemies. As they venture into the heart of evil through the Foul Land (Tir Aflan), our heroes must battle a hostile landscape and its corrupt creatures which have been awakened by evil, such as the dreaded Wyrm. When they finally discover the source of the evil that has stolen their brides and threatened Albion, the shock is greater than ever, because it ushers in a final battle against the intruder Simon (Siawn).
The conflict reaches an apocalyptic climax in the closing pages, as Llew and Simon meet face to face. The cruel bondage of many that Llew seeks to liberate is a clear portrayal of the horrific slavery to Satan. Meanwhile in Llew, Lawhead paints a portrait of the work of Christ as Messianic king, who “becomes justice for his people” who in turn can “shelter beneath his protection” (p82). Like Christ, Llew sacrifices his own life to rescue his bride. And just as the Bride of Christ will be completely redeemed on the day of His return, so Llew’s arrival culminates in a grand conflagration that purifies the world of evil and transforms it to perfection. “Out of the molten heat, I saw the foul land of Tir Aflan recast, reshaped, and in fire reborn. Nothing escaped the refining fire of his irresistible will: all imperfection, all ugliness, all weakness and deformity, all frailty, infirmity, disease, deficiency and defect, every fault and failing, every blight and every blemish, every flaw effaced, purged, and purified...When the fire at last subsided, Tir Aflan had been consumed and its elements transmuted in a finer, more noble conception: recreated with a grandeur as far surpassing its former degradation as if an old garment had been stripped away and not merely restored, but replaced with a raiment of unrivalled splendor.” (p394). Lawhead’s extensive description of this cosmic transformation is moving, and all the more moving because of its deep spiritual significance for Christians.
Llew’s dazed shock at returning to the real world in the end mirrors the reader’s emptiness after a passionate and profound journey to the other world. “How could anyone ever understand even the smallest, most minute part of all I had experienced? I had been a king in Albion! I had fought battles and slain enemies, and had, in turn, been killed. Only, instead of going on to another world, I had been returned to the one I had left. Nothing had changed. It was as if nothing had happened at all. All I had done, all I had experienced meant nothing.” (p411)
Yet Llew also returns with a new understanding of is present world. After witnessing the reminder of Christ’s sacrifice at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in a local church, he realizes the profound significance of his own experiences for the present. “This is my body, broken for you … Ancient words, words from beyond the creation of the world. Words to explain all that had happened to me. Like a star exploding in the frigid void of space, understanding detonated in my brain. I knew, knew, what it meant… Albion had been transformed – and this world was no longer the same either. Though not as obviously manifest, the great change had already taken place. And I would find it hidden in a million places: subtle as yeast, working away quietly, unseen and unknown, yet gently, powerfully, altering everything radically. I knew, as I knew the meaning of the Eucharistic words of Holy Kingship, that the rebirth of Albion and the renewal of this world were one. The Hero Feat had been performed.” (p413). Llew has a deeper understanding of the growing kingdom of Christ as a result of his heroic and sacrificial death that redeemed his bride, the Church. It is this understanding that makes a journey to Albion more than worthwhile. The return to the real world is dazing, but one returns with a renewed excitement about Christ’s kingdom.
In the end, the Song of Albion is like a literary symphony, with powerful profoundness and passion that captures your heart and sweeps you off your feet, and a magnificent finale that leaves you astounded as the echoes of the last note fade away. Like any great symphony, “The Endless Knot” is literary music that unravels your emotions. By ending this tremendous series with such a brilliant and emotional conclusion, the “Song of Albion” has more than matched Lawhead’s “Pendragon Cycle”, and given it a place among the greatest in contemporary Christian fantasy. If words are music, then this is a song for the heart, soul and mind well worth listening to!
April 16, 2009
I won't give any spoilers, but this well-written trilogy comes to an exciting, surprising, and fulfilling conclusion in this third book. I don't usually read a series twice, but I will read this one again. It was terrific! Read more Stephen Lawhead novel reviews at Fantasy Literature
December 7, 2017
Best fiction I read all year. Incredible storytelling. A fantasy work of an otherworldly, Celtic land where life is purer, more real; until invaders from our world find a way in, bringing corruption; and redemption. Dare I call this Lewis or Tolkien like? Yes, like Lewis but not enough to be as epic as LOTR. So much to love here.
October 1, 2014
In the story you will learn of ancient Scotland. If you like Tolkien and CSLewis you will likely let enjoy this series. Read carefully and you will be able to pick out the story of the Lamb of God who gave his life to save us
April 4, 2012
One of the best endings to a series. Ever.
November 12, 2014
I'm not going to give any spoilers but this whole series was great.
March 25, 2016
I read the whole Song of Albion sequence. An awful lot of words for a little bit of story.
October 3, 2015
LOVED the ending!!!!
September 30, 2024
The first two novels in Stephen Lawhead’s “Song of Albion” trilogy had been great reads, with decent characters, good pacing and, in the case of the second in particular, an interesting narrative choice. Given that fantasy collections often tend to build towards a climax towards the end, I was hopeful that this third novel would continue in much the same vein.
As with the second, “The Endless Knot” follows on immediately from the events that preceded it. This means that the land of Albion is currently at peace and the people have accepted Llew as their King. However, as the land had been blighted by Prince Meldron and his army, Tegid the bard has suggested a tour of the land so that all the people who survived can see that there is now peace in Albion and they can return to how life was before, or as closely as they can manage.
Upon his return, however, Llew’s wife Goewyn goes missing, along with Cynan’s new bride Tangwen. Suspecting that they have been kidnapped by Paladyr, a former enemy who has been exiled to Tir Aflan, they set out to rescue them. Tir Aflan is a land separate to Albion, where no-one knows what to expect, as no-one who has set foot there has ever returned to talk about what they found. It soon transpires that the land is home to many different types of danger unknown to those of Albion and the journey will be neither short nor easy.
This is the first issue I had with “The Endless Knot”, as it spent an awful lot of time travelling, but never really getting anywhere. Even the opening tour of Albion felt more ceremonial than having much to advance the plot and apart from introducing Cynan’s wife along the way, it felt like filler until the actual story began. Then, when this did finally occur, much of the remainder of the plot was struggling across Tir Aflan and the events that occurred along the way.
This whole journey was poorly written and there was little sense of danger or threat as they wandered from one incident to the next. The pacing was far slower-moving than in the previous couple of novels and it made for a hard read, especially as there was little in the way of character building along the way, as we already knew them all. One of the strengths of the last novel was that the reader was made to care about the characters and so when bad things happened, it had an emotional impact, but that feeling didn’t happen here, as I felt less involved in the novel this time around.
Perhaps the worst part for me was the ending, which happened in an awful rush after the story plodded to its conclusion after taking the long way around. There was a hint of a low-budget C. S. Lewis in the ending, but Lawhead then felt the need to add in more to really make the point, which felt unnecessary as well as a touch patronising to the reader. It felt as if Lawhead didn’t really have much idea how to get from one world to another at this late stage and threw everything at the novel to see what stuck and it all felt like a bit of a mess, as well as lazy writing.
Ultimately, much of what happens in “The Endless Knot” reminds me a little uncomfortably of Lawhead’s “The Dragon King Saga”, which I had been disappointed with. There was a lot of dead space in the plot and no sense of scale or excitement in the journey aside from the odd moment and no characters you could get involved with. Had this trilogy opened with this novel, I probably would have put it aside and never continued, but that may have made the poor ending after two very good novels even more of a disappointment than doing that would have been.
As with the second, “The Endless Knot” follows on immediately from the events that preceded it. This means that the land of Albion is currently at peace and the people have accepted Llew as their King. However, as the land had been blighted by Prince Meldron and his army, Tegid the bard has suggested a tour of the land so that all the people who survived can see that there is now peace in Albion and they can return to how life was before, or as closely as they can manage.
Upon his return, however, Llew’s wife Goewyn goes missing, along with Cynan’s new bride Tangwen. Suspecting that they have been kidnapped by Paladyr, a former enemy who has been exiled to Tir Aflan, they set out to rescue them. Tir Aflan is a land separate to Albion, where no-one knows what to expect, as no-one who has set foot there has ever returned to talk about what they found. It soon transpires that the land is home to many different types of danger unknown to those of Albion and the journey will be neither short nor easy.
This is the first issue I had with “The Endless Knot”, as it spent an awful lot of time travelling, but never really getting anywhere. Even the opening tour of Albion felt more ceremonial than having much to advance the plot and apart from introducing Cynan’s wife along the way, it felt like filler until the actual story began. Then, when this did finally occur, much of the remainder of the plot was struggling across Tir Aflan and the events that occurred along the way.
This whole journey was poorly written and there was little sense of danger or threat as they wandered from one incident to the next. The pacing was far slower-moving than in the previous couple of novels and it made for a hard read, especially as there was little in the way of character building along the way, as we already knew them all. One of the strengths of the last novel was that the reader was made to care about the characters and so when bad things happened, it had an emotional impact, but that feeling didn’t happen here, as I felt less involved in the novel this time around.
Perhaps the worst part for me was the ending, which happened in an awful rush after the story plodded to its conclusion after taking the long way around. There was a hint of a low-budget C. S. Lewis in the ending, but Lawhead then felt the need to add in more to really make the point, which felt unnecessary as well as a touch patronising to the reader. It felt as if Lawhead didn’t really have much idea how to get from one world to another at this late stage and threw everything at the novel to see what stuck and it all felt like a bit of a mess, as well as lazy writing.
Ultimately, much of what happens in “The Endless Knot” reminds me a little uncomfortably of Lawhead’s “The Dragon King Saga”, which I had been disappointed with. There was a lot of dead space in the plot and no sense of scale or excitement in the journey aside from the odd moment and no characters you could get involved with. Had this trilogy opened with this novel, I probably would have put it aside and never continued, but that may have made the poor ending after two very good novels even more of a disappointment than doing that would have been.
October 2, 2018
The final book of the series completes the story. It could possibly be read alone, but much of what came before contributes to this story and without the first two books would be missed.
The first few chapters move quickly but then things bog down a little before Llew takes everyone on a rescue quest. From there on, the tone is dark as the heroes battle their way through a kind of hell inhabited by many fantasy monsters.
The ending is controversial but emmotional. Some would say it is a great twist, but I didn't care for some of the devices used to make it happen. I definitely did not enjoy this book even though I recognize that many people will think it is brilliant.
(From this point on, if I tag it a spoiler, it really is a spoiler giving away the entire book.) Let me give some reasons why I didn't like it.
Lawhead is a Christian writer. Many of his books and series are quite preachy. Up to the last part of this book, I wouldn't say there was really any Christian preaching. Characters frequently mentioned protection of the Swift Sure Hand, but did not refer to him as the Christian God and that was about it. But suddenly that changes, not so much by becoming preachy, but in the realization that the whole thing is an allegory with at least one distinct parallel to the Christian faith.
I tried to find substantiation for the principle of naud. It appears to be completely counter-intuitive not to mention crazy. I found one reference that didn't rely on this book, but it was vague as to its source.
Mature themes: there is plenty of fantasy violence and war violence, but not overly descriptive and the story lacked the atrocities of the previous books. There are a few short paragraph descriptions of sex between married people that basically come down to little more than "they made love".
The first few chapters move quickly but then things bog down a little before Llew takes everyone on a rescue quest. From there on, the tone is dark as the heroes battle their way through a kind of hell inhabited by many fantasy monsters.
The ending is controversial but emmotional. Some would say it is a great twist, but I didn't care for some of the devices used to make it happen. I definitely did not enjoy this book even though I recognize that many people will think it is brilliant.
(From this point on, if I tag it a spoiler, it really is a spoiler giving away the entire book.) Let me give some reasons why I didn't like it.
Lawhead is a Christian writer. Many of his books and series are quite preachy. Up to the last part of this book, I wouldn't say there was really any Christian preaching. Characters frequently mentioned protection of the Swift Sure Hand, but did not refer to him as the Christian God and that was about it. But suddenly that changes, not so much by becoming preachy, but in the realization that the whole thing is an allegory with at least one distinct parallel to the Christian faith.
I tried to find substantiation for the principle of naud. It appears to be completely counter-intuitive not to mention crazy. I found one reference that didn't rely on this book, but it was vague as to its source.
Mature themes: there is plenty of fantasy violence and war violence, but not overly descriptive and the story lacked the atrocities of the previous books. There are a few short paragraph descriptions of sex between married people that basically come down to little more than "they made love".
May 20, 2017
When I started reading The Song of Albion trilogy, it consumed me so much that I asked my sister to hide this last book from me, so that I could focus on real life for a while. Then I got engaged, moved, got married... Finally, a year later, I picked up this book again today and read the final half.
What a masterful, beautiful finish.
Admittedly, I did not /enjoy/ the whole journey. I like to be happy. I hate evil, dread, and destruction. As with the first two books, I read this one very quickly, unwilling to linger in the darkness in order to catch the fullness of Lawhead's writing. But wading through that darkness and grief is worth it for the light and joy. Oh the beauty of all things eternal and good!
This book hearkens to the most glorious strands of music, the breathtaking beauty of the best sunsets, the simple perfection of a new spring leaf, the overwhelming emotion when two people commit their lives to each other. All those moments and glimpses of a life more real than what we see day to day.
C. S. Lewis speaks of "an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again... I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and Pleasure often is.”
This book reminds me of those moments that spark that Joy...
“Fairy tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.” –G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
I love how this article speaks of Chesterton's quote, our need for childlike delight, which I think The Song of Albion helps awaken in its readers. https://rabbitroom.com/2016/05/rememb...
What a masterful, beautiful finish.
Admittedly, I did not /enjoy/ the whole journey. I like to be happy. I hate evil, dread, and destruction. As with the first two books, I read this one very quickly, unwilling to linger in the darkness in order to catch the fullness of Lawhead's writing. But wading through that darkness and grief is worth it for the light and joy. Oh the beauty of all things eternal and good!
This book hearkens to the most glorious strands of music, the breathtaking beauty of the best sunsets, the simple perfection of a new spring leaf, the overwhelming emotion when two people commit their lives to each other. All those moments and glimpses of a life more real than what we see day to day.
C. S. Lewis speaks of "an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again... I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and Pleasure often is.”
This book reminds me of those moments that spark that Joy...
“Fairy tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water.” –G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
I love how this article speaks of Chesterton's quote, our need for childlike delight, which I think The Song of Albion helps awaken in its readers. https://rabbitroom.com/2016/05/rememb...
June 22, 2025
The Endless Knot concludes The Song of Albion trilogy but unfortunately stands as the weakest of the three. While it carries forward the mythic tone and Celtic richness of the previous entries, it lacks the spark that made The Paradise War and The Silver Hand so compelling. The tension feels more manufactured, and plot developments are often telegraphed to the point that twists lack impact or feel clumsily executed.
Characters that readers have grown attached to over two books lose some of their vitality here, making it harder to emotionally invest in the stakes. Certain story choices and tonal shifts—particularly in the final quarter—come off as abrupt or inconsistent, and the heavy use of prophecy and symbolism, while present throughout the trilogy, is more pronounced and at times burdensome.
Notably, this volume introduces more overt Christian themes near the end, which may resonate with some readers but comes across as somewhat muddled in its delivery. That said, the spiritual undertone implies content that’s unlikely to offend most audiences.
Ultimately, The Endless Knot is worth reading only to complete the journey. It ties off the series but without the same elegance or emotional resonance that began it. Recommended for readers who’ve enjoyed the first two books and want closure, but not ideal as a standalone or entry point into Lawhead’s work.
Characters that readers have grown attached to over two books lose some of their vitality here, making it harder to emotionally invest in the stakes. Certain story choices and tonal shifts—particularly in the final quarter—come off as abrupt or inconsistent, and the heavy use of prophecy and symbolism, while present throughout the trilogy, is more pronounced and at times burdensome.
Notably, this volume introduces more overt Christian themes near the end, which may resonate with some readers but comes across as somewhat muddled in its delivery. That said, the spiritual undertone implies content that’s unlikely to offend most audiences.
Ultimately, The Endless Knot is worth reading only to complete the journey. It ties off the series but without the same elegance or emotional resonance that began it. Recommended for readers who’ve enjoyed the first two books and want closure, but not ideal as a standalone or entry point into Lawhead’s work.
December 28, 2012
This book was an odd ending to the trilogy. There were things I really liked and things I didn’t. Honestly, overall, I still don’t exactly know how I feel about this particular novel. I liked the second volume in the series the most and I do think this book the weakest in the series. Doesn’t mean I disliked _The Endless Knot_, but…well, let’s look at the particulars.
Strong points first. Most of the book – a mild spoiler here I think – takes place not on Albion per se but another landmass, that of Tir Aflan, though located in the same world. A wasted, desolate, lonely place of windswept, damp moors and eerily silent woods, high craggy mountains buffeted by gale-force winds, I thought the sense of mystery and just the overall sense of being there were very well done. The descriptions were vivid, the haunted, anything can happen feel of the place was excellent, and it seemed so different from Albion that it created a lot of tension and interest.
Two of the threads that were touched upon but never really dealt with any finality in the first two volumes – that mortals from the manifest world can’t stay in the Otherworld forever and that something bad in the Otherworld is negatively affecting the manifest world (our Earth) – get some real closure. For a time I had begun to wonder if those two series-long plot threads would reach their final conclusion and they did.
There was a final confrontation with the main bad guys that were left; in so many fantasy series that could be said to be unending (or practically so), it was good to have a final showdown with a clear, decisive winner.
Once again, some good battle scenes, particularly at the very end. There were some real twists in the fights and I enjoyed those twists. Combat description continued to be a strong point in the series.
As a fan of fantasy when it mixes with horror (or vice versa) I thought that the continent of Tir Aflan and its strange, hideous creatures and the sense of dread and horror (Celtic horror is certainly something new to me) was very well done. There were horrible creatures, some real thrills and chills, and the great sense of unknown in that place was a favorite with me.
There were some shocking deaths in the book, ones I did not see coming, and for that I commend the author. Given the s takes involved and the evil that was being confronted, it made sense that there would be some causalities along the way. I just never expected *those* particular people to die.
Ok, now that is out of the way, the bad. Tir Aflan, virtually devoid of people, practically devoid of any normal animal, was desolate, ruined, nearly destroyed. As I said before, this was well described in terms of what it looked and felt like. Why it was desolate was never to my satisfaction really explained though. We get mysterious ruins, strange artifacts, enigmatic ruins of towers and cities, powerful weapons left by long vanished peoples…but no real sense of who the people of Tir Aflan were and why they became as they did. Maybe some enjoyed the mystery, but speaking for myself I would have liked more detail on the history of Tir Aflan. What went wrong? What were these people like? Were they evil? Why does what happened in Tir Aflan (mild spoiler here) affect Albion or the manifest world?
I don’t want to spoil anything here (some reviewers already have I see) but Lawhead’s commitment to a single narrator for the course of the book puts things in an awkward position at the end. I won’t say anything more on that but was happened was odd and lead me to conclude things that the author might not have otherwise intended.
Some have complained about the pacing of the book before the characters set out for Tir Aflan, about how Llew wants to build a mill and the overall lack of action in Albion. That didn’t bother me overly much and I saw some of what took place in those chapters as nice wrap ups to some of the happier threads in book two as well as to make clear to the reader what was at stake during the quest in Tir Aflan.
Though I generally liked the strange monsters of Tir Aflan at one point many of them are chased off by a mysterious figure seen earlier in the series. I think too many supernatural beings are held too much at arm’s length in the series and it would have been interesting to get more information about this figure, see more of its use, and overall understand better its role in the world of Albion and in the trilogy as a whole.
I will admit that I rarely read the long song/poems, particularly as they had either been included before, looked similar to ones that had been used before, or didn’t seem absolutely necessary to understand character motivations or actions or the overall plot. This may be a personal preference issue as I know Tolkien was fond of such things. They certainly seemed authentic to the setting but just weren’t of a lot of interest to me (though the stories that were related in the series, those I liked).
Though the issue of how events in Albion (and Tir Aflan) affect the manifest world are dealt with, I never got a really good feel as to just how things were going wrong back on Earth. Perhaps that was unavoidable given that the vast majority of the books don’t take place on Earth, but still, even at the end, I never got all my questions answered as to what happened back in the manifest world. Maybe a few more chapters tacked on to the end might have helped.
This has been remarked upon before, but another complaint is that there is a character that appears at the end of the series I had no idea who that was for a time. No spoilers here, but maybe a list of characters would have helped. Even reading the books back to back as I did didn’t immediately help. A minor problem to be sure, but one that I thought I would note.
Overall it was a decent book, not as strong as book two and in some ways had a very different feel from the first two volumes in the trilogy, what with its strong horror element, not taking place in Albion for the most part but rather somewhere else, and the rather bittersweet ending. My complaints I don’t think are huge and the good for the most part outweighed the bad. It is definitely an end to the trilogy, an absolute one at that.
Strong points first. Most of the book – a mild spoiler here I think – takes place not on Albion per se but another landmass, that of Tir Aflan, though located in the same world. A wasted, desolate, lonely place of windswept, damp moors and eerily silent woods, high craggy mountains buffeted by gale-force winds, I thought the sense of mystery and just the overall sense of being there were very well done. The descriptions were vivid, the haunted, anything can happen feel of the place was excellent, and it seemed so different from Albion that it created a lot of tension and interest.
Two of the threads that were touched upon but never really dealt with any finality in the first two volumes – that mortals from the manifest world can’t stay in the Otherworld forever and that something bad in the Otherworld is negatively affecting the manifest world (our Earth) – get some real closure. For a time I had begun to wonder if those two series-long plot threads would reach their final conclusion and they did.
There was a final confrontation with the main bad guys that were left; in so many fantasy series that could be said to be unending (or practically so), it was good to have a final showdown with a clear, decisive winner.
Once again, some good battle scenes, particularly at the very end. There were some real twists in the fights and I enjoyed those twists. Combat description continued to be a strong point in the series.
As a fan of fantasy when it mixes with horror (or vice versa) I thought that the continent of Tir Aflan and its strange, hideous creatures and the sense of dread and horror (Celtic horror is certainly something new to me) was very well done. There were horrible creatures, some real thrills and chills, and the great sense of unknown in that place was a favorite with me.
There were some shocking deaths in the book, ones I did not see coming, and for that I commend the author. Given the s takes involved and the evil that was being confronted, it made sense that there would be some causalities along the way. I just never expected *those* particular people to die.
Ok, now that is out of the way, the bad. Tir Aflan, virtually devoid of people, practically devoid of any normal animal, was desolate, ruined, nearly destroyed. As I said before, this was well described in terms of what it looked and felt like. Why it was desolate was never to my satisfaction really explained though. We get mysterious ruins, strange artifacts, enigmatic ruins of towers and cities, powerful weapons left by long vanished peoples…but no real sense of who the people of Tir Aflan were and why they became as they did. Maybe some enjoyed the mystery, but speaking for myself I would have liked more detail on the history of Tir Aflan. What went wrong? What were these people like? Were they evil? Why does what happened in Tir Aflan (mild spoiler here) affect Albion or the manifest world?
I don’t want to spoil anything here (some reviewers already have I see) but Lawhead’s commitment to a single narrator for the course of the book puts things in an awkward position at the end. I won’t say anything more on that but was happened was odd and lead me to conclude things that the author might not have otherwise intended.
Some have complained about the pacing of the book before the characters set out for Tir Aflan, about how Llew wants to build a mill and the overall lack of action in Albion. That didn’t bother me overly much and I saw some of what took place in those chapters as nice wrap ups to some of the happier threads in book two as well as to make clear to the reader what was at stake during the quest in Tir Aflan.
Though I generally liked the strange monsters of Tir Aflan at one point many of them are chased off by a mysterious figure seen earlier in the series. I think too many supernatural beings are held too much at arm’s length in the series and it would have been interesting to get more information about this figure, see more of its use, and overall understand better its role in the world of Albion and in the trilogy as a whole.
I will admit that I rarely read the long song/poems, particularly as they had either been included before, looked similar to ones that had been used before, or didn’t seem absolutely necessary to understand character motivations or actions or the overall plot. This may be a personal preference issue as I know Tolkien was fond of such things. They certainly seemed authentic to the setting but just weren’t of a lot of interest to me (though the stories that were related in the series, those I liked).
Though the issue of how events in Albion (and Tir Aflan) affect the manifest world are dealt with, I never got a really good feel as to just how things were going wrong back on Earth. Perhaps that was unavoidable given that the vast majority of the books don’t take place on Earth, but still, even at the end, I never got all my questions answered as to what happened back in the manifest world. Maybe a few more chapters tacked on to the end might have helped.
This has been remarked upon before, but another complaint is that there is a character that appears at the end of the series I had no idea who that was for a time. No spoilers here, but maybe a list of characters would have helped. Even reading the books back to back as I did didn’t immediately help. A minor problem to be sure, but one that I thought I would note.
Overall it was a decent book, not as strong as book two and in some ways had a very different feel from the first two volumes in the trilogy, what with its strong horror element, not taking place in Albion for the most part but rather somewhere else, and the rather bittersweet ending. My complaints I don’t think are huge and the good for the most part outweighed the bad. It is definitely an end to the trilogy, an absolute one at that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews