Overview

Set in an era of brutal conflict and turmoil, this epic adventure is the first novel to tell the full story of the slave who became a saint, of the man who rose to the challenge of his time and changed the course of history. In the summer of 405AD, Irish raiders attack the western coast of Wales, carving a fiery swathe through the peaceful countryside. Among the survivors who are rounded up and taken back to Ireland is Succat: an impulsive sixteen-year-old son of a powerful Roman family. Succat is sold as a slave and put to work tending sheep. Repeated escape attempts lead to ever more brutal and savage beatings, until he comes to the attention of Cormac, a young novice druid. The two strike up an unlikely friendship and, as Succat learns the ways of the Irish people, he is given a new name by the druid: Patrick. With a new name begins Patrick’s new life: he is married, and returns to his home to claim his inheritance, only to find his father’s estate in ruins. So begins a calamitous journey that will lead him to Tours, see him join the Roman Legion as a soldier, suffer the the horrors of a plague-filled Rome; and thence back to Ireland, where he will embark on a mission for which his name will be remembered throughout history. In the spirit of Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian cycle, Patrick is a gritty and unsentimental portrait of one of the Western world's great icons, featuring an accurate and compelling rendering of the historical period – an era full of brutal conflict, adventure, turmoil, and visionary inspiration.

Full Product Details

9780007148851

Table of Contents

Reviews

'An enjoyable, sweeping and often touching tale of bravery ' SFX'This is a rip-roaring adventure story; the pace rarely flags. There's scheming, murder and betrayal aplenty' Interzone'A vivid historical setting and a lengthy and satisfying plot' Publishing News'Amusing and interesting' Locus'I can confidently assure you that fantasy writing doesn't get much better than this' The Express'Powerful and deeply moving. The Iron Lance is an engrossing read' Starburst

History and fantasy come together in a novel that tells the story of Patrick, a boy born to a noble family, kidnapped and sold into slavery, and destined ultimately to become a great leader of men and a saint. Lawhead uses the facts of Patrick's life as far as they are known and leaps in with gusto to fill in the gaps and create a character of immense stature. Those looking for preaching and religious insights had better look elsewhere - this is a warts-and-all account of a strong but fallible individual and the way harsh times shaped his destiny. The story is told in the first person, which gets the reader immediately into Patrick's mind. We are in Britain in the early fifth century, long before Patrick assumed the name by which we know him today. Indeed, he is to undergo several metamorphoses before revealing himself as a prophet and seer. As Succat, the wilful teenage son of a nobleman, he is kidnapped by a band of marauding Irish raiders and shipped with other victims across the sea. In Ireland he is sold into slavery and has to endure the harshest of conditions under a vicious master. But after a series of adventures he rises to power, develops a humility not always apparent before, and goes on to lead his people through the events for which he is best known. Lawhead has blended fact and fiction into a seamless whole while creating a character with whom it is easy to empathise. Patrick may be a headstrong young man but you can't help but like and admire him. The violence of those pagan and early Christian times is presented in graphic detail, as is the setting of damp Welsh hillsides and brooding Irish bogs. This is an enterprising story well imagined and equally well told. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Born and raised in America, Lawhead moved to the UK, to Oxford, in order to research into Celtic legend and history. He lives in Iffley with his wife, writer Alice Slaikeu Lawhead, and their two sons, Ross and Drake.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available