Book 1), Taliesin (The Pendragon Cycle

Princess Charis lives in the beautiful land of Atlantis, where peace has reigned for years and (in her opinion) nothing exciting ever happens. Her boredom is quickly shattered, however, when the country erupts into civil war and a wild prophet arrives, claiming that the end of Atlantis and everything the Atlantians love is at hand.

Far away from lovely Atlantis lies the rough and uncivilized Isle of Britain, where the unlucky heir to one clan's throne, Elphin, stumbles upon a baby abandoned in a salmon weir. His luck begins to change from that day forward, and the bards prophesy that the child will be great and herald in a new age.

After tragedy strikes Charis' family, she begins to believe the prophecy that Atlantis is soon to be destroyed, and begins to try to convince the rest of the Atlantians that they need to flee their home.

I have to say that I really didn't enjoy this book. I probably wouldn't have finished it at all, except that it was recommended to me by several people. My main complaint about it is that the character development is either non-existent or utterly unbelievable. Charis, throughout the book, inexplicably changes from a bored little girl to an emotionally dead warrior woman to a fluffy, swooning, docile lover. I found it very hard to care about a character who, as Atlantis is sinking and "dragging screaming thousands with it...watched it all with cold and ruthless objectivity, feeling nothing" (p. 306). And then to expect me to believe that she suddenly turns into a love-sick, sweet, sensitive wife was ridiculous.

In another rip-my-hair-out bad character switch, a king is about to have Taliesin's tongue cut out when Taliesin starts singing, and the king instantly melts into a puddle of remorse, banishes his own priest, and all but hands his kingdom over to Taliesin. I could go on with several other examples of inexplicable and unbelievable character shifts.

In addition to the dismal lack of believable character development, I found the plot to be jarring and full of too-easy solutions to problems. It was grating to make the jump back and forth from mythical Atlantis to Britain during the dark ages; it felt like I was reading Hercules and Arthurian legend at the same time, and the two story lines just didn't combine well. Also, every problem the characters run into is solved almost instantly. For example, (spoiler warning:) when Charis and Taliesin begin to fall in love, she first protests that there is no way they can be together because of their different lineages, their responsibilities to their people, she's not sure she's in love with him, etc. Then, suddenly, without any resolution to these issues, they run off together. With, of course, zero negative consequences. (End spoiler.)

Last but not least, at least half of the book consists of long descriptions of pagan rituals, including human sacrifice. I found these to be both disturbing and boring, and do little to advance the plot.

One positive thing I can say is that Lawhead writes beautiful prose. His scenes are richly described and vivid. If only his plot and character development matched his prose, this could have been a much better book.

I really like Arthurian legends. And this one was supposed to be a good one. In some ways it was, and in other ways I did not enjoy the book at all.

This goes way back in the Arthurian legends to tell the tale of Merlin's parents. The beautiful strong Charis of Atlantis. And Taliesin, the enchanting druid bard who is son of a king. The book divides its time between the two and their families, telling of their early years. For Charis, this is the start of a war for her nation, her time spent as a bull dancer, and the fall of Atlantis. For Taliesin, his tale shows the meeting of his parents, his training as a druid, and how he meets Charis. Charis especially meets with a lot of hardship and her story is the more interesting of the two. Taliesin seems to live a charmed life and is thought of as lucky and fortune favored.

The characters were well written. They had a lot of depth to them and Lawhead took the time to give them a full history. Charis is written as cold but capable. Taliesin is charming. There are many other characters that are all essential to the book. My only complaint about the characters is that Lawhead made the Christians perfect in action and the pagans somewhat evil at times. It was a little disconcerting to find that in what I thought was a fantasy novel rather than a religious work.

Lawhead is very descriptive. He gives an engaging plot and does a wonderful fantasy telling of the earlier parts in the Arthurian legends. He makes his characters mostly believable and especially in Charis' case, you want to know what is going to happen to them and care about them as a character. Nothing is overtly offensive in the wording and there isn't a lot of harsh language.

Let me touch on some criticisms however. As stated before Christianity is considered very good in this book. Lawhead took it to the point where it felt very preachy to me. I don't care that a writer reflects his religion in his works, but please don't announce it as the be all end all of religion because that can be offensive to some readers with different beliefs. In this Arthurian legend especially, where a lot of paganism is involved, it is very disconcerting to read a book that expresses the beliefs this way instead of being a fabulous work of fantasy. Also, for the purists who read this, the timeline seems a bit strange. For most, Atlantis takes place hundreds if not thousands of years before the time of Arthur and even though this is a couple generations back from Arthur, it still seems to be too close. There are some other historical data that doesn't quite sync up with normal Arthurian tales as well. While it is a fantasy tale, there are some genres like the Arthurian legends, where are you taking a risk by deviating well accepted norms within the genre. I think Lawhead dances a very fine dance on the line with these aspects. Overall though, these things brought the book down a bit for me and really were a disappointment.

I have the next book in the series so I will be continuing on. I can only hope they improve and become less preachy and truer to the Arthurian legend.

Taliesin
Copyright 1987
452 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2010

I love stories of Atlantis, and Merlin, and King Arthur, etc. This story is really wonderfully crafted, blending the two separate stories of Atlantis with early Britain and the Druids and the beginnings of Arthur and Merlin. The entire series is wonderful, and this book is a great beginning to it.

This story tells of the fall of Atlantis, and the people who managed to escape this tragedy, to end up on the isle of Britain, and their blending with the original inhabitants of this island. Lawhead does a marvelous job of imagining what could have happened in both of these places, both of these wonderful, mysterious, and fantastical places. Yes, Britain exists, but many do not believe the history that brought about King Arthur and his story to the world.

If you have any interest in any of these topics, please read this book, and the series. It will be very worth your time.

The combination of the King Arthur legend, Celts, Britons, magic, faith, lore and Atlantis is pretty compelling. If any of those (or all of them) sparks your interest then this is a book to put on your to-read list, and preferably near the top of said list.

I've had my copy of this book for several months now. I kept meaning to pick it up, but then I'd get bogged down in some good, and some not-so-good titles as I tried to keep up with all the new, hot releases. Taliesin is a very good example of why not all good books are new titles. This is a fantastic story featuring two very compelling main characters. I enjoyed each storyline equally, although I admit to being a bit more biased character-wise toward Charis, the beautiful, strong princess of Atlantis.

I will admit to being a bit concerned over the faith aspect of the novel. I wasn't sure how it would be approached, if it would come off corny or.. even worse, like it was a completely different story forced into the story that was flowing so well. But it was seamless and a beautiful message in and of itself.

Taliesin is a story that I plan to enjoy again and I am definitely glad I made sure to have the following books on hand as well. While I wasn't so much of a fan of Lawhead's Robin Hood re-tellings, I think I might have done better to have read these books first.

Ah, the book was lovely. Period research was spot on. Whilest reading one is swept away into the wine dark seas of antiquity and dreams become realities, and the characters old friends. As inspiring and uplifting as this book is, its sequel"Merlin" is the opposite. I did not enjoy spending two days with a clinically depressed curmudgeon so I fail to see that books superior status. Talisein made me so happy because I was able to plunge wholeheartedly into ancient Celtic life
Though the author takes some liberties with timelines and such, he creates bold and living mileus and makes bold choices. This book was a labor of love and it shows.
I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY ENOUGH.

These books sold very, very well for the author in what can only be described as an impossibly crowded genre. It seems every fantasy novelist attempts, at some point, a re-telling and definitive edition of the Arthurian myth. It is the only subject more trampled and copied than Tolkien. It is also the genre that lapses in to the most astonishing absurdities. Lawhead, with these three books (Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur) has contributed something very relevant and very new to the genre. It gives the myth a burst of idealism and Christianity not seen since Tennyson with the Celtic traditions not seen since the Mabinogion. Sadly, with the publication of the latter three--and far lesser novels (Pendragon, Grail, and Avallon) the series is much damaged and diminished. We believe that Lawhead would've been far better served to let the trilogy stand on its own where it's not so intimidating and probably would've enjoyed subsequent reprinting. As it stands, our rating for this book is slightly tarnished by these later publications and endanger the proud work of a very, very good author.

WHO SHOULD READ:

Readers who enjoyed Tolkien a great deal and who read Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, and others searching for that same idealism will come closest to finding it here with Lawhead. Readers who enjoyed Marion Zimmerman Bradley's feminized version of the legend in The Mists of Avalon will find this work operating as a kind of opposite: Bradley employing the traditional pagan religious elements and feminism while re-working the French side of the myth while Lawhead invoking Christian theology and masculinity in t the Celtic side of the myth. They are very interesting to read together. These books are excellent choices for teenagers for whom idealism is second nature. Oddly, readers deeply impressed with the idealism of the people living in "The Land" in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever will find themselves deeply compelled by this work.

WHO SHOULD AVOID:

Scholars of Arthuriana, those more versed in Malory, Monmouth, Eschenbach, de Troyes, and even Tennyson, will probably be a bit disappointed. They are going to be much less impressed with what they might regard as overly-dramatic prose and much more sensitive to the liberties--particularly the Christian liberties--that Lawhead takes with the story. Certainly those readers who are inclined to much more cynical writing styles of the late 20th and 21st century--people who enjoy the subtle undercurrents and "un-heroism" of more modern irreverent works--will probably become bored and irritable with the constant nobility (just as they would become bored with Tennyson's Idylls of the King). People looking to investigate the actual history and evolution of the mythology would not be well-served by reading this book but should look to the actual source material of Malory and perhaps some of the earlier Celtic works such as Monmouth and The Alliterative Morte d'Arthure.

READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT INCHOATUS.COM

Begin your Lawhead reading here. In my humble opinion this is Lawhead's best, least cyclical work. From reading the other reviews you probably have a plot summary of what's going on. Thus, I won't bore you with them.

THE GOOD ASPECTS OF THE BOOK (and the first few books in the series)

Since no one rightly knows what, if anything, happened to the City of Atlantis, mankind is free to speculate and write fiction about it. The author is to be commended for his retelling of the Christian story in early Great Britain. In reading it I found a way to stress both aspects of the Christian story that have always been held in tension:

--The coming Kingdom of Christ and by implication, the renewing and giving of life, real life, to the world.

--the destruction of the evil elements of the world.

Whether or not Lawhead fully realized this theological implication (and I doubt he did) he masterfully brought out the tensions in both and thus, ironically, harmonized them. Translation: One civilization is destroyed by astronomical fire and eventually life is brought to another civilization as a result. The writing borders on beautiful at times.

THE BAD ASPECTS OF THE BOOK (and the rest of the series).

Lawhead treats heretics as heroes of the faith (in all fairness, however, this is seen in other series, not this one). Secondly, Lawhead's plotlines are cyclical in every book. MILD SPOILER COMING

The women in the books all follow this pattern:

They have a personality.

They get married or attached to a man.

They become a sex object and lose their personality (don't worry, though, there is no pornographic scenes in the book. Much is implied but nothing actually stated).

Someone dies. They regain personality.

END SPOILER

Here is another thing I would like to have seen in the book: How is Atlantis actually connected to this world? What is the geography of Britain before the cataclysm? He assumed a lot on the part of the hearers.

Its a good book and helped me see parts of the Christian story from another paradigm. Sadly, after Merlin and Pendragon the books lose much of their original quality.

Stephen R. Lawhead is an internationally acclaimed author of mythic history and imaginative fiction. His works include Byzantium and the series The Pendragon Cycle, The Celtic Crusades, and The Song of Albion. Stephen Lawhead has his home in Austria with his wife.

I admire Stephen Lawhead's writing very much. It is quite obvious to the reader that the author loves his subject matter and in his historical novels has diligently researched the material that he uses. Even with Taliesin, which can only be described as a fantasy, the way the author sets the scene makes the reader almost believe that they are reading a factual rather than a fiction book.

This story begins the series of books about the Arthurian legends and begins with the sinking of Atlantis and the escape of its people to Britain, including King Avallach and the Price Taliesin. During the waining of the power of the once mighty Rome, a tale is told that brings about the miracle of Merlin and Arthur, the Once and Future King.

The tales are King Arthur are magnificently told and fashioned into 5 books of the Pendragon Cycle: 'Taliesin', 'Merlin', 'Arthur', 'Pendragon', and 'Grail'.
Lawhead does an excellent job in this first book of this series of books. The first one tells the story of Charis, an Atlantean princess who escapes the devastation of her homeland, the once peaceful kingdom Atlantis. In her refuge, she journeys to the ancient lands of Wales and Britain. There she meets her future love, Taliesin, mystical seer and druid prince. It's between these two lovers that two worlds join together in a land full of chaos and the fate of it's future hangs in the balance. From this union the birth and miracles of Merlin, the fabled magician are manifested. This brings alive the legend of Pendragon, Uther and King Arthur.
Lawhead, often called the 'Celtic Tolkien' brings to life in every detail of it's ancient history and the characters. You experience it with vibrant realness, resonance and passion. This would be an excellent addition to any Arthurian literature and anyone studying ancient history and mythology. Each book is a remarkable tapestry of eloquent and descriptive stories of the Arthurian epic, mysticism and the age of chivalry. The old tale is given a new light that entertains and dazzles. If you like ancient Celtic history and fantasy this is an absolute recommendation!

I mostly enjoyed Taliesin. Lawhead clearly spent time researching the Celts of ancient Britain, and he uses much of Plato's imagery to describe Atlantis. Unlike an earlier reviewer, I quite enjoyed his retelling of stories of the Mabinogion. His writing style is not perfect--he sometimes seems to include extraneous details as if to prove his research--but it is mostly enjoyable.

As far as the Christian aspects of the book... It's an interesting and somewhat contradictory attempt. At one point he explains that the "true God" is the truth/power behind all the other pagan gods, yet the pagan gods are uniformly presented as backwards and violent... There's something missing there. I also notice that he uses the Christian grail legend, and completely ignores the legend of Bran's head that more than likely gave rise to it. So yes, there is a Christian bent to the book. I found it interesting to explore his ideas, but I can see how other reviewers might have seen them as intrusive.

Whether he's pushing an agenda, or simply trying to fit the Christain grail legend in, I don't know. I found it overall an enjoyable read and I plan to finish the cycle.

In his stunning five-volume "Pendragon Cycle" series, Stephen Lawhead weaves together the two independent legends of the lost kingdom of Atlantis and that of King Arthur with sparkling originality and breath-taking colour. Although the premise of these two legends being concurrent is historically impossible, one has to grant Lawhead this freedom because he clearly intends his book to be read as fantasy, not as historical fiction. "Taliesin" is the first book in the series, and consists of two separate story-lines, one introducing us to Charis, princess of Atlantis and one of its few survivors, the other introducing us to Taliesin, prince of one of the British tribes. Towards the end of the book, the twin plots merge with the romance and marriage of Charis and Taliesin, leading to the birth of the remarkable Merlin, thus setting the stage for the rest of the series about the legendary King Arthur.
Lawhead's fantasy is not altogether without flaws. I did not feel I truly knew the characters and scenery in the same intimate way as in Tolkien and other fantasy greats. The plot is not always consistently paced, and occasionally seems to degenerate into an aimless history without a real sense of an obvious conflict that needs to be resolved. But Lawhead's fantasy world is still dazzling, and the further I got into his world, the more I found myself drawn in by a convincing, compelling, and enthralling story-line. On the one hand Lawhead has created something heroic and noble, but the heroism is accompanied with an equal measure of tragedy, thus evoking emotions in the reader that range from ecstasy to genuine grief.
One of the highlights of this fantasy work is that Lawhead writes as a Christian, seeking to present a consistent Christian world-view in the course of his writing. The sorrow one inevitably feels at the destruction and decay in the lives of individuals and societies eventually proves itself to be a sorrow over the destructive effect of sin. Over against the empty paganism and rituals of polytheism, Lawhead presents the worship of the true God, the Creator.
Lawhead's theology is not altogether free of criticism. I am not inclined to give pagan religions and prophets as much power and credibility as Lawhead does, since I think Romans 1 teaches us not to regard them as imperfect "shadows" of the pure religion (p.371), but perversions which are little else than the worship of powerless wood and stone (Isaiah 44:6-20). Although Lawhead clearly acknowledges God as the True God, it seemed to me that his focus on God as Creator comes at the expense of a recognition of God as Redeemer. Certainly there is ample reference to Jesus Christ, but Lawhead seems to have overlooked a wonderful opportunity to present the gospel of Jesus Christ's work as a payment for sin. Perhaps this is not surprising given that he portrays the Christian religion in the form of Roman Catholicism, mirroring its emphasis on outward rituals that dispense grace (p.403). However, I must concede that Lawhead could simply be reflecting history in this respect.
But although I do not share all of Lawhead's religious convictions, this did not prevent me from finding this book both profound and stimulating. In fact, the wonderful imagery and the complexity of Biblical allusions frequently astounded me. The Biblical imagery is exceedingly subtle and skilfully woven into the story-line, soaking the novel and giving it richness and depth rarely found in fantasy. The astute student of Scripture will notice veiled references to the Great Flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God's questions to Job, Satan, John the Baptist, the Person of Jesus Christ as described in Revelation, the work of Jesus Christ as prophet, priest and king, the heavenly temple and kingdom, and more. Lawhead's positive portrayal of sexual purity, his beautiful picture of marital love and faithfulness, and his delightful portrait of the unique roles of husband and wife are solidly Biblical and particularly touching.
If you are a fan of profound Christian fiction or else simply enjoy reading original and thoughtful fantasy, you will find this book a real treat. If you enjoy both categories, this is a must have.

Don't listen to the readers who complained about this book not being up to the normal standard within the fantasy genre. Taliesin is a very different mode of fantasy fiction. In fact, Lawhead has spearheaded an unexplored genre: the historical fantasy novel. Within this novel, and the ones that follow in this series, Lawhead has created a world based on factual research. Keep in mind that while Lawhead has based his world on facts, he has also taken the liberties granted to him within the fantasy genre. What has resulted is an interesting blend of factual ballast and fictional narration. The books in this series are great reads because Lawhead brings the myths of western civilization to life. Those readers who have read Beowulf will find interesting similarities.
P.S: This book takes longer to read than a Robert Jordan novel because Taliesin is written at a higher reading level. A combination of complex sentences, facts, and long digressions contribute to the three weeks that some readers have devoted to this book. If you like it and your reading chops are up, you will finish it in a day or two.

I'm sort of interested in what happens after this book, just not enough to read them. Somehow even the destruction of an entire country was only mildly interesting. It wasn't a bad book, I'm just so apathetic toward it due to the under developed characters and dry descriptions. Also the main characters had weird differences in ages that was kind of glossed over.

I have read quite a bit of Arthurian literature, fictional and research oriented. That said, TALIESIN is one of the better works of fiction that I have read (though by far not the best). Lawhead's knack for description is his greatest strength as an author...you can actually "see" the land, the people, even the Otherworld while reading. I'll admit, Lawhead plays fast and loose with history (Taliesin didn't even exist till AFTER the time of Arthur), and at times the motives of the characters are unclear...except for Charis, who is probably the SECOND best character he has ever created. By the way, Lawhead's focus on Christianity during the Roman Britain era is not as unbelievable for the time period as some reviewers have opined. Overall...TALIESEN is a good novel, though if you would like to read his best work, read MERLIN...probably Lawhead's finest creation.

This book shows Lawhead's superb talent for taking the reader into another world, time and place. Descriptive elements and sense of story were fanatastic. Those familiar with history will find many flaws in the book, however. The major example being the destruction of Atlantis during the late Roman era--which was described many centuries before the setting of the novel by Greek writers. (I also found it curious in the novel that the Romans knew nothing of Atlantis, even though they would have been familiar with Plato...) The connection he tries to make is understandable, but history buffs may find the inconsistencies annoying. Other little things, like English families eating "potatoes" long before the New World was discovered occasionally disrupt this excellent "story." In the end, though, it is just that--a superb re-shaping of several myths, meshed together to form the dawn of Arthurian times. If you approach it as fantasy, it is a great read. Don't use it to cram for your Arthurain Myth 101 Final, though!

Lawhead is a great writer and creates scenes that not only transport you, but transform as well. This book isn't a "Christian" book, but it is chalked full of religion- and for that- I loved it. When Taliesin meets "the one"I was so inspired. I also loved Charis, she is strong but broken, beautiful and fierce. I will be reading more of this series for sure. (I totally cried at the end of the book, and it's been awhile since that has happened)

I thought that I would be getting myself into, well, a hole I wouldn't be able to climb out of, but after I got past the first slow part, the tory picked up the pace and never slowed down! It was amazing! The characters were more well-drawn than any in any other book I have ever read. I am just beginning to get interested in this type of folklore, and I have read plenty of books about Taliesin, but this topped the cake. And I hope, for the sake of all those people who gave it a bad review, that you never cross MY path! :) Seriously, if you are a fan of Arthurian fantasy, this will fufill your deepest needs for a good read! I will recommend it to anyone!

Stephen Lawhead creatively retold the fall of Atlantis in a new way! Trust me when I say you will never forget "Taliesin" and enjoy ever minute. There are so many memorable characters, as well: Avallach, Charis, Taliesin, and many more. Lawhead wonderfully adds Christian teachings in an understandable way. "Taliesin" has something for everybody; adventure, history, mythology, religion, romance, magic, and so much more. In conclusion, I recommend Taliesin to all serious readers! Especially those who are lookin for excellence.

My husband has been a Stephen Lawhead fan for many years and he kept telling me I should read Taliesan. Well, I finally did and I was not disappointed.
Lawhead puts a new twist on the Arthurian legend by joining it with the legend of Atlantis. In this tale two children brought up with pagan ideals fall in love and proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. This union brings forth the child Merlin. And so the epic story continues. The story is very mystical in nature and exciting.
I gave this a 4 star rating because in the begining for several chapters it goes back and forth between Atlantis and Britian jumping from one story line to the other. Once the two stories become one it picks up incredibly.
I am greatly looking forward to reading the next book in the saga.

Before I rate the pendragon cycle as a whole, let me just say that Taliesin was the least good out of the five. It was the slowest, but it sets the stage well for the other four. Not very much action, but a lot of fantasy. You should definitly read this before all the others, and anticipate a rising action and increasingly better narrative with each book.

I have read many Lawhead books in my day. He seems to get better with time, his latest books are the ones you should go for.

I have read too many accounts of Arthurian fiction, and I very much liked the Pendragon cycle. Lawhead writes like a poet. His writing can get pretentious at times, and a bit thick and hard to read, but it is well worth it. It definitly enriched my mind and made me want to write epic poetry. It's not the kind of book that you can't put down, the narrative doesn't flow like a best-selling novel, but if you like the subject matter, it is not hard to get though.

Many people critisize this series of books because it deviates from legend. This bothers me. The reason it is "legend" and not fact is because it is largely unknown. I love how lawhead makes everything seem authentically celtic, ("Bedwyr" instead of "Bedivere" and so on)and he puts his own version of the legend, which every author has the right to do. If you're anything like me, your sick of hearing about Lancelot and Guenivere and you want a new and refreshing version of the saga. Lawhead has done his research and knows what he is writing.

Strongly recommended, but only if you intend on reading the entire series. Know that it will get better.

Stephen Lawhead added his own twists to Arthurian legend, in a Christianity-friendly, mythic-realism retelling of the years leading up to the tales of Arthur and his knights that we know and love. "Taliesin" takes place before the time of Merlin, starring Merlin's parents.
Charis is a pampered young princess of Atlantis, a seemingly idyllic civilization reminiscent of Greece. The only jarring note is a blind, seemingly mad prophet who predicts doom will soon fall upon Atlantis, and that the island will sink into the sea. Charis initially doesn't believe him, but upon the sudden, emotionally-scarring death of her mother, she leaves her family and becomes a bull dancer in honor of one of the Atlantean gods. (The scenes where she dances around and over the bull are breathtaking)
But a serious injury prompts her and her well-trained team to retire, and she returns home to find her father Avallach seriously ill, and married to his sly-eyed nurse. Charis now has a younger sister, Morgian, a creepy child heavily influenced by the family advisor, whose initially pleasant personality is sinking deeper into melancholy and darkness. And Charis begins to believe: Atlantis is going to sink.
Meanwhile, as Charis struggles on Atlantis, a famously unlucky young man in Britain finds a baby caught in a fishnet; he hails this as the beginning of his good luck. When he finds a disgraced wet-nurse for baby Taliesin, he falls in love and marries her; his luck continues. Taliesin grows to manhood, intelligent and wise -- and gifted with strange and wonderful powers.
Charis barely escapes Atlantis with her family, arriving on the strange shores of Britain. Though Taliesin's people are hospitable enough, Avallach, Charis and the other "children of Atlantis" are sadly out of place; refined and lovely, in a rough and cold land. Charis is embittered by her many struggles, believing neither in Taliesin's God or in the Atlantean gods. But after he meets her floating in a lake (thus gaining her the title of "Lady of the Lake") Taliesin falls in love with and eventually converts and marries Charis. Though their time together is far too short, they produce one of the greatest men in history...
I'm not entirely certain why it's okay to paganize Arthurian characters, as in "Mists of Avalon," but it's NOT okay to Christanize them. Why is it that when Christians are shown as better than pagans, it's "sugary" and untrue; but when non-Christians are shown as better than Christians, it's a bold statement and worthy of endless applause?
As for historical complaints: it's fiction, for crying out loud! No one knows the "real" story of Arthur, lost in the mists of time. We don't even know if he was a single person, or a collection of mythical and real kings mishmashed together. It's up to authors to interpret and reinterpret. Lawhead never pretends for a moment to be telling anything but a good story. We don't care if there are potatoes and fir trees. It doesn't wreck the book.
Writing style is good and descriptive, giving us accurate ideas of the light-filled, rotten-at-the-core Atlantis and the darker, simpler Britain. There is, aside from blood and death and extreme emotional intensity, nothing objectionable about this book in profanity and sex (none of either).
Charis is probably one of the best female fictional characters I've ever seen. She's strong and insightful, is willing to take matters into her own hands, and doesn't bow to anyone. It's through her resolve and courage that any people escaped from Atlantis; at the same time, she's afraid and embittered. It takes the sweet, relatively unspoiled Taliesin to break through her shell; Taliesin himself is taken from an old legend, and here reformatted into Merlin's father. Somehow we get more of Charis than Taliesin; though the scene where he brings Merlin back to life is simply breathtaking.
This is the start of a beautiful saga, written wonderfully and with great characters. Be sure to read it. Now, on to "Merlin."

Before reading Taliesin I was somewhat of a 'Fantasy' critic.
Never before have I read anything so thought provoking or emotionally gripping. Each event in the book has you feeling the sound, and smell of the scene.
I have always been interested in British history and although Taliesin may not be technically perfect it is realistic.
Those who have given reviews on this book and are history 'perfectionists' need to lighten up. For a start you are obviously in the wrong section. So what if he mentions potatoes, use your immagination and get a life.
You must be religeously neutral in your outlook.
To believe that Taliesin could not have been christain? Remeber English historians have portrayed the Keltic people of the British Isles as barbarians and itelectually challenged. Just as the Romans did before them. To portray heros of native races as pagans has always been the greatest way to place slander on them.
Well enough philosophy. If you just want a fantastically entertaining read. BUY IT!
Then read the rest of the Pendragon series.
On the track of Arthur if you want totally unbiased historical fact read "The Holy Kingdom".
The Holy Kingdom
Adrian Gilbert, Alan Wilson, Baram Blackett
20 years in the making!

Lawhead wrote his famous trilogy of Christian fantasy novels on the Arthurian legend:
1 _Taliesin_, 2 _Merlin_ 3 _Arthur_.
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The problem was it had taken so long for Lawhead to get Arthur on the throne, there was too little space now for anything more, except his downfall.
So by popular demand, two volumes were added in the middle of the saga at the time while Arthur reigned in full glory as Britain's high King.
These welcome additional volumes were 4 _Pendragon_ (story of the invading Black Boar- i.e. the Vandal horde) and 5 _Grail_ (story of the revolt against Arthur by one of his own knights in league with hard-hearted witch Morgian).
So here's the revised order to read them to keep the story straight: 1Taliesin, 2Merlin, 3Arthur partI [Pelleas], 3Arthur partII [Bedwys], 4Pendragon, 5Grail, 3Arthur partIII [Aneirin].
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Now the problem was a rather sad situation: at the final end, Arthur is missing, presumed dead, and as always in these retelling of the Arthur legend, there is the vague hint that one day when Britain's need is great, we will see the return of the King.
Hence: one last volume, set in our own perilous future: volume 6 _Avalon_.
Enjoy a wonderful journey!

This book captivated me from the first page. Lawhead is a great storyteller and this book is a prime example. This is book one in an eventaul 6 book series. I found this one and book 2 to be the best. This story takes us back to Atlantis and the people that came to Britain when Atlantis was destroyed. They eventually meet those who have been living in Britain, and the line of King Arthur is born. I strongly recommend this book (and series) to anyone, but especially King Arthur fans. They have a strong Christian influence, quite different from other Arthurian books such as the Mists of Avalon.

Excellent re-telling of Arthurian legend. I really enjoyed learning about Taliesin, and how Lawhead interwove the famous Celtic bard in the Arthurian mythos. Great story telling and the series only gets better after this novel, although it is my favorite. As had been said in other reviews, Lawhead does tend to preach it in these novels, so if that is not your thing and you're likely to get offended, I would stay away. Otherwise, great story.

Stephen Lawhead has written two genre-spanning series which are fantastical retellings of historical legends: The Pendragon Cycle (King Arthur) and The King Raven Trilogy (Robin Hood). I didn't like The Pendragon Cycle as well as I liked The Song of Albion, which was a later and better work. The story was too slow for me and the writing was not nearly as polished.

However, there are a lot of fans of this rendering of Arthur, I think because Lawhead does a lot of research, which makes his worlds believable. He is particularly good with Celtic lore. There is much to learn and enjoy here, but I was a bit impatient with the slow pace.

This book really is an epic, in that many different stories play out within its pages. The threads begin on Atlantis, with Princess Charis, still a child, and on the Island of the Mighty (ancient Britain), where the mighty Cymry of the kingdom of Gwynedd celebrate their good fortune in having found a child caught in their salmon weir: Taliesin, or Shining Brow. The descriptions are excellent, coloring each world differently: Atlantis shines in constant reflection of the sun, its palaces and even its food seeming refined, delicate, and very otherworldly, the stuff of legend, whereas Gwynedd is harsher, earthier, made out in brown tones and practical words, with gold bursting through at opportune moments. Yet through each of these strands runs a common theme, something which the druids and seers of both places can sense: there will be a dark time soon. Prophecy, and the journey into the Otherworld, tie seamlessly into the events of everyday life, yet it does not seem far-fetched at all, since it resonates with experience and only goes a little beyond what most people deal with, moving into the realm of the fantastic. At first the characters seem a little too legendary to touch, and one might settle into thinking this book is merely meant to delight the imagination with its sensory descriptions, but, beginning with Princess Charis, as we get to know her, we can care about the people and lands, as through her we see what a real flesh and blood Atlantean’s life might be like. She has real emotions which are as believable as if we’d heard them from a person sitting in front of us. Following her, and also Taliesin, through the various crises, catastrophes, feasts, and celebrations of their respective lands, the reader slowly comes to know each person individually and to realize that each could not be other than what he or she is. Stock characters these are not. Although sometimes the time lapses between sections can be disorienting, as well as the shifts from first person to third person and back, it is easy to care and become truly involved in the stories. One of the more difficult things to swallow is the fact that we first see Taliesin as a boy, just beginning to realize his gifts and to sense that there is something special about him, and then suddenly we see him as a mustached man, full of wisdom and druidic power, and we wonder what the journey was that led him there. As well, during the latter portion of the book, when the two previously separated threads of story intertwine, all of the characters meet up with some priests and all end up hearing about and most believing in Jesus Christ. It stands as believable that there would be Christian missionaries at that time and in that place, but the readiness with which the story takes a twist is somewhat startling. One almost wants to check back to the earlier parts of the book to make sure that it really is the same book. It begins to read, in places, almost like a Christian novel, where there must be a “message” and proseletyzing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that for those who derive inspiration from it, but it seems out of place in this book which up until then was pure fantasy, complete with the gods of that world. Usually it is best to leave the two separate, unless a masterful author can pull it off (in my opinion, the Chronicles of Narnia mostly succeed at this). Lawhead does not seem quite up to the task. Certainly, however, there are moments of sublime truth that shine through the heavy-handedness. Two more points of interest: there are wonderful descriptions of family life and the love between a husband and wife in this book, joyful, never forced or ..., and the way the legends of the ancient Celtic people have been retold is a delight to discover. Many different legends (Atlantis, Taliesin, the coming of Arthur, old Welsh stories from the Mabinogion, etc.) are placed within the same time period and blended, almost as if they all had been thrown up like a deck of cards and then fallen together. The stories are the same and yet different, with familiar details showing up where they are least expected. All in all, this book is recommended to anyone with a taste for long, mythic, epic books, wherein can be found much adventure and a few shining pearls of wisdom and beauty.

Lawhead is undeniably a good talespinner, but this was too much fantasy and too little Arthurian Britain. The technique of placing Atlantis, said by Plato to have sunk around 9,000 BC, to be contemporary with 5th Century AD Britain, is just too preposterous to stand up. The character of Taliesin is superficial, nowhere near as fleshed out as that of Charis, his wife. It was not quite straightforward fantasy, not quite historical fiction, and the saintly characterizations of the Christians (nothing is said about the darker aspects of exterminating paganism) was too sugary. I expected better from Lawhead.

Stephen Lawhead has written two genre-spanning series which are fantastical retellings of historical legends: The Pendragon Cycle (King Arthur) and The King Raven Trilogy (Robin Hood). I didn't like The Pendragon Cycle as well as I liked The Song of Albion, which was a later and better work. The story was too slow for me and the writing was not nearly as polished.

However, there are a lot of fans of this rendering of Arthur, I think because Lawhead does a lot of research, which makes his worlds believable. He is particularly good with Celtic lore. There is much to learn and enjoy here, but I was a bit impatient with the slow pace.

This book really is an epic, in that many different stories play out within its pages. The threads begin on Atlantis, with Princess Charis, still a child, and on the Island of the Mighty (ancient Britain), where the mighty Cymry of the kingdom of Gwynedd celebrate their good fortune in having found a child caught in their salmon weir: Taliesin, or Shining Brow. The descriptions are excellent, coloring each world differently: Atlantis shines in constant reflection of the sun, its palaces and even its food seeming refined, delicate, and very otherworldly, the stuff of legend, whereas Gwynedd is harsher, earthier, made out in brown tones and practical words, with gold bursting through at opportune moments. Yet through each of these strands runs a common theme, something which the druids and seers of both places can sense: there will be a dark time soon. Prophecy, and the journey into the Otherworld, tie seamlessly into the events of everyday life, yet it does not seem far-fetched at all, since it resonates with experience and only goes a little beyond what most people deal with, moving into the realm of the fantastic. At first the characters seem a little too legendary to touch, and one might settle into thinking this book is merely meant to delight the imagination with its sensory descriptions, but, beginning with Princess Charis, as we get to know her, we can care about the people and lands, as through her we see what a real flesh and blood Atlantean’s life might be like. She has real emotions which are as believable as if we’d heard them from a person sitting in front of us. Following her, and also Taliesin, through the various crises, catastrophes, feasts, and celebrations of their respective lands, the reader slowly comes to know each person individually and to realize that each could not be other than what he or she is. Stock characters these are not. Although sometimes the time lapses between sections can be disorienting, as well as the shifts from first person to third person and back, it is easy to care and become truly involved in the stories. One of the more difficult things to swallow is the fact that we first see Taliesin as a boy, just beginning to realize his gifts and to sense that there is something special about him, and then suddenly we see him as a mustached man, full of wisdom and druidic power, and we wonder what the journey was that led him there. As well, during the latter portion of the book, when the two previously separated threads of story intertwine, all of the characters meet up with some priests and all end up hearing about and most believing in Jesus Christ. It stands as believable that there would be Christian missionaries at that time and in that place, but the readiness with which the story takes a twist is somewhat startling. One almost wants to check back to the earlier parts of the book to make sure that it really is the same book. It begins to read, in places, almost like a Christian novel, where there must be a “message” and proseletyzing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that for those who derive inspiration from it, but it seems out of place in this book which up until then was pure fantasy, complete with the gods of that world. Usually it is best to leave the two separate, unless a masterful author can pull it off (in my opinion, the Chronicles of Narnia mostly succeed at this). Lawhead does not seem quite up to the task. Certainly, however, there are moments of sublime truth that shine through the heavy-handedness. Two more points of interest: there are wonderful descriptions of family life and the love between a husband and wife in this book, joyful, never forced or ..., and the way the legends of the ancient Celtic people have been retold is a delight to discover. Many different legends (Atlantis, Taliesin, the coming of Arthur, old Welsh stories from the Mabinogion, etc.) are placed within the same time period and blended, almost as if they all had been thrown up like a deck of cards and then fallen together. The stories are the same and yet different, with familiar details showing up where they are least expected. All in all, this book is recommended to anyone with a taste for long, mythic, epic books, wherein can be found much adventure and a few shining pearls of wisdom and beauty.

Lawhead is undeniably a good talespinner, but this was too much fantasy and too little Arthurian Britain. The technique of placing Atlantis, said by Plato to have sunk around 9,000 BC, to be contemporary with 5th Century AD Britain, is just too preposterous to stand up. The character of Taliesin is superficial, nowhere near as fleshed out as that of Charis, his wife. It was not quite straightforward fantasy, not quite historical fiction, and the saintly characterizations of the Christians (nothing is said about the darker aspects of exterminating paganism) was too sugary. I expected better from Lawhead.

I'm not impressed. Not even amused. To make books about Arthur and Merlin seems to be a safe way to print money. Well, this author won't get any more of my money. Trying to make the Merlin a christian, and breaking with historical facts on almost every page (Arthur eating potatoes made me laugh out loud - potatoes came to Englad from America a millennium later than this time frame). It clearly shines through that Lawhead is a christian author who wants to accomplish two things - make money, and jam his beliefs down your throat. Avoid, unless you're just out for a good laugh at the expense of a bad author.

In preparation for Lawhead's upcoming release of Avalon I am re-reading the Pendragon Cycle beginning with Taliesin. The book is wonderful. Lawhead evokes grand and fantastic images in my head as I read his books and Taliesin is one of the best. I sincerely love the characters; they are very wonderful people. This is one of those rare stories that also lift my heart to live life more fully. Even though I have read this book many times, I still laughed and cried aloud at new and familiar points in the story. I also discovered a key plot point that I had somehow missed in the first 4 reads. What a great book! May Taliesin live forever!

After reading Lawhead's "Song of Albion" series, I was looking forward to another exciting, well-told tale. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The story of "Taliesin" is a moving, beautiful one full of bright, shining characters...the telling, however, is terrible. I'm not sure if this was one of Lawhead's early attempts at novel writing, and therefore, an inexperienced writer's work, or if he was trying to force the story into someplace it didn't want to go (most writers will tell you that books often have a mind of their own!). The writing comes out stilted and slightly canned. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but there's something about the language and sentence structure that makes it sound like a well-educated child speaking words by rote -- there are lots of big, impressive words but no real grasp of the meaning; they don't add up to the stunning imagery one would expect. It falls a little flat, as if he's trying too hard. I'm one of those readers who can lose themselves in a good book -- the pictures form behind my eyes and I feel as though I'm THERE. This never happened with "Taliesin". I kept reading because I was interested in the story itself, but it took me a painstakingly long 3 weeks instead of my normal 3 days to get through it. I'm debating now whether to read the sequel. I'd like to know what next transpires, but will Lawhead have regained his storytelling magic

This was my first exposure to Stephen Lawhead's writing, and I am impressed. The Atlantis he creates is so real and believable, I actually had to check the encyclopedia to make sure it was just a legend! The characters, even minor ones, are well developed and very believable. The romance is very well done between all the couples in the story. Lawhead's vivid imagery and obvious love for all things Celt, makes the Celtic culture come alive in this book.

The greatest strength I see in Lawhead's writing is his ability to create believable characters that the reader feels close to. By the end of the story, Charis was like a sister to me. I read this book as entertainment to escape from the monotony of stay-at-home motherhood, but it ended up being so much more. This story was about the meeting of two cultures, the inner conflict of religious belief, and most of all, the story of one woman's faith journey. I would highly recommend this book.

By far the best Lawhead novel. Enthralling, captivating and semantics adds to build of characters. This should be a movie. Would be a box office hit. Best family book we have reread several times. Would not recommend the others in trilogy highly as Lawhead reaches for climaxes which fall flat and draws out that which should be abbreviated. This book however, you can't go wrong with.

Stephen R. Lawhead's prose in Taliesin cannot be faulted, although he ventures a little too far into melodrama from time to time. The "christianization" of Merlin and Taliesin falls into line with popular renderings of the myth such as Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" and Boron's poem "Merlin", one of the earliest christian sources for the myth.
Lawhead's decision to merge the Atlantis myth with that of the Arthurian borders on ridiculous, however. When Plato first brought Atlantis into being in his Discourses, he spoke of it in the past tense. That would make it BC. Merlin and Arthur, according to the christian sources which Lawhead seems to be relying on, are located in AD history by a few hundred years, and while the merging of the two legends makes for a nice read, the educated reader may well throw down the book after reading the back cover.

Found this in a used bookstore several years ago - the three books - and absolutely fell in love with this author. The books are well written, hold your attention so that you are there, not here. A keeper to be read repeatedly.

I love the entire Pendragon Cycle because of this first book, Taliesin. It's beautiful: The history of Atlantis, the early prophecies, the life of Charis and the baby boy Taliesin wrapped in seal fur. The characters are deep and rich; Lawhead creates the perfect foundation to this legend.

TALIESIN is an incredible piece of historical writing mixed with ancient world fantasy. I have just discovered Stephen R. Lawhead's wonderful other works(THE PARADISE WAR, BYZANTIUM and THE IRON LANCE) and I have become an avid fan of THE PENDRAGON CYCLE with this book. I fully intend to get the others in the series(MERLIN,ARTHUR,PENDRAGON,GRAIL) as soon as possible! If you like good Celtic/Magickal fiction, if you liked ROAR, you'll LOVE Lawhead!

This book captures the beginning of the legend while weaving an entrancing tale in its own right. Lawhead transitions seamlessly between myths, adding color and depth to a story that has been told and retold time immemorial. I couldn't put it down.

A great introduction to King Arthur. Lawhead definitely takes a different approach on telling the story of King Arthur. Taliesin is a great introduction into the background of Merlin. This book tells about his Druid father and is mother from Atlantis and by learning their background yo get the beginnings of the mystical magician Merlin. If you are a fan of King Arthur's story. This book along with the other four in the series make a great telling of Arthur and his reign.

I can't believe my eyes! You're actually condeming the entire book just because there is a reference to potatoes. Maybe you could just open your eyes a tiny bit and realise that this book is not a history book it is fantasy! You're missing the big picture. This series of books happens to be described by all who have read it as the denifinitive Arthurian series. It's a description I agree with. Lawhead is the number one contemporary Arthurian author. Not to mention Byzantium, have alook at the reviews.
So do us a favour, next time you feel like giving a book a one star review because there were fir trees and potatoes... don't.

This is the first book I read of Stephen Lawhead. And I couldn't put it down! Taking you back into a different era where life was rich and slow (not a ratrace), and vibrant and exciting, it is really difficult to believe you're in this boring age of the 21st century! While reading the book I could easily envision exactly what the countryside looked like. I was living through the characters' eyes, ears and touch. I was THERE! I have now completed a third series of Lawhead's books. My husband has declared that he has become a book widower! :)

Steven Lawhead really stands out as a writer of Arthurian legends. Taliesin was a great book. It is one of the better books that I have read. I still think Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles are the best. It is still hard to get the idea out of your head about Merlin and the magic. It was creative and very inventive all the same.

Taliesin by: Lawhead puts the reader into a world the has long been forgotten in fact but not in myth. It gives a truely magnificient sensation of feelings as you plow into the pages of history. Eventhough this reading is fiction, it has many well known "facts" that are sewn into the words. The spark of life is given to the characters through the words of Lawhead and they do not lose their potency throughout the story. This novel of celtic tradition and roman legend will capture you and push you to the limits of the imagination.

Beyond the senses imagery magically caused my intellect to experience emotion. Lawhead was unconscious when he wrote this! Atlantis is rediscovered, giving fantastic roots to the legend of "The Fair Folk".

Lawhead incorporates the Arthurian fantasy world with the Ideals of Christendom for an enjoyable scenario. Sometimes it is very slow paced, while others are fascinating and exciting. It was interesting, but i've not read any of the sequels following it in the past few years since reading this.

Mr. Lawhead is by far one of my favorite authors! This Pendragon series of books belong at the top of the Arthurian legends. I love that he brought it back to the realness of the story and not the added affair and all. I love that Merlin has his powers but they came from God. Simply the best story ever. Thank you Mr. Lawhead!

Having read previous reviwes, I noticed that some disapproved of Taliesin (Merlin, Arthur etc.) being made christians because of their own religious belived. I am myself a christian, but I am also a welsh-speaker who finds the celtic history and culture being ridiculed in this book. Lawhead wants us to believe that Atlantis had anything to do with King Arthur and Celtic Britain, a time-gap of almost 5.000 years, he says that Germanic tribes LIBERATED Britain from the Romans! The Romans had left long before these Germanic tribes enslaved Britain. King Arthur and Merlin is Mr. Lawhead's way of making cheap money out of a subject that he is totaly unaware of.