They called him unfit to rule—a lowborn, callow boy, Uther’s bastard. But his coming had been foretold in the songs of the bard Taliesin. He had learned powerful secrets at the knee of the mystical sage Merlin. He was Arthur Pendragon of the Island of the Mighty, who would rise to legendary greatness in a Britain torn by violence, greed, and war, ushering in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity—and who would fall at the treacherous hands of the one he loved more than life.
“The stories, alive with the mystery and magic of the ‘fair folk,’ cannot easily be forgotten, nor can the superb narration of Frederick Davidson as he captures the voices of hundreds of characters. His storytelling becomes as magical as the stories told around the fire by ancient bards. Merlin himself could do no better.”—AudioFile
Although born to rule, Aidan lives as a scribe in a remote Irish monastery on the far, wild edge of Christendom. Secure in work, contemplation, and dreams of the wider world, a miracle bursts into Aidan’s quiet life. He is chosen to accompany a small band of monks on a quest to the fabled city of Byzantium, where they are to present the beautiful and costly hand-illuminated Book of Kells to the emperor of all Christendom.
During this expedition by sea and over land, Aidan becomes, by turns, a warrior and a sailor, a slave and a spy, a Viking and a Saracen, and finally, a man. He sees more of the world than most men of his time, becoming an ambassador to kings and an intimate of Byzantium’s fabled Golden Court. And finally, this valiant Irish monk faces the greatest trial confronting any man in any age: the command of his own destiny.
“Not merely a gripping yarn—and it certainly is that—this is also a novel about faith and the tests life plants in its way. Lawhead, author of the popular Pendragon cycle of fantasies, here makes a sure move into mainstream fiction.”—Booklist
Drought, plague, and war have left the Isle of Mighty battered and the beloved King Arthur grievously injured. But astonishingly, the High King lives, his wounds healed by a sacred and secret relic: the Holy Grail. Now, in this time of rampant disease and death, the great king wants to share the Grail's curative powers with all who require it. But with the Grail, evil has entered the royal court, in the guise of a beautiful maiden who seduces the King's most loyal champion. Confounding both Arthur and the sage Merlin, evil abducts the Grail, along with Arthur's beloved Queen, and carries them off into the dark unknown. Now Arthur faces the greatest challenge of his sovereignty: to recover his lost treasures. It will lead him through realms of magic and the undead, on a trail that winds inexorably toward a grim confrontation with his most foul nemesis-and his destiny.
"Suspenseful...soulful, philosophical...engagingly drawn...Arthurian Britain is invoked with robust verisimilitude."-Publishers Weekly
For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting. Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him - for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive. Like the forest itself, Hood is deep, dark, and at times savagely brutal - yet full of enchantment and hope. Internationally-acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead has created a lyrical rendering of a time-honored story that will lead you down strange pathways into another time and place.
A kingdom hangs in the balance as Quentin begins his quest.
Carrying a sealed message from the Dragon King, Quentin and his outlaw companion, Theido, plunge headlong into a fantastic odyssey that leads them throughout Mensandor. Danger lurks at every turn: from the brutal terrain to deadly encounters with both humans and creatures of unknown origins. As their quest progresses, Prince Jaspin schemes to secure the crown for himself, and an evil sorcerer concocts a monstrous plan for power.
In an effort to save the kingdom and fulfill his destiny, Quentin must travel through strange lands filled with brave knights, striking maidens, a mysterious hermit, and a gigantic deadly serpent. And then, his true journey is only just beginning.
Brimming with adventure, battles, and danger, Stephen R. Lawhead’s timeless epic will satisfy listeners of all ages.
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In the Region of the Summer Stars is a new Celtic fantasy audiobook from Stephen R. Lawhead, critically-acclaimed author of the Pendragon Cycle.
Ravaged by barbarian Scálda forces, the last hope for Eirlandia lies with the island's warring tribes.
Wrongly cast out of his tribe, Conor, the first-born son of the Celtic king, embarks on a dangerous mission to prove his innocence.
What he discovers will change Eirlandia forever. For the Scálda have captured the mystical Fae to use as an ultimate weapon.
And Conor's own people have joined in the invasion.
The legends of King Arthur come alive in these masterfully told adventures.
He was born to greatness, the son of a druid bard and a princess of lost Atlantis. A trained warrior, blessed with the gifts of prophecy and song, he grew to manhood in a Britain abandoned by its Roman conquerors, ravaged by the brutal greed of petty chieftains and barbarian invaders. Both respected and feared, it was his destiny to prepare the way for the momentous event that would unite the Island of the Mighty: the coming of Arthur Pendragon, Lord of the Kingdom of Summer.
This miraculous epic adventure is a stirring mix of magic, legend, and history that will enthrall, enchant, and lift the heart.
"The stories, alive with the mystery and magic of the 'fair folk,' cannot easily be forgotten, nor can the superb narration of Frederick Davidson as he captures the voices of hundreds of characters. His storytelling becomes as magical as the stories told around the fire by ancient bards. Merlin himself could do no better."-AudioFile
Arthur is king, but treachery runs rampant throughout the beleaguered Isle of the Mighty. Darkest evil descends upon Britain's shore in many guises. Fragile alliances fray and tear, threatening all that the noble liege has won with his wisdom and his blood. His most trusted counselor-the warrior, bard, and kingmaker whom legend will name Merlin-is himself to be tested on a mystical journey back through his own extraordinary past. In a black time of plague and pestilence, it is Arthur who must stand alone against a great and terrible adversary, for only in this way can he truly win immortality-and the name treasured above all others: Pendragon.
"Though Lawhead brilliantly creates an authentic and vivid Arthurian Britain, he never forsakes the sense of wonder that has graced the Arthurian legend throughout the ages."-Publishers Weekly
Taliesin, oracle of melody. His singing bore the haunting beauty of another world...and the spark of a kingdom yet to come.
Charis, Lady of the Lake. Driven by the cataclysm that destroyed her home-the scented groves of the Isle of Apples, the coliseums of the bull dancers of Atlantis-she encountered an uncertain future in a barbarous land...and the bard who would capture her untamed heart.
Their love would bridge two worlds. And like golden threads, their lives would knit the fabric of a timeless legend; that of Merlin the prophet...and Arthur the king.
Stephen Lawhead's majestic retelling of western literature's most compelling epic is an enchanting tale of love and loss set in the twilight of Rome's power, as the Celtic chieftains of Britain battle to save their land from an onrushing darkness.
"This magical story will occupy the imaginations of young listeners as it is brought to vivid life by the untiring voice of Nadia May. Her voice evokes the sweetness of the legend, and the images of the fabled characters come to life. When the tapes end, the imagery carries on."-AudioFile
Kit Livingstone met his great-grandfather Cosimo in a rainy alley in London where he discovered the truth about alternate realities. Now he's on the run---and on a quest---trying to understand the impossible mission he inherited from Cosimo.
Having ascended the throne as Albion's High King, Llew takes the beautiful Goewyn for his queen. But in the midst of their joyous union, treachery is in the making, forcing Llew to choose between the honor of his kingship and the desire of his heart.
Kit stared at his fellow questors. “Is this it . . . the End of Everything?”
It started with small, seemingly insignificant wrinkles in time: A busy bridge suddenly disappears, spilling cars into the sea. A beast from another realm roams modern streets. Napoleon’s army appears in 1930s Damascus ready for battle. But that’s only the beginning as entire realities collide and collapse.
The questors are spread throughout the universe. Mina is stuck on a plain of solid ice, her only companion an angry cave lion. Tony and Gianni are monitoring the cataclysmic reversal of the cosmic expansion—but coming up short on answers. And Burleigh is languishing in a dreary underground dungeon—his only hope of survival the very man he tried to murder.
Kit and Cass are back in the Stone Age trying to reach the Spirit Well. But an enormous yew tree has grown over the portal, effectively cutting off any chance of return. Unless someone can find a solution—and fast—all Creation will be destroyed in the universal apocalypse known as The End of Everything.
In this final volume of the fantastic Bright Empires series, Stephen R. Lawhead brings this multi-stranded tale to a stunning and immensely satisfying conclusion.
