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I am just unreasonably pleased by this series. It is delightful. And clearly a work of love by the writer. ( )

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Lawhead has definitely breathed new life into the Arthurian legends with his Pendragon Cycle. But "Pendragon", the fourth book in the series, is perhaps the weakest link.

"Pendragon" is not a continuation of the story that was started through "Taliesin", "Merlin", and "Arthur". Rather what Lawhead does in this fourth instalment is revisit some stories about Arthur's life that either weren't in the previous books or that weren't expounded upon. This makes the beginning of the story read like left-overs that Lawhead cut from the original work. There are even times when the story is word-for-word the same as the previous novel. That being said, "Pendragon" does begin to build about halfway through the book and the story of Arthur's struggle to save Britain from a barbarian invasion comes to life.

While perhaps not the strongest link in the cycle, "Pendragon" is a continuation of Lawhead's magnificent rendering of Arthur's life. He has crafted Arthur as a king who is strong and intelligent, fearless and faithful, seemingly invincible but also somehow mortal (even though he is the forever king). ( )

A fun and exciting addition to the Pendragon Cycle. Lawhead's style keeps you glued to the page, and his understanding of Medieval culture and faith keeps you set in the historic place.

Ultimately, the story the book tells is a minor one, considering the first trilogy of the Cycle, but it is a welcome one, and it is wonderful to be back in Lawhead's vision for Arthur's court. ( )