Rating: 
Summary: A worthy sequel
Review: Lawhead has done it again in proving his mastery of book series. Rarely have I seen the plots of several books tied together so well as in the Pendragon Cycle, and the Celtic Crusades is shaping up to be just as well done.Contrary to previous reviewers, I had no trouble picking the story line right up despite the lack of reference to the previous book, The Iron Lance. I don't remember there being any "backtracking" in the Pendragon Cycle either. The history of the story seems to come out in bits and pieces as Duncan follows his father, Murdo's, footsteps through the Holy Land, then branches off into his own travels. If you have read the previous book, you know the history, and memory is refreshed in a way that saves the reader the redundancy that is often hard to avoid, there is no wasting of a lot of space and time covering what is already known. If you have not read The Iron Lance, as much history as is logical is presented to you as Duncan learns of it, in a way, you discover Duncan's past with him. I agree in that a few of the characters could have been a little more "fleshed out", and I found this a rare lapse in Lawhead's prose. Usually we come to know each character intimately, to the point that they feel like old friends, but the only character I really felt that with in this book was Duncan. I would have liked to hear more from Padraig and Sydoni, as I found them fascinating and was left without getting to know them as well as I would have liked. The plot, however, is well-paced, dialogue easy to read, and overall very believeable. It reminded me at times of Byzantium, a very extensive work by Lawhead, and a high recommendation on my part. Overall, I would recommend The Black Rood to new and old readers of Lawhead alike, though I would caution new readers to buy The Iron Lance first, if only for continuity.
Rating: 
Summary: average is average is a middle part of a trilogy
Review: Lawhead like many writers has a good idea for a beginning and hopefully a great idea for an ending. The problem is that he doesn't have or want to say to much in the middle. So he has given us this very nice travelogue of the twelve hundreds and what it was like to travel around the mediteranean. My gosh, there were good and bad people. Some were christians and some were moslems, and if we had actually met some, a couple of good and bad jews would have been in there too. But, maybe they were all murdered in Book One. Lets hope that Book Three is an improvement, or it means that Lawhead is beginning to suffer from "Michner Syndrome". At the end of his great writing career, Michner had become a magnificent researcher. The problem with his books became that you were going to see everything he found in his research in his books because no one had the guts to edit him. Inshallah, this too will pass
Rating:
Summary: average is average is a middle part of a trilogy
Review: Lawhead like many writers has a good idea for a beginning and hopefully a great idea for an ending. The problem is that he doesn't have or want to say to much in the middle. So he has given us this very nice travelogue of the twelve hundreds and what it was like to travel around the mediteranean. My gosh, there were good and bad people. Some were christians and some were moslems, and if we had actually met some, a couple of good and bad jews would have been in there too. But, maybe they were all murdered in Book One. Lets hope that Book Three is an improvement, or it means that Lawhead is beginning to suffer from "Michner Syndrome". At the end of his great writing career, Michner had become a magnificent researcher. The problem with his books became that you were going to see everything he found in his research in his books because no one had the guts to edit him. Inshallah, this too will pass
Rating:
Summary: The Black Rood
Review: Lawhead weaves a story in this serious like a celtic knot. His words take hold of you and you fall deep into the pictures that he creates. The pages fly by and as you finish the last page you only want more. Fortunately, Lawhead continues this saga on more books. Start with Byzantium and follow this line through to the end.
Rating:
Summary: The Black Rood
Review: Lawhead weaves a story in this serious like a celtic knot. His words take hold of you and you fall deep into the pictures that he creates. The pages fly by and as you finish the last page you only want more. Fortunately, Lawhead continues this saga on more books. Start with Byzantium and follow this line through to the end.
Rating: 
Summary: More of the same...
Review: Lawhead's "Celtic Crusades" continue with the next generation, Duncan, son of Murdo (familiar to readers of Vol. 1 in the series, "The Iron Lance"). One again the action revolves around a sacred relic, this time the black rood, a remnant of Christ's true cross, which Duncan aspires to obtain in a crusade to the Holy Land. The narrative of Duncan's vision of Christ's death in connection with this relic is one of the central passages of the book (p334-347). In his quest, Duncan is accompanied by the Cele De priest Padraig and Prince Roupen of Armenia, and must deal with danger at the hands of the Moslems (Seljuq Turks) and the more mysterious intrigues of the Templar Knights. As in the first novel of the series, the story is framed by the memoirs of Gordon Murray, a member of a nineteenth century secret society, but Murray's connection to the plot is still enshrouded in mystery and will only become clear in the final volume of the series. There's no question that the novel is rich in historical detail and adventure, and there are some solid Christian themes. Typical are sentences like: "the Swift Sure Hand does bend all things to the good of those who love him." Despite this, "The Black Rood" lacks the gripping suspense of Lawhead's historical epic "Byzantium", and the passion and imagination of his forays into fantasy. I look forward to when Lawhead leaves the realm of historical fiction and returns to fantasy. -GODLY GADFLY
Rating:
Summary: More of the same...
Review: Lawhead's "Celtic Crusades" continue with the next generation, Duncan, son of Murdo (familiar to readers of Vol. 1 in the series, "The Iron Lance"). One again the action revolves around a sacred relic, this time the black rood, a remnant of Christ's true cross, which Duncan aspires to obtain in a crusade to the Holy Land. The narrative of Duncan's vision of Christ's death in connection with this relic is one of the central passages of the book (p334-347). In his quest, Duncan is accompanied by the Cele De priest Padraig and Prince Roupen of Armenia, and must deal with danger at the hands of the Moslems (Seljuq Turks) and the more mysterious intrigues of the Templar Knights. As in the first novel of the series, the story is framed by the memoirs of Gordon Murray, a member of a nineteenth century secret society, but Murray's connection to the plot is still enshrouded in mystery and will only become clear in the final volume of the series. There's no question that the novel is rich in historical detail and adventure, and there are some solid Christian themes. Typical are sentences like: "the Swift Sure Hand does bend all things to the good of those who love him." Despite this, "The Black Rood" lacks the gripping suspense of Lawhead's historical epic "Byzantium", and the passion and imagination of his forays into fantasy. I look forward to when Lawhead leaves the realm of historical fiction and returns to fantasy. -GODLY GADFLY
Rating: 
Summary: Vivid Settings, Muddied Motivations
Review: Our small town library finally added "The Black Rood" to their collection, and I was the first to check it out. This has been one of my most anticipated reads in a while; I loved "The Iron Lance." Once again, Lawhead creates a vivid setting for his characters, replete with mouth-watering food, colorful garb, and back-breaking responsibilities. Once again, he transports us from Scotland to the lands of the Crusades. This time, it's Murdo's son, Duncan, who sets off on his own quest. This time, Duncan is the first-person narrator, telling the story of his travels to his daughter Caitriona. (My guess is that she will be the protagonist of his next book in the series, to be titled "The Mystic Rose.") Though I read the book quickly--after the initial twenty pages, which seemed a bit muddied--I missed Murdo's cynicism and spiritual encounters from the first book. Here, Duncan has no real cross to bear; basically, he just wants a part of the adventure his father had. Even his personal tragedy early in the book has no real influence on his decision-making later. His motivations seem not as strong, and--in fact--I found it a bit difficult to swallow that he leaves behind his daughter after what they had experienced. (I can't go into detail without giving things away.) If Lawhead had described even a brief farewell scene, I might've made this jump easier. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Not as much as "The Iron Lance," but still a vivid and memorable experience. The search of the Caliph's treasure house and the ensuing escape were heart-pounding adventure at its finest. While I don't always understand the motivations of some Lawhead characters, Lawhead always manages to bring a grace and dignity and honor to his people which I appreciate. "The Mystic Rose," when it comes out, will sit high on my list.
Rating:
Summary: Vivid Settings, Muddied Motivations
Review: Our small town library finally added "The Black Rood" to their collection, and I was the first to check it out. This has been one of my most anticipated reads in a while; I loved "The Iron Lance." Once again, Lawhead creates a vivid setting for his characters, replete with mouth-watering food, colorful garb, and back-breaking responsibilities. Once again, he transports us from Scotland to the lands of the Crusades. This time, it's Murdo's son, Duncan, who sets off on his own quest. This time, Duncan is the first-person narrator, telling the story of his travels to his daughter Caitriona. (My guess is that she will be the protagonist of his next book in the series, to be titled "The Mystic Rose.") Though I read the book quickly--after the initial twenty pages, which seemed a bit muddied--I missed Murdo's cynicism and spiritual encounters from the first book. Here, Duncan has no real cross to bear; basically, he just wants a part of the adventure his father had. Even his personal tragedy early in the book has no real influence on his decision-making later. His motivations seem not as strong, and--in fact--I found it a bit difficult to swallow that he leaves behind his daughter after what they had experienced. (I can't go into detail without giving things away.) If Lawhead had described even a brief farewell scene, I might've made this jump easier. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Not as much as "The Iron Lance," but still a vivid and memorable experience. The search of the Caliph's treasure house and the ensuing escape were heart-pounding adventure at its finest. While I don't always understand the motivations of some Lawhead characters, Lawhead always manages to bring a grace and dignity and honor to his people which I appreciate. "The Mystic Rose," when it comes out, will sit high on my list.
Rating:
Summary: Vivid Settings, Muddied Motivations
Review: Our small town library finally added "The Black Rood" to their collection, and I was the first to check it out. This has been one of my most anticipated reads in a while; I loved "The Iron Lance." Once again, Lawhead creates a vivid setting for his characters, replete with mouth-watering food, colorful garb, and back-breaking responsibilities. Once again, he transports us from Scotland to the lands of the Crusades. This time, it's Murdo's son, Duncan, who sets off on his own quest. This time, Duncan is the first-person narrator, telling the story of his travels to his daughter Caitriona. (My guess is that she will be the protagonist of his next book in the series, to be titled "The Mystic Rose.") Though I read the book quickly--after the initial twenty pages, which seemed a bit muddied--I missed Murdo's cynicism and spiritual encounters from the first book. Here, Duncan has no real cross to bear; basically, he just wants a part of the adventure his father had. Even his personal tragedy early in the book has no real influence on his decision-making later. His motivations seem not as strong, and--in fact--I found it a bit difficult to swallow that he leaves behind his daughter after what they had experienced. (I can't go into detail without giving things away.) If Lawhead had described even a brief farewell scene, I might've made this jump easier. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Not as much as "The Iron Lance," but still a vivid and memorable experience. The search of the Caliph's treasure house and the ensuing escape were heart-pounding adventure at its finest. While I don't always understand the motivations of some Lawhead characters, Lawhead always manages to bring a grace and dignity and honor to his people which I appreciate. "The Mystic Rose," when it comes out, will sit high on my list.
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