Rating: 
Summary: Lawhead's beast series yet.
Review: This series is magical without the hocus-pocus. The mystical link between worlds is enchanting. As one who owns all of Stephen Lawhead's fictional works, I can easily say that this series is the best. Each book leaves you wanting more. Whenever there is a chance for Lewis to go back to the real world you find yourself saying "No! What if you can't get back?" The series is simply beautiful.
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasant excursion. . .
Review: . . .into Celtic mythology -- but certainly not Tolkien.Stephen Lawhead is a good author and I have enjoyed many of his books. He does his research and has the knack of being able to "get into" other cultures. The premise of this book: two Oxford graduate students who get transported through a sacred cairn into Another Place -- is an interesting theme and Lawhead works it fairly well. The character development is lacking at times and the development of character motives can be unnecessarily slow but there are moments of brilliance which do make the book worthwhile. (I particularly loved the encounter with the Serbian and his restaurant.) However, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and even Charles Williams have nothing to fear here -- Lawhead comes nowhere near to their level (or even to the level of Robert Jordan). Read this book, enjoy the series -- but don't expect "The Lord of the Rings".
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant excursion. . .
Review: . . .into Celtic mythology -- but certainly not Tolkien. Stephen Lawhead is a good author and I have enjoyed many of his books. He does his research and has the knack of being able to "get into" other cultures. The premise of this book: two Oxford graduate students who get transported through a sacred cairn into Another Place -- is an interesting theme and Lawhead works it fairly well. The character development is lacking at times and the development of character motives can be unnecessarily slow but there are moments of brilliance which do make the book worthwhile. (I particularly loved the encounter with the Serbian and his restaurant.) However, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and even Charles Williams have nothing to fear here -- Lawhead comes nowhere near to their level (or even to the level of Robert Jordan). Read this book, enjoy the series -- but don't expect "The Lord of the Rings".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, beautiful, and breathtaking
Review: A Fantastic start to the Trilogy. Written in such a way that the reader is magically transported in their own cairn to the Realm of Albion. A beautiful land awaits the reader where ancient celtic beliefs are thrust into the modern day world. Honor and loyalty meet deceit and treachery in a clash that will leave you singing the Song of Albion for yourself. Read on, my fiends. The Land of Albion awaits you. And you and I, like Lewis, will not want the adventure to end.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous!
Review: All I can really say about ANYTHING I've ever read by Stephen Lawhead is marvelous. This series in particular is incredible. Written from a Christian point of view, built on a strong background of Celtic legend, this is a must read for ANYONE who likes fantasy, Celtic culture, or is just looking for a good exciting read!
Rating:
Summary: Completely engrossing and completely sensory story!
Review: Although I am a voracious reader, I rarely read fantasy...I suppose because I am tired of being dragged into "created worlds" that rarely seem to be believeable or worthy of the time involved in figuring them out. This series of books (and I will tell you right now, like previous reviewers, GET THEM ALL, you will want to start Book II the MINUTE you finish the first!) is completely engrossing. I knew nothing of Celtic history or legends, but this author wove the threads of "real" legends and lore into his "otherworld" so completely and so perfectly you never question the reality of it all!! And to be perfectly honest, right up to the LAST sentence of the LAST book, he had me hooked. I am ashamed to say I put off more than one chore/responsiblity to get in ONE MORE CHAPTER before falling asleep at night!! (haha) It is rare that literature of this caliber comes along anymore and I for one cannot wait to read everything else Stephen Lawhead has written or will write in the future!! He has a true gift! Do yourself a favor and curl up with a set of books and a story that is completely sensory and real!!! ENJOY!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Completely engrossing and completely sensory story!
Review: Although I am a voracious reader, I rarely read fantasy...I suppose because I am tired of being dragged into "created worlds" that rarely seem to be believeable or worthy of the time involved in figuring them out. This series of books (and I will tell you right now, like previous reviewers, GET THEM ALL, you will want to start Book II the MINUTE you finish the first!) is completely engrossing. I knew nothing of Celtic history or legends, but this author wove the threads of "real" legends and lore into his "otherworld" so completely and so perfectly you never question the reality of it all!! And to be perfectly honest, right up to the LAST sentence of the LAST book, he had me hooked. I am ashamed to say I put off more than one chore/responsiblity to get in ONE MORE CHAPTER before falling asleep at night!! (haha) It is rare that literature of this caliber comes along anymore and I for one cannot wait to read everything else Stephen Lawhead has written or will write in the future!! He has a true gift! Do yourself a favor and curl up with a set of books and a story that is completely sensory and real!!! ENJOY!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Very enjoyable but could have been better researched.
Review: As a story this is very enjoyable and exciting - I quickly found myself immersed in the mystery, adventure, scheming and magic that the author skillfully portrays. My one complaint, however, is with the mistakes and inaccuracies scattered throughout the series. For example, when Lewis first meets Simon in the Otherworld, Simon says that he was named 'sylfenu' by the 'Celts' because they just 'found' him. This is a very sloppy error, as in Welsh 'sylfaenu' means 'to found' ( as in to establish, or set up ) and not 'to find'. A better choice would have been 'darganfyddiad' which means a discovery, or something found. I realise that to the vast majority of (non-Celtic) readers this doesn't mean much, but to someone who knows his native language and culture it is a bit cringe-inducing ! Also, the author mixes the different Celtic languages freely, as if they were used interchangeably by all the Celtic peoples, whether Welsh, Irish, Scotish, Manx, Cornish or Breton. Linguistic and cultural quibbles aside however, it is a very enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Consuming
Review: First, I must say that Lawhead is my favorite author. I have bought every book he has written, but this series is by far, in my opinion, his best. I am a voracious reader, but rarely impressed. I found this series to be completely engrossing, I couldn't stop reading. A nice balance of plot twists, well-drawn characters, narrators, all put together in a semi-allegory worthy of CS Lewis. Skip these books to your own detriment.
Rating:
Summary: **Great Book to Get your Hands on. One of Lawhead's best**
Review: From Stephen R. Lawhead's "Song of Albion" series, "The Paradise War" is one book that any lover of fiction will want to read. When Simon Rawnson accidentally steps into a portal, linking this world to the Otherworld in ancient Celtic Mythology, it is chaos for his roommate Lewis Gillies. Lewis at first doesn't think much of it, but as time goes on and Simon doesn't show up, Lewis starts seeing things that make him think the old Celtic Mythology is true. When, four months later, (and four years later in the Otherworld), Lewis finds himself trapped in a Celtic circle maze, Professor Nettleton, AKA Nettles, comes to help out. Nettles helps Lewis figure out what is going on with his friend and how it is slowly destroying our world. When Lewis starts to understand, he goes to find his friend in Albion, the Otherworld. When Lewis arrives, he finds himself all alone and trapped in between two warbands. Fortunately, Simon finds him and slays the opposing army's champion. To save Lewis's life, Simon lets Lewis get the honor of slaying the Champion, not getting the credit that Simon deserves. But as things progress, Lewis's role in Albion begins to change. The king sends him off to a warriors camp on Ynnys Sci. There, he is trained for seven years. When he goes back to the king, chaos has erupted. The chief bard of the king is dead, and someone is plotting to kill the king. What will happen next? Will Lewis get back to his world with Simon and stop the chaos that is destroying both worlds, or will Lewis die in a battle against the evil Lord Nudd, the king of the Otherworld's version of Hell. Read on and find out. If you liked the Pendragon or The Dragon King Trilogy Series, I will guarantee that you will love this book. There are two more books in this series, so the end of this one will leave you begging for more.
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