Rating: 
Summary: Not up to her past efforts
Review: A continuation of the Keltiad saga - but with even more self-consciously "Celtic" wording. I have re-read the first three books in the series and continue to find them tightly plotted with interesting characters and situations. "The Deer's Cry" is not up to the standard set in the first three novels, and I found myself becoming irritated at the forced phraseology - "housen" for houses, "acquent" for acquainted"'customed", for accustomed, etc. If Ms. Kennealy-Morrison would return to the language used in the early works she'd serve her characters - and us - a good turn.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing in comparison with previous Keltiad books
Review: A number of reader/reviewers have commented on this book's poor showing in comparison with the first Keltiad trilogy (Aeron's books). I would have to agree, and add that the only thing that kept me reading the book was the vain hope that somewhere, somehow, a plot with real conflict would develop. Sure, there's the pagan/Christian "conflict" that sets up the immigration from Earth, but we all knew where that was going from page 1. There is nothing that threatens to halt the immigration (except one comically easy battle), no real struggle, no real hardship. No real character development either! Do you get the same sense of Brendan as a whole person that you did from Aeron? What about Etain, who is virtually a non-entity? Hardly the match for Gwydion in the first trilogy. To me, the book reads like nothing so much as Biblical narrative (an amusing irony): "they did this, and then they did that, and then it came to pass that..." Yes, this book was necessary to setting up the whole world of the Kelts, but let's hope further books in this cycle contain something other than Keltiana to keep us interested. This is one reader whose attention won't be held without plot and character development.
Rating:
Summary: Pagan diatribe against Christianity.
Review: As much as I have enjoyed the saga of Keltia, particularly the tales of Aeron and Arthur, this book really turned me off. Kennealy-Morrison wanted the old religion to appear so much better than any other option around. However, she ended up sounding as didactic and intolerant as she accuses Catholicism of being. Anyway, the story was okay, but not as riveting as some of her other books, certainly nothing in comparison to the Throne of Scone. It took too long to get away from Earth, and then didn't spend enough time in Keltia. I would have liked a lot more about Brendan's mother, Nia and for most of the supporting cast to have given a little more attention. If her books continue to be pagan propaganda, I'll stick with the first books and forget whatever else is planned. Which is too bad, because I have really enjoyed the Keltic saga until the past two books.
Rating: 
Summary: Bravo! Great successor to Aeron & Arthur trilogies
Review: Beautifully laid out and charming. The author makes her religious opinions clear, in a manner which adds dimension (and tension) to the plot. As a long time devotee of Keltia, I enjoyed seeing the distant past referred to in the trilogies so well described and detailed. I would have liked to see more description and detail on Nia and the Daanans; as well as more time spent on what happened when they reached Keltia. Hopefully the next installation will delve into these areas. My favorite is still "The Throne of Scone", however, this is a wonderful addition to the Keltia series which I would highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: The Deer's Cry gives rare and brave insight to pagan beliefs
Review: Considering how many stories assume an underlying theme of Christianity, I found Kennealy's alternate view most illuminating and pleasurable. With most of European history being one version or another of the Protestants vs. the Catholics, this kind of emphasis on the precursor of Christian religion is a rarely told tale. Paganism has been given such a monsterously bad rap in America, it's a wonder we haven't drummed Easter and Halloween out of our lives. Instead, we've reduced these formerly vibrant celebrations of life and seasons into greeting card and candy motivated holidays. Kennealy never gives you candy or cute howdy-do. She's there with fire and passion in her writing and a love for the old ways that cradles each word respectfully. I recommend Deer's Cry for its insight and bravery as well as the sense of adventure within.
Rating:
Summary: disappointing in comparison with previous Keltiad books
Review: Enen though I am a devoted fan of PKM, I was left with a funny taste from this novel. What disappointed me was the very slanted view given of the early Christians in Britain. I'm sure all was not exactly the turn-the-other-cheek mentality, but I think the portrayal was unfair. Religious issues aside, this WAS a fabulous set-up for the Celts in space series to spring from these adventures. Since none of us was there to bear witness to what REALLY happened back then, I think the whole tale would have been better told with a little less prejudice.
Rating:
Summary: Great prequel, but slightly disappointing
Review: Enen though I am a devoted fan of PKM, I was left with a funny taste from this novel. What disappointed me was the very slanted view given of the early Christians in Britain. I'm sure all was not exactly the turn-the-other-cheek mentality, but I think the portrayal was unfair. Religious issues aside, this WAS a fabulous set-up for the Celts in space series to spring from these adventures. Since none of us was there to bear witness to what REALLY happened back then, I think the whole tale would have been better told with a little less prejudice.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I am a big fan of Patricia Kennealy's Keltiad series and very much enjoyed her other books, but this was a great disappointment. The author makes it very clear that it is her opinion that the bringing of Christianity to Ireland was a crime. It is a shame that the author allowed her feelings to get in the way of writing a decent book. There was a lot of potential of this book, but it was all wasted. If you wish to read a book by Patricia Kennealy - read one of the other books of the Keltiad.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book!
Review: I had a hard time putting this book down! This is my first time reading a book of this kind. I have read her other book "Strange Days" about her marriage to rock legend Jim Morrison, but I usually don't go into this sort of thing! I was truely amazed! It kept me on the edge of my seat as I was transported to some strange, distant sky! This was a fantastic trip!
Rating:
Summary: Recovering, but not there yet
Review: I have been an avid fan of the Keltiad since I first read The Copper Crown many years ago, and will probably continue to be. However, Blackmantle was quite disappointing, and The Deer's Cry was also definitely not one of the author's better efforts. I admit, I was somewhat uncomfortable with the vitriolic perspective on Christianity, but in all fairness, the Church has perpetrated some awful stuff over the centuries, and has usually been very successful in hushing it up, so it was very interesting to read a truly alternative perspective (even it did stir up some discomfort). My main beef with this book is one which has been evident in her others, but which is becoming more, rather than less, obvious: her characters are too black and white. They are either good/perfect/wonderful/admirable or evil/shallow minded/stupid. Let's face it: most of us are halfway in between the two. I think that Patraic would have been more believable had he been somewhat less hypocritical and less someone who deliberately and openly twisted facts for his own benefit (a religious fanatic who truly could not see the illogic of his beliefs is far more believable and would have achieved the same result); similarly Brendan would have generated more sympathy had the conflict been a little more evenly balanced. For one thing, if the conflict was as unsubtle as the author describes, why would the King and Queen have kept giving in to Patraic's demands? I think that the author's personal bitterness and anger is dominating more and more of her work, to its detriment.
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