Synopses & Reviews
In a forgotten age of darkness a magnificent king arose to light the world.
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 the uses of power from his guide and protector, 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; the Lord of Summer who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity . . . and whose noble, trusting heart would be broken by treachery.
Synopsis
In a forgotten age of darkness, a magnificent king arose to light the land
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. And 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; who would usher in a glorious reign of peace and prosperity; and who would fall in a desperate attempt to save the one he loved more than life.
ARTHUR
"Evocate . . . intriguing . . . enthralling." -Locus
About the Author
Stephen R. Lawhead was born in Kearney,Nebraska on 2 July, 1950. He attended local schools and then Kearney State College, where he majored in Fine Art. He paid for his education by playing lead guitar in a popularlocal rock band, Mother Rush. While at Kearney State he published numerous poems incollege anthologies, and wrote a humor column for the college newspaper.
He married Alice Slaikeu in 1972 and, together they moved to the Chicago areaso he could attend Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He left before graduating whenoffered a position on the staff of Campus Life Magazine, where he worked for five years. Writing a record review column at Campus Life fed his musical interest; he took on themanagement of Christian rock band DeGarmo & Key, then left Campus Life to start hisown record company in Memphis, Tennessee.
Ariel Records lasted only a year; going out of business on a Friday afternoon in January. On the following Monday morning Lawhead began writing a novel: In the Hallof the Dragon King. The object of the exercise was to see if he could sustain afull-length work of fiction, and support his family  which now included baby Ross,and soon-to-arrive Drake A on a writer's income.
He did finish the book and, with the support and advocacy of editor JanDennis, it was published in 1982 by Crossway Books. Eight novels followed, all publishedby Crossway: the remaining DRAGON KING books, three science fiction novels, and the firstthree books of THE PENDRAGON CYCLE.
Meanwhile, the Lawheads moved from Memphis to Lincoln, Nebraska, and then toOxford, England, in 1986 for more than a year while researching and writing Taliesin,Merlin, and Arthur. They returned to Lincoln in 1987, but by 1990 were backin Oxford where they now reside.
A strong publishing relationship with Lion Publishing in Britain was forgedwhen Lion published Dragon King, and went on to commission severalchildrenÂs books which had been inspired by Ross and DrakeÂs interest in theirfatherÂs stories. Additionally, Lion acted  and continues to act  asagent for translation editions of the childrenÂs and adult books throughout Europeand beyond.
Avon Books (New York) and HarperCollins (New York and London, along withtheir subsidiary Zondervan in Grand Rapids) are both currently commissioning books. Themost recent Avon release is Grail, the fifth book in THE PENDRAGON CYCLE, andthis will be followed by Avalon a stand-alone novel in which King Arthur returnsto modern-day Britain (anticipated publication September 1999).
HarperCollins, who published Byzantium, is releasing THE CELTICCRUSADES, a series of three books of which the first, The Iron Lance, will beavailable on 21 September in Britain and in November in the United States.
Lawhead's fascination with historical mythology continues unabated. Havingstarted in fourth-century Britain (Taliesin) he has now worked his way forward tothe twelfth-century. What is next? Perhaps a giant step backward. Books about ancientEgypt are beginning to fill his shelves...