The Silver Hand

Posted by Jordan
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Review, Science Fiction
Tags: Long Read, Song of Albion, Stephen R. Lawhead

Our rating:

The champion Llew has returned to Albion, and Tegid the bard has made him king. However, spurred on by the evil Siawn Hy, Prince Meldron plans to usurp the throne. Going by bardic law (no maimed man can be king), he separates Llew from his sword hand, and Tegid from his sight. Undaunted, Tegid and Llew begin building a new city, where refugees from Meldron’s destruction arrive every day. Someday, Tegid and Llew hope to engage Meldron in combat, but Llew is from another world, as is Siawn Hy, and the only true way to save Albion is for them to return to their own world.

The Song of Albion trilogy takes a dark turn and leaves you guessing. Lawhead’s knowledge of Celtic myths, rituals, and customs serves him well. The result is a page-turner, if only to see how Llew can be king without his hand. I have a feeling that this one was more of a transition to the last book, so there might be a bit of filler. Overall, not a bad story, though I wish Lawhead would be a bit less gory.