Customer Reviews

Byzantium

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Now that I've read The Iron Lance and Avalon, I thought I'd stop in and read the reviews on Byzantium (I previously reviewed this book on July 27, 1997, but since they are now refering to me only as "a reader" I felt entitled to say something else). I was surprised by a few (to say the least). I honestly think Byzantium is Lawhead's best book ever. I loved Avalon, but it still didn't pass Byzantium as my all time favorite. If you like historical fiction or just want an excellent story with extremely well developed characters - this is the book for you. The important thing is to read the book with an open heart for the powerful message that is portrayed. It is a true story of redemption. I think one of the reasons I loved the book so much is I felt a kinship with the main character, Aidan, unlike I have with any other fictional character. After you read this, read the Celtic Crusade books, beginning with The Iron Lance. These continue the story and you'll see what happened to Byzantium a few hundred years later. Happy reading!

At nearly 900 pages this book is amazing in many ways. First, you read that much in such a short time, for once you have picked it up you will find yourself unable to put it down. This book is a fictional retelling of St. Aidan's life. St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ontario has a St. Aidan's Chapel that has a beautiful set of tapestries depicting the life of this servant of God. St. Aidan died in 651 after serving at home in Iona, among the Gauls - first as a slave and then as a Bishop, and he even visited Byzantium in his lifetime, and the seat of the Eastern Roman Empire.

I was familiar with this church and with the artwork depicting Aidan's life. Yet it was not until almost halfway through the book, that I slapped my forehead and said 'Aidan the monk = St. Aidan'. The book is so craft- fully written that one easily becomes so lost in the story that it did not even click that I knew about this tale.

Lawhead is a master wordsmith, who is most know for his Arthurian legend series, or his Celtic series, yet this stand-alone novel is every bit as much worth the time and attention as his other better-known works. This book was a departure for Lawhead, in that it was written from the beginning as a stand-alone. Therefore, if you do not like getting sucked into a series, where you need to read 4 or 5 books to get the whole story, this book is a great starting point in Lawhead's works.

The story in this novel is powerful and moving. It is the story of a young man who was taken as a slave and later returned as a Minister, and eventually as a Bishop. It is the story of the spread of Christendom, and the story of service. Once you begin you will not be able to put this book down. So be warned!

This was the first Stephen Lawhead book I'd ever read. How could I not have known about him earlier?

"Byzantium" has everything you could want in a story. Suspense, drama, love, heartbreak, despair, elation, and action. The main character is so well developed that it feels like you're experiencing his emotions right along with him.

If you enjoy fantasy or any sort of medieval historical fiction, then you MUST read this book. I cannot imagine that you would be disappointed.

Just finished Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead. Near on 900 pages, it reads both more slowly, and much faster that one would think. Lawhead's historical research into ninth-century Europe, Byzantium, and the Muslim Caliphates is deep and full of subtle detail. Lawhead writes of a fictional Irish monk, Aiden mac Cainnech, and his life adventures as he undertakes pilgrimage to Byzantium in company with his fellow monks, to deliver the tribute of a fabulously illuminated bible, the Book of Kells, to the Holy Emperor. Hidden beneath the surface of this holy quest is a political scheme to place the monestaries of Ireland under the authority of the Eastern Church, as there is much friction with the Roman branch of the church. Aiden knows nothing of this scheme until very late, and is in fact truly an innocent.

The pilgrimage suffers disaster, in the form of a raiding party of Sea-wolves, and Aiden is carried off as a slave. The story follows Aiden as he journeys through Danemark, then to Constantiople, to Trebizond and Samarra, and back again. Along the way he is enslaved, raised to positions trust, betrayed, rescued, brought into the the courts of the Caliph, freed, and returned to the Golden City. Aiden falls in love and loses it, trusts and has his trust violated, shows deep faith and falls far from grace.

While some might argue, with some justice, that the story suffers from more than bit of "You Are There," it's really necessary to the story, and it's done in such a manner to not intrude. There are battles, but never gratuitously placed, and in each one you see Aiden's growth from panicked floundering to cool-headed observation. The blood is rendered unsympathetically, with only the necessary minimum of detail. The power politics are much dirtier than the fighting, for all that they're only seen in outline. This story isn't so much about what actually happened in history, as it is about how the history looked to outsiders.

The story is so well written and so convincing that I looked-up Aiden to see if this was a fictionalization of a real monk's life. It's not, though there are three different Saint Aidens listed in the Catholic Online database. But this excellent historical fiction is entirely plausible just the same. Read it!

I read Taliesin and Merlin, both by Lawhead well over 10 years ago .. and feel like an idiot that I no longer own those books. I have to admit that 2 things sold this book for me. The cover illustration and the synopsis on the back. Okay, 3 things. I like stories based around historical events or during historical periods. Byzantium. Wow.

Portions of this book bring to mind, The Lord of the Rings as well as other epic novels based on that particular genre of storytelling.

From the very beginning, we are introduced to the way of life and limited life experience of the Aiden, princeling turned priest. His simple lifestyle may appeal to many of us, even though we outwardly deny the fact. The changes that he goes through as his travels land him in a new situation are wonderful to see. The characters we come into contact with are interesting and as the story progresses, they begin to take on more dimension, which is unfortunately lacking so much in many commercialized stories today, whether in print or on film.

The historical references are captivating, from the Irish monastery, Viking society, Byzantine politics, and Islamic culture. Each of these mark a milestone in the metamorphasis of Aiden and ultimately epitomize the awakening most of us go through/never do/or wish we did.

This is a book that should some day be brought to the screen. I have to admit that as I came to the final pages, I felt some regret and bittersweet understanding that while the end of the road is near, all things require closure. Adventures reach their conclusion. We each go our own way, some we will never see again. However, there will always be the memory of the experience and in this case you need not look further than your own bookshelf. BUY this book. EXPERIENCE it. And keep it for those times when you wish to rekindle that which once burned brightly, if even only for a moment.

Okay. I liked the story.

Historical fiction is often a hit or miss affair. When it hits (as it does with Tolstoy's "War and Peace"), it takes the reader back to another time while teaching valuable lessons about humanity. When it misses, it ends up looking a lot like Stephen Lawhead's "Byzantium." This isn't to say that "Byzantium" is a bad book; it is certainly entertaining as an action packed yarn with a cast of characters longer than your arm. But "Byzantium" fails as a historical tale because it really doesn't reflect the time period in which the story takes place.

Set in the 10th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Basil II, "Byzantium" is a detailed account of the travels of Aidan, an Irish monk charged with delivering a special copy of the New Testament to the city of Constantinople. Aidan sets out with a group of monks on this mission, nervous about discharging his duties but excited about having a chance to see the world. Aidan does get to see the world, and he sees it in ways that he never imagined. Right at the start of the mission, the boat Aidan is sailing on is waylaid by a band of pirates. Aidan is taken prisoner, made a slave, and begins a roundabout trip to Constantinople. Along the way, Aidan falls in with a Viking expedition, travels through Kiev, visits Constantinople for an audience with Basil, acts as a spy for the Byzantines, is captured by Arabs, learns several languages, is almost executed in a slave mine, nearly marries a beautiful woman, and loses his faith (in no particular order).

All of these situations are well drawn and fairly exciting (especially the sea battle towards the end of the book, a battle that hums with energy and tension). Throughout each of these situations, Aidan must rely on his wits and various abilities to stay alive and hope to complete the mission he set out on. Lawhead certainly has the ability to create intriguing set pieces, whether it is the inside of a Danish feast hall, an Arab palace, or the city of Constantinople. This makes the book a fun read.

Regrettably, Lawhead fails to create convincing connections with the 10th century European world. Outside of a brief encounter with Basil II, this story could easily have been set in any time frame between the 6th and 14th century. The historical elements drop into the background of the story for large sections of the book. In other words, the book just doesn't speak from its time as many other books in the genre do (think about a book such as "The Name of the Rose," for instance. That book creates some medieval atmosphere!). Perhaps this comes from a fear of making errors about the time frame, or a lack of hard research into the period. This book should be categorized as action/adventure rather than historical fiction.

The character development is lacking as well. It is understandable that all of the characters could not be developed due to the large number of people populating the pages of this story. The problem comes when major characters show a disturbing shallowness. Aidan, the main character and narrator, isn't given much to do beyond observing and surviving his surroundings. His crisis of faith, a cliché of epic proportions found in almost any book in which a priest is a character, isn't enough to create a memorable character. Other characters are reduced to mere cardboard cutouts.

Still, books like "Byzantium" do serve an important purpose. It is a relaxing book, one that doesn't require much thought to get through. This can be soothing after plowing through literature, history, philosophy, or any other heavy reads. Its length may scare off some, but "Byzantium" provides a good dose of action for those who crave such things

Unlike his remarkable and profound "Pendragon Cycle", "Byzantium" is not another Lawhead fantasy work. Apart from a couple of instances of dreams and omens, it is rather an entry by Lawhead into a different genre: historical fiction. Make that: EPIC historical fiction! In paperback, "Byzantium" comes close to 900 pages of delightful reading!

Set in the tenth century Byzantine empire, the novel traces the life and adventures of a young Irish monk, Aidan. Aidan is selected to join a special envoy on a voyage to Byzantium, and deliver a precious gift - the holy Book of Kells - to the Christian emperor. The journey is an epic one, as Aidan becomes in turn a monk in the solitude of an Irish monastery, a slave of the barbarian Vikings, an ambassador and spy at the forefront of Byzantine political intrigue, a slave in the Caliph's silver mines, a serviceman of a Moslem Saracen prince, and finally again an Irish monk. He becomes a man of many resources - a monk, a sailor, a slave, a warrior, a spy.

In many respects "Byzantium" is strongly reminiscent of "The Walking Drum", widely regarded as best work produced by the legendary Louis L'Amour. Like "The Walking Drum", "Byzantium" is a historical epic of extraordinary magnitude and scope, a grand tour of European life in the Dark Ages which encompasses the ends of a complete empire, a multitude of richly detailed cultures, a tapestry of languages and a complex fabric of religions. Like its L'Amour counterpart, "Byzantium" features a man who must overcome the odds in a variety of exceedingly harsh circumstances, and spices the tale of this adventurer with a glorious sense of adventure, romance, suspense, history, politics, and religion.

My only quibble with Lawhead's effort is an apparent historical inaccuracy: he presents the emperor in Byzantine as emperor of the entire Roman empire, despite the fact that historically at this time the empire was split into East and West, the Irish acknowledging the Western emperor not the Eastern one. But on the whole Lawhead has surpassed L'Amour's historical masterpiece. "The Walking Drum" is at best educational entertainment, whereas "Byzantium" is literature. This is true literary fiction with well-rounded characters and a strong message. Although like "The Walking Drum" the majority of "Byzantium" is absorbed with a heightened sense of adventure, Lawhead's monk is in the end proves to be markedly superior to L'Amour's one-dimensional superman. Aidan's journey proves to be much more than just a journey of perilous adventures, it is above all a personal journey of faith. The monk who returns from his adventures is a changed man.

Having begun his journey as a devout Christian, Aidan's rapid change of fortunes and bitter taste of suffering lead him to reject his faith. He becomes first agnostic, then atheistic, even Moslem. Convinced that God has forsaken him, Aidan forsakes his faith and his God. It is only after he returns home that he is spurred by his former barbarian friend Gunnar to re-examine his faith (p.861-8). Re-evaluating his whole perspective on his pilgrimage, he comes to the recognition that even in his suffering God had not forsaken him. It would be impossible, because Christ was forsaken in the place of the believers, hanging on the cross saying "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Aidan comes to the startling realization that Christ's forsakenness means that believers will never be forsaken by God. God has not forsaken Aidan, but Aidan has forsaken God. Being a Christian does not mean living without suffering, it means rather having faith in God who truly knows and supports His people in that suffering.

This is an encouraging message for believers experiencing sufferings in their own pilgrimage of faith. It makes "Byzantium" much more than a gripping page-turner, but a stimulating read that will enhance your perspective on life. The beauty of this kind of Christian fiction, is that you share not only in the characters' sufferings and adventures, but also their spiritual growth. Any novel that has the potential stimulate and encourage as well as entertain is a significant achievement indeed, and "Byzantium" is no exception. A credible, suspenseful and gripping plot, a colourful and vivid historical setting, and a clear and powerful message - Christian historical fiction doesn't get much better than this.

It seems many books with this kind of historical-fiction-epic stories, are about some kind of trip to the Middle-East. And that's good, as it allows a confront with some very different cultures and religions. This book tells us a story about an irish monk who makes a trip with other brothers to Constantinopla (Byzantium) to deliver a book (a gift) to the Emperor. Things go wrong, and a fantastic and fascinating adventure make us read the book with an enormous pleasure. A story mixing celt, viking, arabian and some other cultures, all with its peculiar history and habits.

I loved the book so much, that after finishing it, I've sensed some kind of void in my heart. That's this kind of book, that makes you think and meditate about it after you read it that pleases me most. After a couple of days everything was fine and I've decided to try another Lawhead's book. But that's another story...

Which experience is key in "Byzantium" --life as an Irish monk, as slave to Sea Dogs (Vikings), advisor to the emperor of Byzantium, slave in Arab silver mines, advisor to an Arab leader, betrothed of an Arab woman, or doubter of the faith?

What is a monk without faith? How much more is a monk who loses faith and regains it? As the reader travels this incredible journey with Aidan mac Cainnech, she may well question the vagueness of historical timing because there are so many settings. The reader may question the use of multiple subplots with a riot of characters. Ultimately, the question becomes: Is this story possible? Is it credible?

These questions were raised by another reviewer on this page. He praised the quality of writing but questioned the omission of a firm time period, raising the very same question for this reviewer. As I read I repeatedly questioned the time period, intending to research it. However, the reader should not need to--such information should be part of the story if its claim is to historical fiction. The reader should not wonder if the time is 500's, 900's (as noted in the Afterword), or 1100's. Just when is it?

These comments are in no way critical of the book. In fact, it has become a new favorite and definitely is a page-turner. However, the lack of dates suggests to this reader that perhaps Lawhead wrote with a different thrust in mind: the question of faith. Aidan begins his journey to Byzantium a devout believer, not a fanatic, but a steadfast believer. Fairly early in the story, the Danes become part of the plot. It was during his time with Gunnar as a slave that Aidan has the opportunity to talk about his Savior. The seeds of belief are thus planted in Gunnar's soul. It is through Gunnar that Aidan's faith is re-born late in the novel.

The journey through the historical places and people of "Byzantium" is the framework for faith. Whose faith? Why believe? How is it possible to believe in a world of ugly, brutal, and inhumane acts? The answers indicate a central purpose for this novel: a journey of faith through the experiences of one highly intelligent, unusual monk with a propensity for languages, the wisdom of rational and diplomatic thought and deeds, and luck. Luck? Of course not. In a story of faith, luck is really the supernatural made visible. Is it possible for one man to live all these experiences in a two-year time span? The answer is yes, it is possible.

Another important theme is that of universality of humans. Each people group to be introduced has a preceding reputation: the Vikings as brutal creatures, who become among the kindest people in the book; the monks as kind, loving people and remain that way; the emperor and his kingdom, who should be representative of wise decisions but portray as much corruption as found anywhere at any time; Arabs about which little was known to Aidan, only to become what people are everywhere--wise, cruel, corrupt, insane, kind. By novel's end Lawhead has demonstrated that people are more alike in their human traits than they are different because of geographic and religious differences.

Stephen R. Lawhead has a winner with "Byzantium," for its historical accountings of people groups, for its page-turning suspense and action, for its believable characters that the reader comes to care for or not, and for its central still point of faith.

I picked up this book because the storyline looked interesting. As I started reading about Aidan, it was almost as if I was pushed into the story; Dugal at work(?). I became enthralled with the adventures of this simple 'monk' who was feeling as if GOD was abandoning him at each step in his life. Aidan's description of the life of Jesus Christ to the Viking's is one of the most powerful renditions I have ever seen/read. The powerful imagery presented makes one want to be/become a Christian. Not wanting to give away too much, I will just say that, for me, this is the kind of book you look for all your life, and then you find it; almost as if by devine intervention. Stephen has created a book that I will need to carry with me always. Present this book to your friends as a 'gift', which it truly is. If people haven't read it, don't tell them about it, just _give_ it to them. Thank you Stephen.