Customer Reviews

"I, Patrick, a Sinner..." A Tale Worth Telling

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The era of Saint Patrick was certainly a dark and tumultuous time in the world's history, both from a spiritual and a humanitarian standpoint. As history has also proven, the world has no shortage of martyrs and St. Patrick stands out as one who gave everything he had for his beliefs, but did so without glory or recognition.

I feel that Miss Swinnea did an excellent job in conveying the struggle of a man who fought his own demons. Her depth and intuitiveness of St. Patrick's character showed that he was not perfect, but that he did overcome the darkness of his own life and times to become one of the most revered people/saints in history. Her writing is not flawless and as far as I know there aren't too many survivors living to tell exactly what parts of her book were embellishments, but that doesn't matter. We have to remember that this isn't "Braveheart" and the heart and soul of the story are there.

To the literary critics and others who check for correct hyphenation, read Hemmingway or Walden. I know Ms. Swinnea isn't perfect, nor does she try to be, but what she does very well is convey a story of hope, love, struggle and spirituality that is timeless.

As a footnote... I want to add that Ms. Swinnea is also a very generous person and after speaking at my church, she gave me and many others quite a compelling look into a world few of us had ever known before and for that I'm very thankful.

St Patrick and that era were a favorite subject of mine back in my British University days, and so it was with a sense of pleasurable anticipation that I settled down to read Swinnea's book. But my pleasure turned to bewilderment rather quickly, as typos, basic grammatical errors, bad illustrations, and remarkable assumptions and inaccuracies surrounding the admittedly hazy time period, surfaced. Patrick a rapist and murderer? Mercy! Wondering who would print such an unfinished book, I wrote the publisher, Aaron Algood Books, Co., and received back a letter from the author herself, which led me to believe this was her own press. In other words, this appears to be a self-published book. I wish I had known this. It's not a bad read, really, once it hits its pace. It's fairly interesting and exciting, if the reader can suspend judgement over historical and writing mistakes. But the book claims to be far more than it actually is. Let's call it honestly an earnest attempt by an amateur historian to write a modern hagiography.

Very readable, descriptive, and enticing, blending history and legen

"I Patrick, A Sinner" is indeed a tale worth telling. It is a good read that will keep you interested and turning pages as you wonder what it might have really been like back then. Back then: therein lies a point worth noting. Back then, Ireland was not known as such, and "Flynn" and "the tinkers" had not yet appeared on the scene. Furthermore, anyone brought up in Ireland and knowing the lore and religious traditions surrounding Patrick learns that it was the lowly shamrock and not clover that he chose to illustrate the concept of the holy trinity to the natives. As for Queen Maeve (spelled Medb in earlier times), the woman would have blushed 40 shades of "mauve" at being so-named by our author. It is small but important matters like these that trip up the reader with any depth of knowledge of Irish tradition and history and makes the native cringe not too infrequently in reading an otherwise "tale worth telling."

Just picked this book up at a monastery book sale. While I suspect this is a self-published book, it's one of the best I've ever seen. Very few spelling errors interrupt the story line, though I agree that Queen Maeve's name being rendered as "Mauve" was something to giggle at. A word processor's "autocorrect", most likely.

I did find some of the matter a little graphically depicted, but I also know that

1. Those kind of things happened then
2. Some of the ritual ceremonies of the Druids were gross to even the Romans at the time, and would be particularly offensive to the Christians of the time
3. The scenes in question have more to do with how Patrick handles them as a newly practicing Christian - instead of letting them depress them, or join in the "fun", it's one more reason for him to feel these people need Christ, giving him his dream of converting the people that drives him through his life, and through this book.

The historical errors are very few in number. In general, the historical accuracy is excellent. I especially liked the "real" reason St. Patrick threw the snakes out of Ireland...the snakes were the Druid priests, who we know now wore embroidered Celtic knotwork snakes on the hems of their robes. Do keep in mind it IS a work of fiction.

I also liked the part in the book with his religious community helping to create the Lorica, or St. Patrick's Breastplate, in response to the Druidic chants. The story really drew me in, and I finished the book in one evening...I couldn't put it down.

I'd highly recommend this book. One caveat - I wouldn't recommend children read it because of some of the violent and sexual content, but a mature teen would be fine, with parents on hand to answer any questions that might come up.

I really felt I understood St. Patrick better after having read this book. I'd read other fiction that was about St. Patrick (The Last Rainbow in particular), and he always came out either like a total prig, or he jettisons the Faith for the pagan rites. Not a very noble man. Seeing what his childhood was like, and that he was not a nice man before becoming a slave made him feel real to me as he struggles with living his faith, even through major temptation.

Once I got into this story (it took a few chapters), I could not put the book down. Not only did it become a "page-turner" but it inspired me greatly to learn more about St. Patrick as well as connect with his human side. Highly recommended!

Stephanie Lavenia Swinnea did me a great favour in writing thisbook. As an enthusiastic researcher on Early Celtic (Irish) ChurchHistory and St. Patrick especially, I have always wished to be ableto reconstruct the time and society in which Patrick grew up andworked. Since resources are mainly limited to Patrick's writings mostof the details need an intelligent guess...

The book "IPatrick, a Sinner ... a tale worth telling" is a very goodreconstruction of how society and esp. Patrick's family and friendscould have been. Of course there are details where Swinea'sinterpretation of the few available facts differ from mine, but as anhistoric novel the book is very well researched, and a greatread.

This book gives a better insight in the faith and life ofSaint Patrick, his struggles with the corrupt (post-)Roman society -and shows us the man Patrick - a Sinner with a great God.

OscarWilde once wrote that we are all in the gutter, but some of us arelooking at the stars, Patrick knew better:"I was like a stoneLying in the deep mire; and He that is mighty came and in His mercylifted me up"

Ben Santin...

I highly recommend this novel - it's like an action story set in the past. I couldn't put it down, and it's also life changing- it made me think about what is most important to me. Check it out!

So many memorable characters! They'll stay with you, forever changing your view of the holiday and the special man for whom it is named.

This book needs to have a warning on the cover!! The mature reader is pulled into the story so totally that housework won't be done, meals won't be cooked and laundry will pile up!

I thoroughly enjoyed the emotional roller coaster ride as I travelled along with Patrick, eagerly awaiting his next breathtaking adventure.

It is very encouraging to read that God could use the life of such a man to help so many others. Patrick's life shows that ANYONE can be used by God....if you are "willing".

This truly is "a Story Worth Telling" and I'm glad the author followed her Calling. I encourage her to write more!