The Sword and the Flame

In some ways this book is the strongest of the trilogy and in some ways it's the weakest. The technical aspects of Lawhead's writing is noticeably improved over the first book, In the Hall of the Dragon King. However, the plot felt weaker than the other two books.

The story feels like a blend of King David and Job. I found it a bit difficult to identify with the characters. In some ways the characters behaved as they ought to have rather than how I imagine real people would have. That is with exception to Quentin whose journey seemed more realistic, still I had a hard time identifying with him. The story is not complex, but then I sometimes find a straight forward story...comfortable.

Once again, I have given the book four stars. This is influenced by the fact that this is a nostalgia read for me and this trilogy was a favorite when I was an early teenager. Also, this was a trilogy that brought fantasy into Christian publishing in the 80s without copying Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. Much has improved since then, but it seems to me Lawhead was a major influence. Without this considerations, these books would have received a three star rating. I would find these books disappointing if I had only read Lawhead's more recent work.