There has always been a fine line between fiction about historical times, about mythology and fantasy. Stephen Lawhead's previous works all seem to inhabit a Celtic twilight that is part-myth, part history. With his new trilogy, 'The Celtic Crusades', of which The Iron Lance is the first volume, Lawhead seems to be moving more firmly into historical fiction, specifically the time of the Crusades. That's fine by me, as I like a good, well-worked out historical fiction.
Trouble is, The Iron Lance seems to want to be rather too many things.
I'm not sure. I certainly found myself inclined to skip through the book, rather than endure too much of Lawhead's impressive but rather turgid detailing. Wonderfully researched, I'm sure, but Lawhead seems to want to use every note he's ever made. The dialogue, in particular, is rather heavy going, leaden and with little character. Would that Lawhead could write as well as he can research, for then this book would be that much easier to read and to like.