Content levels
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Slave, soldier, lover, hero, saint, — his life mirrored the cataclysmic world into which he was born. His memory will outlast the ages. Born of a noble Welsh family, he is violently torn from his home by Irish raiders at age sixteen and sold as a slave to a brutal wilderness king. Rescued by the king's druids from almost certain death, he learns the arts of healing and song, and the mystical ways of a secretive order whose teachings tantalize with hints at a deeper wisdom. Yet young Succat Morgannwg cannot rest until he sheds the strangling yoke of slavery and returns to his homeland across the sea. He pursues his dream of freedom through horrific war and shattering tragedy — through great love and greater loss — from a dying, decimated Wales to the bloody battlefields of Gaul to the fading majesty of Rome. And in the twilight of a once-supreme empire, he is transformed yet again by divine hand and a passionate vision of "truth against the world," accepting the name that will one day become legend...Patricius!
Is Patrick appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
Contains strong violence including raids, warfare, and slavery depicted in historical context. Features mature themes of captivity, loss, and spiritual transformation suitable for older teens and adults.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include slavery, kidnapping, death, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens who enjoy historical adventures with deep character journeys will appreciate this epic tale of survival and transformation.