Book Review
TITLE: THE PRINCES OF IRELAND - The Dublin Saga
by Edward Rutherfurd
PUBLISHER NOTES:
From the bestselling author of LONDON and SARUM - a magnificent epic about love
and battle, family life and political intrigue in Ireland over the course of
eleven centuries. THE PRINCES OF IRELAND brilliantly weaves impeccable
historical research and mesmerizing storytelling in capturing the essence of a
place and its people.
Edward Rutherfurd has introduced millions of readers to the human dramas that
are the lifeblood of history. From his first bestseller, SARUM, to the
international sensation LONDON, he has captivated audiences with gripping
narratives that follow the fortunes of several fictional families down through
the ages. THE PRINCES OF IRELAND, a sweeping panorama steeped in the tragedy and
glory that is Ireland, epitomizes the power and richness of Rutherfurd's
storytelling magic.
The saga begins in tribal, pre-Christian Ireland during the reign of the fierce
and mighty High Kings at Tara, with the tale of two lovers, the princely Conall
and the ravishing Deirdre, whose travails cleverly echo the ancient Celtic
legend of Cuchulainn. From that stirring beginning, Rutherfurd takes the reader
on a powerfully-imagined journey through the centuries. Through the interlocking
stories of a memorable cast of characters - druids and chieftains, monks and
smugglers, noblewomen and farmwives, merchants and mercenaries, rebels and
cowards - we see Ireland through the lens of its greatest city.
While vividly and movingly conveying the passions and struggles that shaped the
character of Dublin, Rutherfurd portrays the major events in Irish history: The
tribal culture of pagan Ireland; the mission of St. Patrick; the coming of the
Vikings and the founding of Dublin; the glories of the great nearby monastery of
Glendalough and the making of treasures like the Book of Kells; the
extraordinary career of Brian Boru; the trickery of Henry II, which gave England
its first foothold in Medieval Ireland. The stage is then set for the great
conflict between the English kings and the princes of Ireland, and the
disastrous Irish invasion of England, which incurred the wrath of Henry VIII and
where this book, the first of the two part Dublin Saga, draws to a close, as the
path of Irish history takes a dramatic and irrevocable turn.
Rich, colorful and impeccably researched, THE PRINCES OF IRELAND is epic
entertainment spun by a master.
Capital Celtic REVIEW:
Stepping into Dubh Linn, the reader of
The Princes of
Ireland: The Dublin Saga is swept into a setting of time and place that sound
remotely recognizable but a part of the far distant past.
Edward Rutherfurd assists the reader in imagining the pre-history of the Dublin
area and people, the development of Dubh Linn as an important port and
eventually city in the nation of Ireland.
The people of note - the Fergus family, the O’Byrnes, the MacGowans and others –
take on a form and substance that intertwines the fanciful with history.
To see the development of relationships between the old families and the
unveiling of Irish history is a delight! Anyone interested in Ireland and Irish
history will find himself entertained by this saga.
Order Online at Amazon - CLICK HERE.
Review by: Joy Healy
Published: Capital Celtic Network
Year Written: 2004
