The Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga

From Publishers Weekly
Distinctly evocative of James Michener's all-encompassing recapitulations of history, this lackluster saga by the author of bestselling London and, most recently, The Forest (2000), is the first of a projected two-volume series billed as the Dublin Saga. Rutherfurd begins his tale of the Emerald Isle in pre-Christian Ireland in A.D. 430 with a tragic romance between a maiden, Dierdre, and a Celtic warrior, Conall, hearkening to the legend of the mythic first-century Celtic hero, Cuchulainn. After Conall is offered up as a sacrifice to the Druid gods, the narrative jumps ahead 20 years to Pat Rick's (St. Patrick's) arrival in Ireland in A.D. 450 and his establishment of a small Christian toehold at Dubh Linn. Five centuries later, the Vikings make their mark, and Rutherfurd skips ahead with chronicles of the monastery at Glendalough, the Book of Kells and the death of Brian Boru (founder of the O'Brians) with his Pyrrhic victory over the high king of Tara in 1014. A retelling of King Henry II's arrival in Ireland in 1171 is followed by a cursory account of the reformation of the Irish Church at the Council of Cashel and the story of an obscure 1370 skirmish at Carrickmines Castle (a minor landmark presently doomed to make room for a highway). Rutherfurd sets the last of his ill-connected and artificial sketches in 1537, with Henry VIII hanging Silken Thomas, and Dublin poised at the dawn of the Renaissance. Readers who persevere will glean plenty of historical detail from these pages, but Rutherfurd's uninspiring storytelling makes the journey a slog. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From AudioFile
As in his earlier sagas, SARUM and LONDON, Rutherford evokes the history of a time and place by writing interlocking stories of individual men and women and their descendants over many years. The history of Ireland takes shape as Rutherford details the stories of Irish people from the dawn of time through the reign of Henry VIII. It's a pleasure to listen to John Keating as he narrates the complex story line and creates believable voices for the many characters Rutherford weaves together in this tapestry of Irish history. While the abridgment is well done, the editing leaves something to be desired--the lack of breaks between scenes can be disorienting. J.D.P © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Historical fiction fans can settle in for a long, cozy read asRutherfurd conducts a spellbinding tour of ancient Ireland. Employingthe chatty style he perfected in his best-selling novels Sarum(1987) and London (1997), he covers 17 centuries of Irishhistory, beginning in pre-Christian Ireland and culminating in themid-sixteenth century. From the passionate tale of Conall andDeirdre--a reworking of the celebrated Cuchulainn legend--to thedesecration of Irish Catholic churches and shrines during the reign ofHenry VIII, the history of this island nation is viewed through akaleidoscope of interwoven historical and fictional characters caughtup in all the pageantry and drama of their particular time and placein history. The real focal point of this sprawling saga is, however,the city of Dublin itself. The first installment in a two-part serieson the origins and evolution of one of the world's most venerableurban centers, the narrative is distinguished by the panoramicportrait it paints of Dublin through the ages. Like James Michener andLeon Uris, Rutherfurd does a magnificent job of packaging a cracklinggood yarn within a digestible overview of complex historicalcircumstances and events. After devouring this initial volume, readerswill eagerly anticipate the publication of the conclusion of thepage-turning Dublin Saga. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review

London
“Remarkable . . . Grand.”
—New York Times

“Hold your breath suspense, buccaneering adventure, and passionate tales of love and war.”
—The Times (London)

“Fascinating . . . A sprawling epic.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“A tour de force . . . Breathtaking.”
—Orlando Sentinel

“Rutherfurd is a skilled storyteller with respect for his readers . . . He juggles his immense cast with great poise and momentum . . . No tourist will look at the ancient but chaotic city [of London] through quite the same eyes after following its history through two millennia.”
—Washington Post Book World

Sarum
“Bursts with action, encyclopedic in historic detail . . . supremely well crafted and a delight to read.”
—Chicago Tribune

“A richly imagined vision of history, written with genuine delight.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

Russka
“An example of how a skillful historical novelist can illumine the present by dramatically re-creating the past.”
—Houston Chronicle

“Rutherfurd literally personifies history.”
—New York Daily News


The Forest
“As entertaining as Sarum and Rutherfurd’s other sweeping novel of British history, London.”
—Boston Globe

“The Forest is Michener told with an English accent.”
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch



Review

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"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 down 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 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.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Distinctly evocative of James Michener's all-encompassing recapitulations of history, this lackluster saga by the author of bestselling London and, most recently, The Forest (2000), is the first of a projected two-volume series billed as the Dublin Saga. Rutherfurd begins his tale of the Emerald Isle in pre-Christian Ireland in A.D. 430 with a tragic romance between a maiden, Dierdre, and a Celtic warrior, Conall, hearkening to the legend of the mythic first-century Celtic hero, Cuchulainn. After Conall is offered up as a sacrifice to the Druid gods, the narrative jumps ahead 20 years to Pat Rick's (St. Patrick's) arrival in Ireland in A.D. 450 and his establishment of a small Christian toehold at Dubh Linn. Five centuries later, the Vikings make their mark, and Rutherfurd skips ahead with chronicles of the monastery at Glendalough, the Book of Kells and the death of Brian Boru (founder of the O'Brians) with his Pyrrhic victory over the high king of Tara in 1014. A retelling of King Henry II's arrival in Ireland in 1171 is followed by a cursory account of the reformation of the Irish Church at the Council of Cashel and the story of an obscure 1370 skirmish at Carrickmines Castle (a minor landmark presently doomed to make room for a highway). Rutherfurd sets the last of his ill-connected and artificial sketches in 1537, with Henry VIII hanging Silken Thomas, and Dublin poised at the dawn of the Renaissance. Readers who persevere will glean plenty of historical detail from these pages, but Rutherfurd's uninspiring storytelling makes the journey a slog. (Mar. 2) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Beginning in the tribal, pre-Christian times of the warrior kings at Tara, this first book in a two-part novelized history of Ireland sweeps readers through the early centuries of Druids, chieftains, monks, Vikings, noblemen, merchants, and mercenaries, ending with the disastrous invasion of England that tragically changed the course of Irish history. Through the eyes of the men and women who built the mighty city that became Dublin, the unfolding of a colorful and turbulent history is told with energy and a meticulous attention to historical detail. As he did so vividly in his previous historical novels (e.g., Sarum), Rutherfurd captures the energy, beauty, and passion that are so much a part of the Irish experience. He is a marvelous storyteller, and readers will anticipate the second book. Like James Michener, Rutherfurd has found the key to crafting sweeping historical sagas with vitality and flair. Highly recommended. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/03.]-Susan Clifford Braun, Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile

As in his earlier sagas, SARUM and LONDON, Rutherford evokes the history of a time and place by writing interlocking stories of individual men and women and their descendants over many years. The history of Ireland takes shape as Rutherford details the stories of Irish people from the dawn of time through the reign of Henry VIII. It's a pleasure to listen to John Keating as he narrates the complex story line and creates believable voices for the many characters Rutherford weaves together in this tapestry of Irish history. While the abridgment is well done, the editing leaves something to be desired—the lack of breaks between scenes can be disorienting. J.D.P © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews