The Princes of Ireland, Edward Rutherfurd
The Princes of Ireland, Edward Rutherfurd
2 Rating(s)
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The Princes of Ireland
The Dublin Saga

Author: Edward Rutherfurd

Narrator: Richard Matthews

Unabridged: 26 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/16/2003


Synopsis

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.

About The Author

EDWARD RUTHERFURD was born in Salisbury, England, and educated at CambridgeUniversity and Stanford University in California. His first bestselling novel, Sarum, is based on the history of Salisbury and Stonehenge. Russka, his second novel, recounted the sweeping history of Russia. London tells the two-thousand-year story of the great city, bringing all of the richness of London’s past unforgettably to life. His last novel, The Forest, was set in England’s ancient New Forest. A former resident of London and New York City, Edward Rutherfurd has had a home in Dublin for more than ten years. He has two children.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jaline on June 09, 2018

From Edward Rutherfurd’s website: Q. You have said in interviews in the past that you refuse to cheat on history. What do you mean by that? A. My fictional characters are free to follow their personal destinies; but I never alter the historical record just to suit my convenience, or my prejudices. Nov......more

Goodreads review by Jehan on June 19, 2007

Ok, so I have to preface this review by admiting that I did my studies in Irish history so I'm bound to be a bit biased. Having said that, reading this book was like reviewing years worth of notes but compressed in an extremely enjoyable one thousand pages (ok, maybe compressed isn't the right word)......more

Goodreads review by Gary on January 23, 2019

Edward Rutherford has proved with such novels as Russka , Sarum , London and The Forest , that he is a great historical novelist in the mould of James Michener. In this wseeping saga of Ireland , we are taken from the eloping and flight of the striking Deirdre and her lover , Conall in 430 to the des......more

Goodreads review by Gary on December 01, 2020

Edward Rutherford has proved with such novels as Russka , Sarum , London and The Forest , that he is a great historical novelist in the mould of James Michener. In this wseeping saga of Ireland , we are taken from the eloping and flight of the striking Deirdre and her lover , Conall in 430 to the des......more


Quotes

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