SummaryFrom 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.
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