Sharon

I learned a lot about the roots of Catholic/Protestant issues from this series - a FAR more complex confrontation than I'd imagined, with roots dating back to the 12th century. Carrying the family lines from "Princes of Ireland" helps tie it all together. The results of the inevitable intermarriages are at times heartbreaking. But there are incidents that made me chuckle as well. At times I found myself wishing that some chapters could have been longer; it wouldn't be hard to extend some of the periods into a book of their own.
Rutherford spins an excellent yarn.

The narrator deserves kudos as well - his wide range of intonations, inflections and accents bring the story to life. I want to listen to every book that he has read!

My husband was glad when I finished the books, as he had a hard time getting my attention while I had the headphones on...

DO read "The Princes of Ireland" before starting the Rebels - it will explain references in this book, and make the experience so much richer.

Engaging, honest, excellent

I have always enjoyed watching the author, in movies and tv, and found his writing to be open and honest through good times and bad. His story is well-told, and his narration left me feeling as though we were neighbors.

I was driving from coast to coast and listened to this book straight through. I was so sorry when it ended, as it had thoroughly captivated me from page one. Now my challenge is to find something equally good for the return trip...

LOVED the book - the author takes his basic cast of characters from the time of the druids and follows them through the centuries that follow. The influences brought by successive conquests/invasions are woven skillfully into the lineage, and specific traits repeat in generations to follow.

The narrator is equally accomplished - he carries the various voices extraordinarily well through the combination of inflection and accent.

Imagine an almost-60 woman shopping for groceries with headphones on, oblivious to the world. That was me, and while there were MANY quizzical looks, I just couldn't turn the story off. Heck, the teens do it all the time, why not me?

I'm already well into the sequel, and loving it also.