Princes of Ireland

The Dublin Saga

By: Edward Rutherfurd

Narrated by: Richard Matthews

Length: 26 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

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 listener 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; and 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.

©2004 Edward Rutherfurd (P)2004 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"A tour de force....Breathtaking." (Orlando Sentinel)

"Rutherfurd literally personifies history." (New York Daily News)

"A richly imagined vision of history, written with genuine delight." (San Francisco Chronicle)

A great way to learn Ireland's history

Although this is a lengthy audiobook, I found it to be interesting and captivating. The use of fictional characters within the context of historical events was well-suited to this material. The narrator was excellent and easy to listen to, even for such a long time. When I finished, I wished the story had continued as I certainly would have continued listening. The story is well detailed with vibrant characters and settings that are richly described. Truly a fascinating read.

This is a book that stands well alone

You don't need to read The Rebels of Ireland. As a matter of fact I think this book is great all by itself. It was written first and gives a little background to the history of the Rebels but I think this one is the better book.

The characters are well drawn, the story is epic and the narration is very well done. If you like your history lived, then Edward Rutherford allows this.

it's an OK story with great historical value

this book gives you great look into Irish history over a long. Of time and it seems to be done pretty accurately

Great fictional history

Tales told of a people long since gone, rooted in recorded history. Tales connected by the thread of ancestry, just as we are all surely and undeniably connected to past generations. Mr. Rutherfurd's gift of weaving tangible human sentiment with well conceived plot lines is remarkable, and it makes for an unforgettable listen. As to the narrator, I have listened to a number of recordings by Mr. Matthews and he is truly one of the best, in a class with Simon Vance.

Mini-Stories in one

The author is very talented and I love the fact that this book is so historically accurate but it just wasn't for me. I felt that the story took place over too long of a time period so I never could get to really know the characters since they kept changing. The novel read like a stream of connected stories and I would have liked to hear much more about each individual "story line."

well told anthology

great detail was given and a lot of interesting historical side notes. It's like a very interesting family saga

Very pleased

An entertaining blend of history and fiction

A wonderful historical fiction of Ireland

Fully enjoyed this trip in ancient Ireland. I highly recommend it!
The performance is we done and Rutherford has done a fantastic job in creating this entertaining narrative.

Breathtaking

From the start I could not put it down. I looked for excuses to sit in rush hour traffic to get a chance to listen to more. The narration is perfect, and the story is incredible. I enjoyed Rutherfurd's style more than anything. His narrative is beautiful but also direct and clear. I can't wait for more of this author's books to be available in digital audio.

great Irish story

good story. I feel that I learned a lot about the probable history of Dublin in an interesting and entertaining way