The 13th Apostle

A Novel of a Dublin Family, Michael Collins, and the Irish Uprising

By: Dermot McEvoy

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

The story - both romantic and terrifying - of how a handful of men, armed with nothing more than handguns and guts, forced the greatest nation in the world from their shores.

On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, the first great revolution of the twentieth century began as working-class men and women occupied buildings throughout Dublin, Ireland, including the general post office on O’Connell Street. Among the commoners in the GPO was a young staff captain of the Irish Volunteers named Michael Collins. He was joined a day later by a fourteen-year-old messenger boy, Eoin Kavanagh. Four days later they would all surrender, but they had struck the match that would burn Great Britain out of Ireland for the first time in seven hundred years.

The 13th Apostle is the reimagined story of how Michael Collins, along with his young acolyte Eoin, transformed Ireland from a colony into a nation. Collins’s secret weapon was his intelligence system and his assassination squad, nicknamed “The Twelve Apostles.” On November 21, 1920, the squad - with its thirteenth member, young Eoin - assassinated the entire British Secret Service in Dublin. Twelve months and sixteen days later, Collins signed the Treaty at 10 Downing Street, which brought into being what is, today, the Republic of Ireland.

An epic novel in the tradition of Thomas Flanagan’s The Year of the French and Leon Uris’s Trinity, The 13th Apostle is a story that will capture the imagination and hearts of freedom-loving readers everywhere.

©2014 Dermot McEvoy (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Enjoyed the history, not the bad sex

What did you love best about The 13th Apostle?

Great view into the "everyday rebel" in 1916-1922

Who was your favorite character and why?

Michael Collins-great personification of a historical figure, showed strengths, flaws and difficult choices before the young revolutionary

What about John Keating’s performance did you like?

Great Irish Accent. had a good distinction between characters

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Man enough to admit I was fighting tears at the death of Mic Collins even though I very well knew it was coming

Any additional comments?

Really enjoyed the book, agree with other reviewers that the modern-day story was completely and entirely unnecessary. The author also has no experience or reason to describe sex...my 14 year old self could have done a better job on those parts. I recommend skipping as many "sex" scenes as possible.

Uneven

Very good in parts, but others were extremely tiresome - especially the characters of Johnny 3 and Diane.

Let me know when it's 1919 again

As other reviewers mentioned, the historical element of the book (which is happily the vast majority of it) is great--exciting, accurate as far as I could tell, and with interesting personalities. But I found Johnny and Diane, our modern day narrators, to be insufferable--when not making bizarre non-sequitur sexual innuendos, they're over-explaining what was just read as if it were a Wishbone episode, with inane questions from Diane and smug responses from Johnny.
However, the historical narrative is compelling enough and the reader is engaging enough that I did like it, overall. I knew very little about Ireland's journey from rising to civil war before, and now I feel as if I had been there, which is in the end all I want from a historical fiction novel!

Almost did not buy this book but glad I did

Could have left out the whole Grandson Johnny sections. Did not add to the story but distracting and ruined the flow of the story. Felt like I was there running through the streets of Dublin with Michael Collins.

Enjoyable lesson in Irish history

I got this book, in part, to brush up on some Irish history before a trip there. This book definitely fit the bill in that respect. When I saw some of Michael Collins' possessions at the Kilmainham Gaol prison museum in Dublin, they really resonated for me. Thoroughly enjoyable book...although like others said, I could've done without the modern day component.

The Irish "War and Remembrance"!

A well-woven tale of those times and the narrator was stellar! I would highly recommend it.

Great intro to Michael Collins!

I LOVED THIS STORY!
Mr. McEvoy created a wonderful story that I was so sorry to end!

Well worth your time!

entertaining and informative

The story is fun and engaging. It also describes a very interesting period in Irish history. The narrator does an excellent job.

A Must read

Would you consider the audio edition of The 13th Apostle to be better than the print version?

With this narrator definitely.

What does John Keating bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, both.

Any additional comments?

If you're interested in Michael Collins and the uprising, this is the book to read.

Fabulous historical fiction!

What a great way to learn history. McEvoy takes you through the twists and turns of the turbulent birth of a nation with ease, strong personalization and rich historical details. It's a long 'read/listen' but well worth immersing yourself in to live history through the lives of those who made it. Young Owen may be the fictitious springboard but he lives along side the reader making you feel as if you are a brother/sister in arms.

absolute twaddle!

this is an awful story, all this book is, is an Americans wet dream of what it was like to live in revolutionary Ireland. it's full of rubbish about Irish culture and life that is insulting to the entire history of Ireland. also the michael Collins portrayal is God like, the man was a good man but he wasn't a bloody saint! all in all this book is full of rubbish and inaccuracy, and incredibly badly written.

Mixed feelings

A lot of the 1916 story I found interesting but I couldn't stand the modern narrative between the grandson and his wife, it really distracted from the story.

Really enjoyed it..

I agree with some of the other reviews.. the modern day tale doesn’t serve much purpose and I found the political references confusing to listen to (not being familiar with American politics). The story of Ireland, however, was fantastic and well worth a listen. Even if it did take me a good few hours to get over the frustration of the narrators Cork accent (not great!!)

1916- 2016 a rare story

Loved it, "a drink is as good as a payer".
An excellent insight into a tumultuous period in history.

Story of a true Irish man.

Fantastic representation of a true Irish hero and his friend and mentor. Great tale of Irish history.

Gripping and sensitive

If you bought this as a historical reference book, although informative it’s not the right book.
If you wanted to know about Ireland during the rising and it’s people and be enthralled by a great story that leaves anyone with a drop of Irish blood feeling patriotic and misty eyed it’s perfect

A great story well told

brilliant story will make you laugh out loud

brilliant story will make you laugh out loud as it takes you on emotional roller coaster

Disappointing

This story heaps on all the common misconceptions of Irish people,very cliched narrative with a clear eye to an American audience. Avoid

The BEST

This is one of the best books I have read/listened to, not only for the storyline but the historical events and the understanding of how the characters were involved in the events. I would highly recommend

Excellent Read

Well worth purchasing have listened and relistened to it several times Characters are brought to life through the excellent wroting of mr mc evoy Now in my top 5 books