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The Princes of Ireland (Abridged): The Dublin Saga Audiobook
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Publisher Description
From the internationally bestselling author of London and Sarum -- a magnificent epic about love and war, family life and political intrigue in Ireland over the course of seventeen centuries. Like the novels of James Michener, The Princes of Ireland brilliantly interweaves engrossing fiction and well-researched fact to capture the essence of a place. Edward Rutherfurd has introduced millions of readers to the human dramas that are the lifeblood of history. From his first bestseller, Sarum, to the #1 bestseller 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 pre-Christian Ireland with a clever refashioning of the legend of Cuchulainn, and culminates in the dramatic founding of the Free Irish State in 1922. Through the interlocking stories of a wonderfully imagined cast of characters -- monks and noblemen, soldiers and rebels, craftswomen and writers -- Rutherfurd vividly conveys the personal passions and shared dreams that shaped the character of the country. He takes readers inside all the major events in Irish history: the reign of the fierce and mighty kings of Tara; the mission of Saint Patrick; the Viking invasion and the founding of Dublin; the trickery of Henry II, which gave England its foothold on the island in 1167; the plantations of the Tudors and the savagery of Cromwell; the flight of the “Wild Geese”; the failed rebellion of 1798; the Great Famine and the Easter Rebellion. With Rutherfurd’s well-crafted storytelling, readers witness the rise of the Fenians in the late nineteenth century, the splendours of the Irish cultural renaissance, and the bloody battles for Irish independence, as though experiencing their momentous impact firsthand. Tens of millions of North Americans claim Irish descent. Generations of people have been enchanted by Irish literature, and visitors flock to Dublin and its environs year after year. The Princes of Ireland will appeal to all of them -- and to anyone who relishes epic entertainment spun by a master.
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"I really recommend this book! I picked it because I will be traveling to Ireland soon, and wanted a basic background of the history there without having to read a dry history book. So I searched for good historical fiction on Ireland, and this was exactly what I was looking for. I felt like I have a good working background of their history (up to the point where this book stops and the next one picks up) and I really enjoyed the storylines as well. The one downside that you should be warned of is that in some ways it is like a bunch of short stories instead of one long story, so each time a new one starts you have to deal with the new book sensation of learning who the characters are before you get into it. I still loved it, but thought readers should be aware of this problem."
— Lisa (5 out of 5 stars)
The Princes of Ireland Listener Reviews
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Alessandro Cacciamani, 1/11/2023
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" My sister recommended this book and I am not sure it's easy to follow in Audiobook form. It jumps forward and the characters are hard to follow. I think I just need to relisten and maybe it will make more sense. "
— Marcie, 10/26/2019 -
" Though mildly interesting, I found this book disjointed and rambling. "
— Ann, 2/3/2014 -
" I was somewhat disappointed in this book. I had read Rutherfurd's earlier book "Sarum" which I classed amoung my top ten reads. The plotline seemed a bit contrived. "
— Craig, 1/30/2014 -
" This is a novel that is well researched. It is a very long account, passing down the generations from ancient Ireland to events in the early sixteenth century surrounding the revolt of Silken Thomas. The account focuses mainly on stories involving the characters created by Rutherfurd which blend in with the historical backdrops in which they find themselves. Although the novel is very long, it is very easy to read and Rutherfurd does not over-complicate the historical backdrop, although he could often do this. Fans of Ireland's history might feel that Rutherfurd held back a little bit when describing on Ireland's rich historical intricacies, but clearly this novel is aimed at the wider general public that might not appreciate these excessive details. However I am uncertain whether the wider general public would be interested in the events described in the novel which in my opinion would only appeal to fans of Irish history, so maybe certain historical details should have been described further by Rutherfurd. In short, I think that this novel should only be picked up by readers who are looking for a starting point to commence their understanding of the events that shaped Dublin up until the early modern period. "
— James, 1/26/2014 -
" Brings Irish history and its people to life. "
— Jdh, 1/23/2014 -
" It was OK. Broken into sections loosely tied together over time by ancestors. Starts strong and then steadily levels off to just good. "
— Joe, 12/23/2013 -
" This book was slightly different than Rutherfurd's other historical novels because the history of Ireland was in the foreground and the stories of the families were in the back ground. I prefer historical novels with the family stories in the foreground however I did enjoy it and am planing on reading the sequel "The Rebels of Ireland". "The Dublin Saga" starts in AD 430 and ends in AD 1538. It is very well written and is definately a book for historical aficionados. "
— Judi/Judith, 12/18/2013 -
" I have read London and Sarum by this author. I think this one ended rather abruptly, but in general, an informative, (fictional) family driven history. If you like one of Rutherfurd's histories, you will like the next one. "
— Ada, 12/17/2013 -
" Not as enjoyable as New York. Too disjointed with the family/history timelines. But looking forward to Rebels of Ireland. "
— Jen, 11/26/2013 -
" Interesting, but difficult to follow. "
— Evelyn, 11/25/2013 -
" Not Rutherford's best, but I thought it was a good story/saga which kept my interest up all through the various Irish peoples lives. "
— Rona, 11/25/2013 -
" I had to stop reading this 770 page book at page 464. The generations do tie together well. This more of a history of Ireland in fictional form than a novel. Have read other sweeping historical generation stories before and liked them but just coukld not get through this one. "
— Jackie, 11/17/2013 -
" LOVEd the beginning! The book kept jumping forward 100 years. It was the reader's job to figure out who characters were intertwined with one another. I was SO looking forward to reading this and put it down after 260 pages. :( "
— Maria, 10/15/2013 -
" Not as good as London. "
— Kathy, 10/7/2013 -
" I love Rutherfurd's historical novels. They always leave you wanting more. "
— Sbennett, 10/6/2013 -
" Read everything Rutherford has written - it is so educational and entertaining at the same time. "
— Roberta, 6/8/2013 -
" Really fabulous ......learned a lot about the history of dublin "
— Aris, 5/19/2013 -
" took quite a while to read "
— Devin, 5/10/2013 -
" Another fine piece of historical family saga, tracing the fortunes of Irishmen, vikings and Anglo-Irish over a thousand years. Each thread is novella length, creating a rather episodic nature but the episodes are of sufficient length to involve the reader. "
— Colin, 4/12/2013 -
" This is an amazing book! It is a fictional story with a heavy dose of actual historical events and people. A great way to learn and appreciate the history of Ireland and its' people. "
— Jenna, 3/30/2013 -
" Amazingly written, using actual people, places & events, tying them together throughout Ireland's history by fictional families and their stories from the time of Druids through King Henry VIII. "
— Laura, 3/25/2013 -
" A fantastic book which kept me awake until the middle of the night, unable to put it down. Very well researched and written, it is instructive as well as being a great novel. "
— Alex, 1/24/2013 -
" Excellent novel. Rutherfurd did a fabulous job of pulling in historical events and actual clans. He gave a vivid picture of what life in Ireland was like through the ages. I did not mind at all that the novel was over 1000 pages. I still did not want it to end. "
— Cathy, 1/8/2013 -
" Got totally hooked on Edward Rutherfurd with this book. Incredible way to learn the history of Ireland with great characters. "
— Kimberly, 8/20/2012
About Edward Rutherfurd
Edward Rutherfurd is one of the most renowned writers of historical fiction. He was born in Salisbury, England, christened in Salisbury Cathedral, and spent his early childhood in Salisbury Close. He was educated at Cambridge University and Stanford University in California. He has written several bestselling books, including Sarum, Russka, and London.
About John Keating
John Keating is an actor, voice talent, and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. His numerous acting credits include Roundabout Theatre’s production of Juno and the Paycock and La Mama ETC’s production of Cat and the Moon, as well as various parts with the Irish Repertory Theater and the Irish Arts Center. He can also be seen in the HBO miniseries John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney.