Brendan

Reviewer rating: 

4

Pros: 

An Ethereal Passage through the mists

Cons: 

An Ethereal Passage through the mists

It took me quite a few days to read this book, but despite the slow going, it was well worth my time. This is what I left on Amazon:

To Lie with Lions: The House of Niccolo 6

Reviewer rating: 

5

Pros: 

Sweeping saga. Detailed research brings the period to life. Keeps you guessing.

Cons: 

Easy to lose track of the myriad of characters - some have several names and titles It takes a while to slip into the different points of view, especially at the start.

To Lie with Lions by Dorothy Dunnett is not a book for the fainthearted. You need muscles to lift 626 pages and that’s not including the map of Europe and the Levant in 1471, plus the map of the British Isles (before they were Britain) and the map of Iceland. Oh yes, and the seven pages listing all the characters, most of whom are real historical figures.

The lions of the title are Charles of Burgundy, Louis of France, James III of Scotland and the Zacco, king of Cyprus. Spinning his web between them is the fictitious main character, Nicholas de Fleury.

Trinity

Reviewer rating: 

5

Pros: 

Mr. Uris added close, personal characters to the usual historic mix in the lead-up to Irish Independence and the basis for the Troubles in Ulster. They brought an immediacy to the issues that I've never read before and I've read a great deal about these issues. I'm going to recommend this book to my grandsons -- Irish on both sides -- so they will have a more immediate understanding of what went before. I was surprised and delighted throughout. It was a very moving read. One of the best books I've ever picked up in the genre.

Cons: 

It is over 800 pages long, and not very conciliatory to the British Colonial perspective. If you think it's a shame that Ireland ever gained their independence, or believe that Britain did more good there than crushing evil... you shouldn't read this book.

Leon Uris died a few years back in his home on Shelter Island, only a few miles from my NY home.  This book made me want to visit it. I knew of his body of work and had read Exodus when I was in High School, but I really had no idea of the level he could achieve. Trinity, I found out, through an Amazon chat room, is perfect for any student of Irish history who still doesn't really understand the "troubles". I thought I did, but Trinity revealed an avalanche of detail, especially regarding the business reasons behind much of the last days of colonialism.

Green Dolphin Country (Coronet Books)

Reviewer rating: 

4

Pros: 

Deep character development. Sweeping saga. Varied pace.

Cons: 

Some overly detailed description. Takes a while to get going.

I bought this in an antique shop because I recognised the name, looked it up and discovered Elizabeth Goudge wrote The Little White Horse that J.K. Rowland mentions.

Bard: the Odyssey of the Irish (Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn)

Reviewer rating: 

4

Pros: 

Detail. Authenticity. Voice. Story. Characters.

Cons: 

Detail. It's not something for readers of fast-paced, urban fiction. A basic ability with Irish Gaelic pronunciations is a plus.

If you are a reader who enjoys tales of pre-Christian Celtic tradition, especially if you're also of Irish ancestry, this book should be a must-read. It tells the story of the conquest of Ireland by the Milesian Gaelic clans of what is now Galicia, in Spain. It is told in a very bard-ish voice that draws the reader into the tale to the point where you can hear the battle shouts and the ringing of the iron blades. Smell the cattle and the salt air.