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Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn #3
Red Branch
In a land ruled by war and love and strange enchantments, Cuchulain -- torn between gentleness and violence, haunted by the croakings of a sinister raven -- fights for his honor and his homeland and discovers too late the trap that the gods have set for him in the fatal beauty of Deirdre and the brutal jealousy of King Conor.
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First published February 1, 1989
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About the author
Morgan Llywelyn
77 books994 followersMorgan Llywelyn (born 1937) is an American-born Irish author best known for her historical fantasy, historical fiction, and historical non-fiction. Her fiction has received several awards and has sold more than 40 million copies, and she herself is recipient of the 1999 Exceptional Celtic Woman of the Year Award from Celtic Women International.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 21, 2012
Cuchulain, another sad, brave figure (Irish history and folklore are full of them). The legend of Cuchulain has come down through time, history and folklore as tale of courage and tragedy.
Son of prophecy he will defend in single handed battle....and die young. Cuchulain victim of his own vow, killer of his own son and (at times) a berserk(er) warrior.
If you're interested look up the cattle raid of Cooley. Again, folklore and history get badly entwined here along with the mythology. But it's a great and touching story. As I think I've mentioned before, I like heroes. The ones who are actually "heroic", clay feet not withstanding.
This book does a fine job of taking many figures from folklore (Maeve of Connaugt, Deirdre, Skye...Cuchullain himself) the stories themselves, placing them into a sort of magically influenced historical fiction and making the entire thing work. The story may not be the neatest construction ever put together but it is a story with a kind of working logical progression. It's readable, absorbing and good.
If you care to think about it (it seems to me) you'll see more than a passing resemblance to some of America's western folklore here. There is a lot of the culture shown here that made it's way to our side of the Atlantic back when the nation was coming into being. There are in many ways more than a few passing resemblances to the "hero who arrives from nowhere and rides away (or dies) after he does what is needed". Look deeper and you'll see a resemblance to a lot of heroic folklore.
This one is very close to a 5 star. We can't give 4.5 so...4.
Son of prophecy he will defend in single handed battle....and die young. Cuchulain victim of his own vow, killer of his own son and (at times) a berserk(er) warrior.
If you're interested look up the cattle raid of Cooley. Again, folklore and history get badly entwined here along with the mythology. But it's a great and touching story. As I think I've mentioned before, I like heroes. The ones who are actually "heroic", clay feet not withstanding.
This book does a fine job of taking many figures from folklore (Maeve of Connaugt, Deirdre, Skye...Cuchullain himself) the stories themselves, placing them into a sort of magically influenced historical fiction and making the entire thing work. The story may not be the neatest construction ever put together but it is a story with a kind of working logical progression. It's readable, absorbing and good.
If you care to think about it (it seems to me) you'll see more than a passing resemblance to some of America's western folklore here. There is a lot of the culture shown here that made it's way to our side of the Atlantic back when the nation was coming into being. There are in many ways more than a few passing resemblances to the "hero who arrives from nowhere and rides away (or dies) after he does what is needed". Look deeper and you'll see a resemblance to a lot of heroic folklore.
This one is very close to a 5 star. We can't give 4.5 so...4.
December 12, 2008
Re-telling of the tales of the mythical Irish hero Cuchulain. Historical fiction, except its myths not history being re-wrote. This book kept me captivated from beginning to end, I don't know if I've ever got through a 500 page book as fast I got through this one.
January 1, 2017
The way I read has changed dramatically from when I was a teenager and child. Our house was packed with books, and I read a lot, but mostly, I reread the books we had over and over again. I didn't go after new books with an acquisitive air, adding to my repertoire only occasionally. Don't get me wrong, I read a lot. But a lot of that was rereading.
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
March 13, 2024
I'm lucky to have found a used copy of this novel because it's currently out of print (though I hope the publisher releases it again like her other books). I read this for March 2024's Irish Readathon. Morgan's my favorite author, so I couldn't NOT read this classic.
Check out my in-depth review and discussion video on my channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXgWu...
Check out my in-depth review and discussion video on my channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXgWu...
November 13, 2008
One of the best books I've read this year and, of course, I choose to believe that it really happened! Myth, legend, romance, war, magic, and the stories of Ireland. What more could you ask from a book?
February 25, 2008
Oh, I loved this book! I think about it all the time to this day. I learned a lot about Irish history and about places in Ireland from this book. I gained a love for all things Irish and Celtic which has never left me. The hero of the story is fantastic.
October 19, 2021
Red Branch is a skillful re-telling of the life of the mythic hero known as “the Hound of Cullen,” his family, friends, and foes. The tales are set in the first century BC in Northern Ireland and form part of the Ulster Cycle. The stories depict a country with no effective central authority; warlike, pagan, and rustic. Wealth is measured primarily in cattle and sheep, but precious stones and better weapons are also highly prized.
What is remarkable in this narrative is the author’s skill in creating a believable world, while still being faithful (in so far as is possible) to what is known of the culture that actually existed. Although the characters are living, breathing human beings, the author has carefully not superimposed modern attitudes and mores on these ancient people. For those unfamiliar with Old and Middle Irish, this is a highly accessible translation that does an admirable job of giving readers a peek at life in Bronze Age Ulster.
What is remarkable in this narrative is the author’s skill in creating a believable world, while still being faithful (in so far as is possible) to what is known of the culture that actually existed. Although the characters are living, breathing human beings, the author has carefully not superimposed modern attitudes and mores on these ancient people. For those unfamiliar with Old and Middle Irish, this is a highly accessible translation that does an admirable job of giving readers a peek at life in Bronze Age Ulster.
November 20, 2017
“Magic is a talent carried in the blood and the spirit, but conversely, all those abilities that humans call talents are really forms of magic. Poetry and healing and making music are simply observable expressions of the creative force that is magic.
One with a talent for magic can sense others so gifted, even if he or she never recognizes the common thread uniting them. Sometimes the awareness comes strongly; sometimes it departs unexpectedly, leaving a haze in the memory. Yet each of you has encountered magic somewhere, sometime.
Do you remember?”
One with a talent for magic can sense others so gifted, even if he or she never recognizes the common thread uniting them. Sometimes the awareness comes strongly; sometimes it departs unexpectedly, leaving a haze in the memory. Yet each of you has encountered magic somewhere, sometime.
Do you remember?”
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September 2, 2008I think Morgan did a great job piecing together the scrolls and story of a number of stories of cuchulainn, into a seamless tale of a tragic hero.
February 4, 2018
A fun Irish hero story. Not terribly realistic or literary, but a fun read nevertheless. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon than this.
December 6, 2015
Vivid and well-described. The author makes the fantastical elements of the story believable.
August 13, 2016
The majority of this book gets a 5-star rating from me. The last 50 pages get a 3-star rating: read on to see what I mean. I have tried to keep this spoiler free, but there are mentions of some plot points, using as general terms as possible.
What Llywelyn does so incredibly well in this text is twofold. Firstly, she has a knack for turning a phrase that is keener than any I've encountered in recent memory. Here you won't find the ongoing, extensive, paragraphs-long passages of "literary" beauty seen in novels deemed "classics." What you will find are scattered but affective sentences: "... she brought joy into the shadowed hall and garlanded its walls with laughter" or "Ravaged by battle cries, his voice rasped in his throat, but he continued until it was only a whisper of grief." You won't be dumbstruck by any grand revelations; you will find yourself pausing, pointing, and saying aloud "That's a good line right there." The prose is fairly simple, but oh is it enjoyable.
Secondly, Llywelyn is, in my measure of this novel, an expert at converting the directness and flatness of mythology into a living, breathing world, particularly when it comes to characterization. I picked up 'Red Branch' for the sole purpose of reading a more stylistically enjoyable and descriptive version of the Ulster cycle myths with which I'd fallen in love. Cuchulain, our protagonist and my favorite mythological character, is given the appropriate depth and mental complexity denied to him by the mythological writing style. And Llywelyn finally does justice for Emer, voicing the feminine perspective severely lacking in the original legends and showcasing just how crucial a role she plays in the overall context of the Ulster cycle. The mutual romance of Cuchulain and Emer is also a refreshing change of pace for anyone completely fed up with mythological pairings involving Olympians changing into swans to rape human women (bad Zeus-- naughty, naughty Zeus!); the sex does read like Harlequin romance, but it's no '50 Shades...' by any means. But Llywelyn's true triumph is handling the central antagonist, Maeve, in all of her ferocious glory. It boils down to the fact that, as a reader, I both loved and hated Maeve for all the right and wrong reasons, all at once. When it comes to an antagonist, that's the kind of perspective you want to achieve -- and Llwelyn nails it.
This was so painfully close to being a perfect read for me, but there are two major problems that beat my enjoyment of it down at the last minute. Firstly, Llwelyn chooses to truncate Maeve's role in the climactic battle of the third act (by comparison to the myth on which it is based) in favor of concluding that individual story arc more succinctly; considering how well-developed she is throughout the text, this feels like a disservice to her character. I feel Llwelyn missed the mark on that conversion. Ultimately, that problem merges into my other major issue with the text. While there are some pacing issues (moving too quickly, not too slowly) throughout, they're usually so minor as to be negligible. But pacing really becomes an issue in what is effectively the epilogue. Had Llwelyn cut the last four chapters, ending at the last sentence of page 436, it would have ended perfectly. Instead, she chooses to condense about a dozen years of plot into the last fifty pages in a move that feels shockingly rushed, so much so that I was taken aback.
Regardless, I got a lot of enjoyment out of this book, and I would highly recommend it to any fantasy or historical fiction fan, especially someone who hasn't read the original myths. This is a great route into Irish legend and a fun read that holds your interest throughout: A+ in my book.
What Llywelyn does so incredibly well in this text is twofold. Firstly, she has a knack for turning a phrase that is keener than any I've encountered in recent memory. Here you won't find the ongoing, extensive, paragraphs-long passages of "literary" beauty seen in novels deemed "classics." What you will find are scattered but affective sentences: "... she brought joy into the shadowed hall and garlanded its walls with laughter" or "Ravaged by battle cries, his voice rasped in his throat, but he continued until it was only a whisper of grief." You won't be dumbstruck by any grand revelations; you will find yourself pausing, pointing, and saying aloud "That's a good line right there." The prose is fairly simple, but oh is it enjoyable.
Secondly, Llywelyn is, in my measure of this novel, an expert at converting the directness and flatness of mythology into a living, breathing world, particularly when it comes to characterization. I picked up 'Red Branch' for the sole purpose of reading a more stylistically enjoyable and descriptive version of the Ulster cycle myths with which I'd fallen in love. Cuchulain, our protagonist and my favorite mythological character, is given the appropriate depth and mental complexity denied to him by the mythological writing style. And Llywelyn finally does justice for Emer, voicing the feminine perspective severely lacking in the original legends and showcasing just how crucial a role she plays in the overall context of the Ulster cycle. The mutual romance of Cuchulain and Emer is also a refreshing change of pace for anyone completely fed up with mythological pairings involving Olympians changing into swans to rape human women (bad Zeus-- naughty, naughty Zeus!); the sex does read like Harlequin romance, but it's no '50 Shades...' by any means. But Llywelyn's true triumph is handling the central antagonist, Maeve, in all of her ferocious glory. It boils down to the fact that, as a reader, I both loved and hated Maeve for all the right and wrong reasons, all at once. When it comes to an antagonist, that's the kind of perspective you want to achieve -- and Llwelyn nails it.
This was so painfully close to being a perfect read for me, but there are two major problems that beat my enjoyment of it down at the last minute. Firstly, Llwelyn chooses to truncate Maeve's role in the climactic battle of the third act (by comparison to the myth on which it is based) in favor of concluding that individual story arc more succinctly; considering how well-developed she is throughout the text, this feels like a disservice to her character. I feel Llwelyn missed the mark on that conversion. Ultimately, that problem merges into my other major issue with the text. While there are some pacing issues (moving too quickly, not too slowly) throughout, they're usually so minor as to be negligible. But pacing really becomes an issue in what is effectively the epilogue. Had Llwelyn cut the last four chapters, ending at the last sentence of page 436, it would have ended perfectly. Instead, she chooses to condense about a dozen years of plot into the last fifty pages in a move that feels shockingly rushed, so much so that I was taken aback.
Regardless, I got a lot of enjoyment out of this book, and I would highly recommend it to any fantasy or historical fiction fan, especially someone who hasn't read the original myths. This is a great route into Irish legend and a fun read that holds your interest throughout: A+ in my book.
February 21, 2016
Bridging the gap between physical and magical worlds, this is the story of ancient Ireland, when the land was still known as Erin and the gods dallied with the people on a regular basis. A young boy named Setanta grows up in an isolated fort, the son of a soldier of Red Branch who spares no time for the child or his Otherworld-touched wife. Setanta yearns for his father's attention, to be taught the things a son should learn from his father. Determined to prove that he his worthy of his father's love, Setanta sets his feet toward Emain Macha, the king's stronghold and where the famed Red Branch army lives and trains. It is a decision that will set him on the footpath of his destiny to becoming Ireland's mythical war-hero, Cuchulain.
Part mythology, part fantasy, part adventure, it was a story both foreign (because it involved mythology and legends that I knew little to nothing about) and familiar in that it reminded me very much of that partial history/partial magic feeling that often accompanies stories about King Arthur and Camelot. The Otherworld, gods that shapeshift and drift in and out of the human world, reminded me of the mist-shrouded Avalon and the magics of Merlin and Morgaine le Fey. The drama and complications surrounding King Arthur, and how they chipped away at his glory until things disintegrated was very much like that of Conor mac Nessa, who lets his fascination with one woman bring about the downfall of friendships, family, and kingdom. There is even a magical weapon present, a spear called the Gae Bulga which, once it is thrown at a target, pursues that target through or around any obstacle.
Mostly, though, it is the story of a boy growing to manhood and dreaming of glory and respect, and how destiny assists him to find both. As he gets older and more experienced, Cuchulain learns that sometimes the goals you wish to meet most in life can become burdens one must bear totally alone.
It took me a while to get into the story, especially as I struggled a bit with the foreign names. There is a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book that I referred to from time to time, but it was tedious to flip back and forth so I didn't check it very often and often found myself making up my own versions of the name so that I would know who was involved in the scene and could just move along. Cuchulain (koo-hull'-in according to the guide) become "ChooChoo" most of the time...not very ambitious of me, I suppose, but it worked! As ChooChoo got older and learned more and explored more, I found myself becoming more enthralled with the story, especially as certain decisions were made that I just knew were going to end up badly; I wanted so often to be wrong but, alas, knowing the myth formula, it was often way worse. I suppose in some ways it was good to name him ChooChoo since there were a lot of train wrecks in the hero's life.
It turned out to be a great choice for these rainy, chilly March days; it became much harder to bring myself out of the world of ancient Ireland than it was to sink into it and it's made me want to learn more about Irish mythology, specifically. So much more to it than St. Patrick's Day and leprechauns!
Part mythology, part fantasy, part adventure, it was a story both foreign (because it involved mythology and legends that I knew little to nothing about) and familiar in that it reminded me very much of that partial history/partial magic feeling that often accompanies stories about King Arthur and Camelot. The Otherworld, gods that shapeshift and drift in and out of the human world, reminded me of the mist-shrouded Avalon and the magics of Merlin and Morgaine le Fey. The drama and complications surrounding King Arthur, and how they chipped away at his glory until things disintegrated was very much like that of Conor mac Nessa, who lets his fascination with one woman bring about the downfall of friendships, family, and kingdom. There is even a magical weapon present, a spear called the Gae Bulga which, once it is thrown at a target, pursues that target through or around any obstacle.
Mostly, though, it is the story of a boy growing to manhood and dreaming of glory and respect, and how destiny assists him to find both. As he gets older and more experienced, Cuchulain learns that sometimes the goals you wish to meet most in life can become burdens one must bear totally alone.
It took me a while to get into the story, especially as I struggled a bit with the foreign names. There is a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book that I referred to from time to time, but it was tedious to flip back and forth so I didn't check it very often and often found myself making up my own versions of the name so that I would know who was involved in the scene and could just move along. Cuchulain (koo-hull'-in according to the guide) become "ChooChoo" most of the time...not very ambitious of me, I suppose, but it worked! As ChooChoo got older and learned more and explored more, I found myself becoming more enthralled with the story, especially as certain decisions were made that I just knew were going to end up badly; I wanted so often to be wrong but, alas, knowing the myth formula, it was often way worse. I suppose in some ways it was good to name him ChooChoo since there were a lot of train wrecks in the hero's life.
It turned out to be a great choice for these rainy, chilly March days; it became much harder to bring myself out of the world of ancient Ireland than it was to sink into it and it's made me want to learn more about Irish mythology, specifically. So much more to it than St. Patrick's Day and leprechauns!
September 17, 2016
I did not finish this book. I wanted to. I wanted to love it because I have enjoyed so much the stories it is based on, and thought it would be great to read a fleshed-out version. Unfortunately there was very little flesh to be found. It was kind of like one of those bad Bible movies where they don't let anyone say anything that wasn't directly in the Bible, so no one seems like a real person. 108 pages in, I still felt like Cuchulain, Deirdre, and the rest were more vibrant in the original stories, which at least allowed the listener or reader to use their imagination better. I hated the repeated use of love and perfect understanding at first sight and thought young Setanta was very unrealistic, as he finds out he can shape-shift but doesn't seem to be surprised or to even think about it until much later.
I kept hoping it would get better, but realized that I was reading more out of a sense of obligation because I don't like to leave books unfinished, so I stopped reading it. Life's too short for reluctant reading!
I still hope to find a copy of Grania and will gladly give it a try, but I admit this experience has reduced my hopes for that book quite a lot.
I kept hoping it would get better, but realized that I was reading more out of a sense of obligation because I don't like to leave books unfinished, so I stopped reading it. Life's too short for reluctant reading!
I still hope to find a copy of Grania and will gladly give it a try, but I admit this experience has reduced my hopes for that book quite a lot.
June 21, 2023
An exciting retelling of the Ulster Cycle, one of the major epics in Irish mythology. Includes heroic deeds, battle frenzy, fairies and gods, cattle stealing, marital strife, magical weapons, generational curses, self-fulfilling prophesies, the "friendship of the thighs", the ancient sport of hurling, the problem of mutually-exclusive taboos, and more.
If you know Cuchulain's story, it's fun to see him brought to life. If you don't know much about Irish mythology, this is as good an introduction as any.
If you know Cuchulain's story, it's fun to see him brought to life. If you don't know much about Irish mythology, this is as good an introduction as any.
January 6, 2021
I've always wanted to read the Irish classic The Ulster Cycle, but it is a lot like reading Beowulf and requires many footnotes and is difficult work. Instead, I recommend this book which takes the story of Cuchulain, the great mythical hero of Ancient Erin, and turns him into a living person in a story of courage, love, and above all, honor. Yes there are a few magical things in the saga, but mostly it is a story of a man who always tries to do the right thing and ends up creating his own tragedy.
April 2, 2020
His life was short, but his story became legendary. Setanta of Muirthemne is abandoned by his father Sualtim and must make his own way to join the Red Branch at Emain Macha. Rising through the ranks, he becomes the greatest warrior in Ulster and his exploits become renowned across Ireland.
Llywelyn's remarkable novel breathes extraordinary life into the story of Cúchulain and the deft weaving of magic and reality drives the narrative into the memories of readers long after the book is closed.
Llywelyn's remarkable novel breathes extraordinary life into the story of Cúchulain and the deft weaving of magic and reality drives the narrative into the memories of readers long after the book is closed.
August 7, 2013
Between having to return a library copy, waiting a bit to dig up a copy at the used bookstore and then misplacing it during a move, it took me a long time to read this great book. I was glad I had time to read The Tain in between--this book gave great perspective on the myth and added a more human face to it, as well as giving a good reason why The Tain read as it did.
March 2, 2016
A good story put together with pieces of many different Irish folk tales & heroes.
October 4, 2024
'Red Branch' proves to be one of the most vivid and compelling accounts of Cuchulain and the Ulster Cycle put to paper. The mythic, godlike champion of Irish folklore comes to life as a mortal man possessed with otherworldly gifts. And at the same time, the magic, gods, and the strongly upheld belief in them that defined this period of Ireland's past radiates off the page.
I particularly enjoyed the occasional insights from the Morrigan, looking on and over Cuchulain in her guise as the Battle Raven. Her remote and yet unnervingly human love for the warrior underscores the story with tragedy, empathy, inevitability, and foreboding. Likewise, Cuchulain's training with Skya takes on far more significance and emotion than when it is traditionally rendered in legends, as are the tragedies of Deirdre and Naisi, the obsessive destructiveness of Maeve of Connaught, and the heartbreaking love between Cuchulain and his dearest friend Ferdiad mac Daman. Conor Mac Nessa's jealousy, Ailill's impotence, Emer's unconditional love for Cuchulain and her heartbreaking barrenness, Fergus Mac Roy's jaded wisdom, Laeg the charioteer's unswerving loyalty, and Cunla's cursed destiny all serve to humanize these names of Irish legend. Cuchulain stands at their center, encompassing all that is human and inhuman in this age when the Irish loved as fiercely as they killed one another.
Life in Gaelic Ireland at this time in history is rendered in stark detail (though we have to take the period in which Llywelyn wrote the book must be taken into her account - her assertion that Irish druids did not practice human sacrifice has since been disproven by more recent archaeological finds). I appreciated the author's attempts to root the Ulster Cycle in some form of historical and geographical context, rendering Cuchulain's feats all the more real to the reader. Her evident horse knowledge is appreciated, as well as how the Grey of Macha and the Black of Sainglan are so developed here as to become characters in their own rights. This novel reads as more historical fiction than mythical fiction, albeit one with a heavy magical veneer, as this period in history inevitably requires.
You will never read a more exciting or lively rendition of the Cattle Raid of Cooley. The Ulster Cycle leaps to life here in a way no printed author has managed before or since. Highly, highly recommended.
I particularly enjoyed the occasional insights from the Morrigan, looking on and over Cuchulain in her guise as the Battle Raven. Her remote and yet unnervingly human love for the warrior underscores the story with tragedy, empathy, inevitability, and foreboding. Likewise, Cuchulain's training with Skya takes on far more significance and emotion than when it is traditionally rendered in legends, as are the tragedies of Deirdre and Naisi, the obsessive destructiveness of Maeve of Connaught, and the heartbreaking love between Cuchulain and his dearest friend Ferdiad mac Daman. Conor Mac Nessa's jealousy, Ailill's impotence, Emer's unconditional love for Cuchulain and her heartbreaking barrenness, Fergus Mac Roy's jaded wisdom, Laeg the charioteer's unswerving loyalty, and Cunla's cursed destiny all serve to humanize these names of Irish legend. Cuchulain stands at their center, encompassing all that is human and inhuman in this age when the Irish loved as fiercely as they killed one another.
Life in Gaelic Ireland at this time in history is rendered in stark detail (though we have to take the period in which Llywelyn wrote the book must be taken into her account - her assertion that Irish druids did not practice human sacrifice has since been disproven by more recent archaeological finds). I appreciated the author's attempts to root the Ulster Cycle in some form of historical and geographical context, rendering Cuchulain's feats all the more real to the reader. Her evident horse knowledge is appreciated, as well as how the Grey of Macha and the Black of Sainglan are so developed here as to become characters in their own rights. This novel reads as more historical fiction than mythical fiction, albeit one with a heavy magical veneer, as this period in history inevitably requires.
You will never read a more exciting or lively rendition of the Cattle Raid of Cooley. The Ulster Cycle leaps to life here in a way no printed author has managed before or since. Highly, highly recommended.
December 31, 2023
Wow, I have *really* been getting into Irish mythology lately, huh? It’s something I’m less familiar with, so I wanted to explore it more, and sometimes fiction gives you a good handle as you go and look for more. I’d heard much of Cuchulain, but I didn’t actually *know* that much until picking up Lady Gregory’s edition of his saga. And so I thought I’d give Llywelyn’s work a try after that, as it’s a novelization of the hero’s story.
…pagan Ireland was WILD, man. There was a massive epic war over A COW.
[Okay, I’m simplifying, but Maeve really wants that cow, huh?]
I think Llywelyn does a very good job of painting a time very different from our own. A problem I’ve noticed with a lot of writers is that they try to project modern sensibilities onto historical or fantastical settings where it doesn’t quite work. Not so here–Cuchulain’s entire schtick is that he wants to be a glorious hero and win honor for his name, and that means that he’s got to work for the King of Ulster, who’s a bit of a douchebag sometimes. There’s one warrior character who’s mostly sympathetic, and when asked what war is for, responds with “Gaining wealth, glory, slaves, and cattle, of course!” I mean, I should hope most people now don’t agree with that sentiment. And so while I don’t know that I like Cuchulain, I feel like I understand the world he’s in while reading this.
What is also interesting though is the sections you get from the Morrigan’s point of view. At one point she uses modern expressions, and then lampshades it by pointing out most people of the time won’t understand it, and that as a goddess, she doesn’t have to be limited by time like that. She’s still limited by other factors, though, like not being able to leave Ireland. Her sections, short as they were, added an interesting perspective.
[Side note! Morgan Llywelyn claims that the Ulster Cycle is the oldest vernacular prose literature in Western Civilization? I don’t know if that’s true, but I don’t have enough of a timeline to really argue it.]
I think this works as a good introduction to the story of Cuchulain; you can probably read it just fine without having too firm a grasp on the original stories, or on Irish mythology, though those things would certainly help. The book comes with a handy map and pronunciation guide, and I think it explains enough of the mythology that you won’t get lost. And you’ll have fun with a mythological epic hero, even if he makes some bone-head decisions for the sake of glory and honor.
…pagan Ireland was WILD, man. There was a massive epic war over A COW.
[Okay, I’m simplifying, but Maeve really wants that cow, huh?]
I think Llywelyn does a very good job of painting a time very different from our own. A problem I’ve noticed with a lot of writers is that they try to project modern sensibilities onto historical or fantastical settings where it doesn’t quite work. Not so here–Cuchulain’s entire schtick is that he wants to be a glorious hero and win honor for his name, and that means that he’s got to work for the King of Ulster, who’s a bit of a douchebag sometimes. There’s one warrior character who’s mostly sympathetic, and when asked what war is for, responds with “Gaining wealth, glory, slaves, and cattle, of course!” I mean, I should hope most people now don’t agree with that sentiment. And so while I don’t know that I like Cuchulain, I feel like I understand the world he’s in while reading this.
What is also interesting though is the sections you get from the Morrigan’s point of view. At one point she uses modern expressions, and then lampshades it by pointing out most people of the time won’t understand it, and that as a goddess, she doesn’t have to be limited by time like that. She’s still limited by other factors, though, like not being able to leave Ireland. Her sections, short as they were, added an interesting perspective.
[Side note! Morgan Llywelyn claims that the Ulster Cycle is the oldest vernacular prose literature in Western Civilization? I don’t know if that’s true, but I don’t have enough of a timeline to really argue it.]
I think this works as a good introduction to the story of Cuchulain; you can probably read it just fine without having too firm a grasp on the original stories, or on Irish mythology, though those things would certainly help. The book comes with a handy map and pronunciation guide, and I think it explains enough of the mythology that you won’t get lost. And you’ll have fun with a mythological epic hero, even if he makes some bone-head decisions for the sake of glory and honor.
November 18, 2019
This was a bit too Roman to me even though Morgan states there was no Roman influence at that time. But it has all the characters of Roman way of life. I'm reading books at a fairly fast clip but this was almost a chore. I took very little joy in reading this book. I never give up on a book, I do see from the reviews some have but it might take longer but I will finish the book. Or nothing will get read. It just makes it easier to read the next book. This isn't the worst I've read this year. So it isn't gibberish, but it was just way too dark for a Llywelyn book. Finn Mac Cool (not the proper spelling but the book title) remains favourite although Elementals was my introduction into the name Morgan Llewelyn . Took me nearly 24 yrs to get around to reading this and I wasn't about to let something called dark stop me. So this book isn't a total loss, there is some merit to it. But again it's just too dark for me and I can't imagine what is described here as being Irish. I'll repeat to myself it's too Roman like.
July 3, 2025
An expert re-telling of the tales of the mythical Irish hero Cuchulain. The author Morgan Llywelyn does an excellent job of taking a collection of inconsistent myths/folklore and weaving a consistent story. It creates a character arc for the main protagonist that shows him maturing and changing due to some of the trauma behind his 'great deeds' until he moves away from individual glory and sacrificing himself for the greater good. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of the Deidre of Sorrows legend and how that had an outside influence on why former friends found themselves on opposing sides in a war. Highly recommend.
August 11, 2025
Though the story of Cuchulain is gory and engaging, I was frequently taken out of the narrative by the periodic graphic sex scenes that weren't approached in the same poetic manner as they were in Bard , feeling rather out of place in what is otherwise a traditional epic and a coming of age story. I'm no prude, but things like witches describing the manufacture and application of boner potions seem out of place in a story that's otherwise about a guy that kills people really well.
Of the 2 Llywelyn novels I've read so far, this is definitely a solid #2.
Of the 2 Llywelyn novels I've read so far, this is definitely a solid #2.
June 10, 2020
While I usually love Morgan Llywelyn books, I found this one slightly annoying. There were so many times when the solution to their problem was obvious but they made a stupid choice to do nothing or try to lie or continue doing the same thing that kept really turning out bad or not ask enough questions, where most people would. Certainly makes readers thing the author thought people were stupid in that time period.
June 29, 2017
First hardcover book I paid full price for back in 1989. I love Irish folklore and the ultimate character has to be Cuchalain. Llewelyn does a great job of bringing him to life. Keeping him real but not neglecting the legend.
October 25, 2018
I'm sure that the author did a good job pulling the tales together, and her depiction of pre-Christian Ireland was solid. I just didn't like the source tales themselves all that much and couldn't identify with Mr. Perfect or his honor system.
December 27, 2017
Favorite book of all time.
March 1, 2020
Detailed, excellent story-telling, bloody.....all you would expect from Ireland at this time.
October 25, 2021
I think Maeve was hard-done by in this rendition, but it got me into the stories, so I am every grateful.
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