Product Description

Bestselling author Edward Rutherfurd has lived in Dublin for the past decade. His meticulously researched and groundbreaking epic novel is both the story of Dublin and that of Ireland.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107971 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 1216 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Few authors are as ambitious as Edward Rutherford. And Dublin: Foundation, the first of a massive two-part epic, is possibly Rutherford's most challenging undertaking yet--and (on the evidence of this first book) could well be his most considerable achievement. Rutherford's sheer readability belies his obvious seriousness. His arm-straining volumes may cover every possible variety of human experience (couched in historical backgrounds of immense detail and authenticity), but he remains a storyteller of no mean skills. From the early books that made his name (notably the much-acclaimed Sarum), through to the more recent blockbuster London, the author has combined a panoramic, Homeric vision with a James-Joyce like concentration on the minutiae of everyday life; the results of this synthesis are brought to perfectly honed effect in Dublin: Foundation.

Parallels with Joyce's Dublin are not appropriate here, though. The scope is far wider and stretches back into history. Beginning in Pre-Christian Ireland as the Kings of Tara reigned autocratically, we encounter the lovers Prince Conall and the beautiful Deidre. An army sized dramatis personae surround the lovers, representing every player in a turbulent era. We are shown many of the key events in Irish history, with parts for Saint Patrick, the Nordic savagery of the Vikings and the battles with the cunning Henry VIII. As this operatic volume ends with the approach of the Reformation, the orchestration of narrative commands total respect. --Barry Forshaw

Synopsis
The history of Dublin is that of the whole island of Ireland. Best-selling author, Edward Rutherfurd has lived in Dublin for the past decade; with the help of some of Ireland's leading historians, he has researched this epic and groundbreaking novel of the city. Rutherfurd managed to encapsulate the drama of Salisbury, Moscow, London and the New Forest in one volume in his previous best-sellers "Sarum", "Russka", "London" and "The Forest". But such was the wealth of new material uncovered for this volume, Rutherfurd has taken the unprecedented step of splitting the hardback publication in two. The first of the two books, "Dublin: Foundation", will take us from prehistory, the High Kings of Tara, the Viking invasion, the machinations of Henry II and the greed of Henry VIII to the burning of the saint's relics in front of Christchurch cathedral in 1538. At the end of this majestically sweeping narrative, Rutherfurd effectively closes the story of the 'Irish' Irish: the descendants of Fingall and Cuchulainn, the princes and Kings of Tara of Brian Boru and the spiritual descendants of Patrick himself.

The second novel, "Dublin: Ascendancy" taking the story of Dublin from the 16th Century will appear in 2006 and in 2007. The two volumes will be combined in a single volume in Arrow paperback.

From the Publisher
The second part of the Irish epic from the bestselling author of Sarum, Russka, London and Dublin.

Customer Reviews

Ireland Awakening - A History that can be Understood
For all that I have a history degree and have studied various periods and aspects of history quite extensively, I have always struggled to get a clear understanding of which Irish hero or villain did what. Whom exactly was Cromwell fighting against when he paid his historic visit in the early 1650s? What was Wolfe Tone, a man now honoured by a statue at one corner of St Stephens Green, actually fighting for? Which of the many battles were sectarian, which for the whole of Ireland? Etc.

A friend recommended Rutherfurd's Ireland Awakening, and I am writing this review to say that his recommendation was spot on. As soon as I had finished reading the book I passed it on to my wife. She went further than me, in that as soon as she had read it she ordered Dublin, covering an earlier period. For the record, she was as keen on that as she had been on Ireland Awakening.

Ireland Awakening starts in the early 17th century with a rather nasty planted Protestant, and follows the fortunes of various families in Ireland for the next 300 years. These families between are a good representation of the several different peoples inhabiting that small island: Irish, Anglo-Irish, planted Presbyterian etc. It shows their attitudes, their allegiances, how they were treated (or how they treated others) down the years. Some are nice people, several are bigots and thoroughly unpleasant. It all seemed very real. And I felt I could really give, and understand, the answers to the questions I posed at the start of this review.

One small point. The families that had been in Ireland in the previous centuries had appeared in the earlier books. I had no problem whatsoever reading Ireland Awakening without having read its prequels. In fact, the first pages of the book are devoted to giving a summmary of what had taken place in those earlier books, just so that we could know the background of these families.

The writing was never less than absorbing. I can enthusiastically recommend this book.

One small quibble, not nearly enough to take away one of the stars, but the book was far too big for the binding. Long before I had finished reading the book, odd pages (I am talking about the paperback edition) had come loose.

Typically absorbing
A typically absorbing Rutherfurd epic, though it's not clear why he decided to end the narrative in 1923. I learned a lot about Irish history from this and it has sparked my interest to read more.

Other minor criticism: unlike most of his other works, there is no author's note saying which parts are fact, which fiction.

A real disappointment
This is such a shame. Fans of Rutherfurd, like myself will know what to expect, a tale that follows the action based in Dublin through history charting the development of the city and surroundings through a number of dynasties.

I first tried Rutherfurd with the publication of London and loved it, some great historical insights combined with cracking good self contained yarns. I quickly bought Sarum and Russka and loved them too. The Forest continued his excellent form - you really did not notice how long the books were as they were such page turners.

You will understand my great excitement when this book was published and i found................. a painful read. For the first time Rutherfurd is plodding and ponderous, it seems as though he has padded his stories extending our stays in each time period with the result being that this book is such hard work.

If you have suffered through Dublin please don't judge Rutherfurd on this look at his earlier work and you will appreciate what a talented author this man is.