IRELAND: 192 A.D. A time of strife and treachery. Political ambition and inter-tribal conflict has set the country on edge, testing the strength of long-established alliances.Following a successful ambush at Cnucha, the Clann Morna tribe are hungry for power but must wipe out the hereditary leadership of their opponents to achieve this. Meanwhile, mysterious war parties roam the forests of the … forests of the ‘Great Wild’ and a ruthless magician is intent on murder.
In the secluded valley of Glenn Ceoch, a disgraced druid and a woman warrior have successfully avoided the bloodshed for many years. Now, the arrival of a pregnant refugee threatens the peace they’ve created together. Run or fight, the odds against them are overwhelming.
And death stalks on every side.
The most authentic Irish mythology adventure/fantasy series on the market, the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series by Irish author Brian O’Sullivan is a gritty and authentic retelling of the birth and early adventures of Ireland’s greatest hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Gripping, insightful and utterly action-packed, this is Irish mythology/ fiction as you’ve never read it before.
A 2016 SPFBO Competition finalist and Irish bestseller, this book also includes the following extra content:
* a glossary with explanations on ancient Irish cultural concepts
* historical notes on the Fenian Cycle
* a pronunciation guide and links to an online audio pronunciation guide
WHAT OTHER REVIEWERS SAID:
“I loved this book. It’s a very mature and culturally rich interpretation, a far cry from some of the Celtic pop literature that is around today. Well written and captivating, with a fair dollop of grit and wit. Strong characters, great development, excellent story telling. Worth more than the price of a coffee.”
An Ireland of centuries ago, threaded through with myth and magic, but very ‘real’ for all that. Dark and at times violent, it is balanced by affirming friendships and relationships, and a very strong female cast.”
“If you’re sick of elves, chivalrous knights and arcane quests like me, this is probably the most exciting and refreshing book you’ll read in a long time. Five stars!”
“Powerful female characters are all too rare in literature. The druidess Bodhmhall, and her lover the warrior Liath Luachra will inspire current and future generations of women. O’Sullivan keeps a cracking pace in this, the first of his Fionn mac Cumhaill series.’
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It should surprise no one who knows me to learn I read books about mythology. Indeed, given my heritage, I hold a special place in my heart for Irish myth. And, of course, Fionn is just cool (see what I did there). So as soon as I heard of O’Sullivan, I grabbed a copy of his work.
This tale adapts a mythic story as historical fantasy … very low fantasy, with a gritty realistic feel. I found myself reminded a little of Bernard Cornwell’s Arthur retelling, in which one is never completely certain whether the magic we see is real or simply works because the people believe it. In this case, we have confirmation of a beautiful subtle magic possessed by the druids. By and large, however, the tale reads like pure historical fiction.
In the 2nd century AD, Ireland is a wild, isolated place peopled by scattered tribes that prey upon one another. A desperate new mother arrives at the ráth (“raw”) of a disgraced druid and her small community, seeking shelter. She’s come through the Great Wild, survived wolves and hardships, and now finds herself pursued by raiders after her child (who will grow up to be the famous hero Fionn) for no reason she knows.
Bodhmhall, our female druid and leader of the community, reluctantly shelters her, leading to a tense game of cat and mouse in the woods with the raiders and a brutal siege with no punches pulled by the author.
One of the first impressions I got from the novel was the sense of isolation and wildness of the landscape. In the author’s notes after the story, I was thus interested to hear this was exactly what O’Sullivan intended. In his own words:
When I first started writing the Fionn mac Cumhaill series, one of my key goals was to try and recreate – as far as possible – the constant sense of danger or menace that people of second century Ireland (the approximate period within which the Macgnímartha Finn activities take place) would have had to live with. A key part of getting that across was to include a sense of the overwhelming impact of the environment (the Great Wild) on a pre-technology people.
In the time period in which the story is set, the population of the country was substantially smaller then it is at present. Significant parts of the country were unoccupied and much of it was extremely difficult to traverse due to great forests, bogs and waterways. The country was infested with wolves,
-O’Sullivan, Brian. Fionn: Defence of Ráth Bládhma: The Fionn mac Cumhaill Series: Book One . Irish Imbas Books.
The characters also stood out for me, especially as the story went on. The tale is told almost exclusively from the point of view of the Bodhmhall the druid, and her lover, the female warrior Liath Luachra, both of which feel very real. But as do the secondary characters, in particular Bodhmhall’s ex-husband Fiacail.
A great read.
I have to read the rest of the series now.
Being of Irish heritage and interested in Irish history, culture and language, these books are very high in my list of best books
I read so many books that I forget many of them quickly, even some i truly enjoyed ,but not these.
The blend of the old Gaelic with today’s written word was not only fascinating, but made the story and characters come alive. Believe it or not, I even wrote down many of the old Gaelic terms for reference
Last of all, this is just a good story with people you find reflections of within yourself.
Waiting for more