Brian Boru, Emperor of the Irish: Emperor of the Irish

by Morgan Llywelyn

Book Overview

On thousand years ago, during the Viking Age, an extraordinary young man was born in Ireland. His people, plagued by warfare, were weary not only from the Vikings' brutal raids along the coast, but also from the continuous warring among local chieftains. The Irish had become a drowntrodden race. But a real-life hero changed the destiny of Ireland. This is the story of Brian Boru, who as a young man took it upon himself to revolutionize tenth-century...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312856237
• ISBN13: 9780312856236
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 157 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

"Perhaps the only thing safe to love is the land itself."

Although this book was written for a younger audience,it is an excellent way to write history for a wide spectrum of readers.One reviewer suggests it might be a good version of the story of this important leader in Ireland and an incitement to read an extended version ; maybe so.So much history is written in a dry and difficult manner that many people get bored and turned off.History occured with passion and excitement and there is no reason that it should not be written the same way.Maybe history writers should take a lesson from Llywelyn.Llywelyn breathes life in this exciting story.I have two other books by this author,"1921" and "1949" that I am anxious to get into,and I'm a person who couldn't stand history as taught in school.This approach to writing history reminds me of Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind",John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" and Cecil Woodham-Smith's "The Great Hunger".Did any history books ever cover The Civil War,The Great Depression or The Irish Famine with as much passion? Obviously,I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

outstanding Piece of work

This book is one of the best I have ever read. It will keep you hooked all the way through. The best part was taking truth and turning it into something very exciting. This is coming from someone who doesn't like to read. Brain Boru Fought his way from nothing to high king gathering loyal followers form all parts of Ireland. Quit wasting time reading this and find a copy of the book.

A wonderful book that brings you back 1000 years in history.

Another wonderful book by Morgan Llywellyn.This is a historically accurate novel that keeps you glued until the very end. I found myself transported to a time of medieval towns and kings. Brian Boru had me rooting for the Irish from start to finish!

History with Panache

A real page burner, get away from those dusty tomes and read what a real writer has done with history. Take the skeleton from the archives of librarys with stuffy stated details add flesh, and personna with accurate research and voila, you have an outstanding, interesting, and highly readable piece of literature that should be required reading in the halls of Academia....

I liked the book because it was action-packed.

The author has a way of writing that made me feel concern for the main character. After reading only a few pages I was drawn in. Brian Boru was very brave but he had many problems. After his home was burnt and his mother killed, he vowed to take revenge on the Vikings. When he picked fights to escape from his problems, his father sent him to a monastery where he learned to be a warrior and a scholar. Even so, he was scared when he went into battle. This was an historical book but it read like a novel. I learned about history by getting connected into the lives of the characters. In the end, Brian pays a price for going to war. If you want to find out exactly what happens, you'll have to read this book that I highly recommend.