Randy Lee Eickhoff

As a story, much better than the Cattle Raid of Cooley, having sensible narrative structure. However, until reading the introduction to this, I'd forgotten how arrogant and pompous the translator comes across as. It finds its way into the translation, sadly enough, in the repeated use and parallel glossing of Irish words that were also explained in the introduction, in the use of wholly undefined Irish words, and the failure to explain several folk practices. Also the parts that were show more translated in verse are all structured with paired end-rhymes, so I must think that that was the translator's primary concern: but it made for bad poetry. Neither is it clear why those portions were translated in verse.

Basically, the only reason to read this is if you particularly want to read this particular Irish hero-legend in English. If you're looking for ancient Irish myths & legends in general, this translation might disappoint. show less

The story is interesting and in parts very intense -- and then it tries to become mythical, and then our main character knows way too much. I also think the book could have used a better editor to catch the repetitious descriptions of the jungle, Saigon, and some of the characters.

This novel of a retired PIRA gunman being brought back to hunt down drug traffickers starts off well. It ends poorly, losing momentum and its way. The first two thirds are a pretty good read and Fallon is an interesting character. It's worth a single read, and makes me wonder what Eickhoff's other writing is like.

It may not be 100% faithful to the texts as extant, but Eickhoff really makes the story live. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the collection.

ETA: You know, I really was enjoying this until the end of the Children of Turenn, when Eickhoff hauled out the Greek Comparison Trope and I lost faith in it. Oh, well.