Published by Tor, 1981,
paperback, $6.99 ISBN 0-812-55399-3
569 pages

Lion of Ireland traces the rise of Brian Boru, king of Ireland in the 10th century, during the time when the Dark Ages turned into the Medieval period. It starts when he is just a lad, through his desperate days of outlaw, through his step-by-step battales against the Norsemen as well as their Irish minions to grab the crown of Eire.

Boru remains a remarkable fellow, full of wisdom, wit, and wiles, as he slowly builds a kingdom on his terms. To say the portrait of Boru is flattering is an understatement, except when he becomes a berzerker in battle, but it's quite alright because he's bashing Vikings. Perhaps he steadfastly remains too remarkable a fellow, but if you are going to chronicle a historical figure and make him a hero, then make him an over-the-top hero.

The initial third of the book, though a necessary hurdle to overcome, offers a stream of dullness--closing on, but not quite crossing, the line of apathy that would make you abandon the book. Yet after such a slow start, Llywelyn's tale picks up, as if a second wind appeared. Make that a second gale, for the back two-thirds of prose endear Boru and his court to your imagination. Even the double-dealing backstabbers, formerly mere wisps of malevolance, coalesce into a corporeal vision of malice. Larger than life Heros must have equally wicked villains.

Lion of Ireland pushes all the right buttons during the home stretch of reading--you just have to get through the first part in order to enjoy a historically-based tale.