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The Raid

A Dramatic Retelling of Ireland's Epic Tale

Randy Lee Eickhoff

Forge Books

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opens in a new window The Raid Download image

ISBN10: 0312851928
ISBN13: 9780312851927

Trade Paperback

288 Pages

$16.99

CA$29.99

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The Raid is the first book in Eickhoff's three-volume, contemporary rendering of Ireland's Ulster Cycle.

As the action begins, Queen Maeve has declared war upon the province of Ulster in an effort to take possession of the Brown Bull of Cooley. Ultimately, this is an attempt to match the wealth of her husband, King Ailill of Connacht, who owns a magnificent white bull.

Only Cuchulainn, a boy warrior, stands between Ulster and certain annihilation. Supported by the Morrigan, the goddess of war, he begins a reign of terror against the Connacht warriors. In Cuchulainn's heroic stand, the reader finds the genesis of the determination of the Irish people—that is, their will to stand alone against oppression.

Reviews

Praise for The Raid

"This book is a joy and belongs in the library of everyone who loves Ireland."—Morgan Llywelyn, author of Lion of Ireland

"An amazing piece of work. This version has a marvelous ring of authenticity. This is what those wild pagans were really like—before the priests got to them! It's a really magical narrative—a turn-on in every sense of the word."—Thomas Fleming, author of The Officers' Wives

"A tremendous achievement. You don't have to be Irish to be entranced by Eickhoff's earthy, magical rendering of one of the world's most ancient epics."—Jeanne Williams, Spur Award-winning author of Home Again

Reviews from Goodreads

BOOK EXCERPTS

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

The Bed Argument


One night after the royal bed had been laid in Cruachaín of the Enchantments in the province of Connacht for the rulers Ailill and Maeve, known as "She-Who-Makes-Men-Drunk," they began...

About the author

Randy Lee Eickhoff

Randy Lee Eickhoff writes novels, plays, poetry and translations in several languages. His translation of Ireland's national epic, the Ulster Cycle, is now used in schools around the world. His western novel And Not to Yield was a National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Best Novel. His nonfiction work on the Tigua Indians, Exiled, won the Southwest Book Award. He other novels include Return to Ithaca, Then Came Christmas and The Quick and the Dead.