The Bull Raid

by Carlo Gebler

Overview

The proud queen of Connacht demands to own the Brown Bull of Ulster, and attacks on the first day of winter, knowing an ancient curse will cripple all the men of Ulster until the first day of spring. Only Cuchulainn, a half-immortal, is immune and takes on the Connacht army on his own, killing hundreds of men each night until a single combat is chosen to decide the war. Facing and killing his best friend, Cuchulainn achieves his one ambition: eternal fame. But the queen of Connacht wants revenge, and her army will return to kill him...

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780314488
Publisher:	Egmont UK Ltd
Publication date:	07/01/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	416
File size:	544 KB
Age Range:	11 Years

About the Author

Carlo Gebler has written countless reviews, articles and short stories for most national publications, as well as many play-scripts and even a libretto for an opera. He is an award-winning filmmaker and producer and director of TV documentaries, and teaches creative writing one day a week in a local prison. Carlo describes himself as a 'lepidopterist - a butterfly catcher who is constantly searching for that rare butterfly that is a story'. He is married with five children and lives in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland

Editorial Reviews

Gr 9 Up-This violent, dark, and disturbing tale pulls no punches. G bler has taken an epic Irish poem, "Cattle Raid of Cooley," and expanded it significantly. He frames the story as a tale within a tale, having nearly passed from memory, but magically retrieved to be passed on again through the generations. The hero is Cuchulainn, born half-mortal, half-immortal. From a very early age, he demonstrates superhuman powers. He is the only male who is able to escape a curse on the men of Ulster, who are crippled during the winter season with the pains a woman feels when giving birth. The "Bull Raid" of the title is initiated by Queen Maeve of Connacht, who uses the curse to her advantage as she tries to obtain Ulster's famous Brown Bull. Initially, Cuchulainn is able to go up against the queen's armies single-handed and dispatches even the finest warriors sent to do battle with him one on one. But ultimately, he cannot escape the tragedy that has followed him from birth. While this sprawling saga takes perhaps a bit long to get started and only really gets going in the final third, the language throughout, while formal, is often breathtaking and occasionally horrific. A book for readers who have a strong interest in fantasy, myth, and legend.-Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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