The Hound of Ulster

Name: The Hound of Ulster
Rating: 4.3 (65 reviews)

by Rosemary Sutcliff

First published 1963

Amazon

4.1(65)

The boy Sétanta claims the weapons of manhood and becomes Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster, whose courage and battle frenzy make him the greatest warrior of the province. Training, single combats and binding geasa prepare him for the crisis created when Queen Medb leads the cattle raid of Cooley.

With the other Ulster warriors disabled by a curse, Cú Chulainn holds the frontier alone and must eventually fight his foster-brother Ferdia. His victories increase his isolation and lead towards the death foretold for him. Sutcliff’s retelling preserves the grandeur and strangeness of the Ulster Cycle while making its central tragedy clear: the qualities that secure the hero’s fame also prevent him from escaping violence.