The Sword of Malachy: High Kings Book 1
In 10th-century Ireland, Brian mac Cénnetig’s clan has ambitions to rule Munster, the island’s southern province. A more immediate concern is the nearby Norse trading port of Limerick, whose Viking leaders raid the hinterland from time to time. Meanwhile, in the eastern province of Meath, Malachy mac Domnall has similar ambitions for kingship and dangerous Viking neighbours at Dublin. Conflict is endemic in Ireland during this period, not only between native Gael and incoming Scandinavians, but also between the many semi-independent Gaelic peoples into which Irish society is divided.
In this first volume of a new series, High Kings, the author attempts to dramatize more than thirty years of complex history in a single novel, and he is largely successful. The plot does tend to be rather episodic, perhaps reflecting annalistic primary sources, but Murphy manages to achieve some depth of character development and a sense of momentum that drives the main protagonists forward. Inadequate proof-reading doesn’t help, with a few errors every chapter (“threw” instead of “through”, for example). But that is a minor irritant compared to more fundamental structural issues that the objectivity of a professional editor might have addressed. Frequent switches between Brian’s story and Malachy’s interrupt the narrative flow too often for me. And the only links between the two are brief flashes forward that add little in terms of plot or character, while undermining our sense of jeopardy in the earlier events.
Despite these reservations, however, I found the book an enjoyable read. Murphy’s historical research cannot be faulted, and his world-building is convincing.
