He Stands Alone

By Randy Lee Eickhoff

Book Overview

Randy Lee Eickhoff, the award-winning translator of the epic Ulster Cycle, continues his retelling of Ireland's spellbinding history and folklore in "He Stands Alone. For the very first time, Randy Lee Eickhoff has combined several translations of the tale of the Irish Achilles, Cuchulainn, to provide a new and searching look at the warrior whose dedication to his country became the inspiration for Irish rebels in 1916, providing them with a rallying cry heard throughout all of Ireland. Beginning with Cuchulainn's mysterious birth, Eickhoff skillfully weaves the tale of the magical warrior; from his training with Scathach, the dreaded woman warrior, to his first encounter with the war-goddess, Morigan, a story that foreshadows Cuchulainn's heroic action the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Cuchulainn's adventures unfold as he grows in battle to become the king's champion, but, all the while, he struggles with his mortal side, and with human failings that inevitably draw him away from his wife, Emer, and under the spell of the mystical Fand, wife of the Irish sea-god, Manannan Mac Lir. In a style that is often compared to Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney's, Randy Lee Eickhoff demonstrates his knowledge and storytelling ability and once again introduces readers to a truly fascinating aspect of Irish mythology with "He Stands Alone.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312870213
• ISBN13: 9780312870218
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

It was a good death.

Eickhoff's works are all very well done. This work is no exception. He has taken the Celtic epic the Tain and dissected the work, giving it a proper and detailed treatment in telling the tales of Cuchullain, the Hound of Ulster, the single most important hero in Irish myth/history. I recommend getting all these books in the Ulster Cycle in hardback form because you will want to keep these and display them, then reread them again in a few years. Excellent work.

Exceptional Work

It is extremely difficult for one to become as immersed in a culture as complicated as Ancient Ireland, but I must say that Randy Eickhoff has emerged as what I would call the authority on The Ulster Cycle. The prolegomenons with which he introduces each work in the cycle are succinct observations that are made with the clarity of a seasoned scholar and his treatment of the texts is unique and priceless to the scholar. Eickhoff shows an incredible insight into the language, art form, and historical ambience of the period and is such that I would dearly love to hear him deliver a series of lectures upon this subject. I have heard his lecture on Interpolator H and was mesmorized by his distinct grasp of this complicated problem that exists within corrupted texts. When I accessed the his website and discovered the depth of his scholarship and his extremely prolific output, I was thoroughly amazed. The label "genius" was become too common to use lately but I would not hesitate at all to apply it to Eickhoff and his capabilities as a translator. He is breaking new ground with his intrinsic application of the translator's art and must be admired for his daring and innovation.

Engaging vignettes starring Cuchulainn

Dr. Randy Lee Eickhoff's fifth Ulster Cycle book provides his fans the story of legendary Irish warrior Cuchulainn, who served as the rallying cry for the 1916 rebellion. HE STANDS ALONE is a series of vignettes as opposed to a novel; thus readers obtain more tales, but will find difficulty with the flow and transition between the stories. Each contribution is fascinating on its own so that the book should be treated like a short story collection. The tales involving the hero's warrior training and subsequent battles are exciting and insightful, but it is the romance with Emer that engages the audience. The notes provide scholarly insight for those who enjoy a bit more. Dr. Eickhoff will elate his audience with his latest Ulster tale.Harriet Klausner