The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea: book review

Book review

The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea (1985)

Irish magic is strong stuff - and this book is full of it. You'll find some ancient characters turn up to play their part and you might recognise themor youmight not, but either way it won't spoil your enjoyment of the story.

Anyway Pidge doesn't recognise any of the powerful characters to begin with, and it's his story. He wanders into a second hand book shop in Galway and finds a bundle of old papers in the back room. Straight away Pidge feels that he must have them at any price, although later, when you read this story, you might think that the papers find Pidge and make him take them away with him.

He takes the papers back home, but even before he gets there strange events are happening all around him. It's as if he is drawing all things magical to him. And it isn't all lovely happy magic either. He meets a stranger on the road:

'I'm to tell you to watch out,' he said, 'there's danger at the crossroads.'
'At the crossroads up ahead? What kind of danger?'
'Too soon to say - but danger there is.'
Pidge could think of only one possible danger.
'You can't mean traffic, it's so quiet round here?'
'I can't mean traffic, young human sir - but you are to use the eye of clarity when you get to that spot. There's deluderings at the crossroads, such as would confound Geography and Cartography; such as would make Pandora's Box into a tuppeny lucky bag,' the old angler said earnestly, and added: 'Bad work and not many knowing it; quiet as water under the ground. You be careful, young mortal sir, as there's more than one kind of angling and you could be sniggled in a flash! There's lures and lures. That's my message!'

Now who do you suppose would want to sniggle Pidge and his papers?

There's a great and evil queen in Irish faery. She's called the Morrigan. She takes three forms. And in subtle guise - well, subtle enough - she moves in to the glasshouse belonging to Pidge's neighbour.Her hounds are there too tocarry out her bidding andto do her tracking.

She's after Olc-Glas, an evil snake, which Pidge has unwittingly brought home trapped within the papers of his bundle. If she can capture Olc-Glas her powers will increase enormously.

Who will help Pidge escape the Morrigan and her hounds? Well, the Dagda will for a start. He is the power for all things good, and his messengers are all true creatures. But although Pidge is ready and willing to do what he can to defy the wishes of the Morrigan, it isn't an easy task...

See what you think. The magic is wild and strong. And the hounds don't give up easily. How could they when the Morrigan is there right behind them?

What you say

What do you think about ‘The Hounds of the Morrigan’?

victoria hughes, girl, age 10, from milton keynes, United Kingdom, on 21st September 2005. Rating: 10/10

Iv'e read most of the book and think it is really excieting to read.Ive read 22 chapters and am on part two in the book.thankyou for making this book pat o'shea

R.C, girl, age 27, from Ireland, on 31st July 2005. Rating: 9/10

I first read this book when I was 7 years old and I've read it every few years since. It's a true classic and I can't wait to pass it on to my children, when I have them. The story is exciting and mature and doesn't patronise the reader. All the minor characters are superb and the evil is truly scary. The Morrigan is a wonderful creation and I remember how enthralled I was as a kid reading through it, my imagination ran riot. This book deserves much wider recognition.

Jay, girl, age 16, from United States, on 25th July 2005. Rating: 8/10

This was my slowest read to date, but I absolutley loved the book. There is a really good chance of me reading it again. The ending was a little sad, but the book overall was excellent!

Read all 9 comments about The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea