Search results for ""Author William King""

Book SynopsisA Lost Tribe is a novel that charts the role of the priest in Ireland, from his exalted position to one of an endangered species. The seminarians at St Paul’s are granted permission to watch the opening of Vatican II, transfixed by the procession of bishops ‘vested in flowing robes’. Seduced by the power emanating from Rome and inspired by the vision of the Vatican Council, these young men sacrifice their instincts to a life in the priesthood. The dream collapses when the Irish Church becomes unwilling to evolve with a rapidly mutating world and unable to wield the power it once had. Unable to cope with the pressures of ministry and no longer fulfilled by their call, many abandon their vocation to seek a new life. Mac, a spirited young student, is disillusioned with the inadequacy of his seminary training and is expelled for a tryst, while timid fellow priests share remedies for the collective loneliness of their vocation. King’s daring novel offers an insight into the conflicted life of the priest struggling with the demands of a self-selected lifestyle and the isolation of clerical celibacy. A Lost Tribe is a poignant study of an altered society.Trade ReviewKing skilfully succeeds in presenting a more personal, human face to a previously untouchable, deific figure; whether or not, however, the reading public is ready to welcome back this lost tribe with open arms remains to be seen. -- Sean Hayes * Irish Independent *• ‘An emphatic and delicate exploration of faith, hope and loneliness … throwing a new light onto unspoken experiences.’ – John MacKenna • ‘Lively, engaging characters populate this novel … King skilfully succeeds in presenting a more personal, human face to a previously untouchable, deific figure.’ – Seán Hayes, Sunday Independent • ‘This is a wonderful book, rich in wisdom, beautifully written, highly entertaining and often laugh-out-loud funny … It has some wise and compelling things to say about why we are where we are and how we are.’ – Western People

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Book SynopsisYOU ARE NOT PREPARED Illidan Stormrage: one of the most powerful beings ever to walk the lands of Azeroth, but also the least understood...Long ago, the night elf sorcerer Illidan infiltrated the demonic Burning Legion to ward off its invasion of Azeroth. Instead of hailing him as a hero, his own kind branded him the Betrayer. For ten thousand years, he languished in prison-vilified, isolated, but never forgetting his purpose. Now the Legion has returned, and there is only one champion who can truly stand against it. Released from his bonds, Illidan prepares for the final confrontation in the alien realm of Outland, gathering an army of grotesque fel orcs, serpentine naga, cunning blood elves, and twisted demon hunters to his side. Yet as before, he is assailed by those who see his schemes as a cynical quest for power, including the night elf Maiev Shadowsong, his former jailor. Warden Shadowsong and her Watchers have pursued the Betrayer to Outland to exact retribution for his crimes, and she will not rest until Illidan is in her custody ...or in his grave.

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Book SynopsisEl destino de Felix Jaeger cambia el dia en que Gotrek Gurnisson le salva la vida. Felix jura que inmortalizara por escrito la gloriosa muerte en combate del enano Gotrek. Algo que paradojicamente no va a ser tan facil, porque Gotrek es un Matador que ha dado su palabra de combatir contra los monstruos mas peligrosos del Viejo Mundo. Lo unico que Gotrek tiene que hacer es morir de forma heroica... y Felix permanecer vivo para contarlo.

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Book SynopsisIn 1961, MJ Galvin, an Irish building contractor in London, brings over his kid brother, Tom, to join the family business. Educated, sensitive and naive, and destined for the seminary, Tom witnesses a killing, learns about dead men and the start in Camden Town, experiences drunken brawls and the excitement of dancehall nights in the Galtymore. He faces a decision that will shape his future: will he join his successful brother and make a fortune, or follow an inner voice towards the priesthood? The inner voice prevails, Tom enrolls as a seminarian, goes to Rome, becomes a monsignor and is tipped for a bishopric, only to renounce power and prestige, and be relegated to a quiet country parish disillusioned by the betrayal of principles within his Church as a new century dawns. This powerful family saga evokes the tensions and transformations within a new Ireland as traditional values give way to consumerism and one man’s odyssey becomes everyman’s.Trade Review‘One of the best novels to have come out of Ireland in a long time. It chronicles not just a personal and spiritual journey but the state of a nation over 40 years. Outstanding.’ – John Boland, Irish Independent ‘Leaving Ardglass gives us a stunning insight into Church politics, the highs and lows of serving God, and the confusions and contradictions that modern Ireland has foisted on all of us.’ – Joe Duffy, Mail on Sunday ‘A finely written and brave book that throws up uncomfortable truths and interesting parallels between hidden worlds driven by ambitious men determined to survive.’ – Dermot Bolger, Sunday Business Post‘One of the best novels to have come out of Ireland in a long time. It chronicles not just a personal and spiritual journey but the state of a nation over 40 years. Outstanding.’ – John Boland, Irish Independent ‘Leaving Ardglass gives us a stunning insight into Church politics, the highs and lows of serving God, and the confusions and contradictions that modern Ireland has foisted on all of us.’ – Joe Duffy, Mail on Sunday ‘A finely written and brave book that throws up uncomfortable truths and interesting parallels between hidden worlds driven by ambitious men determined to survive.’ – Dermot Bolger, Sunday Business Post

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Book SynopsisEl destino de Félix Jaeger cambia el día en que Gotrek Gurnisson le salva la vida. Animado por un exceso de vino para celebrar la hazaña, Félix jura que inmortalizará por escrito la gloriosa muerte en combate del enano Gotrek. Algo que paradójicamente no va a ser tan fácil, porque Gotrek es un Matador que ha dado su palabra de combatir contra los monstruos más peligrosos del Viejo Mundo, en un intento de lavar una deshonra que guarda en secreto. Lo único que Gotrek tiene que hacer es morir de forma heroica? y Félix tiene que permanecer vivo para contarlo.

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Book SynopsisThe Strangled Impulse follows a young curate uprooted from a comfortable parish to serve the pastoral needs of working-class North Dublin. Set against the backdrop of the Church's dwindling influence in 1970s Ireland and an increased scrutiny of priests' personal lives, this is the story of Father O'Neill's battles between the demands of his vocation and his own desires. His loneliness leads him to an attractive yet wounded woman, and together they find a solace they once thought impossible. As O'Neill struggles with the promises he made on ordination day, their newfound intimacy threatens to destro them both.William King's daring first novel offers an insight into the conflicted, political, brotherly world of the priesthood. Re-issued for the first time since its publication in 1997, it is augmented with an afterword by the author reflecting on his work.Trade ReviewPraise for Leaving Ardglass 'King offers a richly textured and deeply felt portrait of a society in flux and of individuals ensnared in their fallible humanity and helpless in the face of time. The dubious privilege of moral judgment is left to the reader in this outstanding novel.' - John Boland, Irish Independent 'A finely written and brave book that throws up uncomfortable truths and interesting parallels between hidden worlds, driven by ambitious men determined to survive.' - Dermot Bolger, The Sunday Business Post

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