Currently reading Ciaran Carson’s translation of the Tain Bo Cuailnge, a book of Irish mythology featuring the legend Cu Chulainn. He does a great job of the translation, despite the experimental poetry which I find frustrating, but ultimately the story isn’t that great. Based off the biggest contrivance in the history of fiction, and dissolves into a repetitive structure of cu chulainn defeating soldiers of the army invading Ulser, overpowered protagonist that he is. It’s not easy to root for him, either. One minute he’s an honourable guy and very friendly, the next he turns into the Irish mythological version of the Incredible Hulk and slaughters a field of men, women, children, horses and dogs for no discernible reason.