Where Are The Kings by Donal Ryan. Published by Doubleday, €16
Next week you will be able to purchase the new offering from Donal Ryan, one of the most anticipated books of 2026. I have been fortunate enough to get an advance copy and I read it in two sittings. That alone says enough.
With eight novels already under his belt, ranging from The Spinning Heart to the 2024 Irish Book of the Year award-winning Heart, Be at Peace, the Nenagh native has had an unbroken sequence of fine novels that have made him one of the most popular writers, and not only in Ireland. His books reflect a world that he knows well, always touching on topics that readers will readily identify with. What makes Ryan unique are the voices of his characters.
His new novel is Where Are The Kings, at turns a difficult read, sometimes funny, but always real. Set in the countryside the author knows so well, it is populated with characters that you immediately recognise, but unlike many of his previous publications, this story centres around just one person, a young man named Jack.
This is a coming-of-age story with a difference, about a 12-year-old who loses his mother in tragic circumstances, and also his father as a consequence. He moves in with his extended family, his grandparents and uncles, and it is the latter who are the ‘kings’ in the story, playing an influential role in his life. Jack understandably suffers both grief and guilt, but there are magical moments thanks to the antics of his uncles, Theo and Haulie.
While Jack is the central character, and we see the world through his young eyes, Ryan’s writing craft means that even some of the lesser figures in the novel really come to life, and you are drawn to them. His uncle JJ is one such person, and I was moved on many occasions when the story involved him. JJ also provides a twist in the tale.
Even when dealing with difficult themes, Ryan’s own personal warmth and feeling is evident in the writing, which is simply beautiful. A true master of the word, he imbues the story with love, humour, tenderness and more, and has crafted a profoundly moving depiction of life in rural Ireland, of family and of grief. This is one of the best books of the year, and few if any will trump it.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger. Published by Penguin, €10.99
Though it was published 75 years ago, J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye still speaks to readers today, with as much relevance as it did then. Often banned, it remains one of the most cherished books still in print. The reaction to the book is credited with forcing the author to become a recluse, and he published nothing during the last 45 years of his life – almost half of his time on this earth.
Holden Caulfield is the embodiment of all that it is to be 16; smart, with no direction, a sceptic, and about to become an adult in a mass market America. This could apply today to many young men of a similar age. He is kicked out of school, is unable to face his parents, and flees instead to New York city. There he encounters a range of people who impact on him, including nuns, taxi drivers, a former teacher and an ex-girlfriend.
While trying to avoid fates similar to those he witnesses, it is his sister who proves to be his saviour.
The Medieval Castles of Ireland, by David Sweetman. Published by Four Courts Press, €24.95
Sadly, David Sweetman is not around to see his great work, The Medieval Castles of Ireland, first published in 1999, reissued. He died in late 2023. The former chief archaeologist of the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Dúchas, he was responsible for the restorative interpretation of Trim Castle. In more than three decades in public service, he worked on a wide variety of archaeological projects including Newgrange, and on a number of important excavations on medieval sites. He was an authority on Irish medieval buildings and structures, with specific expertise in tower houses. Sweetman was a member of the Royal Irish Academy.
Given his background, you might assume that he would only be responsible for a scholarly work, but Sweetman was able to combine his professional knowledge with a prose that will captivate anyone with even a passing interest in Irish castles.
Experts in a Dying Field, by Patrick Freyne. Published by Sandycove, €19
A feature writer for the Irish Times, Patrick Freyne wanted to be a rock star. He didn’t realise that dream, but perhaps he was able to channel some of that energy and hope into the creation of a band called The Heathens, central to his debut novel, Experts in a Dying Field.
The book’s title comes from a real song, the lyrics of which resonate with Freyne. Unlike Donal Ryan’s new book, with one central character, this novel has many, a deliberate ploy by Freyne whose work involves meeting people of all types. He weaves them all into what is also a homage to Dublin, a town he knows so well.
There is a chance reunion of the surviving members of The Heathens, two decades after their lead singer, Josh Boland, dies in tragic circumstances. The other three members have, in the meanwhile, been dealing with their own demons. Given his style of writing, it is not surprising that the novel is humorous and deeply emotional.
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