Rating: 
Summary: Enthralling Account
Review: Although many would criticize this "history" for it's fictionalized conversations and encounters, Peter de Rosa sets forth a fairly accurate and moving account of the events of Easter Week 1916. DeRosa uses the fictionalized conversations to bring alive the characters involved in the events, and does an admirable job in capturing their personalities. This is a remarkably accessible account which will be a good introduction to those new to Irish history. The reader will be spell bound by many of the accounts such as Cathal Brugha's one-man stand against a batallion of British soldiers, and the heart-wrenching final account of the hours leading up to James Connolly's execution having to be tied to a chair due to the severity of his wounds. Pick up this book, you may not be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Enthralling Account
Review: Although many would criticize this "history" for it's fictionalized conversations and encounters, Peter de Rosa sets forth a fairly accurate and moving account of the events of Easter Week 1916. DeRosa uses the fictionalized conversations to bring alive the characters involved in the events, and does an admirable job in capturing their personalities. This is a remarkably accessible account which will be a good introduction to those new to Irish history. The reader will be spell bound by many of the accounts such as Cathal Brugha's one-man stand against a batallion of British soldiers, and the heart-wrenching final account of the hours leading up to James Connolly's execution having to be tied to a chair due to the severity of his wounds. Pick up this book, you may not be able to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: A movie screenplay begging to be filmed
Review: De Rosa's "Rebels" is simply one of the best historical books I have ever read, period. Some have criticised it for adopting a novelized approach, with plenty of dialogue, but as popular history, the result is a suspenseful buildup to the Great Easter Rising of 1916, and its brutal extermination by the British Army.The success of the book is the care that De Rosa takes to develop his characters, including the ill-fated Casement, the rabble-rousing socialist Connelly, schoolmaster Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke, and the dozen or so key leaders of the uprising. Most were executed within days of the suppression to the outcry of liberal MPs in London, and became martyrs to Irish freedom. Someone seriously needs to turn this book into a screenplay, which would be a far more dramatic tale than "Michael Collins", particularly since the politics of the April 24 rebellion were far less complex than the civil war that is hopelessly glossed over in "Collins" The wedding of one of the uprising's leaders in his cell before his execution was heartbreaking even in print. The book is a great read even without a background in Irish history.
Rating:
Summary: A movie screenplay begging to be filmed
Review: De Rosa's "Rebels" is simply one of the best historical books I have ever read, period. Some have criticised it for adopting a novelized approach, with plenty of dialogue, but as popular history, the result is a suspenseful buildup to the Great Easter Rising of 1916, and its brutal extermination by the British Army. The success of the book is the care that De Rosa takes to develop his characters, including the ill-fated Casement, the rabble-rousing socialist Connelly, schoolmaster Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke, and the dozen or so key leaders of the uprising. Most were executed within days of the suppression to the outcry of liberal MPs in London, and became martyrs to Irish freedom. Someone seriously needs to turn this book into a screenplay, which would be a far more dramatic tale than "Michael Collins", particularly since the politics of the April 24 rebellion were far less complex than the civil war that is hopelessly glossed over in "Collins" The wedding of one of the uprising's leaders in his cell before his execution was heartbreaking even in print. The book is a great read even without a background in Irish history.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Perfect
Review: De Rosa's account is amazing. There have been some reviews critical of De Rosa's 'fictionalization.' I think that the fictionalizations tend to stand out because of the fantastic job that De Rosa does with the actual events. The events are done so well that when the fiction does occur, it is almost uneccessary. We already know what has to be going on with the main players.
The greatness of this book is that it does two things for the reader: 1) The story is so great you won't put the book down, and, more importantly 2) It ties together all the events and people into a coherent picture. I haven't really seen this done with this event before, much like the reviewer who talks about other books on the subject only concentrating on events in Dublin. The overview and understanding of the event is key.
This is an absolute Gem. . . an indeed one that should be made into a screenplay.
Rating: 
Summary: "Fictionalized" History
Review: De Rosa's work certainly is a chillingly vivid account of the 1916 Easter uprising in Ireland. While other books that I have read deal only with the events in Dublin, this book goes quite a bit further and describes such events as the sailing of the Aud, the German arms shipment boat, and the fruitless attempt to create a military force out of Irish POW's held in Germany. The major portions of this book, which are based on fact, are written admirably. However, de Rosa's attempt to "fictionalize" history goes way too far, and subtracts a star from what could have been a five-star rating. Some of these fictions include unnecessary detail about Sir Roger Casement's homosexuality, and the vivid portrayals of cruelty which seem to be obvious creations of de Rosa's imagination.
Rating:
Summary: "Fictionalized" History
Review: De Rosa's work certainly is a chillingly vivid account of the 1916 Easter uprising in Ireland. While other books that I have read deal only with the events in Dublin, this book goes quite a bit further and describes such events as the sailing of the Aud, the German arms shipment boat, and the fruitless attempt to create a military force out of Irish POW's held in Germany. The major portions of this book, which are based on fact, are written admirably. However, de Rosa's attempt to "fictionalize" history goes way too far, and subtracts a star from what could have been a five-star rating. Some of these fictions include unnecessary detail about Sir Roger Casement's homosexuality, and the vivid portrayals of cruelty which seem to be obvious creations of de Rosa's imagination.
Rating:
Summary: Vivid
Review: I have never read a history book that was more moving or more realistic (and I was a history major.) Afterwards I traveled to Dublin just to see Kilmainham Gaol. The book was so realistic that the Gaol was horribly familiar to me. Buy the book and read it. You'd be hard pressed to find a better book. Better yet, buy a dozen copies and give them out to your friends.
Rating:
Summary: inspirational
Review: i have read many fine books and accounts of the rising and the subsequent birth of the republic, but this one stands out as one of my favourites. peter de rosa did an excellent job of not only capturing the factual aspects of the rising, but also giving a multi dimensional character study of those who were so deeply involved in what ultimately was the catalyst for the end of the genocide and oppression of the irish at the hands of the british occupiers in the free republic. but what of our sisters and brothers in northern ireland? perhaps another rising....
Rating:
Summary: An Inspiring and Haunting Story
Review: The reviews below describe the book well enough. I would only add that this book has stayed with me for five months now -- the story is that compelling and the portrayal of the protagonists is that vivid. Regardless of your interest in things Irish -- if you believe in liberty and the value of personal sacrifice in the pursuit of liberty, you will be moved by this story.
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