Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC
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Amazon.co.uk Review
From the earliest times, human beings have looked at the sun and the moon, and at life and death, and have imagined gods who control such things, and looked for ways to control those gods. In Stonehenge, Bernard Cornwell, famous for his novels about Rifleman Sharpe's adventures in the Napoleonic wars and for a sequence of brutally realistic Arthurian novels, considers the men and women who built Stonehenge and Avebury. These stone circles are impressive enough today; but all the more so if you imagine shifting stones from Wales to Salisbury Plain by raft and roller, dressing them with burning fat and grindstones, hauling the lintel stones up tiers of platforms.
"The oxen were goaded again, and, finger's breadth by finger's breadth, the huge stone eased forward until half of it was poised and then the oxen tugged once more and Saban was shouting at the beasts' drivers to halt the animals because the stone was tipping at last. For a heartbeat, it seemed to balance on the ramp's edge, then its leading half crashed down onto the timbers, then the great boulder slid down the ramp to lodge against the hole's face."It is the story of Saban, made architect against his will; of his brothers Lengar, the aspiring conqueror and Camaban, the cripple-turned-magician. It is the story of Derrewynn, princess-turned-witch, and Aurenna, sacrifice-turned-priestess queen. Stonehenge is an epic tale of people as smart as us, inventing religion and mythology and forcing their wills on the world and each other. --Roz Kaveney
Review
‘An epic story told with a master’s skill. Bernard Cornwell now burrows into prehistory to suggest an answer to the puzzle of why and by whom Stonehenge was built. The result is an epic story told with a master’s skill, presenting powerful personalities, high dramas and terrific climaxes with colour and pace.’
TLS
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Neolithic swashbuckler!,
By Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)
The only thing harder to research than a historical novel is a pre-historical one. Cornwell has made a serious effort to understand the how the Neolithic looked in southern Britain, then fit plot and characters into that landscape. It's an exciting story, full of duplicity, heroics, deeply held feelings and almost convincing people.Centred, as the title suggests, on the great stone monument on Salisbury Plain, he builds a narrative suggesting the motivation and labour involved in building this ancient site. He uses two trinities to develop his story. One trinity is comprised of brothers who represent material, mysticism and morality. The other is three who, by stretching your imagination, might be Mother, Maiden and Crone of the slassical witchcraft Sisterhood, although those identities shift drastically as the story progresses. The clash of greedy warlords with messianic figures is like something out of Sir Walter Scott. Cornwell's technique makes thrilling reading while upholding modern standards of justice and rewards for the good. The good, of course, don't come through unblemished or painlessly, but they survive. All the excitement and maneuvering raise this book a step above the modern fantasy novel, but the step is a small one. If you're looking for adventure with an unusual twist, this is the book for you. You will be taken back in time, through some spatial adjustment, but most importantly, view a society very different from the one you know. Prepare yourself for a harsh existence while remembering that "progress" is a word with many definitions. Perhaps there's some benefit in reading the "Historical note" at the back first, then delving into Cornwell's sources, before returning to this fictional account. All of his resources are at least as readable as this book, and infinitely more informative, if not as imaginative. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing,
By Stephen (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)
I must concur with other reviewers who have expressed disappointment in this novel. Having previously just finished Excalibur by the same author, Stonehenge was not in the same league. I felt the story was far too long with a relatively weak plot.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not up to Bernard Cornwell's ususal standard,
By A Customer
This review is from: Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)
I devoured the Warlord Chronicles, the characters living on in my mind even after I'd finished the books. I can't put the Sharpe novels down, attention to detail - brilliant, storylines - less believable but definitely escapism. Stonehenge - forget it! I always finish a book once begun, sometimes they can improve but this was a chore. Cornwell's usual style of writing and flair that fires the imagination and carries you along with it, in this case is sadly missing. The novel is written in a very simple style, as though for someone who doesn't understand English very well. Many times I felt I was reading a mediocre school essay. Very disappointing, deserves a "Can do better"!
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