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Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)

by Bernard Cornwell (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; New Ed edition (1 Nov 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0002259702
  • ISBN-13: 978-0002259705
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,034,309 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

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 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews

56 Reviews
5 star:
 (18)
4 star:
 (19)
3 star:
 (8)
2 star:
 (7)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (56 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Neolithic swashbuckler!, 12 Jun 2005
By Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 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]

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25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Stonehenge, 16 Feb 2005
By Clare "Bookaholic" (England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
This review is from: Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)
This was the first book I read by Bernard Cornwell, after this it most definitely won't be the last!

This story tells the story of the construction of the world famous Stonehenge. This of course does not promise to be the true story, but will we ever know the true story of Stonehenge?

This is a very strong story, superbly written and although many have not liked this book the most important thing to remember is this is a work of fiction, having said that Bernard is such a wonderful author it is very hard to remember while reading this book that it is indeed fiction.

This gives you such a feel that you can almost imagine what it was like to live on those beautiful hills in Salisbury at the time when Stonehenge was constructed.

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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and clever in places, 24 July 2005
By Mr. Andrew Moore "lord derfel cadarn" (Worcestershire) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Stonehenge: A Novel of 2000 BC (Paperback)
I'm a big fan of Bernard Cornwell so bought this book as soon as it was released. I found it to be his worst book, but don't let that make you think it's poor, because it ain't. Set in Neolithic times, the book tells the story of brothers, sons of the tribal king, battling it out for supremacy over the tribe. One, slightly mad, is driven away from the village and wonders the country looking for his religious message. He finds it in Wales and thus begins the building of Stonehenge.
The time frame is too short for considered actual events, merely a few years, but it is an interesting idea and who knows; it might be somewhere near the truth!?
I haven't re read it unlike other Cornwell novels but is a cherished part of my collection of his books.
If you are new to Cornwell, try one of the Sharpe stories or better still his Arthurian trilogy first, they'll grip you far more.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars STONEHENGE - BERNARD CORNWELL
An excellent fictional account of the construction of one of our nation's greatest monuments and mysteries. Read more
Published 4 months ago by D. G. Cornish

1.0 out of 5 stars Pathetic
Cornwall takes his revenge on the real women who wouldn't sleep with him in this fantasy; by raping, killing and humiliating them on virtually every page. Read more
Published 7 months ago by M. Britz

5.0 out of 5 stars Stonehenge
Bernard Cornwell's research must be meticulous. Archeologists at Wood Henge asked my wife and I how we had so much knowledge about the area and when told "Bernard Cornwell's... Read more
Published 8 months ago by C. Otway

4.0 out of 5 stars a good read
A chance to read a good story and improve my historical knowledge at the same time.
Published 10 months ago by D. Cannon

4.0 out of 5 stars Neolithic Intrigue

What I found interesting about this book - is how the author creates a complete society and structure of neolithic times yet makes the character very easily identifiable... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Magickal Spires

4.0 out of 5 stars Better for Me the Second Time Around

Having read several of Mr. Cornwell's novels, and knowing what an excellent writer he is, I was particularly looking forward to this one. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2008 by J. Chippindale

5.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not Great

Having read several of Mr. Cornwell's novels, and knowing what an excellent writer he is, I was particularly looking forward to this one. Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2007 by J. Chippindale

4.0 out of 5 stars A Different Point of View
OK... so why is someone from Montana writing a review on this book? BECAUSE I LIKED IT! I became a Bernard Cornwell fan listening to (I like audiobooks) the aribdged versions of... Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2006 by Ralph Cramden

4.0 out of 5 stars History brought to life
Another typical good read. Characters are believable and the scene that is set is good. If you are a Cornwell fan this will keep you happy.
Published on 30 Mar 2005 by snaggletoth

3.0 out of 5 stars Well Written as Always, But Not For Me
Having read several of Mr. Cornwell's novels, and knowing what an excellent writer he is, I was particularly looking forward to this one. Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2004 by J. Chippindale

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