Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Oh, Sarum, Sarum, you are too big to fail

This is really a big book by Edward Rutherfurd. The book's story covers the period between 7,500 B.C. until modern days and focus on fictional characters who lived in Sarum (ancient name for modern day Salisbury), which is located near the remains of the modern day Stonehenge. 

This is basically a historical fiction. The author created several fictional family line with long unbroken lines of descendants who supposedly continue living in or around Sarum for 10,000 years.

The book starts with the depiction of final act of separation of British isles from continental Europe at the end of big ice age when vast amount of melted ice established the strait of La Manche (English Channel).

Later it describes how Stonehenge was built around 2000 B.C. Strangely, the authors depicts local ruler as a despot with arbitrary power. It also reveals widespread human sacrifice for solar or moon gods.

Then, it switches to the period of Roman occupation in the 1st century A.D under Claudius and Nero. Then, to the 5th century A.D, fall of Roman Empire and Saxon invasion of British isles.

and So on. For each period, the authors chooses several characters and show their living conditions and surrounding socio-political environment.

I read this book up to Plantagenet period, but no further. For me this book lacked sufficient details to keep my interest going. Many characters are artificially inserted into the story and mostly distract rather the help the story lines. 

posted by David Usharauli

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