Synopsis
In 2000 B.C., a case of sibling rivalry among the sons of Hengall, the chief in a place called Ratharryn, gives rise to the building of a temple to a new deity, the sun god Slaol. The temple is an immense circle of stones that taxes the ingenuity and strength of several generations of Ratharryn men. The result, of course, is Stonehenge, which Cornwell recreates in this vivid novel, along with the imagined world in which it was constructed.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2004-12-01 | | Edition Description: | Reprint |
| Size | | Length: | 434 pages | | Height: | 8.0 in | | Width: | 5.5 in | | Thickness: | 1.0 in | | Weight: | 12.8 oz |
Publisher's Note
Bestselling author Bernard Cornwell takes us back four thousand years, to a vibrant world of ritual and sacrifice that is at once timeless and wholly original. This historical novel unlocks the mystery of Britain's most haunting and puzzling structure, and tells a tale of three brothers -- fierce rivals -- who are uneasily united in their quest to create a temple to their gods. Lengar, the eldest brother, kills his own father to become chief of his tribe. Camaban, the illegitimate middle brother, is determined to have a massive temple built in his own honor. And Saban, the youngest, who actually builds Stonehenge, must act as mediator between the other two. Stonehenge is the enthrallingly dramatic story of patricide, betrayal, and murder; of bloody brotherly rivalry; and of the never-ending quest for power, wealth, and spiritual fulfillment.
Industry Reviews
"Whatever the period, count on Cornwell to serve up the details on which verisimilitude thrives. Lots of that here, maybe more than required, but it's a sturdy story, too--an ancient sibling rivalry full of enough blood and thunder to hold anyone's interest."
Adler
"Combining informed conjecture with the story of a savage family whose treachery makes the Sopranos look tame by comparison, Bernard Cornwell has written a diverting novel that imagines the history behind Stonehenge....In the end, the book is more likely to appeal to fans of J.R.R. Tolkein than of David Macaulay."
New York Times Book Review - Michael Porter (10/08/2000)
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