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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting take on stonehenge's construction. I both enjoyed the story and eagerly anticipated the historical followup at the end. Some of the elements come together nicely.
Maybe I'm not in the right headspace for this one, but I just found it to be boring. And when I wasn't bored, I was angry at (or for) the characters. So, I'm DNFing this one because the only two emotions I feel toward it are apathy and rage, and that's not a recipe for a good time.
"One summer's day a stranger carrying a great wealth in gold comes to the settlement. He is killed by one of the chief's sons in the old temple. The mysterious treasure, assumed by some to be a gift from the gods, causes great dissension within the tribe. Three brothers percieve it in a different way but they share one dream. Lengar, the warrior, knows it can fuel his ambition to be a great ruler and take power for his tribe. The second son has the vision to see that the building of a vast temple will create a place for the gods but also confirm the power of the people who built it. But it is the third son, the man of peace, the lover of the sun bride, who will be the creator and the master-builder of the Temple of Shadows." (back cover)
And so begins a tale of the creation of what we now call Stonehenge, a magnificent circle (and more) of capped standing stones miles inland in the south of England, made of stone brought from Wales in a time when there was no machinery to do the heavy lifting and shifting - and no calculators to work out how it should be done - and placed with precision so that the sun is seen to rise and set between certain markers from a certain point at specific times of the year.
We will never know, of course, what really happened back then, but Cornwell creates a great tale of ambition, greed and love woven around the known facts, which he also discusses briefly at the end of the book.
Cornwell is known for writing series, but this is a standalone novel.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and have no hesitation in recommending it to others.
And so begins a tale of the creation of what we now call Stonehenge, a magnificent circle (and more) of capped standing stones miles inland in the south of England, made of stone brought from Wales in a time when there was no machinery to do the heavy lifting and shifting - and no calculators to work out how it should be done - and placed with precision so that the sun is seen to rise and set between certain markers from a certain point at specific times of the year.
We will never know, of course, what really happened back then, but Cornwell creates a great tale of ambition, greed and love woven around the known facts, which he also discusses briefly at the end of the book.
Cornwell is known for writing series, but this is a standalone novel.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and have no hesitation in recommending it to others.
Well-researched. Imaginative and thoughtful. Characters well-developed. I enjoyed figuring out on my own which fictional places corresponded to which historical spots in England (Avebury was a dead giveaway). I could have done without the gruesome sacrifice of the three-year-old girl. On the whole, a good introduction to Cornwell. I will read more.
Honestly, can barely remember it now. Had to see it on the shelf while looking for something else to remember it existed. Think I liked it at the time, but if it was really great, I'd still know for certain.
3.5. The story was interesting enough, but I'm super happy the author incorporated archeological findings into the story. It definitely inspires some contemplation on the mystery of Stonehenge.