Sarum

Edward Rutherfurd

This monster (1344 pp.) covers the history of England from 10,000 B.C. to the end of the 20th century, centred on the city of Salisbury in southern England and following the interlocking fates of five local families throughout the millennia. Each chapter is, in effect, a novella covering a particular period - the Roman occupation, the building of Stonehenge, the Civil War etc. The idea is a neat one, but has the drawback that some chapters are, inevitably, more interesting or gripping than others. I personally preferred the earlier chapters, before the advent of recorded history restricted the author in how far he could go with creative licence.

The book reads well and is as good an example of sustained story-telling as you're likely to find - nothing wrong with that - but there's very little psychological insight or tension, which makes it feel a bit 'flat' as the novel progresses. Likewise, just as you're getting interested in one set of characters - whoosh - the chapter ends and you're transported ahead a century or so to find that you're now dealing with their descendants. Shame.

Anyway, if you like your fiction long and historical, this might be the ticket. If you prefer a bit more depth and insight, then you should probably look elsewhere.