Search - Sarum

Different character names and different city, same huge book about England.

If you are a historical fiction fan and if this is your first Rutherford book then you may enjoy "Sarum." However, if you've read "London," or any other of his weighty tomes about England, then you've read it all before and once was probably enough.

"Sarum" covers 10,000 years' history of England and more specifically the area of Salisbury that was once called Sarum. Rutherford follows generation after generation of the Wilsons, the Shockleys, the Masons, the Godfreys, from the prehistory to WWII.

Sadly, there are great, gaping, boggy swamp-like sections of this huge book that just become so tediously boring that it became impossible to continue. Rutherfurd goes on about masonry, cathedral architecture and the confusing religious and political machinations that dull the senses beyond repair. Characters are born. They get rich. They become poor. They get revenge or they get religion. They die and usually not spectacularly. Characters you care about just disappear by the following chapter. Characters or plots you don't care about go on forever.

Truly nothing new under Rutherfurd's sun.

I closed the book at page 600 because I just stopped caring about the latest generation of the Godfreys, the Wilsons, and the Shockleys.

Sarum lived up to the standards I have come to expect from Rutherford's books. His research of the history he writes of is worth reading it alone. The fact that there is a fine story
line just makes it that much better. I recommend Sarum, and his other books highly. Guaranteed once you complete one of his books you'll go on to the next and ...

I bought my copy when I was in England visiting the area. It really helped pull everything together. He is very similar to James Michener in that he starts in the very early prehistory and focuses on several families through the generations. I have read several of his other books and have the rest on my TBR list. You cannot go wrong with his books!