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    River of Destiny
    River of Destiny
    River of Destiny
    Audiobook14 hours

    River of Destiny

    Written by Barbara Erskine

    Narrated by Gina Peach

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    From the bestselling author of Time’s Legacy and Lady of Hay comes a thrilling new novel, River of Destiny, an epic story that spans Anglo Saxon Britain, Victorian Suffolk and the present day.

    Perfect for fans of Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth.

    On the banks of the River Deben in Suffolk are ancient barns dating back to Anglo Saxon times – within these walls lie secrets that have been buried for centuries.

    New arrivals Zoe and Ken move into one of the converted barns, ready to start a life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. To the outside world they seem happy, but they are growing further apart by the day. Meanwhile the strange presence Zoe feels within their home and the ghostly shapes she sees through the cloying mists on the river are getting harder to ignore.

    Nearby, farmers are ploughing the land beside the river and human bones are found. Are they linked to the Victorian tragedy the locals whisper about? The secret of the grassy mound has remained untouched through history, but now that it’s been disturbed, will there be devastating consequences?

    Readers LOVE Barbara Erskine:
    ‘Atmospheric’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘Enthralling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘Spellbinding’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘Another fabulous read from the mistress of the genre’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘Immensely and deeply immersive fiction’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘I loved every minute’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘An exceptional writer of great books’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘You can rely on this author to keep you wanting more’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘A joy to read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    ‘Captivating and engrossing’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJul 5, 2012
    ISBN9780007467990
    Author

    Barbara Erskine

    Barbara Erskine is the author of thirteen bestselling novels and three collections of short stories that demonstrate her interest in both history and the supernatural. Lady of Hay, her first novel, has now sold over three million copies worldwide.

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    Reviews for River of Destiny

    4.5/5

    13 ratings7 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 3/5
      This is a book I got along with two others for a steal at my local book shop. The blurb intruiged me and I'd not read this author before so I thought it was a good pick. It's not a bad book, it's well-written and his intruiging scenes, it's just not for me. There is some confusion with the stories since there are three narratives going on at one time all in different times. One in the present, modern world, one in the ye olde days, and one in some fantasy land with magic and swords. Leading into each story is a symbol on the page. A boat, a sword or a horseshoe, to remind you where you are, but I still found it confusing especially given that in the fantasy and ye olde world, both protagonists are males with lowland jobs who have pregnant wives at home. I confused those stories all the time, especially given the almost identical events that occur to both characters. The novel also left me with that unsavoury feeling I get with novels where the females never feel safe unless they are with a male. Zoe (the protag for the modern world narrative) is in a dull marriage to Ken and begins and affair with Leo who she soon must consult on every little thing that happens in her life. It bothers me, why does Zoe need his approval at all? She strikes me as very capable. There is also a slightly unrealistic storyline where a hormonal 11-year-old girl who think she's a witch basically owns the town for a few chapters.But all in all, it was an okay read. It was slow to start but once it got going I could see the author's intentions and followed the story fine enough. I didn't flick or skim pages (much) which I thought I might do when I started the novel. I also praise its creepy factor, it did this thing with nails standing up on end that gave me an eery feeling - and I struggle to find books that do that!
    • 4/5
      A thrilling story, woven through three periods of time. Liked the characters too. These last days, evere minute of my spare time was dedicated to the Rivers of Destiny. But - as you see, there is one star missing, because in my opinion, at the end of the story the author did not take enough time to resolve the woven knot of the different destinys and time levels, it is written in a quite slipshod way, I had expected a little bit more, some explanations maybe. But - on the other hand - it has been left to the phantasy of the readers and I am sure, that some readers will like it just the way it is.
      But - I really con recommend this book and the author!
    • 5/5
      Completely unputdownable. This is one of those books that doesn't have any natural stopping places. You just have to keep reading. The narrative weaves between the Anglo Saxon, Victorian and present day stories which take place in the same location, complete with ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night. Truly excellent. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      This was an interesting story! Three periods of history: Anglo Saxon England, Victorian England, and present day England, and their stories all intertwining and echoing down through time. The separate, yet ultimately connected stories are interesting in and of themselves, and build to a climax of tragedy--and also completion, in all three eras.
    • 3/5
      The quote on the front cover of this book says “Barbara Erskine’s storytelling talent is undeniable”, and having read the book, I can whole-heartedly agree.This is a compelling time-slice story set in:-865 – where we meet Eric, blacksmith and maker of a beautifully crafted sword which he calls “Destiny Maker”; Eric lives in an Anglo-Saxon village at a time when small villages on the East Anglian coast lived in constant risk from Viking invaders-1865 – where we meet Dan, blacksmith and farrier who works for the Crosby family, whose Hall is built on the site of the original Anglo Saxon hall from Eric’s time-present day – where we meet Zoe and Ken, who have opted out of the rat race and relocated from London to Suffolk; their home is the barn conversion where Dan worked; their immediate neighbour, Leo, lives in what was originally the forge and Dan’s cottage.The three stories are linked together by sightings of a ghostly Viking warship.There are a host of interesting characters, including footpath diva Rosemary (who gets the whole village at loggerheads over her insistence on a footpath going across a farmer’s field rather than round it), and Sharon and Jeff, the neighbours from hell and their tearaway children.I found that the book flowed well and it is an easy and enjoyable read. If you like a book that isn’t too demanding and has a compelling story line, then you will enjoy this book.So why only 3*s. Well for me, character is all; I really want to identify with the main characters and see that their attitudes shape their actions, and that in turn drives the story line. However, I found Zoe weak as a character, and the burgeoning relationship with Leo seemed trite and predictable. The other characters, even major ones like Ken & Rosemary, seemed very one-dimensional – just there to hang the story off really. The most interesting character in the book was Jade (the 12 year old feral child)! I also thought the ending wrapped up all the relationships just too neatly and easily – real life is far more messy and painful!All in all, not (in my opinion) one of Erskine’s best. But still an enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      Completely unputdownable. This is one of those books that doesn't have any natural stopping places. You just have to keep reading. The narrative weaves between the Anglo Saxon, Victorian and present day stories which take place in the same location, complete with ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night. Truly excellent. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      This story was mesmerising. I loved every minute of it and embraced the Weird Sisters, and the struggle of the righteousness of the placement of the sword. The characters fascinated me, as I embrace the time Period, and the realm of the Anglo Saxons, fuelled by the Gods. I love Barbara Erskine's writings and this one was most exciting.