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    Stonehenge: 2000 B.C.
    Stonehenge: 2000 B.C.
    Stonehenge: 2000 B.C.
    Audiobook17 hours

    Stonehenge: 2000 B.C.

    Written by Bernard Cornwell

    Narrated by George Guidall

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the tale of three brothers and of their rivalry that created the mysterious Stonehenge.

    One summer’s day, a dying stranger carrying great wealth in gold comes to the settlement of Ratharryn.

    The three sons of Ratharryn’s chief each perceive the great gift in a different way.

    The eldest, Lengar, the warrior, harnesses his murderous ambition to be a ruler and take great power for his tribe. Camaban becomes a great visionary and feared wise man, and it is his vision that will force the youngest brother, Saban, to create the great temple on the green hill where the gods will appear on earth. Saban’s love for Aurenna, the sun bride whose destiny is to die for the gods, finally brings the rivalries of the brothers to a head. But it is also his skills that will build the vast temple, a place for the gods, certainly, but also a place that will confirm forever the supreme power of the tribe that built it.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 27, 2011
    ISBN9781456123918
    Stonehenge: 2000 B.C.
    Author

    Bernard Cornwell

    BERNARD CORNWELL is the author of over fifty novels, including the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, which serve as the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.

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    Reviews for Stonehenge

    3.5/5

    426 ratings23 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Good stuff. Great to listen to with a wine or beer in the evenings.
    • 3/5
      Good use of the historical and archaeological background in the writing of this book. Was a bit of a slow read at times though
    • 4/5
      Almost like a science-fiction novel pretty much everything is imagined in a completely different frame of reference from where we are now. And just like decent sci-fi it makes you think, so well worth a read.
    • 5/5
      When I visited Stonehenge, I tried to imagine what life was like for those who built it. Cornwell did a much better job of it than I did. Great story.
    • 4/5
      An interesting proposition about the origins of Stonehenge. Particularly taken by the time everything took 'in those days' and the nicely illustrated human search for a better life, albeit in a time when the judgement fro fearful fellow humans could be swift and brutal. Did take a little while to get into but was worth sticking with it and was ultimately quite gripping.
    • 4/5
      Good solid storytelling based on an interesting theory of why Stonehenge was built. Of course we don't know why, but archaeology has given us insight into how Stonehenge was built and Cornwell does a credible job building a world in which this extraordinary labor could have taken place. Vivid details and compelling character round out the action and plot.
    • 3/5
      A fictional account of how the iconic prehistoric stone structure may have come to grace the Salisbury Plain in England. Although I'm quite interested in learning more about Stonehenge, I found this particular account to be somewhat of a slog. Lots of harnessing oxen to sledges to pull big stones, lots of bloody warfare and violence, and some dopey romance combined to make me feel more relieved than inspired by the end. The main thing I learned is that I want to read a good nonfiction account of Stonehenge at some point.
    • 4/5
      Written with Cornwell's usual impeccable historical detail, research and biting vision, Stonehenge is a vision of how the great henge may have come to exist, richly embroidered with believable characters, political machinations, and religious fervour.As always Cornwell's writing is lean, and his plotting searingly tight.Recommend highly for the lover of good historical fiction.
    • 3/5
      I like this better than the Sharpe Series, and certainly better than the "Copperhead" books by Cornwell. As an attempt to explain the famous monument, and it's several forms over the centuries I think it's a fine bit of work. I wish he had done more of this kind of thing. It shows, the mutability of human endeavours, and BC's gift of nuanced character creation.
    • 4/5
      Excellent work of historical fiction depicting the early Bronze Age (circa 2000 BC) building of Stonehenge in England. The author is a seasoned writer with a real grip on his craft and the tribal culture of the communities who dug up great stones, carved, hauled and shipped them hundreds of miles, and then up-ended them in a huge circle aligned with the mid-summer sun. The plot is narrated from the Point of View of the builder, and his two brothers -- a fierce warrior, and a crippled priest. All three men fell in love with the same two women. More or less. And a great lust for flesh and power and even gold. The story includes trading trips, to the coast with an ingenious strong man and his huge, loyal, but mentally "slow" son. Priests have considerable power, though most folks are skeptical of them: "So most priests are weak men, but like all men, given some small authority, they become tyrants." [159] The conceit of the book is that the builders of Stonehenge believed they would change the world. The alignments would restore the patterns, the cycles of sun and moon would "balance". Gods would appreciate this and reward humans with prosperity otherwise eluding them. I particularly like the detailed combat strategy unveiled during the several battles. How a small group of hidden archers can break a heavy charge, and expose a warlord whose early death in an engagement can turn the advantage even for an outnumbered host. [356]And Cornwell relentlessly explores and exposes the role of "religious" belief behind the fears and motivations of the lords and slaves who pulled off this remarkable feat -- the construction of Stonehenge. He touches upon the great themes of redemption, the affinities of trinities, the magisterial mysteries of birth. The mother stone."The gods talk by signs. It may be a leaf falling in summer, the cry of a dying beast or the ripple of wind on calm water." Well, right there he has me.And lots of nature is invoked describing the lives of people who are henged about with great forests and lots of streams. "Saban and Derrewyn went eastward across Mail's river, then north past the settlement until they reached a place where the valley was steep and narrow and thick trees arched high above the running water. Sunlight splashed through the leaves. The call of the corncrakes in the wheatfields had long faded and all they could hear now was the river's rippling and the whisper of the wind and she scrabble of squirrel's claws and the staccato flap of a pigeon bursting through the high leaves. Orchids grew purple among the water mint at the river's edge while the haze of the fading bluebells clouded the shadows beneath the trees. Kingfishers whipped bright above the river where red-dabbed moorhen chicks paddled between the rushes." [103] This is the setting for romance. And he does not indulge "nature" writing too much in what is essentially a work of great actions orchestrated by a plotting sorcer and two women who are smarter than he is.
    • 4/5
      I found this to be a fascinating story about the building of Stonehenge. The story takes place in 2000BC when men believed that gods and goddesses ruled over everything in the world and that the two most powerful were the Sun and the Moon. Three brothers lives were wrapped up in the building of this great temple. The oldest was the fierce warrior who left the village only to come back and kill his own father and took over the leadership of the his people. The middle son was born with a twisted leg and was going to be sacrificed to the gods. His own intellect saved him from being sacrificed when he presented himself as a great preist and told everyone he was favored by the gods. Stonehenge was his life's passion - he thought it would change the world. The youngest son, the most diplomatic and kind, was first sold into slavery by his oldest brother then saved by his middle brother in order to build the temple. The story ranges the lifetime of these three men and describes the culture of the time in great detail. It was a most interesting read.
    • 4/5
      An entertaining read, that kept me interested right to the end.
    • 3/5
      Interesting but dragged and plot twists I didn't totally believe
    • 4/5
      A stranger appears one day at an old unused temple near Ratharryn. He is not a member of any of the local tribes. He is also injured, and with a little help from the two who found him, soon dies from his wounds. This stranger carried gold with him and it is this gold that will bring forth a feud that will tear brothers apart, inspire religions, and cause war among the local tribes.Brothers Lengar, Saban, and Camaban have little in common. Lengar is strong, defiant, and always willing to fight; Saban is the peacemaker and builder; and Camaban is unacknowledged by his father and cast out of the tribe because of a deformed foot. Lengar uses fear and brutality to eventually take over the tribe, overthrowing his father and virtually enslaving his own people. He casts Saban out but is unaware of a plan by Camaban to keep him safe until he can return to rule the tribe. In the end, it is Camaban who cleverly uses religion and sorcery to inspire the building of Stonehenge and bring about the near destruction of his people. Saban, who unwillingly shares his brother's vision for the temple, is the one that is able to finally bring it to fruition and peace to his people.As with most Cornwell novels I have read, there is usually a long list of characters and this one is no exception. There are several tribes, sorcerers, gods, and places to keep track of in this book. He manages to blend the stories of the different people well and it feels cohesive even when several events are taking place at the same time.I put this book down at one point and wasn't sure if I would go back to it. Eventually I did and once a certain character was out of the picture, I found I liked the book much more and found the remainder quite interesting. The building of the temple was fascinating --- the way the stones were moved, fashioned, and positioned was a story unto itself. The religious aspect and invoking of several gods was also intriguing. The superstitions and rituals were so ingrained in the characters that it felt very natural for some of the events to take place even if they were barbaric and not something one would consider necessary for religion.I didn't like this book as much as other Cornwell books I have read but found it rather interesting in terms of the religious aspects portrayed here and how the societies were torn apart by gold and gods. Cornwell's imagining of the building of Stonehenge is engrossing and made me want to find out more about it in the end.
    • 4/5
      I really like historical fiction especially those that follow one person through their life and trials. This is great conjecture on why and how Stonehenge was built-the tribes and gods that were involved
    • 4/5
      I am not a fan of prehistoric fiction, but I am a fan of Bernard Cornwell. Having recently finished the Sharpe series, and the Grail series I was ready for a stand alone novel and picked up Stonehenge. The story takes place over a period of about 20 years and focuses on the three sons of Hengall, particularly upon Saban the youngest son. From the beginning of the story, Saban is a man of integrity; in some ways he reminds me of Thomas of Hookton in the Grail Series. I really like both Saban and Thomas of Hookton, because they each are decent men who get caught up in great events and faithfully carry an unwelcome burden with wisdom and intelligence.The great event in Stonehenge is, of course, how the Stonehenge might have come to be built. The maelstrom of events created by people as they strive to follow dieties, get caught up in power struggles and madness, and endure the difficulties involved in the creation, engineering, and building of the Stonehenge are intriguing, and seem highly plausible. As usual, I appreciated the explanatory Historical Note at the end.I did not find this novel to be a page turner. As I have come to expect of Cornwell, the characterizations and plot were tight, but this was a slower-paced read than the other stories I have read by this author. I recommend it to fans of Bernard Cornwell, and of Neolithic fiction.
    • 5/5
      The novel Stonehenge 2000BC by Bernard Cornwell is an illuminating novel addressing what events brought about the inspiration and building of Stonehenge. The story is based on historical information gathered from archaeological digs and sociological information gleaned from many researchers about that period in time. The protagonist of the story, twelve year old Saban (his name meaning favored one), is followed through his development to manhood and finally, as the chief of his tribal home, Ratharryn. His story aligns closely to the people's changing ideas towards their gods and their ever-changing loyalties. There are several sub plots in the novel outlining the political and social unrest between the villages that are near, as well as villages from afar. Although all the villages have similar lifestyles and worship patterns, they all prioritize different gods, leading to social unrest, human sacrifice and war. Bernard Cornwell does an outstanding job of developing each character and building suspense throughout the novel. I had a difficult time putting the book down as I was anxious to see what would happen next. I highly recommend this book. It is very interesting and thought-provoking.
    • 4/5
      Action packed with excellent characterizations, the book races through the lives of a father (Hengall) chief of the Rathharryn tribe, and his three sons who each in turn also becomes chief of the tribe. The peace of the tribe is shattered by a fugitive from the coastal region of Wales, who steals his tribes ceremonial gold and is killed by Lengar, the oldest son when he comes into Rathharryn territory. There is much fighting and death in the book. The people are bound by fear and superstition, brutality and sickness abound. There is war between Rathharryn and the neighbouring tribe Cathallo.For a modern novel, the role and position women receive is a shock. No doubt it is more credible than the soapy stories of the Earth Stories of Jean Auel for what life had in store for women – and is far more insightful of the male psyche.Loved the book, had trouble putting it down. True to his style the violence and fighting is very graphic, but sex is an allusion only. The pagans of old England lived “short brutish lives”.
    • 1/5
      I'm a huge Cornwell fan, but this book is pretty bad. It's hard to keep track of which charicter is which, and is just not written like his other books. Stick to the Sharp books.
    • 5/5
      In my opinion one of Cornwell's best efforts yet. Trully excellent characterisation and, arguably unusually a well developed major female character, possibly following on from Nimue in the Warolrd Chronicles. It is a quite plausible narrative of the origins of Stonehenge and a highly probable characterisation of life in ancient Britain. Any fan of the Warlord Chronicles series should love this book.
    • 3/5
      Two-dimensional characters struggle for power and survival against a bronze age background that is only marginally believable. The author did research (based on the historical note) but little of it came through in this fictionalization of the creation of Stonehenge.
    • 3/5
      A fairly enjoyable romp through Mr Cornwell's vision of a possible building of Sronehenge, with sorcery and violence, sacrifice and blood, slavery and whelping. In my view it would have benefited from less B-movie-esque females and some rather more bronze age dialogue sans modern English sensitivities. The historical note at the end is welcomed.
    • 4/5
      Stonehenge: A Novel is a stand-alone adventure from the fascinating and ever surprising mind of Cornwell about the creation of Stonehenge. Cornwell realistically captures, imo, the time and travails of the various people who created Stonehenge. A remarkable read, although not quite chock full of the blood and guts as his usual stories are, but nevertheless engrossing. Not for those who believe only a peaceful matriarchic fantasy filled society created the stones.