London
The Novel
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4.2 • 219 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
“A TOUR DE FORCE . . . London tracks the history of the English capital from the days of the Celts until the present time. . . . Breathtaking.”—The Orlando Sentinel
A master of epic historical fiction, Edward Rutherford gives us a sweeping novel of London, a glorious pageant spanning two thousand years. He brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through his saga of ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and intrigues of a half-dozen families, from the age of Julius Caesar to the twentieth century. Generation after generation, these families embody the passion, struggle, wealth, and verve of the greatest city in the Old World.
Praise for London
“Remarkable . . . The invasion by Julius Caesar’s legions in 54 B.C. . . . The rise of chivalry and the Crusades . . . The building of the Globe theatre . . . and the coming of the Industrial Revolution. . . . What a delightful way to get the feel of London and of English history. . . . We witness first-hand the lust of Henry VIII. We overhear Geoffrey Chaucer deciding to write The Canterbury Tales. . . . Each episode is a punchy tale made up of bite-size chunks ending in tiny cliffhangers.”—The New York Times
“Hold-your-breath suspense, buccaneering adventure, and passionate tales of love and war.”—The Times (London)
“Fascinating . . . A sprawling epic.”—San Francisco Chronicle
Customer Reviews
Great read
Captivating reading with a brilliant blend of history and fictional characters and events that bring the history of London alive.
Historically and fictionally excellent
Rutherford reveals well researched history as he weaves the story with fictional characters as well. His timelines and historical figures give us great enthusiasm for the places of which he writes, and the generations of fictional characters placed amidst factual people/history gives the story even more character and a personality. I have read Paris, New York, Ireland, and I look forward to reading more of his books.
Lumber Yard
Rutherfurd’s fictional account of several London families across millennia lumbers along in fits and starts. Some stories are more interesting than others, and there are a few too many coincidental intersections of the families. Moreover, there are inexplicable omissions—one would think that the Wars Of The Roses didn’t happen. But the best sections make for reading that is fun and informative, and the portrait of an historically polyglot London is compelling.