Sarum

The Novel of England

By: Edward Rutherfurd

Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon

Length: 45 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In Sarum, Edward Rutherfurd weaves a compelling saga of five English families whose fates become intertwined over the course of centuries. While each family has its own distinct characteristics, the successive generations reflect the changing character of Britain. We become drawn not only into the fortunes of the individual family members, but also the larger destinies of each family line.

Meticulously researched and epic in scope, Sarum covers the entire sweep of English civilization: from the early hunters and farmers, the creation of Stonehenge, the dawn of Christianity, and the Black Death; through the Reformation, the wars in America, the Industrial Age, and the Victorian social reforms; up through the World War II invasion of Normandy and the modern-day concerns of a once-preeminent empire.

©1987 Edward Rutherfurd (P)1994 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Nadia May is ideal; her British accents fit the locale, and her pacing and characterizations are smooth, unobtrusive and compelling. The ease of her reading leads the listener to forget she is there, the sign of the perfect narrator.” ( AudioFile)

A long but, for the most part, enjoyable listen.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

With my long commutes, a book like this can make time on the road bareble. I would recommend it for folks that can dedicate the hefty time needed to complete these volumes.

Would you be willing to try another book from Edward Rutherfurd? Why or why not?

I would probably try another work by Rutherfurd. I would however try to have it less comprehensive, or more broken up.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Narration was adequate. The various voices and accents made the flow enjoyable.

Do you think Sarum needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. It is already comprehensive in its scope. You can't expect much more beyond a caveman to present day timeline.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the book. It has led me to learn more about the area and times covered in the work.

Completely Engaging

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, for people who relish extremely, well-researched historical fiction.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sarum?

I am already quite familiar with the history of this area so I thoroughly enjoyed the author's description of particular events, battles, social changes etc. and how the effect on a diverse group of people. However, what made this book memorable for me was author's depiction of the ice age, migration south and early settlement of the area: this was simply delicious!

What about Wanda McCaddon’s performance did you like?

I think her consistency was particularly notable. Given this was such a long book, I was impressed that her narration brought the same tone from beginning to end. I had no idea which of the six parts I was listening to at any given sitting - other than the timeline itself. Like many of the good narrators, she did not emote and allowed the events and the characters to tell the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many...

Any additional comments?

I have read extensively about this area and how the political and social powers in the UK and Europe changed over time and I anticipated more of this. I was certainly not prepared for how skillfully the author wove a tapestry of family relationships over such a long period of time and such dramatic changes to society. At the end, I was thrilled the author introduced a descendant from one of the group who left for the New World just after the American Revolution. To connect with name recognition to a distant relative was a tad contrived, but I was pleased that loose end was tied up. I also appreciated the contrasting view points of both these characters (and likely the author himself)... i.e. Salisbury being like a museum (stagnant) and the perception of fighting for the past vs. acknowledging and celebrating the fluidity of change. The irony of these view points was not lost on me and it certainly cuts both ways.

good but, sometimes drags

Any additional comments?

If you liked centennial by michener or pillars of the earth by follett, this book will not disappoint.
The first half of the book, up till the end of rome was more like what i enjoy about this kind of book. epic and uncomplicated. after the fall of rome, things get much more political and i sometimes found it hard to follow. but that's just me, don't be discouraged it was not that complicated a book. just maybe a bit overlong, which led to my attention drifting and as a result of my own distraction, i missed some bits.
warning; this author is of the sort who likes to invent words; like, ''toleration'' rather than tolerance. this sort of thing makes me wince when i hear it. but altogethjer a fine book.
i,m gonna take a break, and will likely buy another from rutherfurd after i have recovered from listening to this one.

great historical fiction

I am a great fan of these books that lead you through the centuries with a family of two. I feel so educated after listening to them. This one is very well written and a joy to listen to.

Like a lot of fibre

This was very good info to chew over and learn from It was very well performed. But like too much fibre, it was quite heavy going in places.

Clever book

I really liked the author's execution of this book. It was well planned and I loved getting to know so many generations of the same families.

Great historical novel!

Great narrative and contains a lot of history. I listened just prior to my first trip to the UK. It really opened my eyes to some new facts. Understanding that this was not the intent of the author, it would have been nice to have a little more character expansion.

And Oldie but still a Goodie !

Used to read a tomb each summer. Great audio listen meant more continuous read time. Loved it - again !!!

must love Wanda

(aka Doneda Peters and Nadia May) because you'll be listening to so much of her here - and from reading reviews of other books she's narrated, listeners usually have a love or hate relationship with her. She has an older-style narration (Talking Books) and she shines in classics with multiple-claused sentences and in nonfiction. I love her, and that was the tipping point for this download for me -- because although I love historical fiction, I usually can't stand anything earlier than early a 19th century setting.

I really didn't expect to like this novel - I thought it a good value for listening and learning while I did chores, etc.- but I VERY much enoyed the listen too. It's not a Ken Follet page turner, but I think the details will linger in a listener's mind more than those from a potboiler. Rutherford knits together a unique novel-docudrama

He does take century long leaps in time and in conjecture, but after about ten hours of listening, this starts to seem natural! I did not experience the technical glitches mentioned by other reviewers, BUT it does sound like an older quality recording (back when Wanda was getting paid about $15 a hour).

So know what you're getting before you hit "cart" -- or like me, if you have days to fill with listening, take a chance in case you too will be pleasantly surprised.

entertaining and educational

Very long, detailed historical fiction, brought fully to life by wonderful reading! Accents, character mannerisms, male vs female voices, old vs young, all quite believable,