I was initially VERY worried about this book as it begins with Lengar being the primary character – Lengar is, quite an unlikeable character, to say the least. We follow these three as they shape the story of why Stonehenge was eventually set in stone, so to speak. Finally, Camaban, the middle son that suffers from a disfigurement that makes him nothing more than refuse to his own people, but perhaps special for his Gods.

His eldest brother Lengar is a manipulative hot-head with a passion for being a warlord. Hengall, the Chieftain of the Ratharryn tribe has three sons: Saban, the youngest, is perhaps the most level-headed of the three, and rumored to be eyed for the next Chieftain. Sadly, unlike many of Cornwell’s books, there isn’t a handy map included, so the actual scope of these speculative Chiefdoms is somewhat vague. Everything is centered in and around the site where Stonehenge stands today, with fictionalized names of various areas that correspond to real places. The story in this book takes place in 2000 B.C./B.C.E. 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 for ever the supreme power of the tribe that built it.” Book Description 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. 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. The eldest, Lengar, the warrior, harnesses his murderous ambition to be a ruler and take great power for his tribe. The three sons of Ratharryn’s chief each perceive the great gift in a different way. “One summer’s day, a dying stranger carrying great wealth in gold comes to the settlement of Ratharryn. With Stonehenge being of such immense significance to many Pagans, especially druids, I figured why not branch out a bit on here?

One of the first I decided to check out was this older novel by Bernard Cornwell called Stonehenge: A Novel, or alternatively Stonehenge 2000 BC as my copy says – I guess they decided to make it slightly more historically plausible as new information about the relic has come to light since this book was written. While I’ve slowed down a bit on this (considering that was a year ago) I have been forgoing my usual endless YouTube rabbit hole every night and have made progress on a few of these books. That is, books that I hope to read but rarely get through – taunting me as they sit there. Last year I went on a bit of a Stonehenge kick around the same time I visited a museum exhibition devoted to it, and decided to pick a few books up to add to my “pile of shame”.

Stonehenge a novel of 2000 bc