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Sarum

Written by: Edward Rutherfurd
Narrated by: Roger Davis
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Publisher's Summary

The towering story of five families through 100 centuries of turmoil, tyranny, passion and prosperity from Edward Rutherfurd, the author of London, Russka and New York.  

In a novel of extraordinary richness the whole sweep of British civilisation unfolds through the story of one place, Salisbury, from beyond recorded time to the present day. The landscape - as old as time itself - shapes the destinies of the five families. 

The Wilsons and the Shockleys, locked in a cycle of revenge and rivalry for more than 400 years. The Masons, who pour their inspired love of stone into the creation of Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral. The Porters, descended from a young Roman soldier in exile. And the aristocratic Norman Godefrois, who will fall to the very bottom of the social ladder before their fortunes revive.

©2011 Edward Rutherford (P)2019 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about Sarum

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  • mntsmtl
  • 2019-11-22

Epic story but hard to follow - need reference mat

I enjoyed Sarum but the audiobook experience was sometimes confusing without reference materials like a family tree and a map to place all of the hundreds of characters and places. I was unable to find any such resources, short of buying a hard-copy book, which I did not do.

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17 people found this helpful

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  • Audrey Davis
  • 2021-03-24

Masterful historic novel

I know Sarum and Salisbury quite well; I visit the area often, so much in the novel is very real to me. I’ve even climbed to the top of the Cathedral spire and can say that the descriptions in the novel seem remarkably accurate.
The love stories are well told.
I did have trouble keeping all the names straight. Since it’s an audio I can ‘t keep checking them out. So I also have the book and check names out there from time to time.
A long story, but it kept my interest and I learned a lot.
John Staige Davis

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12 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2021-03-16

Wonderful ramble through British history

At 54 hours long Sarum Is my favorite type of book: a great story that you hope will just keep going. It was worth every minute. I’m sorry it’s ended. I’ll miss the characters. Now I want to visit that part of England!

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10 people found this helpful

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  • JoBo
  • 2021-01-31

Long Story but Worthwhile Listening

An ingenious blend of history and fiction that kept my attention. The reading was stage quality but the reader dipped into low volume speech at times making listening a bit difficult. He could then get quite loud making comfortable volume setting a challenge. From what I already knew about English history I think the representation was fairly accurate. Corn however has not been grown there for thousands of years. Maize was a gift from the New World. Nonetheless I recommend this enchanting listen and am pleased that I completed it.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2022-11-30

Interesting history, but…

This book offered a unique and interesting approach to telling the story of England. However, about 85% of the people who are featured in the stories are unhappy and have negative outcomes. It seems as though the author, in an effort to be authentic, wants to make it understood that a lot of bad things happened. However, because I read for pleasure, I would not read this book a second time because there were so many disappointments.
I could’ve enjoyed it much more if the negative stories were told alongside of some positive stories.

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6 people found this helpful

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  • M. Cain
  • 2021-10-05

Narration adds to the story

Roger Davis is fantastic as the narrator. He brings a wonderful story to life with his accent and intonation! A long story, told in a masterful way! Very enjoyable listen!

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5 people found this helpful

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  • BettyP
  • 2022-05-14

Loved this book

This book is a great reminder that human nature is still evolving... much too slowly. I loved the combination of archeology, history, and fiction. The story of human evolution, progress and lack of progress.

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  • James Friday
  • 2021-08-11

American accents

I loved the entire book. The American accent slays me. Edward Rutherfurd is a genius.

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  • Lu Espinosa B
  • 2023-06-29

Superb

I read the book twice and now listening to it was a delight. A wonderful story and a trip through time in England. One of my favorite novels.

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2 people found this helpful

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  • Jodie
  • 2023-06-07

A story worth the time

Though some might think 54 hours is a ridiculous amount of time to spend on one book, I find Sarum to be completely worth the time spent. The saga of the heart of England, from its inception to modern day, puts life to the history that enriches the area. I really enjoy the intertwining of the four different families and appreciate so much the explanations about historical events I had previously not taken the time to fully understand. I really enjoyed the book because of, rather than in spite of, its length. I look forward to reading more of Rutherford’s books.

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2 people found this helpful