Rating: 
Summary: Great Stories
Review: I thought this book would be disappointing, but I couldn't put it down. For everyone who loves historical genre.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but more of the same
Review: I very much enjoyed Rutherfurd's latest work, but find he is relying more and more on formula rather than strong character development. In his previous books, the locale has played a strong role in the book, as the history of a city and the buildings in it has been woven into the narrative; unfortunately, the changes within the New Forest over time are less concrete and so some richness is lost. One thing missing in this book that I enjoyed in his other works was watching the rise and ebb of family fortunes; in this book, the gentry more or less stay gentry and the yeomanry stay yeomanry throughout the book, which stretches credibility. Rutherfurd needs to develop the individual characters a little more and to allow the families to evolve through time, rather than establishing a few immutable family characteristics and overrelying on them. Still, his work is well-researched and quite entertaining--the reader comes away with a little knowledge about history as a bonus. As much as I love English history, I'm hoping he'll move on to a different area next time, which might inject a little more freshness into his work.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I very much enjoyed Sarum and London and looked forward to reading The Forest, but I was disappointed. The book is eight or nine loosely connected short stories. There's no overall page-turning plot, and Mother Nature seems to get more ink than the characters. I gave up midway through and moved on to better reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic read!
Review: I was a little wary the first time I picked up this book. I was hooked just a few pages in, and finished the entire novel in less than a week, thirsting for more. Rutherford does a great job of making you care and love (or loathe) his characters. A must for anyone who enjoys reading.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful!
Review: I'm rarely moved enough by a novel to write an Amazon review on it (maybe that's because I read a lot of formulaic authors!)But, this one was something special. It's my first Rutherfurd. I know readers of his previous works were a bit disappointed in this one. But being my first and having no frame of reference . . .let's just say, I can't wait to read more of Rutherfurd! I normally read popular authors like Grisham and King, while I like them, this was a welcome change. It's labeled a "novel" but I'm sure most people would agree it reads like a series of short stories with a common thread, that being the settings, and the generations of the same eight or ten families that keep showing up as characters. While I didn't find all eight stories to be great, most of them were at least four star stories. My favorites were Beauliu, Lymington, and Pride of the Forest. Least favorite The Hunt. The characters were just so human . .from Brother Adam's moral dilemnas in Beaulieu, to the beautiful realization of father-son love in Lymington, to Fanny Albion's rollercoaster ride of emotions and problems in Albion Park, the plots and characters are very down to earth. I love some of the comic relief as well . . .for example The Grockletons in Albion Park, and more. One might wonder with such rave reviews, why didn't I give it five stars? Well, my only minor complaints were that on occasion it got a little hard to follow the political happenings and royal families. But . . .overall the stories were easy to follow. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Pretty damn good!
Review: I't obvious from Rutherford's earlier works what he feels passionate about... and "London" ain't it, although it's a great book, too.
In "Sarum", his first book, he is personally involved with the landscape of what he writes about (as he was born and raised there), and in "Russka" (his second) it is obvious he has a passion for the Russian people. Later, in "London" it seems as though he feels compelled to write about this colorful city, but has no real passion for the place, as he borrows from previously published works (as he does with "Russka"- but with a preordained zeal that one must have to really write about the area in question.)
In "The Forest", Rutherfurd once again captures the passion he once held as an historical fictionist in "Sarum", and places himself foremost among the "greats" of historical literature. "The Forest" is full of original characters and complex motives, together with original plots and great stories.
Apparent as with all other Rutherfurd works is the detailed family tree at the begining of the book, as well as informtive maps as to the region.
Readers of historical fiction will find this book to be Rutherfurd at his high peak of form. It is engrossing, addictive and entertaining.
Highly recommended! Two thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: WOW !!!!!
Review: I've just finished reading this wonderful book and feel as though I've just gorged myself on the whole of a very large block of chocolate--sated but VERY satisfied ! The story of The Forest begins shortly after the closure of these acres by William the Conqueror ,to create a natural hunting reserve for the benefit of himself and the nobles of his court. The saga continues through the major periods of English history and involves both the more aristocratic of the forests inhabitants as well as the local peasantry.The family lines of both of these classes of the forests inhabitants,weave their ways down through the years, occasionally intertwining and always maintaining the forest as an entity in it's own right. This is a fascinating glimpse of history through the ages and an equally fascinating look at the lives and customs of the forest dwellers over the centuries. Can't wait for Mr.Rutherfurds next offering , "Dublin".
Rating:
Summary: Something of a Disappointment
Review: I've read all Rutherford's books, starting with the wonderful "Sarum" and "Russka," then "London" (which seemed to me to be interesting but slightly stale) and, now, "The Forest." I suspect he's written too much, too quickly, because he uses the identical plot devices for each of his novels but the originalty of his stories is now beginning to suffer. In each case, you start WAAAAAY back when in history (usually Stone Age) and work your way up to the present through a series of interesting vignettes or snapshots of human-interest stories set periodically through the history of the specific place. James Michener, of course, perfected this technique, and Rutherford is never less than interesting in his version. But ...somehow, by "The Forest," it just didn't seem to me that he had that much to say. The book felt repetitive, as if I was simply reading rifs on his earlier English books. Oh, yeah, another Norman-vs-Saxon episode, another Augustan Age seque, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book if you've never read him before, but I'd certainly recommend any of his earlier works ahead of this one. He feels, somehow, like he's gone formula on us.
Rating:
Summary: Rutherfurd: The next generation
Review: I've waited quite a while for Rutherfurd's latest effort, and it has not disappointed. I could not put down his latest book, The Forest. Although he has covered part of this area previously in Sarum, his prose for the area surrounding the Forest and its inhabitants does not disappoint. My only wish on this book was that it was longer. It is about 1000 years shorter than his previous works. Amazingly, I understand he has another book due for release in 2001, so his newfound brevity can be attributed to a shorter new-work pipeline.
Rating:
Summary: Exquisite stories
Review: If you have not read this author's other books, London and Sarum please do so for they are as outstanding as is this newest book by a wonderful author and historian. I don't know when I have enjoyed history as much for Rutherfurd tells it in the most beguiling ways through stories of real people, their trials, loves and losses. At times one can find tears flowing because they are so poignant and heartbreaking yet one is left with a marvellous sense of seeing history and tradition so revered by our British friends lovingly revealed here. It is difficult to put this book down for many reasons. Each story in each period of time that he writes of has so many nuances that one may want to race through the pages, yet, it is not the best course for a lot of information relevant to the foundation of the early settlement of America by British colonists becomes increasingly clear and a new respect for the traditions our own American land are wonderful to recognize. What is especially delightful is the story of those early forest dwellers, both human and animal. The reader is brought to a keen awareness of how deeply Britians revere their land and their ancestral roots that trace backwards into antiquity and are still present throughout countless descendants who carry on a reverent legacy of respect and love for their great forests. From shipbuilding timber to charcoal to wood for heating and cooking,to acorns and other benefice for the animals, the forest is an everlasting symbol of nurturance and as an invaluable resource for their life and livelihood. This book is a marvellous Christmas, Birthday, or general gift to a person whom you love and know is an avid book reader, and a guarantee that the recepient will be well pleased. You may find that you may want to read it yourself. And then read his other books for a continuation of his vast knowledge and delicious storytelling vignettes of life as we can only imagine it was in the British Islands over the past thousand or so years. A wonderful journey.
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