The Forest is a historical novel

Historical novel

According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...

 by Edward Rutherfurd

Edward Rutherfurd

Edward Rutherfurd is a pen name for Francis Edward Wintle known primarily as a writer of epic historical novels...

, published in 2000. Drawing on the success of Rutherfurd's other epic novels this went on to sell well and appeared in numbers of bestseller lists.

Plot summary

Set in the New Forest

New Forest

The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....

 of southern England, this novel covers the lives of number of families tracing their history from the Saxons and Normans in 1099 through to "Jane Austen

Jane Austen

Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...

" style world of the early 19th century. Story and characters combine to reveal and decorate the narrative in an important region in England not often used by writers.

Literary significance and reception

Reviews in the US came in like these below:

"As entertaining as Sarum and Rutherfurd’s other sweeping novel of British history, London." —Boston Globe

"The Forest is Michener told with an English accent." —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The more measured UK home of Rutherfurd still found plenty to praise:

"As literature, Edward Rutherfurd's historical novels are not successful. They judder slowly along ill-made roads, like carts with square wheels, and the beauty of the scenery through which they pass does not entirely distract the passenger's mind from his aching bottom and tired eyes. As vehicles for delivering the fruits of research, however, they are not only efficient, but might truly be called works of art." - The Independent

Publication details

• 2000, UK, Century (ISBN 978-0712679992), pub date 6 April 2000, hardback (First edition)
• 2000, USA, Crown Pub (ISBN 978-0609603826), pub date ? April 2000, hardback
• 2001, UK, Arrow Books (ISBN 978-0099279075), pub date 5 April 2001, paperback
• 2001, USA, Ballantine Books (ISBN 978-0345441782), pub date ? July 2001, paperback