There are authors whose name you hear enough times that you think, 'I must've read something by X, surely?!', but then you're forced to conceded that in fact, you've done no such thing. Sebastian Faulks is a perfect example of this for me. It's weird - he hasn't won loads of awards or anything, but there was a period early on when I was in London that his name was just everywhere. I guess it's not about winning awards, it's about having a marketing team who get your name on everyone's lips. And to that end, well done Sebastian Faulks' publishers.
Not that this is undeserved, however. Birdsong is a very well-crafted novel with round, whole characters and an unfaltering sense of place. It's ambitious, but successful in its breadth - there is an intelligent conversation in this work about violence, betrayal, loyalty and love. Each of these is laid before you both on the scale of the individual and the global, and it's curious to see that they are both equally devastating.
This is a very moving saga/drama/war bonanza and I highly recommend it.
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