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When speaking of long tomes-historical fiction Edward Rutherfurd is King. He has his own recipe, no different than Ken Follet, Philippa Gregory or Hilary Martel, but he is in a league of his own, an unsurpassed master storyteller, unpretentious and erudite.

A set of short stories, set in chronological order, beginning with a River Thames and ending with 1997 London, there is much complaint over a lack of character development, but there is no need for more of it here as this is not historical fiction about people or events per se, here Rutherfurd provides a well researched biography of a city, the greatest city in the world, structured around the lives of members of a handful of families and their lineage across time. Each generation of characters develops just enough for one to become invested and Rutherfurd provides just enough information to satisfy the reader's curiosity whilst painting a full, realistic, engaging picture of a moment in the life of London, the main Character. With each chapter and generation passed, the Character of London develops, grows, matures, hurts and unfolds in front of one's eye, as old photographs that would speak their minds.

Ergo, it could deserve 5 stars, however this reader has become a nitpicker that appreciates neither the cheap mention of Pepys or Pocahontas nor the much literal gold mystery ending. That being said, his Sarum is next.

From my notes:

1. Mithras the bull-slayer. The Persian god of heavenly light; the cosmic warrior for purity and honesty. Mithras fought for truth and justice in a universe where, in common with many Eastern religions, good and evil were equally matched and locked in an eternal war. The blood of the legendary bull he killed had brought life and abundance to the earth. The birthday of this Eastern god was celebrated on 25 December.

2. This landing place they now called Lundenwic: Lunden from the old Celtic and Roman name of the place, Londinos, and -wic, meaning in Anglo-Saxon “port� or, in this case, “trading post�.

3. In Anglo-Saxon, “island� was rendered “eye�, the words “Chelch Eye� made a sound roughly like “Chelsea�.

4. Blodmonath, the month of blood, the Saxons called November. Blodmonath, when the oxen were slain before the winter snows.

5. The Bayeux Tapestry is the first known example of English state propaganda.

6. Brothels are still often known by their Saxon name � the horhus.

7. In 13th century, the bishops owned and regulated most brothels.

8. Lombard Street was named after many immigrants came from the Italian territory of Lombardy and set shop there.

9. Foul-mouthed women were sometimes sentenced to wear the little iron cage that fitted over the head, with a cruel iron bit that went in the mouth to immobilise the tongue. Encased in this, unpopular women would be paraded about, in the same way as other malefactors were put in the stocks.

10. At the end of the Wars of the Roses, London had perhaps fifty thousand people; by Elizabeth’s last years, four times that number.

11. In December, in the year of Our Lord 1598, the River Thames froze solid.

12. English equivalent: Thierry into Terry, Mahieu into Mayhew, Crespin into Crippen, Descamps into Scamp. Their liking for such culinary delicacies as snails might seem strange, but other dishes they brought with them, such as oxtail soup, were soon popular with the English. Their skills in making furniture, perfumes, fans and the newly fashionable wigs were welcome.

13. The law was mild concerning duels. The courts were run by gentlemen who understood these matters. There was no question of murder, since, by definition, both parties were consenting to the business.