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Clonmac's Bridge
A maritime archaeologist recovers Ireland's earliest bridge near Clonmacnoise Monastery - only to find it intact after 1,200 years underwater.
What could account for this astonishing longevity - and why are his colleagues and the Church desperate to stop him finding out? And why is his consummate love his greatest enemy?
Griffin Clonmac will go through hell to find out.
What could account for this astonishing longevity - and why are his colleagues and the Church desperate to stop him finding out? And why is his consummate love his greatest enemy?
Griffin Clonmac will go through hell to find out.
422 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2014
331 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Perren
14 books33 followersJeffrey Perren is the author of Tellen Song, a novel about the Wilhelm Tell legend and the founding of Switzerland.
[http://www.amazon.com/Tellen-Song-edu...]
He wrote his first short story at age 12 and went on to win the Bank of America Fine Arts award at 17. Since then, he has published Cossacks In Paris, Clonmac's Bridge, and other fine novels from ClioStory Publishing.
Educated in philosophy at UCLA, he lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
[http://www.amazon.com/Tellen-Song-edu...]
He wrote his first short story at age 12 and went on to win the Bank of America Fine Arts award at 17. Since then, he has published Cossacks In Paris, Clonmac's Bridge, and other fine novels from ClioStory Publishing.
Educated in philosophy at UCLA, he lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 29, 2014
The author clearly states this is a work of fiction and not based on factual events surrounding the history of the Early Medieval Bridge found submerged under the River Shannon at Clonmacnoise, Ireland. However, the romantic in me would love to let my imagination think otherwise as this story really is a ‘what’s the story behind the photo?’ tale.
This is a wonderful story of a 9th century monk fulfilling his childhood dream and the modern day excavation of the bridge he built. Overseen by the watchful eye of Griffin Clonmac, an archaeologist from America with a passion for his science and a need to solve the mystery of ‘why?’.
Griffin faces all the usual problems of the modern day archaeologist; funding, opposition, jealous colleagues and, in Griffin’s case, the wrath of the Catholic Church. With every step being thwarted before he has even started excavating he is coerced by his colleagues to take on Mari Quispe, a Peruvian archaeologist, as his assistant. She is meant to make his life even more difficult after reports of her bad reputation proceeding her…and the small matter of an accident involving a dig she was in charge of which proved fatal to her own assistant. Instead she becomes his greatest asset and eventually they fall in love. Together they determinedly fight to get the project off the ground, forging ahead despite interference from Mari’s powerful Peruvian father but who are really their allies?
This book really is an excellent and engrossing historical tale. Seamlessly told through the eyes of those in the 9th century and modern day, it was a real pleasure to read. The style of writing really grabbed me from the first few pages to the end. This is a long novel but my personal view is that not a word is wasted. Really, really good.
This is a wonderful story of a 9th century monk fulfilling his childhood dream and the modern day excavation of the bridge he built. Overseen by the watchful eye of Griffin Clonmac, an archaeologist from America with a passion for his science and a need to solve the mystery of ‘why?’.
Griffin faces all the usual problems of the modern day archaeologist; funding, opposition, jealous colleagues and, in Griffin’s case, the wrath of the Catholic Church. With every step being thwarted before he has even started excavating he is coerced by his colleagues to take on Mari Quispe, a Peruvian archaeologist, as his assistant. She is meant to make his life even more difficult after reports of her bad reputation proceeding her…and the small matter of an accident involving a dig she was in charge of which proved fatal to her own assistant. Instead she becomes his greatest asset and eventually they fall in love. Together they determinedly fight to get the project off the ground, forging ahead despite interference from Mari’s powerful Peruvian father but who are really their allies?
This book really is an excellent and engrossing historical tale. Seamlessly told through the eyes of those in the 9th century and modern day, it was a real pleasure to read. The style of writing really grabbed me from the first few pages to the end. This is a long novel but my personal view is that not a word is wasted. Really, really good.
February 21, 2017
An exciting adventure full of mystery, danger and history, Clonmac's Bridge takes us to several areas of the world, as an archaeologist fights to uncover the truth.
I loved connecting with these characters, while experiencing their enthusiasm and passion for history. With the feisty and independent Mari, and the quirky, passionate Griffon, this story comes to life, and captures you completely. Their swirling relationship was sweet, and I loved the changes Mari went through, as she found a new level of independence from her past and her father.
Jeffrey Perren is a very talented author, easily taking his readers on grand adventures, while teaching them something along the way. This book is a wonderful example of his skills as a storyteller, writer, and history enthusiast.
I would recommend this book to any fan of historical novels - if you think it sounds interesting, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I plan on reading it again, several times, and look forward to future books from Mr. Perren.
*I was given an eCopy of this book, from the author, to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2014
3.5 stars on my blog review: http://mysterysequels.com/clonmacs-br...
The book started interestingly enough and grabbed my attention right away. Mari Quispe is the supervisor of a particular dig in Peru, which collapses under her watch, killing her assistant before they could dig their way to her. Mari is a strong person, well respected, but not well liked, due to her strict (but just) character, a bit withdrawn and secretive at times.
After the accident, even though everyone working with her agreed that it was not her fault, she was still sanctioned – especially due to the strong influence of her father who never really saw eye to eye with her regarding her archaeological activities. There is a lot of prejudice surrounding her and it’s not an easy fight for Mari to keep afloat.
Next we meet Griffin Clonmac, an academic and a field archaeologist with a reputation that reaches all parts of the world. Sadly with this reputation comes also antagonism, envy and deceit, mostly coming from his colleague and rival, Dr. Daley Garvin who wants nothing more than Griffin to fail in his quest of finding the famous – and elusive Clonmac’s bridge.
The next part focuses on Griffin’s struggles to get helps for his archaeological project, the oppositions he comes across every step of the way, his frustration and his not giving up despite the circumstances. I have to admit, at this point my major enthusiasm for the book has kind of lessened.
Up until around page 100 there was not much grabbing my attention. I love archeological mysteries, but not an archaeological non-fiction book (when I”m trying to read a good mystery with a suspenseful plot), and this is just how the first quarter of the book sounded like.
I put down the book for a couple of days, picking it up now and then, reading a few pages, and so on – until I got to a part that started to catch my interest again: the part where Griffin and Mari finally met.
From here things got better. Once Griffen and Mari started the real work of finding and unearthing the bridge, they never understood where the strong opposition from the church superior came from. Of course neither did we, the readers. Things started to unfold and become clearer, however, once we were given a ride to the medieval era where via several flashbacks, where we started to see just how the bridge was built and what sacrifices had to be done to actually get it erected by the monk who had to pay for his daring enterprise the ultimate price.
Overall it was a good book with a great writing style and a topic that will interest anyone who loves reading about archaeological digs and get a few glimpses in the past medieval era with the dark past of the Catholic church.
The book started interestingly enough and grabbed my attention right away. Mari Quispe is the supervisor of a particular dig in Peru, which collapses under her watch, killing her assistant before they could dig their way to her. Mari is a strong person, well respected, but not well liked, due to her strict (but just) character, a bit withdrawn and secretive at times.
After the accident, even though everyone working with her agreed that it was not her fault, she was still sanctioned – especially due to the strong influence of her father who never really saw eye to eye with her regarding her archaeological activities. There is a lot of prejudice surrounding her and it’s not an easy fight for Mari to keep afloat.
Next we meet Griffin Clonmac, an academic and a field archaeologist with a reputation that reaches all parts of the world. Sadly with this reputation comes also antagonism, envy and deceit, mostly coming from his colleague and rival, Dr. Daley Garvin who wants nothing more than Griffin to fail in his quest of finding the famous – and elusive Clonmac’s bridge.
The next part focuses on Griffin’s struggles to get helps for his archaeological project, the oppositions he comes across every step of the way, his frustration and his not giving up despite the circumstances. I have to admit, at this point my major enthusiasm for the book has kind of lessened.
Up until around page 100 there was not much grabbing my attention. I love archeological mysteries, but not an archaeological non-fiction book (when I”m trying to read a good mystery with a suspenseful plot), and this is just how the first quarter of the book sounded like.
I put down the book for a couple of days, picking it up now and then, reading a few pages, and so on – until I got to a part that started to catch my interest again: the part where Griffin and Mari finally met.
From here things got better. Once Griffen and Mari started the real work of finding and unearthing the bridge, they never understood where the strong opposition from the church superior came from. Of course neither did we, the readers. Things started to unfold and become clearer, however, once we were given a ride to the medieval era where via several flashbacks, where we started to see just how the bridge was built and what sacrifices had to be done to actually get it erected by the monk who had to pay for his daring enterprise the ultimate price.
Overall it was a good book with a great writing style and a topic that will interest anyone who loves reading about archaeological digs and get a few glimpses in the past medieval era with the dark past of the Catholic church.
July 9, 2020
http://openbooksociety.com/article/cl...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Intriguing…suspenseful……riveting….a bit of romance thrown in. All adjectives I like to use when describing a book I just finished reading. I found the depth and complexity of the building of the bridge interesting and well written. The archaeological aspects of the story grabbed me and would not let me go until I had read every word in the story.
I loved the saying…
“But he knew he was stuck between a tsunami and an avalanche.”
A nice change from the saying “being stuck between a rock and a hard place”. This phrase brought a smile to my face. Humor is also another valuable component of a good read.
I am happy to report that the shift between current time and the time when the bridge was built was smooth and not confusing to this reader. When transitions between time periods are not smooth, I tend lose interest right away, so needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when the transitions were smooth.
Jeffrey Perren portrayed the challenges, set-backs and risks that go along with archaeological digs in a realistic and engaging manner. At each set back I rooted for Griffin….he just had to get the funding was all I thought! And boy did Griffin have LOTS of setbacks.
Speaking of Griffin, he is such a likeable main character. But definitely fraught with bad luck…or so it seems. As the story continues we realize that sabotage is in the air. But of course the mystery remains as to who would do such a thing to this academic? I am happy to report that as with any good mystery, it was not until the very end that I put the pieces together. The story held my interest and at times kept me reading far later than I had anticipated.
Griffin’s love interest – Mari is a strong Peruvian woman with her mind made up as to what she wants to do and accomplish in her own right. She has a domineering father who wants her to marry Miguel – to further his own aspirations (business and political). At times it was hard to tell if she was with Griffin or against him…..but I had to believe as a woman whom loved Griffin, that she was just portrayed as sneaky (to rival her father and Miguel).
This book is an excellent and captivating story. Told with ease, from the perspective of modern day and the 9th century. This is a long read but I am glad that I persevered and completed this intriguing story.
*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Intriguing…suspenseful……riveting….a bit of romance thrown in. All adjectives I like to use when describing a book I just finished reading. I found the depth and complexity of the building of the bridge interesting and well written. The archaeological aspects of the story grabbed me and would not let me go until I had read every word in the story.
I loved the saying…
“But he knew he was stuck between a tsunami and an avalanche.”
A nice change from the saying “being stuck between a rock and a hard place”. This phrase brought a smile to my face. Humor is also another valuable component of a good read.
I am happy to report that the shift between current time and the time when the bridge was built was smooth and not confusing to this reader. When transitions between time periods are not smooth, I tend lose interest right away, so needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when the transitions were smooth.
Jeffrey Perren portrayed the challenges, set-backs and risks that go along with archaeological digs in a realistic and engaging manner. At each set back I rooted for Griffin….he just had to get the funding was all I thought! And boy did Griffin have LOTS of setbacks.
Speaking of Griffin, he is such a likeable main character. But definitely fraught with bad luck…or so it seems. As the story continues we realize that sabotage is in the air. But of course the mystery remains as to who would do such a thing to this academic? I am happy to report that as with any good mystery, it was not until the very end that I put the pieces together. The story held my interest and at times kept me reading far later than I had anticipated.
Griffin’s love interest – Mari is a strong Peruvian woman with her mind made up as to what she wants to do and accomplish in her own right. She has a domineering father who wants her to marry Miguel – to further his own aspirations (business and political). At times it was hard to tell if she was with Griffin or against him…..but I had to believe as a woman whom loved Griffin, that she was just portrayed as sneaky (to rival her father and Miguel).
This book is an excellent and captivating story. Told with ease, from the perspective of modern day and the 9th century. This is a long read but I am glad that I persevered and completed this intriguing story.
*OBS would like to thank the author for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
September 17, 2014
‘Clonmac’s Bridge’ is Jeffrey Perren’s best novel to date. (I had intended to take it to read on holiday but, after sampling the first few pages, just kept on reading.) The story starts placidly enough with two maverick archaeologists pushed together on a quest to locate and excavate a medieval bridge that used to span the River Shannon in Ireland. However, a veritable shower of adverse forces is unleashed on the project. The lead archaeologist, Griffin, is on a constant, and seemingly futile, search for funding, while his colleague, Mari, the daughter of a Peruvian millionaire of many shady connections, tries to help while juggling a delicate balance between her father and her playboy ex. The central question is: why should so many people be motivated to prevent them from finding the bridge? Why should one of the team be murdered at the outset of the project? Between the Machiavellian manoeuvres of: the Church, a large corporation, academia, the press, and Mari’s father – all of which have their own reasons for wanting the project to fail – an answer must be found. Flashbacks to the time of the building of the bridge provide an additional and exciting flavour.
Jeffrey Perren’s narrative is light, fast, and amusing, and his revealing of the complex, and ingenious, thoughts and deeds of each of his main characters is a positive delight, with a sparky dialogue featuring throughout. The solution, when it comes, reveals all in a most satisfactory manner.
Jeffrey Perren’s narrative is light, fast, and amusing, and his revealing of the complex, and ingenious, thoughts and deeds of each of his main characters is a positive delight, with a sparky dialogue featuring throughout. The solution, when it comes, reveals all in a most satisfactory manner.
Read
March 29, 2014Meet Griffin Clonmac and Mari Quispe, two of the main characters in this book. Griffin is a professor at the University of Virginia. As an archaeologist, he has been researching the legendary bridge near Clonmacnoise Monastery in Ireland. Having received an email about some new evidence Griffin is surprised not to find what he is looking for. What is Professor Daley Garvin hiding? Following him, Griffin knows he has to get hold of that tome (book). Griffin has never been able to understand Daley's grudge against him. Using a pretty girl to distract Daley, Griffin removes the tome from Daley's office. "Ireland's first major span, sunken in the Shannon River for 1200 years." The bridge vanished a few months after being built. Why? Two more books suggested but where to find them? Griffin travels to the archives at Athone, an hour west of Dublin, not far from the monastery. His next big question is how to raise all the funds.
Mari Quispe is from Cusco, Peru. She is the official head of an Incan archaeological dig but her assistant, Sandrine, dies in a cave collapse. Mari, very despondent is sure she is going to be fired. Who will hire her now? Her father, Casimiro Quispe, Minister of the Interior, never wanted her to become an archaeologist anyways and threatens to revoke her license. Her brother, Andressa, works at the Peruvian Consulate in Dublin.
Daley Garvin is in cahoots with a priest who is demanding Griffin be stopped. Why on earth is the church worried about bringing up a bridge from 1200 years ago? Daley wants the bridge to be found so that he can step in towards the end and take the credit. Daley agrees to ChemCo funding the excavation as long as Griffin hires Mari as his assistant. Up until now, Mari has had the reputation of being a total pain to work with so Daley thinks that she will stop Griffin getting anywhere. He never dreams that they will fall in love and make an excellent team together.
Travel back in time to 804AD. A monk, Riordan, is studying the Alcantara bridge near the border of Spain and Portugal. This bridge, built in 104AD crossed the Tagus River and was 640 feet long and 26 feet wide. How does Riordan finance the building of his bridge? Who is against him?
The amount of scheming and conniving in this book is quite amazing. To what lengths will each one go to stop this bridge ever coming to the surface again? There are many, many different characters involved, not to mention that we go back in time 6 times reading Riordan's story in segments along with all the characters in his time period. An intense book, not one that you can pick up, read a page, put down and come back, read another page etc. It is best read in long sections.
Sexual content - quite a bit of sexual innuendo but nothing graphic. Homosexuality is present and obvious but not explicit.
Language - mild but present
A very detailed book, not one to keep you on the edge of your seat in nail biting suspense but one that you want to find out "Why?" so keep reading. The author keeps you in suspense in the fact that the answers are not revealed until the very end.
Just so you know, I was given this book in return for my honest review. The words written are my own honest opinion. I am not affiliated with the author in any way.
Mari Quispe is from Cusco, Peru. She is the official head of an Incan archaeological dig but her assistant, Sandrine, dies in a cave collapse. Mari, very despondent is sure she is going to be fired. Who will hire her now? Her father, Casimiro Quispe, Minister of the Interior, never wanted her to become an archaeologist anyways and threatens to revoke her license. Her brother, Andressa, works at the Peruvian Consulate in Dublin.
Daley Garvin is in cahoots with a priest who is demanding Griffin be stopped. Why on earth is the church worried about bringing up a bridge from 1200 years ago? Daley wants the bridge to be found so that he can step in towards the end and take the credit. Daley agrees to ChemCo funding the excavation as long as Griffin hires Mari as his assistant. Up until now, Mari has had the reputation of being a total pain to work with so Daley thinks that she will stop Griffin getting anywhere. He never dreams that they will fall in love and make an excellent team together.
Travel back in time to 804AD. A monk, Riordan, is studying the Alcantara bridge near the border of Spain and Portugal. This bridge, built in 104AD crossed the Tagus River and was 640 feet long and 26 feet wide. How does Riordan finance the building of his bridge? Who is against him?
The amount of scheming and conniving in this book is quite amazing. To what lengths will each one go to stop this bridge ever coming to the surface again? There are many, many different characters involved, not to mention that we go back in time 6 times reading Riordan's story in segments along with all the characters in his time period. An intense book, not one that you can pick up, read a page, put down and come back, read another page etc. It is best read in long sections.
Sexual content - quite a bit of sexual innuendo but nothing graphic. Homosexuality is present and obvious but not explicit.
Language - mild but present
A very detailed book, not one to keep you on the edge of your seat in nail biting suspense but one that you want to find out "Why?" so keep reading. The author keeps you in suspense in the fact that the answers are not revealed until the very end.
Just so you know, I was given this book in return for my honest review. The words written are my own honest opinion. I am not affiliated with the author in any way.
May 4, 2014
Jeffrey Perren is not afraid to jump right into the interesting things. And it shows in his book, Clonmac's Bridge. All we know at the beginning is that there is a discovery that Griffin has been looking for a long time. And one that he is willing to go to any lengths to discover. But we slowly uncover what he is looking for and the many different methods he takes to get there. The writing of the story was almost flawless and it was effortless to read.
Not only that but the characters of Griffin and Mari are quickly ones that you can't help but root for. You find yourself hoping that they will be able to succeed no matter the roadblocks that are brought before them and without too much personal loss. The point of view that we are given as third person, it isn't hard to get some kind of insight into their characters, ones that go a long way to reassuring the reader that they are truly good and just curious as all who are involved in history must be.
Then we also get into the deep politics that can take place anywhere and everywhere. Frankly I found this most interesting. Mainly because delving into the human psyche is always interesting and finding out people's motives is one that is intriguing. It's hard to know how people tick and yet we also get to see that in Clonmac's Bridge. The politics also helped to keep things jumping and moving. It was interesting to see how things played out and yet remain not involved. I felt as if I was casually watching a masterful chess game, one that had no clear ending in sight.
There is a bit of a voyage into the past as well. One that is seamlessly made and yet you know that you've gone back into the past, mostly with the names of characters or actions they're participating in. But it's kept interesting by the dialogue and finding out what has taken place in the past that could possibly affect the future. It was well done and a good move on the part of Jeffrey Perren.
Clonmac's Bridge was intriguing, and a book that I would recommend to any of my friends.
Find this review and many others on Reading Shy With Aly
Not only that but the characters of Griffin and Mari are quickly ones that you can't help but root for. You find yourself hoping that they will be able to succeed no matter the roadblocks that are brought before them and without too much personal loss. The point of view that we are given as third person, it isn't hard to get some kind of insight into their characters, ones that go a long way to reassuring the reader that they are truly good and just curious as all who are involved in history must be.
Then we also get into the deep politics that can take place anywhere and everywhere. Frankly I found this most interesting. Mainly because delving into the human psyche is always interesting and finding out people's motives is one that is intriguing. It's hard to know how people tick and yet we also get to see that in Clonmac's Bridge. The politics also helped to keep things jumping and moving. It was interesting to see how things played out and yet remain not involved. I felt as if I was casually watching a masterful chess game, one that had no clear ending in sight.
There is a bit of a voyage into the past as well. One that is seamlessly made and yet you know that you've gone back into the past, mostly with the names of characters or actions they're participating in. But it's kept interesting by the dialogue and finding out what has taken place in the past that could possibly affect the future. It was well done and a good move on the part of Jeffrey Perren.
Clonmac's Bridge was intriguing, and a book that I would recommend to any of my friends.
Find this review and many others on Reading Shy With Aly
May 18, 2014
“Clonmac’s Bridge” is a globetrotting thriller featuring an archaeologist who will stop at nothing to solve a historical mystery. Perren cites in a footnote to the story that the tale was inspired by an actual archaeological discovery while all else is fiction. The story is written with a strong sense of authenticity. Perren invites the reader to point out errors that he might have made in the 9th century chapters of the novel. The language, care and invitation to readers speak of an author with a deep investment in history and accuracy of his narrative.
Griffin Clonmac is a well-rounded character. At the start of the story we get a picture of a man who is perhaps a bit wonderful. Too good looking, too charming and too willing to do absolutely anything to find what that which he seeks. As we get to know the character we discover that while he has flaws, Griffin’s challenge is to stay ahead of the people trying to stop him. In order to stay ahead Griffin is canny, quick witted and ideally suited to his challenge. A lessor man wouldn’t stand a chance because Perren isn’t likely to cut this character a break. He may survive by his wits but Griffin has to work to make his story happen and everyone is looking to stop him from those closest to colleagues he’s always despised.
Perren’s plot is information heavy. For this highly detailed story to make sense the reader has to know what Perren knows and the author does so with a skill that doesn’t slow the story. The last third of “Clonmac’s Bridge” barrels to an eventual conclusion without leaving the reader in the dark. There are no stones unturned, no threads untied. Every element is natural, logical and something of a surprise.
If you like thrillers, “Clonmac’s Bridge” is a wonderful and complete read.
Griffin Clonmac is a well-rounded character. At the start of the story we get a picture of a man who is perhaps a bit wonderful. Too good looking, too charming and too willing to do absolutely anything to find what that which he seeks. As we get to know the character we discover that while he has flaws, Griffin’s challenge is to stay ahead of the people trying to stop him. In order to stay ahead Griffin is canny, quick witted and ideally suited to his challenge. A lessor man wouldn’t stand a chance because Perren isn’t likely to cut this character a break. He may survive by his wits but Griffin has to work to make his story happen and everyone is looking to stop him from those closest to colleagues he’s always despised.
Perren’s plot is information heavy. For this highly detailed story to make sense the reader has to know what Perren knows and the author does so with a skill that doesn’t slow the story. The last third of “Clonmac’s Bridge” barrels to an eventual conclusion without leaving the reader in the dark. There are no stones unturned, no threads untied. Every element is natural, logical and something of a surprise.
If you like thrillers, “Clonmac’s Bridge” is a wonderful and complete read.
March 13, 2014
Perren's masterfully crafted adventure story covers more than just one marine archaeologist's discovery of a twelve hundred year old bridge. Flawlessly written and paced to take the reader on a journey of discovery with main character, Griffin Clonmac, the story reads like an Indiana Jones adventure. The author's style is presented with authenticity that could only have come from a great deal of experience and credibility.
Griffin Clonmac is an academic and a field archaeologist with a reputation. Short of necessary funds to complete a ground breaking excavation of a bridge, perfectly preserved beneath the waters of the Shannon River in Ireland, Clonmac strikes a Faustian bargain with supporters arranged by rival Dr. Daley Garvin. Included in the deal is Clonmac's agreement employ Mari Quispe, another archaeologist with a reputation, as his assistant. The romance that develops between Griffin and Mari is predictable, but how it plays into the plot drew me in.
I particularly enjoyed the way Perren wove some history and politics of academic field work, into this story. All of it felt real to me as I read along. The story culminated in an explosive climax that continued to surprise me, all the way to a most satisfying conclusion.
The publisher provided me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Griffin Clonmac is an academic and a field archaeologist with a reputation. Short of necessary funds to complete a ground breaking excavation of a bridge, perfectly preserved beneath the waters of the Shannon River in Ireland, Clonmac strikes a Faustian bargain with supporters arranged by rival Dr. Daley Garvin. Included in the deal is Clonmac's agreement employ Mari Quispe, another archaeologist with a reputation, as his assistant. The romance that develops between Griffin and Mari is predictable, but how it plays into the plot drew me in.
I particularly enjoyed the way Perren wove some history and politics of academic field work, into this story. All of it felt real to me as I read along. The story culminated in an explosive climax that continued to surprise me, all the way to a most satisfying conclusion.
The publisher provided me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2016
"Somethings that should not have been forgotten, were lost"....J.R.R. Tolkien.
He was right. When past histories have fallen because of war, famine, natural disasters we lose so much of what made our country the way it is today.
So that is why we have archaeologists digging for our past history to bring them to light for all to see. And no one does that better than Griffin Clonmac. A man of integrity that is very hard to find in the world today has reached his time of acceptance in the Universities as the man to go to to find artifacts. Artifacts that the general public have never even heard of.
So when Griffin sees proof of an ancient Ireland bridge near a Monastery he jumps on the first flight out to see if the stories are really true. Not knowing the danger he finds himself in. Danger that could be very deadly.
A near spin for archaeologist fans that enjoy a good dig and a good mystery.
He was right. When past histories have fallen because of war, famine, natural disasters we lose so much of what made our country the way it is today.
So that is why we have archaeologists digging for our past history to bring them to light for all to see. And no one does that better than Griffin Clonmac. A man of integrity that is very hard to find in the world today has reached his time of acceptance in the Universities as the man to go to to find artifacts. Artifacts that the general public have never even heard of.
So when Griffin sees proof of an ancient Ireland bridge near a Monastery he jumps on the first flight out to see if the stories are really true. Not knowing the danger he finds himself in. Danger that could be very deadly.
A near spin for archaeologist fans that enjoy a good dig and a good mystery.
November 23, 2014
I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.
Clonmac's Bridge has a lot of history and drama as well as a little romance and some twists.
I like the way this is actually 2 different stories in different centuries that are connected by a bridge. Jeffrey Perren's writing flows well and is very descriptive. There were times it was a little too descriptive, though, such as the when they were building the bridge, but that's my personal taste.
The main characters, Griffin and Maria and Riordan, are all driven people with morals which seem to be lacking in many of the characters. Almost all of the people who are against what they are doing are not realistic because they are so evil. The one exception is Miguel who truly loves Mari and tries to do the right thing.
Clonmac's Bridge is a good story that kept my interest throughout. I think anyone who likes historical fiction and suspense would enjoy it.
Clonmac's Bridge has a lot of history and drama as well as a little romance and some twists.
I like the way this is actually 2 different stories in different centuries that are connected by a bridge. Jeffrey Perren's writing flows well and is very descriptive. There were times it was a little too descriptive, though, such as the when they were building the bridge, but that's my personal taste.
The main characters, Griffin and Maria and Riordan, are all driven people with morals which seem to be lacking in many of the characters. Almost all of the people who are against what they are doing are not realistic because they are so evil. The one exception is Miguel who truly loves Mari and tries to do the right thing.
Clonmac's Bridge is a good story that kept my interest throughout. I think anyone who likes historical fiction and suspense would enjoy it.
November 4, 2015
A rather fascinating look at archeology with the blood, sweat and tears that it takes to get an archeological dig funded and up and running and, by having to work around jealous colleagues, stuffed shirt corporates and in this case even the Peruvian mafia raised the entertainment level tremendously. My particular taste for all things historical made this a very appealing story from the very beginning. The characters personalities were explored and added a depth and richness to them. The historical aspects were interesting and really stretched the boundary. At times the delay and controversy surrounding the dig seemed to drag on but as new elements were infused it crept back up to it's original interest level and pace.
4 stars
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2014
Fascinating, detailed and complex, an investigation that takes us from the present day back to 9th century Ireland. An involved plot admirably probed by Griffin Clonmac and Mari his Peruvian assistant; an absorbing, mysterious archaeological thriller.
July 17, 2014
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February 17, 2015
Professor Griffin Clonmac is a bit of a celebrity in his field, a maritime archeologist whose rather startling finds have given him a reputation among television viewers as archeology’s talking head. In the competitive world of academia, that is not always a good thing. The professor has his enemies, not the least of whom is Daley Garvin, a university colleague who unfortunately outranks him and makes a practice of interfering with Clonmac in any way in can. Not long into the book we suspect there is more going on with Garvin than academic rivalry. He seems to have a powerful behind the scenes collaborator in his effort to bring Clonmac’s career to ruin. .
Garvin’s new target is his rival’s long-time obsession with an almost mythical Irish Bridge which Clonmac believes to have once spanned the River Shannon. When it seems that Professor Clonmac has a shot at finding it, the going gets dicey. Griffin Clonmac’s chances of locating and raises his bridge is no better than his funding, and at first Daley seems content in making certain none is found. But as Clonmac refuses to let go of his dream, Daley and his co-conspirator begin interfering with more than money. By the time Griffin Clonmac has selected a potential dive site, he has been thwarted and bamboozled at every turn, and the worst is yet to come. Some powerful person or entity is willing to spill blood.
Meanwhile, nearly half a world away another archeologist is having problems of her own. Aristocratic Mari Quesne, daughter of a wealthy man with political connections, is about to have her project pulled out from under her because her father thinks her profession is inappropriate for someone of her station. He demands she shift her energies to getting married and raising children, and he has the clout to have her license to dig revoked when she refuses. After any chance of a career in South America dissolves, she has no offers but one in Ireland. Even before Professors Clonmac and Quesne combine forces to raise the bridge, their associates begin dying. Mari loses a young assistant in a cave in and Clonmac’s new protégé is murdered while on a dive.
Not long into the book, Perren introduces a parallel story line involving another man’s obsession with the bridge—a ninth century monk with a mysterious superior who seems intent to keep Ireland in the Dark Ages. Thus, two heroes emerge—the man who sought to bridge the River Shannon at Clonmacnoise Monastery in the ninth century, and the twenty-first century celebrity archeologist who seeks to raise it from its watery grave.
The book is not without its share of intriguing twists. There is a side adventure in the world of corporate high finance and a not especially flattering glimpse into the politics of the Roman Church. While a romance between Mari and Griffin is predictable, it is not the only love interest in the story. It is also refreshing when some of the villains turn out to be rather decent after all. Perrin keeps his readers hooked by hinting that as bad as the bad guys are, there is a bigger and much darker force lurking backstage pulling their strings. His artful plotting provides clues suggesting the same force that struck out against Brother Riordan in the Ninth Century may be behind the assault a thousand years later on Griffin Clonmac’s dream.
As the story develops, the bridge itself becomes an object of mysterious properties. It has been submerged for ages and yet remains remarkably preserved. Its condition attracts the interest of board members of an American chemical company whose self-serving motives lead to their funding of Professor Clonmac’s project, but it does not explain why the groups and institutions who should be most supportive of Clonmac’s plan to raise the bridge are precisely the ones determined to sabotage it.. The author does a fine job of keeping the secret of the bridge’s mysterious properties obscure until very close to the final paragraph.
Jeffrey Perren is a highly-credentialed writer and his skills as a wordsmith are high caliber. The book is well written, researched and edited with only a handful of formatting errors in more than four hundred pages of complex text. Like Douglas Preston, he seems as if he would be comfortable on an archeological dig. He also knows his medieval Irish history and a good bit of the politics of the early church. Overall, Perren’s characters both major and minor are well drawn and the historical setting is adequately researched. Any lack of passion in the romance that springs up between the archeologists is excusable, since Griffin Clonmac’s first love is the bridge.
In conclusion, in spite of the crowd of distinguished authors writing in the action-adventure historical fiction hybrid genre, there is room for Jeffrey Perren’s books on the shelf. I am making space in hopes of adding more. While it is not among the much clichéd page turners, Clonmac’s Bridge is a surprisingly satisfying reading experience which I recommend to readers who enjoy the works of Steve Berry, Ken Follett, Douglas Preston and others who meld the past with the present and come up with a taut mystery worthy of the genre. I was assigned this book to review on The Review, tookthe time to savour it, and was delighted to have read it.
Clonmac’s Bridge and Mr. Perrin’s other novels are available on Amazon and Amazon-Kindle, at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
Garvin’s new target is his rival’s long-time obsession with an almost mythical Irish Bridge which Clonmac believes to have once spanned the River Shannon. When it seems that Professor Clonmac has a shot at finding it, the going gets dicey. Griffin Clonmac’s chances of locating and raises his bridge is no better than his funding, and at first Daley seems content in making certain none is found. But as Clonmac refuses to let go of his dream, Daley and his co-conspirator begin interfering with more than money. By the time Griffin Clonmac has selected a potential dive site, he has been thwarted and bamboozled at every turn, and the worst is yet to come. Some powerful person or entity is willing to spill blood.
Meanwhile, nearly half a world away another archeologist is having problems of her own. Aristocratic Mari Quesne, daughter of a wealthy man with political connections, is about to have her project pulled out from under her because her father thinks her profession is inappropriate for someone of her station. He demands she shift her energies to getting married and raising children, and he has the clout to have her license to dig revoked when she refuses. After any chance of a career in South America dissolves, she has no offers but one in Ireland. Even before Professors Clonmac and Quesne combine forces to raise the bridge, their associates begin dying. Mari loses a young assistant in a cave in and Clonmac’s new protégé is murdered while on a dive.
Not long into the book, Perren introduces a parallel story line involving another man’s obsession with the bridge—a ninth century monk with a mysterious superior who seems intent to keep Ireland in the Dark Ages. Thus, two heroes emerge—the man who sought to bridge the River Shannon at Clonmacnoise Monastery in the ninth century, and the twenty-first century celebrity archeologist who seeks to raise it from its watery grave.
The book is not without its share of intriguing twists. There is a side adventure in the world of corporate high finance and a not especially flattering glimpse into the politics of the Roman Church. While a romance between Mari and Griffin is predictable, it is not the only love interest in the story. It is also refreshing when some of the villains turn out to be rather decent after all. Perrin keeps his readers hooked by hinting that as bad as the bad guys are, there is a bigger and much darker force lurking backstage pulling their strings. His artful plotting provides clues suggesting the same force that struck out against Brother Riordan in the Ninth Century may be behind the assault a thousand years later on Griffin Clonmac’s dream.
As the story develops, the bridge itself becomes an object of mysterious properties. It has been submerged for ages and yet remains remarkably preserved. Its condition attracts the interest of board members of an American chemical company whose self-serving motives lead to their funding of Professor Clonmac’s project, but it does not explain why the groups and institutions who should be most supportive of Clonmac’s plan to raise the bridge are precisely the ones determined to sabotage it.. The author does a fine job of keeping the secret of the bridge’s mysterious properties obscure until very close to the final paragraph.
Jeffrey Perren is a highly-credentialed writer and his skills as a wordsmith are high caliber. The book is well written, researched and edited with only a handful of formatting errors in more than four hundred pages of complex text. Like Douglas Preston, he seems as if he would be comfortable on an archeological dig. He also knows his medieval Irish history and a good bit of the politics of the early church. Overall, Perren’s characters both major and minor are well drawn and the historical setting is adequately researched. Any lack of passion in the romance that springs up between the archeologists is excusable, since Griffin Clonmac’s first love is the bridge.
In conclusion, in spite of the crowd of distinguished authors writing in the action-adventure historical fiction hybrid genre, there is room for Jeffrey Perren’s books on the shelf. I am making space in hopes of adding more. While it is not among the much clichéd page turners, Clonmac’s Bridge is a surprisingly satisfying reading experience which I recommend to readers who enjoy the works of Steve Berry, Ken Follett, Douglas Preston and others who meld the past with the present and come up with a taut mystery worthy of the genre. I was assigned this book to review on The Review, tookthe time to savour it, and was delighted to have read it.
Clonmac’s Bridge and Mr. Perrin’s other novels are available on Amazon and Amazon-Kindle, at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
May 10, 2019
This is hysterical fantasy not historical fiction. Not a single character I could like, a convoluted implausible plot, a ridiculous love triangle and very little history.
June 4, 2021
The ending for Riordan was tragic, yet epic. I had goosebumps all over when I reached the final chapter of the story. One of the novels that I will surely never forget.
March 21, 2015
I wanted to like CLONMAC'S BRIDGE more than I did like it.
First we meet an archaeology professor called Griffin Clonmac who's spent five years researching a Dark Ages bridge over the Shannon. So I expected that he was in Ireland. No, because he complains about the cost of travelling to Ireland, though we later see him crossing the Atlantic a couple of times a week. He considers getting funding from the British Broadcasting Corporation, so I thought he must be in Britain. Many pages in this man finally introduces himself to someone as being from the University of Virginia. Now how were we supposed to know that? And why didn't he approach the Irish broadcasters RTE, TV3, TG4 for funding? Why not send out a general press release, or co-operate with an Irish university to share funding and expertise? Archaeology students often have to work for free to get the experience.
The story takes a long time to get moving with academic rivalry, permits, officials, funds, Church seniors, a plain weird journalist and unexplained hindrances. We follow a trail around many universities and archives, rather than excavating; the action is continually stuck in arguments and personality clashes.
A couple of trial dives in the Shannon provide some action, tension and potential for murderous sabotage. Unfortunately then we're off to some more offices. I can't believe that a body was undiscovered and unsearched for in the Shannon; there are search dogs trained to find the scent of a body underwater and the Gardai have a sub-aqua team, plus local divers would come out and help. Yet the site is entirely quiet a week later when Clonmac returns.
We go back in time to see the architect, a monk called Riordan from Clonmacnoise Monastery nearby, reading folios on Spanish and Roman bridges and getting building started, which I enjoyed.
Maybe the whole point of this book was the trek around permits and funding, which should have been arranged in better time as digs only occur during summer. My mistake for thinking it would be about discovering and excavating a medieval bridge on a monastic site. 250 pages in the story is still mired in arguments. I also saw as pointless the introduction of a Peruvian politician. His daughter Marie Quispe is working with Clonmac, which is fine, but this perhaps good portrait of a Peruvian patriarch could well have been left to another book as these chapters did not move the plot forward and just padded out the story with extraneous material.
Overall there are good points, the medieval section is strong; but the concept is good and characters interesting enough that I really felt the book should have been better and could do with tighter editing, more action and less arguing.
First we meet an archaeology professor called Griffin Clonmac who's spent five years researching a Dark Ages bridge over the Shannon. So I expected that he was in Ireland. No, because he complains about the cost of travelling to Ireland, though we later see him crossing the Atlantic a couple of times a week. He considers getting funding from the British Broadcasting Corporation, so I thought he must be in Britain. Many pages in this man finally introduces himself to someone as being from the University of Virginia. Now how were we supposed to know that? And why didn't he approach the Irish broadcasters RTE, TV3, TG4 for funding? Why not send out a general press release, or co-operate with an Irish university to share funding and expertise? Archaeology students often have to work for free to get the experience.
The story takes a long time to get moving with academic rivalry, permits, officials, funds, Church seniors, a plain weird journalist and unexplained hindrances. We follow a trail around many universities and archives, rather than excavating; the action is continually stuck in arguments and personality clashes.
A couple of trial dives in the Shannon provide some action, tension and potential for murderous sabotage. Unfortunately then we're off to some more offices. I can't believe that a body was undiscovered and unsearched for in the Shannon; there are search dogs trained to find the scent of a body underwater and the Gardai have a sub-aqua team, plus local divers would come out and help. Yet the site is entirely quiet a week later when Clonmac returns.
We go back in time to see the architect, a monk called Riordan from Clonmacnoise Monastery nearby, reading folios on Spanish and Roman bridges and getting building started, which I enjoyed.
Maybe the whole point of this book was the trek around permits and funding, which should have been arranged in better time as digs only occur during summer. My mistake for thinking it would be about discovering and excavating a medieval bridge on a monastic site. 250 pages in the story is still mired in arguments. I also saw as pointless the introduction of a Peruvian politician. His daughter Marie Quispe is working with Clonmac, which is fine, but this perhaps good portrait of a Peruvian patriarch could well have been left to another book as these chapters did not move the plot forward and just padded out the story with extraneous material.
Overall there are good points, the medieval section is strong; but the concept is good and characters interesting enough that I really felt the book should have been better and could do with tighter editing, more action and less arguing.
December 24, 2015
Summary:
Marine archaeologist Griffin Clonmac is about to make one of the most important discoveries of his career – not to mention in his field. After years of frustrating speculation, he is now thisclose to raising a medieval wooden bridge that has miraculously remained intact in Ireland’s River Shannon… for the last 1200 years. However, someone will move heaven and earth to keep Griffin from excavating the property that was once part of the nearby Clonmacnoise monastery. Who is ultimately pulling the strings? And what are they so desperate to hide?
My Thoughts:
Some would argue that an archaeological mystery makes for less-than-thrilling reading material. However, in the capable hands of author Jeffrey Perren, it’s like you’re watching Indiana Jones’ newest adventure unfolding on the big screen. A throwback to the way stories used to be told, “Clonmac’s Bridge” is a tale of two men (separated by a millennium) who struggle to overcome injustice, sabotage, corruption and deceit in pursuit of a life-long dream. The narrative alternates seamlessly between ninth-century and contemporary Ireland, offering key insights into a brilliant mystery that begs to be solved.
Although slightly long, Perren lays the groundwork for a story that keeps you guessing right up until the very end. And even then, the shocking conclusion will keep your gears whirling long after the last page has been turned. My only complaint is that the ending comes a little too quickly. The reader patiently waits for all the pieces to fall into place, only to have everything resolved in a couple paragraphs. I just would have liked for that part to be fleshed out a bit more.
Something that’s definitely not lacking though is the book’s assortment of vivid characters. They come from all walks of life, motivated by every agenda under the sun. Naturally, that makes them all suspect as the plot thickens, adding an even more exciting dynamic to the mix. Whether they’re from the ninth century or modern times, they are so authentic and realistic, it’s easy to imagine yourself in their shoes, right in the middle of all the action. And there’s no shortage of that here.
“Clonmac’s Bridge” is truly a wonderful read that captivates from beginning to end. I highly recommend it for bookworms who love some good old-fashioned suspense!
Marine archaeologist Griffin Clonmac is about to make one of the most important discoveries of his career – not to mention in his field. After years of frustrating speculation, he is now thisclose to raising a medieval wooden bridge that has miraculously remained intact in Ireland’s River Shannon… for the last 1200 years. However, someone will move heaven and earth to keep Griffin from excavating the property that was once part of the nearby Clonmacnoise monastery. Who is ultimately pulling the strings? And what are they so desperate to hide?
My Thoughts:
Some would argue that an archaeological mystery makes for less-than-thrilling reading material. However, in the capable hands of author Jeffrey Perren, it’s like you’re watching Indiana Jones’ newest adventure unfolding on the big screen. A throwback to the way stories used to be told, “Clonmac’s Bridge” is a tale of two men (separated by a millennium) who struggle to overcome injustice, sabotage, corruption and deceit in pursuit of a life-long dream. The narrative alternates seamlessly between ninth-century and contemporary Ireland, offering key insights into a brilliant mystery that begs to be solved.
Although slightly long, Perren lays the groundwork for a story that keeps you guessing right up until the very end. And even then, the shocking conclusion will keep your gears whirling long after the last page has been turned. My only complaint is that the ending comes a little too quickly. The reader patiently waits for all the pieces to fall into place, only to have everything resolved in a couple paragraphs. I just would have liked for that part to be fleshed out a bit more.
Something that’s definitely not lacking though is the book’s assortment of vivid characters. They come from all walks of life, motivated by every agenda under the sun. Naturally, that makes them all suspect as the plot thickens, adding an even more exciting dynamic to the mix. Whether they’re from the ninth century or modern times, they are so authentic and realistic, it’s easy to imagine yourself in their shoes, right in the middle of all the action. And there’s no shortage of that here.
“Clonmac’s Bridge” is truly a wonderful read that captivates from beginning to end. I highly recommend it for bookworms who love some good old-fashioned suspense!
August 22, 2014
Ireland, a country rich with history and with that hidden artifacts. So when a maritime archaeologist, Griffin Clonmac can confirm the location of a lost relic, he can't contain his excitement. What can it be? None other than Ireland's first major bridge undiscovered for 1,200 years in the Shannon River.
The bridge is near the Clonmacnoise Monastery. An important find even if his colleagues laugh at his want to find a bridge. But what's significant is not only because of the history - a span built at the beginning of the 9th century over two hundred years before the first bridge was built but that fact this construction is somehow fully preserved.
Dr. Daley Garvin was not wholly interested in Griffin's discovery. Well, only when he can claim the find and lap up the glory from the dig.
Mari Quispe, a tenacious headstrong archaeologist suffers a tragedy at a dig in Cusco, Peru. She's devastated and guilty - even though it wasn't her fault. But that's not the real problem. With this setback, her father Casimiro, a man she deeply dislikes, will see it as a good excuse to convince her to give up working and get married. Anbessa, her beloved brother is her only ally and thankfully doesn't agree.
Reluctantly thrown together Griffin and Mari work on exposing the sunken span. But with corporate funding wavering, bad press written by a sniveling journalist called Twissle and the Church secretly condemning the dig, can the renowned archaeologist uncover his dream without losing his integrity?
Perren's story, inspired by a real discovery, is rich with history and archaeological references. With hints of conspiracy and the intriguing question of why would priests want to stop the raising of 1200 year old bridge, the story is long and consuming.
I'm afraid I got a little lost as to who wanted what doing to whom. There are jumps from Ireland, to Peru and America and back again and there seemed to be a lot of subplots which I'm not certain added anything to the mystery. It is well written and characters have been given various facets which will leave you either liking or disliking them. Overall, the story is good if a little long. Recommended for fans of semi-historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author to review. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive critique.
The bridge is near the Clonmacnoise Monastery. An important find even if his colleagues laugh at his want to find a bridge. But what's significant is not only because of the history - a span built at the beginning of the 9th century over two hundred years before the first bridge was built but that fact this construction is somehow fully preserved.
Dr. Daley Garvin was not wholly interested in Griffin's discovery. Well, only when he can claim the find and lap up the glory from the dig.
Mari Quispe, a tenacious headstrong archaeologist suffers a tragedy at a dig in Cusco, Peru. She's devastated and guilty - even though it wasn't her fault. But that's not the real problem. With this setback, her father Casimiro, a man she deeply dislikes, will see it as a good excuse to convince her to give up working and get married. Anbessa, her beloved brother is her only ally and thankfully doesn't agree.
Reluctantly thrown together Griffin and Mari work on exposing the sunken span. But with corporate funding wavering, bad press written by a sniveling journalist called Twissle and the Church secretly condemning the dig, can the renowned archaeologist uncover his dream without losing his integrity?
Perren's story, inspired by a real discovery, is rich with history and archaeological references. With hints of conspiracy and the intriguing question of why would priests want to stop the raising of 1200 year old bridge, the story is long and consuming.
I'm afraid I got a little lost as to who wanted what doing to whom. There are jumps from Ireland, to Peru and America and back again and there seemed to be a lot of subplots which I'm not certain added anything to the mystery. It is well written and characters have been given various facets which will leave you either liking or disliking them. Overall, the story is good if a little long. Recommended for fans of semi-historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author to review. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive critique.
April 7, 2015
Note: I received a copy of this text in exchange for an unbiased review.
True to its blurb, Clonmac’s Bridge is an interesting fusion of genres. Revolving around the discovery of a twelve hundred year old bridge near Clonmacnoise Monastery, the story takes us along for the ride as Griffin Clonmac, an archeologist who has spent fifteen years searching for the elusive bridge, finally finds it and subsequently encounters a gamut of natural and man-made hurdles.
More than a story about a bridge (in truth the bridge serves more as a background device around which a variety of relationships develop) Clonmac’s Bridge gives us an exploration in human motivation. Love, academic achievement, personal victory, jealousy, spite, greed … Perren covers the spectrum with uncanny ease, showing deep insight into the human psyche.
I enjoyed this book to an extent. The subject matter fascinated; I spent the entire book wondering just what was so important about this bridge aside from having been built using building techniques not widely developed for another three hundred years. To that length eventually I started to grow bored with waiting, with all the highs and lows of near success and imminent failure. How many times can you knock a man down before he stops trying to get up? More importantly – why do you keep knocking him down, over and over and over again? After a point the story just started to drag, feeling more like an exhibition in persistence and exploring just how many ways Perren could twist his characters up before finally releasing the tension.
Adding to this was Perren’s writing style. While relatable in that each character’s motivations were rooted in the truth of psyche, Perren spent more time dropping us into each character’s laborious thought processes than any “on the edge of your seat, addictive-page-turning-action”. Readers expecting a Brown-esque thriller will be disappointed. I was disappointed that the bridge itself wasn’t more important than it actually was although the unexpected exposure and solving of a mystery provided a satisfactory ending.
Overall I gave Clonmac’s Bridge eight out of ten stars. While enjoyable on a couple levels this story left me wanting more and not necessarily of Perren’s particular brand of historical mystery/thriller.
True to its blurb, Clonmac’s Bridge is an interesting fusion of genres. Revolving around the discovery of a twelve hundred year old bridge near Clonmacnoise Monastery, the story takes us along for the ride as Griffin Clonmac, an archeologist who has spent fifteen years searching for the elusive bridge, finally finds it and subsequently encounters a gamut of natural and man-made hurdles.
More than a story about a bridge (in truth the bridge serves more as a background device around which a variety of relationships develop) Clonmac’s Bridge gives us an exploration in human motivation. Love, academic achievement, personal victory, jealousy, spite, greed … Perren covers the spectrum with uncanny ease, showing deep insight into the human psyche.
I enjoyed this book to an extent. The subject matter fascinated; I spent the entire book wondering just what was so important about this bridge aside from having been built using building techniques not widely developed for another three hundred years. To that length eventually I started to grow bored with waiting, with all the highs and lows of near success and imminent failure. How many times can you knock a man down before he stops trying to get up? More importantly – why do you keep knocking him down, over and over and over again? After a point the story just started to drag, feeling more like an exhibition in persistence and exploring just how many ways Perren could twist his characters up before finally releasing the tension.
Adding to this was Perren’s writing style. While relatable in that each character’s motivations were rooted in the truth of psyche, Perren spent more time dropping us into each character’s laborious thought processes than any “on the edge of your seat, addictive-page-turning-action”. Readers expecting a Brown-esque thriller will be disappointed. I was disappointed that the bridge itself wasn’t more important than it actually was although the unexpected exposure and solving of a mystery provided a satisfactory ending.
Overall I gave Clonmac’s Bridge eight out of ten stars. While enjoyable on a couple levels this story left me wanting more and not necessarily of Perren’s particular brand of historical mystery/thriller.
April 3, 2014
Clonmac’s Bridge is a wonderful story, but I enjoyed the characters even more, especially the female protagonist Mari.
She’s a modern Latin woman and, in part as a result of the still-dominant influence of the father in the family, she represents the striving for independence, an ongoing challenge for women in South America. Her strong inner self tells her she has to continue to rise in spite of the adversity, yet she is still able to cry when hardship comes. She is living passionately, eagerly facing the risks of life.
It’s not wholly surprising, then, that Griffin falls in love with more than her appearance.
In contrast, while the villains don't lack opportunities to grow, they cling to their parasitic ways. The author provides subtle clues about why, but leaves the full answer up to the reader to ponder.
Character exploration comes in another form with the parallel heroes: Riordan in 9th century and Griffin Clonmac in this one. Throughout the novel I often wished they could win easier, but the relentless dramatic tension as developed in the novel is what sustains interest, of course.
At the same time, plot is far from neglected. I loved the way the author presents various puzzles, for example who and why the archaeological project was being boycotted. The mystery aspect was unusual in a novel like this and very well done.
Also, I got a close up look at a place and period of time (early 9th century Ireland) not too highly explored in fiction. Before reading this novel I wasn’t familiar with it and, frankly, wasn’t interested in it. The author brought it to life in a way that did pique my interest. One effective hook was to use the inspiration of a real-life discovery of an ancient bridge. The combination made the reading very enjoyable.
In sum, the writing style is superb; the plot and settings are amazing. I felt it well deserved my time and I was left with the thought: "What an imagination!"
She’s a modern Latin woman and, in part as a result of the still-dominant influence of the father in the family, she represents the striving for independence, an ongoing challenge for women in South America. Her strong inner self tells her she has to continue to rise in spite of the adversity, yet she is still able to cry when hardship comes. She is living passionately, eagerly facing the risks of life.
It’s not wholly surprising, then, that Griffin falls in love with more than her appearance.
In contrast, while the villains don't lack opportunities to grow, they cling to their parasitic ways. The author provides subtle clues about why, but leaves the full answer up to the reader to ponder.
Character exploration comes in another form with the parallel heroes: Riordan in 9th century and Griffin Clonmac in this one. Throughout the novel I often wished they could win easier, but the relentless dramatic tension as developed in the novel is what sustains interest, of course.
At the same time, plot is far from neglected. I loved the way the author presents various puzzles, for example who and why the archaeological project was being boycotted. The mystery aspect was unusual in a novel like this and very well done.
Also, I got a close up look at a place and period of time (early 9th century Ireland) not too highly explored in fiction. Before reading this novel I wasn’t familiar with it and, frankly, wasn’t interested in it. The author brought it to life in a way that did pique my interest. One effective hook was to use the inspiration of a real-life discovery of an ancient bridge. The combination made the reading very enjoyable.
In sum, the writing style is superb; the plot and settings are amazing. I felt it well deserved my time and I was left with the thought: "What an imagination!"
October 8, 2015
Griffin Clomac, an eminent archaeologist, is on the brink of a massive find – a bridge built over a thousand years ago which remains sunken in the Shannon River near Clonmacnoise Monastery in Dublin. We then follow Griffin’s journey in which he faces mysterious and deliberate acts to prevent him from finding the bridge’s location as well as having funding obstacles to overcome.
The passion of archaeology and the excitement of finds jumps out at the reader from the first page. The Author tells us that the novel was inspired by a real archaeological discovery and he adeptly puts across the feelings such an experience would create. Similarly he gives us an understanding of budgets and how difficult funding has become for such projects. Then we have the mystery of why is there is so much deliberate opposition in Griffin’s way? And who is behind this?
Part of the plot to thwart Griffin is the insistence he employs Mari Quispe, who has her own demons to deal with following a disaster on one of her digs near her home in Peru. This backfires when Griffin and Mari fall in love and become a formidable force together.
The characterisation is strong and colourful from all walks of life. I loved the author’s use of language which seemed to simply fit in with the characters and archaeology.
There were times that I felt Griffin’s character lacked the inquisitiveness such an intelligent man would have or there were parts that needed further development ( such as the parts involving Conor) and which would have given more suspense.
Interwoven in is the story or Riordan who designed and created the bridge some thousand years earlier. The past and present link in to one another easily and we see that Griffin and Riordan face similar unnecessary callousness and envy despite the differences in time.
If you like history and mystery to fire your imagination you will enjoy this.
The passion of archaeology and the excitement of finds jumps out at the reader from the first page. The Author tells us that the novel was inspired by a real archaeological discovery and he adeptly puts across the feelings such an experience would create. Similarly he gives us an understanding of budgets and how difficult funding has become for such projects. Then we have the mystery of why is there is so much deliberate opposition in Griffin’s way? And who is behind this?
Part of the plot to thwart Griffin is the insistence he employs Mari Quispe, who has her own demons to deal with following a disaster on one of her digs near her home in Peru. This backfires when Griffin and Mari fall in love and become a formidable force together.
The characterisation is strong and colourful from all walks of life. I loved the author’s use of language which seemed to simply fit in with the characters and archaeology.
There were times that I felt Griffin’s character lacked the inquisitiveness such an intelligent man would have or there were parts that needed further development ( such as the parts involving Conor) and which would have given more suspense.
Interwoven in is the story or Riordan who designed and created the bridge some thousand years earlier. The past and present link in to one another easily and we see that Griffin and Riordan face similar unnecessary callousness and envy despite the differences in time.
If you like history and mystery to fire your imagination you will enjoy this.
December 22, 2015
rcheology has always been a love of mine - there's something inherently interesting to me to learn the hows, whys and whats of the past - though I never did go into the field as a career, I have always managed to find ways to dip my toes into it via reading, watching documentaries, or visiting museums. I never really took the time to delve into the past as much as Griffin Clonmac. An Archeologist and college professor known for his TV appearances and discoveries takes his love of the past to a whole new level - battling unseen political and personal forces to dig up and raise the Bridge and the Clonmacnoise Monestary. There's a mystery even bigger than he is lurking in the waters of the River Shannon...at every turn he takes one step forward and seemingly hundreds backwards.
This book is one of back and forth - push and pull - and constant battling between the main characters. There's someone in the book, a Modern - Day Priest who will stop at nothing to keep the bridge from being raised - his whys behind the desire to stop it do not come to be known until late in the book - and while they seem petty and drawn out, they do make sense.
I am going to give this book a 3 out of 5 Stars - the constant back and forth and stop and go that Griffin deals with almost seems forced at an attempt to make the book seem like there's more to it than there actually is.
This book is one of back and forth - push and pull - and constant battling between the main characters. There's someone in the book, a Modern - Day Priest who will stop at nothing to keep the bridge from being raised - his whys behind the desire to stop it do not come to be known until late in the book - and while they seem petty and drawn out, they do make sense.
I am going to give this book a 3 out of 5 Stars - the constant back and forth and stop and go that Griffin deals with almost seems forced at an attempt to make the book seem like there's more to it than there actually is.
August 16, 2014
Clonmac's Bridge is partly historical fiction but it also has a multi-faceted plot which centres on T.V. Archaeologist, Griffin Clonmac, who has an overwhelming desire to find and raise the mythical and mysterious ninth century Bridge at Clonmacnoise.
The novel explores a variety of relationships between several of the main characters and in addition there are corporate jealousies, academic rivalries and political ambitions.
On the whole the main characters are a set of selfish, self-centred people who are motivated by pride, greed, lust and self-interest. Even the two main protagonists, Griffin Clonmac and Mari Quispe, the romantic leads, struggle at times to put their feelings for each other before their desires to be in control.
The historical part of the novel could almost stand-alone but it provides a satisfying explanation for the mysteries of The Bridge which is held back until the end of the novel thus creating a strong finale for the book.
I enjoyed reading Clonmac's Bridge and once again admired author Jeffrey Perren's ability to get the reader to suspend disbelief and travel with him across continents and back through centuries in pursuit of a good yarn.
The novel explores a variety of relationships between several of the main characters and in addition there are corporate jealousies, academic rivalries and political ambitions.
On the whole the main characters are a set of selfish, self-centred people who are motivated by pride, greed, lust and self-interest. Even the two main protagonists, Griffin Clonmac and Mari Quispe, the romantic leads, struggle at times to put their feelings for each other before their desires to be in control.
The historical part of the novel could almost stand-alone but it provides a satisfying explanation for the mysteries of The Bridge which is held back until the end of the novel thus creating a strong finale for the book.
I enjoyed reading Clonmac's Bridge and once again admired author Jeffrey Perren's ability to get the reader to suspend disbelief and travel with him across continents and back through centuries in pursuit of a good yarn.
August 31, 2016
Alright, the book is interesting, to a point.
Let me start by saying, if I had not been offered a copy for a review, I would have never picked this book up. The cover does nothing to grab my attention.
That being said, as I began reading, it was better than I expected. The story flows well, the characters are likable, but the author should steer clear of romance. You can tell it's not their forte.
When it came to the conspiracy of the story, the plot, it was thick and held your interest, sometimes. The beginning drags a little. You have to trudge through it to get to the juicy parts. But once it starts moving, it's great! Honestly, maybe if the author gets a copy editor to hash out stuff that is unnecessary and maybe guide them a little in the romance area, this book could be a 5 star book. Maybe also consider brightening the cover. It's dark and the title just blends in too much. I say give this book a chance. It's a nice long story that will give you a nice alternate reality for a few days!
Let me start by saying, if I had not been offered a copy for a review, I would have never picked this book up. The cover does nothing to grab my attention.
That being said, as I began reading, it was better than I expected. The story flows well, the characters are likable, but the author should steer clear of romance. You can tell it's not their forte.
When it came to the conspiracy of the story, the plot, it was thick and held your interest, sometimes. The beginning drags a little. You have to trudge through it to get to the juicy parts. But once it starts moving, it's great! Honestly, maybe if the author gets a copy editor to hash out stuff that is unnecessary and maybe guide them a little in the romance area, this book could be a 5 star book. Maybe also consider brightening the cover. It's dark and the title just blends in too much. I say give this book a chance. It's a nice long story that will give you a nice alternate reality for a few days!
May 17, 2014
I like historical mysteries and I also like stories in different centuries. This had both. I'm not sure which was the most intriguing.
Not edge of your seat excitement but so interesting as to make you want to learn more. It is such a shame that it's a work of fiction as I would love to visit the monastery and bridge.
This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last.
Not edge of your seat excitement but so interesting as to make you want to learn more. It is such a shame that it's a work of fiction as I would love to visit the monastery and bridge.
This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last.
February 15, 2015
A good read. Ample of history with the narrative from present to the 805 A.D. A mystery that has linked in the past that readers hard to put down. It will make you think what had occurred, and why a Bishop wanted to undermine the bridge excavation?
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February 21, 2017
Check out my review here!
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April 8, 2014Review to follow on the Paranormal Romance Guild website.
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