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George MacKay Brown

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Magnus Paperback – January 1, 1998

by George M. Brown (Author)

4.1 120 ratings

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This hilarious novel charts the rise and fall of Magnus Merriman - would-be lover, writer, politician, idealist and crofter - moved by dreams of greatness and a talent for farcical defeat. A satirical and irreverent portrait of Scottish life, literature and politics. Nothing is sacred and no-one is spared!

Print length

196 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Canongate Books Ltd
Publication date

January 1, 1998
Dimensions

5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0862418143
ISBN-13

978-0862418144
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George Mackay Brown
143
Paperback
$18.15
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Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canongate Books Ltd (January 1, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 196 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0862418143
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0862418144
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,216,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #150,408 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 120 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

120 global ratings

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Lawrence Mack Hall

Magnus Indeed!

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2011

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George Mackay Brown -- do write the name on your look-it-up list if, like C. S. Lewis, you sometimes feel the cool, clean winds of northern-ness blowing across your soul, leading you to want to row among the icebergs and whales off Scotland and the Orkneys. MAGNUS is a fictionalized story about the very real Saint Magnus who was martyred 'way back when -- the date is in the book, which I lent to a friend. We seldom meet Magnus himself; the story is predicated on the experiences and narratives of people around him: earls, a king or so, monastics, farmers, fishermen, beggars, and pirates. The reconstruction of the mediaeval world is brilliant and detailed, and, at the end, Magnus' stream-of-consciousness (the only time we really know him) as he prays on the night before his death is rare and brilliant.

Not a must-read, but rather a must-row, must-sail, must-pray, must-celebrate.

7 people found this helpful

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Richard Druitt

Ghostly whispers

Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2014

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This is my least favourite of his novels, at times it almost seems to become lost in Christian proselytizing. And Magnus does not come across as particularly saintly. Yet what facts are there? We are all drawn into an intricate web of historical inevitability, we are after all materialized on this earthly realm.
Changing perspectives and points of view, the author does manage to convey a mosaic of images that, in the end, does paint a believable picture of Magnus the man.

3 people found this helpful

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JAK

Unique !

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2022

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MAGNUS is a very strange novel!Part of it is a fairly conventional narrative telling the story of Magnus and his rivalry with Hakon .This is apparently based on historical events and there is a Norse saga relating the details.The setting is the Orkney Islands in the 12th Century.Then things start to get weird !Time and perspective shift.At one point the events are recounted as if they are happening in the 20 th Century with news reporters , reporting on events.Even stranger , the setting briefly shifts to 20 th Century Germany.Now we're in a prison camp and someone gets executed.Much of the book takes place in the mind of Magnus and is a kind of extended religous meditation.I admit I wish the author had stuck to a fairly straightforward narrative.At times the book reminded of Ingmar Bergman's VIRGIN SPRING and that's meant as a compliment.But I don't think the time shifts or much of the interior monologue work .The author seems to have aspired to a grander work then he was capable of pulling off.I admire the ambition but he doesn't quite pull it off.

One person found this helpful

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Matthew D. Campbell

Great writing

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020

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This was recommended to me to read along with the Orkneyinga Saga, and this book was what I hoped the Saga would be like. Great weaving together of historical fiction with a major on history, quick and easy read. If you’ve been to Orkney, the locations of this book shine.

One person found this helpful

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Joel C. Jacobson

magnus is a magn ificent novel

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2012

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magnus is a magn ificent novel... a deeply thoughtful look at ceremony and sacrifice and life --specifically in the orkneys, but clearly universal. ( perhaps thematically reminiscent to saramago, marilyn robinson.) ... with a crisp, classic, finely tuned poet's ear for wording and rhythm, and not a drop banal in either story or thought or technique.

2 people found this helpful

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Linda Bowers

It is an enjoyable read that continues to haunt the imagination after putting t down.

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2017

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This is an incredibly well written novel that develops the characters and plot in a way that gives you a firsthand glance into the history of the area.

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2015

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Well written, unusual.

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Mr. William

Orkney Island life insight

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2019

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Bought this after visiting the Orkney Islands. Provided some insight into island life and loyalties.

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Mr. C. R. J. Castell

Fascinating novel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2023

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A well written book focussing on events surrounding the life of St. Magnus. Style of writing interesting in that it features speech patterns appropriate to different audiences.

Thomas Dilworth

One of the Great Modern Novels

Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2019

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Surprisingly to me, this great novel is little known. I've read it at least 3 times and have taught it twice in university courses. It is beautifully written and engages profound human difficulties. Is a Christian synthesis between spirituality and this-worldly politics possible? Paradigms of sacrifice are established, but is Magnus's murder in any real sense sacrifice? What the author does with time, based on the timelesssness of the Eucharist, is brilliant but, for the experience of the reader, it is important not to know about it in advance. So do not read the blurbs on the back cover till after reading the novel. If you are interested in human nature, you'll find this novel more than interesting. Long may it stay in print. T.D.

Karina Cicero

Excellent condition

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2021

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The book is bounded in a plastic protective cover and has no annotations or tears.
Even though it is used, one can hardly tell.

Wilhelm

New Favourite

Reviewed in Canada on June 6, 2012

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George Mackay Brown's Magnus is my new favourite novel! It is beautifully written prose that, at times, breaks into poetry.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Beautiful writing.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

Beautiful, masterful. Thoroughly recommend reading this. The writing is so poetic at times. A mixter-maxter of narrative of ancient storytelling and a modern twist.

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