The Thorn Birds is arobust, romantic 　　 saga of a singular family, the Clearys. 　　 It begins in the early part of this cen- 　　 tury, when Paddy Clcary moves his 　　 wife, Fiona, and their seven children 　　 to Drogheda, the vast Australian 　　 sheep station owned by his autocratic 　　 and childless older sister; and it ends 　　 more than halfa century later, when 　　 the only survivor of the third genera- 　　 tion, the brilliant actress Justine 　　 O Neill, sets a course of life and love 　　 halfway around the world from her 　　 roots. 　　 The central figures in this enthral- 　　 ling story aretheindomitableMeggie, 　　 the only Cleary daughter, and the one 　　 man she truly loves, the stunningly 　　 handsome and ambitious priest Ralph 　　 de Bricassart. Ralph s course moves 　　 him along way indeed, from a re.mote 　　 Outback parish to the hallsof the 　　 Vatican; and Meggie s, except for a 　　 brief and miserable marriage else- 　　 where, is fixed to the Drogheda that 　　 is part of her bones-but distance 　　 does not dim their feelings though it 　　 shapes their lives. 　　 Wonderful characters people this 　　 book: strong and gentle Paddy, hid- 　　 ing a private mcmory; dutiful Fiona, 　　 holding back love because it once be-, 　　 trayed her; violent, tormented Frank,