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jaceySet some time after Eagle of the Ninth but tied to it because the main characters are probably a descended from Marcus and we return to the farm on the Downs that Marcus was granted after recovering the Eagle.
It's 100 years before the last legion will leave Britain, but already the great days of Rome are over. Carausius is the Roman emperor in Britain and may be the one to hold back the dark, but he's betrayed and usurped by Allectus the Traitor.
Justin, an army surgeon with the legions, is posted to Britain for the first time, though his Grandfather was born there. One of the first people he meets is Flavius who has the flawed Dolphin ring of the first Marcus and it proves that they are (somewhat distant) cousins and destined to become good friends.
When they uncover Allectus' plot to betray Carausius they try and warn the emperor, but it seems their warning is unheeded and they are bundled off to the Northern wall together, feeling that they are in disgrace. A chance meeting with a tribesman, Evicatos of the Spear leads them to believe that Allectus is about to close the trap on Carausius and they set off to warn him again, but they are too late and with Allectus self-declared emperor they are in danger.
They are on their way back to rejoin the Roman legions in Europe when they meet Paulinus and become part of his resistance organisation - channelling soldiers loyal to Rome away from Allectus and back to the legions in the hope that one day the legions will come back and overthrow Allectus and restore Rome in Britain.
As Allectus allies himself with Saxon thugs, Justin and Flavius find themselves back at the farm on the Downland training their own legion of deserters and loyal Britons until the day comes when Rome returns and they can join the fight against Allectus. The rally under the standard of a battered wingless Eagle found in the hypercaust of the house in Calleva where Marcus left his dishonoured Eagle of the Ninth.
This novel was the Carnegie Medal Winner for 1959 - over fifty years ago - yet it's still fresh. Sutclifff handles the history with a light hand whilst seeming superbly well researched. Personally my favourite of Sutcliff's three Rome in Britain stories is still Eagle of the Ninth, but this is still a good read. I knew very little about Carausius and Allectus, real historical figures, of course, so I got a smattering of education as well as entertainment.
It's 100 years before the last legion will leave Britain, but already the great days of Rome are over. Carausius is the Roman emperor in Britain and may be the one to hold back the dark, but he's betrayed and usurped by Allectus the Traitor.
Justin, an army surgeon with the legions, is posted to Britain for the first time, though his Grandfather was born there. One of the first people he meets is Flavius who has the flawed Dolphin ring of the first Marcus and it proves that they are (somewhat distant) cousins and destined to become good friends.
When they uncover Allectus' plot to betray Carausius they try and warn the emperor, but it seems their warning is unheeded and they are bundled off to the Northern wall together, feeling that they are in disgrace. A chance meeting with a tribesman, Evicatos of the Spear leads them to believe that Allectus is about to close the trap on Carausius and they set off to warn him again, but they are too late and with Allectus self-declared emperor they are in danger.
They are on their way back to rejoin the Roman legions in Europe when they meet Paulinus and become part of his resistance organisation - channelling soldiers loyal to Rome away from Allectus and back to the legions in the hope that one day the legions will come back and overthrow Allectus and restore Rome in Britain.
As Allectus allies himself with Saxon thugs, Justin and Flavius find themselves back at the farm on the Downland training their own legion of deserters and loyal Britons until the day comes when Rome returns and they can join the fight against Allectus. The rally under the standard of a battered wingless Eagle found in the hypercaust of the house in Calleva where Marcus left his dishonoured Eagle of the Ninth.
This novel was the Carnegie Medal Winner for 1959 - over fifty years ago - yet it's still fresh. Sutclifff handles the history with a light hand whilst seeming superbly well researched. Personally my favourite of Sutcliff's three Rome in Britain stories is still Eagle of the Ninth, but this is still a good read. I knew very little about Carausius and Allectus, real historical figures, of course, so I got a smattering of education as well as entertainment.
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Date: Feb. 2nd, 2012 12:02 am (UTC)