Book Log 4/2012 - Rosemary Sutcliff: The Lantern Bearers

The third of Rosemary Sutcliff's books to feature a descendant of that first Marcus from Eagle of the Ninth, this time Aquila, the owner of the family's flawed Dolphin ring and a soldier of Rome in Britain goes 'wilful mising' when the last legion is pulled out of Britain. Aquila's loyalty to Rome doesn't overrule his loyalty to Britain and his family so he lets the last galley sail without him, setting the Rutupia light ablaze one last time in defiance of what he's lost and a light against the darkness which is surely to come. His return to family at the villa on the Downland is harshly interrupted by a Saxon raid which leaves his family dead, the farm lost, his sister captured and Aquila himself a thrall in Juteland. It's only chance that brings him back to Britain's shores where he discovers his sister already absorbed into the Saxon camp, with a child and a man of her own. Though she helps him to escape, and returns the flawed dolphin ring, she won't come with him and he feels utterly let down.

Bitter and looking for revenge on the Lantern Bearer who betrayed his family Marcus stumbles across Brother Ninnias and is instead directed towards Ambrosius, of the house of Constantine, the last hope of Britain and of what's left of Rome in Britain - Roman and native Briton united against the Saxon sea-wolves. His father suported Ambrosius and so lacking any cause of his own he takes up his father's, and proves very adept, an excellent sildier with all of Rome's training behind him.

Thus begins Aquila's service with Ambrosius against Vortigern and the Saxons, and his connection with Artos (Arthur), the bastard son on Ambrosious' brother Utha. It's many years and many experiences before Aquila, the Dolphin, begins to understand and forgive his sister and to understand his place in the grand scheme of things, making peace with his past and coming to terms with his own family.

Aquila is a much more flawed character than Sutcliff's other Romans, Marcus and Justin in Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch. He's deeply damaged by his experiences and doesn't always make life easy for those he cares for. ('It's not what you do, it's the way that you do them!' his wife tells him more than once.) He harbours a grudge against the Saxons for his sister and carries resentment with him until he's suddenly able to send his sister a gift that denotes forgiveness and understanding. It takes him half a lifetime, but he gets there in the end.

I know there's a fourth book, Frontier Wolf, set during the Roman occupation of Britain and featuring another yourg Roman with the dolphin ring but I haven't been able to finda copy at a reasonable price. I believe that it was written later than this Eagle of the Ninth trilogy.

Book Log 4/2012 - Rosemary Sutcliff: The Lantern Bearers

The third of Rosemary Sutcliff's books to feature a descendant of that first Marcus from Eagle of the Ninth, this time Aquila, the owner of the family's flawed Dolphin ring and a soldier of Rome in Britain goes 'wilful mising' when the last legion is pulled out of Britain. Aquila's loyalty to Rome doesn't overrule his loyalty to Britain and his family so he lets the last galley sail without him, setting the Rutupia light ablaze one last time in defiance of what he's lost and a light against the darkness which is surely to come. His return to family at the villa on the Downland is harshly interrupted by a Saxon raid which leaves his family dead, the farm lost, his sister captured and Aquila himself a thrall in Juteland. It's only chance that brings him back to Britain's shores where he discovers his sister already absorbed into the Saxon camp, with a child and a man of her own. Though she helps him to escape, and returns the flawed dolphin ring, she won't come with him and he feels utterly let down.

Bitter and looking for revenge on the Lantern Bearer who betrayed his family Marcus stumbles across Brother Ninnias and is instead directed towards Ambrosius, of the house of Constantine, the last hope of Britain and of what's left of Rome in Britain - Roman and native Briton united against the Saxon sea-wolves. His father suported Ambrosius and so lacking any cause of his own he takes up his father's, and proves very adept, an excellent sildier with all of Rome's training behind him.

Thus begins Aquila's service with Ambrosius against Vortigern and the Saxons, and his connection with Artos (Arthur), the bastard son on Ambrosious' brother Utha. It's many years and many experiences before Aquila, the Dolphin, begins to understand and forgive his sister and to understand his place in the grand scheme of things, making peace with his past and coming to terms with his own family.

Aquila is a much more flawed character than Sutcliff's other Romans, Marcus and Justin in Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch. He's deeply damaged by his experiences and doesn't always make life easy for those he cares for. ('It's not what you do, it's the way that you do them!' his wife tells him more than once.) He harbours a grudge against the Saxons for his sister and carries resentment with him until he's suddenly able to send his sister a gift that denotes forgiveness and understanding. It takes him half a lifetime, but he gets there in the end.

I know there's a fourth book, Frontier Wolf, set during the Roman occupation of Britain and featuring another yourg Roman with the dolphin ring but I haven't been able to finda copy at a reasonable price. I believe that it was written later than this Eagle of the Ninth trilogy.