Hadrian's Wall

Ok, but not great

I have read many historical fiction novels and am a HUGE Roman history fan, especially Roman Britain and Hadrian's Wall. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed with the heavy romance angle that the book took on. Not enough history, battles and too much mushy stuff. It's ok, though. If you want GREAT historical fiction, read The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte. The best books I have EVER read! Whyte tells his own version of the Arthur legend & starts off in Roman Britain ca. AD 376 (I think). Whyte tells the legend wuthout all the sorcery & fairytale mess & intertwines the story with real events. His version shows just how the legend could have happened. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Really Great

Exciting! Great plot! A Romance that Women will enjoy as well as men! Highly recommend!

A very good novel

If you like historical fiction, expessially Ancient roman times, then you will need to read this book. It is wonderfully written and easy and fun to read. I did not stop reading this book once I started. In the book you will enjoy reading about the Roman empire and the glory of the northern barbarians in one book. It is a very good book I think. It is one of the best books I read, I will proboly read it again.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

If you like romance novels, this one is pretty good

I was fooled by the cover and endorsements on the jacket. I was expecting Roman Legions battling it out with barbarians. There is one great battle at the end, but this is really a romance novel set in 375 AD Britain. Tribune Galba Brassidius expects to be the new commander of the Petriana cavalry at the Hadrian Wall fort Petrianais, but he is supplanted by an inexperienced Praefectus, Marcus Flavius, from Rome. Marcus has obtained the post through a financial arrangement with a Roman senator. In exchange for money, Marcus gets the new posting and the hand of the senator's daughter, Valeria. This arrangement gives him the prestige of a senatorial connection, and a field command to further his career. An irate Galba has his own agenda. He has been dealing on both sides of Hadrian's Wall, and he enlists the aide of a Celtic Chieftain, Arden Caratacus, to kidnap Valeria. Galba hopes to incite war between the Celts and Romans and get Marius killed, take his wife, and in the process, become a hero. A naive Valeria loathes Galba's crude advances, is puzzled by her husband's indifference, ignores the worship of young tribune Clodius, and struggles with her growing feelings for the young Celt, Arden. Valeria also ignores the advice of her wise slave Savia. Much of the story is related in the aftermath by Roman investigator Draco, who is trying to piece together the cause of the catastrophe.

Outtstanding reading experience

Over two centuries old Hadrian¿s Wall was built to keep the feral Celtic tribes away from easy attacks on the Roman fortresses. However, the Roman Empire seems weaker than ever to the Celtics, especially Chieftain Arden Caratacus, who wants the invaders off the island. His enemy amoral brilliant tactician Senior Tribune Galba Brassidias understands the Wall and the people on both sides of it as he leads the deadly Petriana cavalry in keeping the Celts at bay................................ Feeling he earned the position, Galba expects his success and his loyalty will have Rome name him in charge. Instead he learns that an island born Roman citizen is beneath those born in Rome for an aristocratic scholar Marcus Flavius arrives to take charge of the Petriana. Marcus is accompanied by the even more blue-blooded fiancée to Lady Valeria. Knowing that he is a victim of prejudice, an angry Galba pretends loyalty to his new Commander while encouraging Arden to attack. Marcus is a helpless warrior. Only Valeria, who has fallen in love with the dynamic Arden, might stop a bloody war................................. The story is actually told in flashback form by a Roman investigation into what happened at the Wall in 368 AD. That technique not only adds to the sense of history that readers will feel, but sounds so eerily close to how western nations look back at scandal and traumatic events. The story line is action packed and the audience will feel they are trudging alongside Inspector Draco as he makes inquiries. The prime foursome seems genuine especially in their interactions; they and the support cast furbish readers with a powerful Ancient Rome tale that will elate historical novel readers...................... Harriet Klausner

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