The story of the British resistance leader Caratacus is one of the most interesting stories relating to ancient Britain and the Romans. It is good to see Caratacus getting some exposure as he has been a bit neglected in recent times as one of the great British heroes. The central plot of this historically based story is the interaction of a fictitious Celtic boy called Deri and the historical figure, Caratacus. The story is well constructed by Terry Deary but the most engaging and exiting parts of the story are when it is closest to the events described by Tacitus who was the historian who recorded this story for posterity.

There are shades of Horrible Histories when the druids deeds are described with some gruesome detail but the humour is kept well under control and does not distract from the story. So, yes there funny elements in this book but the overriding focus of the book is telling an engaging and exiting story.

The chapters are short and the book is aimed at children building reading confidence

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Product Description

AD 51. Bran is a slave, a prisoner of Rome, but dreams of one day returning to his homeland, Britannia, to fight against the Romans. When the proud young slave is overheard criticizing Rome, he is thrown into prison and faces execution the next day. Luckily, his cell mate Caratacus is a very special prisoner indeed - a British chief. He believes he has a way to save both their skins, but he'll need Bran's help. A tale based on a key moment in Roman history, full of Terry Deary's dark humour and dry wit.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #463378 in Books
• Published on: 2008-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Shetland Times, May 2, 2008
'These books make good read together stories too and they are also educational.
A fun way for children to learn history.'

About the Author
Terry Deary began his writing career with fiction for A&C Black. He is now author of over 140 fiction and non-fiction books, which have been published in 32 languages. His historical fiction for older children Tudor Terror has been praised as "a marvellous blend of fact and fiction" (School Librarian). His non-fiction has been consistently in the best-seller lists since 1994. His Horrible Histories celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2003, having sold 10 million copies worldwide and been adapted as television animations, theatre tours and museum exhibitions. Terry Deary was voted "Outstanding children's non-fiction author of the 20th Century" by Books for Keeps magazine