Product Description

The last of the Roman army have set sail and left Britain for ever, abandoning it to civil war and the threat of a Saxon invasion. Aquila deserts his regiment to return to his family, but his home and all that he loves are destroyed. Years of hardship and fighting follow and in the end there is only one thing left in Aquila's life - his thirst for revenge . . . Rosemary Sutcliff's books about Roman Britain have won much acclaim and the first in the trilogy, The Eagle of the Ninth, has now sold over a million copies worldwide. The author writes with such passion and with such attention to detail that the Roman age is instantly brought to life and stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49123 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Rosemary Sutcliff has written many historical novels for children. The Lantern Bearers won the Carnegie Medal.
Rosemary Sutcliff received an OBE in 1975 and in 1993, the year after her death, was awarded the CBE.

Customer Reviews

A historical story without rose-tinted spectacles.
This story, which hints at the beginning of the Arthur myth, combines historical detail with a surprisingly complex and at times bleak portrait of a "hero" damaged by all that he has had to live through. The pace is fast, with the tale covering about 30 years in total. The author does not skirt around the implications to one person of living in a period of history marked by huge upheaval and conjures up life, love, death, war and betrayal on the brink of the Dark Ages so vividly that you can almost smell the woodsmoke. A fascinating, moving and challenging book.

A Great Read
I have to say I did not realise this was meant to be a children's book! The trilogy (of which this is the first book) is a cracking read, incredibly well-written and wonderfully researched. I have been inspired to read more of her work as it is thoroughly enjoyable and a fabulous example of the true story-teller's craft.

Definatley a modern classic in children books.
I'm a bit old to be really be reading this book, but I still really enjoyed it. Apart from the amazingly life-like characters there is some historic truth in Sutcliffs tales and it does show what people may have felt when taken over by an entirely foriegn group of people. It shows a society still steeped in the idea of honour and duty that surpasses any personnal problems, and in particular one mans struggle not only against an invading people but also against the person he has become. It sounds very deep and meaningful, but is infact very easy to read and definately worth reading by everyone who likes stories of unusual heros and hand to hand combat. A book children will always love.