Hidden Hamlets, Dancing Trees
“When Josin and Egen are the only survivors of a brutal attack on their village by soldiers of Imperial Rome, the occupying power, these brave young Celts set off on their own to find a new life and wreak vengeance on the invaders of Celtic Britain, their beloved homeland.”
Early Roman Britain is always a fascinating draw to readers who enjoy the debate of ‘if only Boudicca had won’. These two strong characters, Josin, and particularly Egen, take us nicely to this period of massive change. The two young men join with other Britons with the ultimate goal of taking revenge on the Roman force for the savage death of their kin. Egen is a skilled warrior with attitude and a talent for guerrilla methods of attack. He meets the Queen of the Iceni, Boudicca herself, and the fight against Roman suppression begins. Somewhat bloodily, I might add. Possibly not a read for the squeamish.
We all know how the story ends, with Boudicca’s attempt failing big-time despite her earlier victories, but it is the journey that makes a good story. And the author has told a good story, neatly blending together known fact with popular myth and fiction.
There are a couple of quibbles; did Roman soldiers wear ‘chain mail’? I came across the reference, although I assume the author doesn’t mean the mail of the later Medieval period. Also, the Celts / Britons were not hunter-gatherers, they were a sophisticated and highly advanced agricultural-based society. For the writing itself, maybe a little ‘tell’ not ‘show’ in places, but an attractive cover and nicely designed throughout, with the result of an exciting read.
