Guardians at the Wall
As the history of an excavation site comes to light, so too do the ancient peoples who lived it. Alternating between third-person-narrated past and first-person-narrated present times, the 180 CE battle of Roman soldiers versus Caledonian war bands is penned with extraordinary detail.
In the present day, Noah is working at the Hadrian’s Wall excavation site when he uncovers an ancient stone goddess of fertility. As he researches the lives of soldiers who lived in the area, Noah becomes entangled in a love triangle while trying to discover the fate of a Roman soldier, Gaius Atticianus, serving as a guardian of Hadrian’s Wall.
I truly enjoyed the concept of alternating between an excavation site and the historical setting that they’re uncovering. The chapters move seamlessly between time periods. The interplay of the past influencing present is explored well. In Roman times, the stakes are high, whereas in present time, issues are resolved much more easily.
While meant to add tension, the mentor-mentee (mentee being Noah) relationship mostly left a bad taste in my mouth. Noah’s mentor hints at having personal struggles, but this is never fleshed out, so taking advantage of her student left me ill at ease.
There are a few things that stick out, like the use of “mate” in Roman times, which sounds too modern when most characters in the modern era also use this reference. Additionally, a few editorial errors, like missing end quotations or mis-formatted paragraphs, are noted. However, these errors are few. Overall, a well-executed concept of past and present lives converging at a historical site where discoveries of artefacts as well as perseverance and strength are put to the test. A fun excursion into archaeology and history.
