El sueño del águila

Boudica #1

by Manda Scott

En una Britania asolada por las rivalidades tribales, por el encono entre los pueblos y por las luchas territoriales, la invasión de las legiones romanas supuso la aparición, por primera vez, de un enemigo común y, por consiguiente, de un elemento catalizador. Pero también, el fin de un período histórico aún hoy enigmático.

Con tan solo once años, Boudica, una niña icena cuyo destino señalaba como soñadora del porvenir, se convierte inesperadamente en una guerrera cuando, en defensa de su madre, mata por primera vez. Así empieza la leyenda.

En esta primera entrega sobre Boudica, la que llegaría a ser heroína de la lucha contra la invasión romana, Manda Scott traza un convincente panorama de lo que debieron ser los usos y costumbres de las tribus celtas, con especial atención a las rivalidades internas y a los ritos y el aspecto religioso. De hecho, la protagonista parece inicialmente predestinada a convertirse en una "soñadora del futuro", en poco menos que una visionaria icena, pero los duros tiempos previos a la invasión romana (32-39 d.C.) la convierten también en una guerrera temible con un prematuro bautizo de fuego. La profundización en la psicología de los personajes y su evolución, así como la completa reproducción de ambientes y costumbres dota a esta novela de una inusual fuerza literaria. Manda Scott explora una época de la cual han quedado muy pocos datos históricos y, a la manera de Robert Graves, cubre las lagunas de los estudios académicos mediante la lógica y unas hipótesis que resultan del todo convincentes. Boudica es un personaje de gran atractivo y hasta ahora poco conocido

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Mythology, British Literature, Romance

712 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

Manda Scott is an award-winning novelist, host of the international chart-topping Accidental Gods podcast and co-creator of the Thrutopia Masterclass.

Best known for the Boudica: Dreaming series, her previous novels have been short-listed for the Orange Prize, the Edgar, Wilbur Smith and Saltire Awards and won the McIllvanney Prize.

Her latest novel ANY HUMAN POWER is a 'seismic' Mytho-Political thriller which lays out a Thrutopian road map to a flourishing future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us.

Welding the power of intergenerational connection to combat the sting of death and the vicious vengeance of a dying establishment, it opens the doors to a new way of being.

Dream Deeply. Rise up Strong. Change is Coming!

'Instantly immersive and compelling, rich and strange, human and humane, and most of all inspiring ... an extraordinary story.’
Lee Child

"One of our best, most challenging writers is back..." Ian Rankin

"If you don't believe a world where our democracy improves as fast as our devices is possible... Manda Scott will change your mind with this visionary novel." Audrey Tang, Digital Minister of Taiwan

"A light to guide us through a difficult time: Descrying the thin possible path between static social decay and populist rage is the defining problem of our time. Without lights like Manda Scott and this blessed book, we would surely fail." Glen Weil, co-author of Plurality.

Reviews

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just so beautiful. Scott is the his-fic version of Hobb and her writing is pure ecstasy. I adore these characters.

This whole book is the reason why I love reading. And wow, I LOVED reading this. Truly, this book hits the heights of Lonesome Dove, Gates of Fire and Shogun.

[William Gwynne]

My 500th read ever!

Utterly immersive historical fiction with a superb cast of characters that brings every element of storytelling together to craft what felt like the perfect story. From joy to sorrow, hope to despair, this book encompasses such a rollercoaster of emotions. Manda Scott had me hooked right away, and she exploited that. She made me beam with happiness, and also filled me with rage (in a good way... if that makes sense).

*If you want a book that gets you to love and adore characters and then make you cry when tragedies are visited upon them... then this is the book for you.*

Full Review to Come

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite series. Based on Boudica, the Warrior Queen of the Celts, a historical figure dating to the first century. She united the scattered tribes of Britian and fought to drive back the Roman invaders who threatened their way of life and their very existence.
Not much is known about her life and this is a novel examining how her life may have been.
Filled with historical figures as well as fictional characters, it is an entralling read.
I love Celtic themes and have found Boudica an intriguing and interesting personage. The writing was spectacular. It was a rare experience where I actually felt like I was witnessing the events of 2000 years ago, having it all unfold before me. I was captured as well as captivated by the 4 novels of this series.
The Boudica series is highly recommended.
Top notch.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I loved it. Don't at all get some of the negative reviews (feminist? huh? ...paedophilia???)

I was surprised, actually - I have had so many duds recently and now I can luxuriously look forward to 3 more volumes :)

The story is followed, as far as it is known, in terms of history - the known facts are scant. And, oh joy! - there is an actual Bibliography!

Manda Scott is a storyteller, indeed. A Singer, perhaps?

December 2016 A re-read. More delighted than before. The damage to Bán's psyche by the slavery and torture received is more out and clear to me. Again, I am bemused by reviews that see the mild bisexuality of the book's themes as problematic. Basically, as far as I can see, people, like dolphins, are basically bisexual. That has nothing to do with having sex but with who they love. Sexuality is the biggest misnomen that exists. We are a few generations of prudists.

Manda Scott writes beautifully. She creates a fantasy reality so convincing that it can't possibly be fantasy. Sadly, it is. There IS a reality above and beyond what we experience and maybe back then they were more in tune. I would have liked to be there. I would like people to be some of those heroes. And some are. I am sure Manda Scott read The Eagle and the Raven; without a doubt.

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)]

💀 DNF at 9%.

I can't do this. I started the book only yesterday but the pace is so bloody shrimping SLOW that it feels like I've been reading it for the last ten years. And I haven't even made it to page 100 yet. And my edition is 722 pages long. I'm pretty sure I'll die of old age before I reach the halfway mark so I better quit before it's too late and stuff.

[Tamara Agha-Jaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott is the first of four books on the life of Boudica of the Eceni tribe, the female Celtic warrior who defended Britain against the invading Roman army beginning in the year 43 C.E.

At the ripe old age of eleven, Breaca, later named Boudica, (“Bringer of Victory”) kills the man who attacked and killed her mother. We follow Breaca as she matures into a heroic warrior who slowly but surely assumes the mantle of leadership in her community.

Manda Scott combines the available research on tribal Britain and the historical figure of Boudica with a creative imagination that is both convincing and compelling. She serves a tale of epic proportions. Scott plunges us into the world of 1st Century Britain with its tribal conflicts and alignments, its Dreamers who predict the future through their dreaming, its animals perceived as emissaries from the gods, and its spirits of the dead who frequently appear to the living to warn them of impending disasters and to guide them forward.

Painted in vivid detail, this is a world simultaneously brutal and sensitive, a world in which battle scenes are littered with bloodied corpses and mangled limbs, a world of horrific torture and desecration of the dead. But it is also a world in which warriors value honor, loyalty, and oaths that bind; in which cultural rules are adhered to and respected even at the cost of personal sacrifice; in which the elderly are honored; and in which the spirit of community and sisterhood is in full display as the women rally around Breaca after the death of her mother and celebrate with her at the onset of her menarche.

Love connections weave their way throughout this tapestry, including illustrations of parental love, sibling love, heterosexual love, and homosexual love. Love of animals is also in full display, including a boy’s love for his hound and his horse.

Manda Scott has packed a great deal into this novel. And perhaps that is its biggest downfall. She has packed too much. The novel is long and unnecessarily drawn out. At times it was difficult to follow the complex technicalities of the battle scenes and to keep track of which tribe was situated where in the battle lines. In addition, transitions from the natural world to the world of the spirit weren’t clearly delineated. This required re-reading whole passages to distinguish the real from the visionary. But these shortcomings diminish in significance when one considers the work as a whole.

Manda Scott has written an exciting novel immersing us in her fictional re-imagining of the life and times of Celtic Britain and the remarkable woman credited with challenging the Roman Empire. This is an extraordinary feat of the imagination that will captivate its readers, especially lovers of historical fiction.

Highly recommended.

[Allen Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book.

I hate that I didn't enjoy it. If you look around GR, there are two types of reviews, ones who love it and ones who hate it and they literally talk about the same things except that one party hates it and one party likes it. That's where I land. I can see how someone would love this. I am not one of them.

Basically, take anything that I would want out of a historical fiction novel--what I'd want the focus to be, what I'd want us to spend the most time on, how the battles would be written, etc.--and now don't do any of those. Instead, focus on everything BUT those things. Manda Scott and I just don't share the same idea about what makes one of these books compelling. Battles are confusing, people die so anticlimactically and cryptically that I don't even know they've died, half of the book is people dreaming about crap, and not a single person feels like they're the age they're supposed to be.

During Part 2, I started to have high hopes bc I really enjoyed it but then it slowly went downhill. I sadly won't be continuing the series.

[Beorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm going to commit what may seem like a cardinal sin here and review the book before having read it all though for good reason.

If you're someone who enjoys historical fiction that gets going within four or five chapters, ramping up either the action, intrigue, character development or such like in that time, avoid this book. So little happens in the first half dozen chapters that it feels like far more like a vacuum than a book that's actually going anywhere.

The opening chunk of this book is so slow, ponderous and sombre that by the time any of the notable characters enter the storyline - such as Caradog more famously known as Caratacus - you've lost the vast majority of your interest let alone your ability to care any more.

This Boudica (or Boadicea or Breaca whichever you prefer) is a world away from previous interpretations I've encountered, with probably the only strongly insinuated lesbian preferences I've come across.

I know it'll smack of impatience on my part and logically as it is a story that is designed to spread over three (with a fourth later added) books, it makes sense that it's a slow burner but it burns so slow and wispily that I found it even harder to care about any of the characters contained within who at the best of times were standard fare rather than anyone that struck you as being particularly human.

There's of course all the obligatory romanticising of how noble, courageous and enigmatic the pre-Roman conquest Britons were. Or "hark, aren't the natives funny!".

I might try again with book 2 but frankly I'm bored beyond endurance right now and I'm barely even a third of the way in.

ABANDONED

[J.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this first book of a trilogy, and would certainly choose to read, or listen to, the next two volumes.
"Dreaming the Eagle" is highly imaginative, as it has to be, with so few facts available about Boudica, (or Boadicea, as I was taught!). It seems very well researched, and draws upon what is known of the cultural lives of the British tribes at the time of the Roman invasions. I would say that the strength of this book lies wholly in the weaving of the cultural and religious aspects of the young Boudica and her tribe into the battles that defined her for us. This does result in a great deal of repetition, as to the meanings and relevance of symbols, customs and beliefs. I did find that occasionally a bit wearisome, but it was unavoidable and was so well done that my predominant reaction was one of admiration for the author.
The horrible chapters were about the Romans. I have always abhorred their cruelty and degeneracy, their enslavement of the peoples under their sway, while grudgingly allowing their achievements (“Look what the Romans did for us . . . .”). I’ve always been amazed, for instance, at their hypocausts, their underfloor heating systems, something that now makes me shudder with revulsion as I listened to how they were built and maintained, reminding me of the Victorian use of small boys as chimney sweeps. When the story reached the first battles Boudica led, the Roman “Testudo”, the turtle formation, made me think of 'The Borg' in “Star Trek”! Horrific!
Well, the novel has to be partial, when it comes to the Celtic British tribes, especially the Icenae, of course, which was Boudica’s tribe. But how could you not feel for a people that still held to painting themselves like ghosts, to emerge from the mists of early dawn and frighten their enemies – when those enemies were the Roman Legions, with all their professional training and in all the panoply of war? And ruthless, mocking the deeply spiritual beliefs of the Britons as they slew or enslaved them. I've read enough of Caesar's De Bellico Gallico to get that impression.
And here I am at the present moment on holiday near Anglesey, the “Mona” of Druidic tradition, and how can I not visit it and honour the memory of these ancient Celts? “Mona” was the great centre of those in this book called, “The Dreamers”, who prophesied, and whose word was sought in times of war as in peace. I have visited and admired the Roman fort of Vindolanda, at the site of Hadrian’s Wall, and the ruins of ancient Rome may be magnificent beyond compare, but I have no love for them. Give me instead the spirit and the heart. This book took me to the origins of ‘my’ people, those early Celts, and imprinted upon me the beauty, the validity, of their vision and their waking dream, still with us as a people when the Romans are consigned to history.

[Ben Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 For my chunky fantasy readers this book was stunning. A fantastic culture to follow, really interesting use of dreams and prophecies, a gay relationship that made me go " Yes ! Finally !!!", Powerful women in a clan that puts woman first and of course the onslaught of colononialism from those dastardly romans. It honestly blew me away, I really didnt know what this was gonna be like going in, but I will now be binging the rest of the series haha I know the final book is gonna break me because I love Breaca so much. and knowing how it ends for her is gonna be a hard read

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book.
In fact, I think I may have even hugged it for a while after finishing it. Actually, that sounds weird, so forget I just said that.

Manda Scott is a very talented historical fiction writer. She does it well and should do it often.

There are only two things that I didn't like about this book and the other books in this series (although I have only read 2 and a half of them so far). One thing I don't like is Scott's excessively lateral way of thinking when it comes to spirituality and reality blending with the unreality. Half the time the book is in dreamland and it is hard for me to get into that spiritual element of the book and it did frustrate me, as did the second issue I have with Scott's story.
Everyone is a bed hopping. Hey, each to their own, I don't begrudge people's right to bed hop, whatever floats your boat, but I struggled with it in these Boudica books. Everyone seems to sleep with everyone at one stage or another and none of the characters seem to care if it's a man or woman. I am okay with gay or bisexual relationships playing a part in the books I read, it isn't that, but the to and fro bed hopping between male and male, female and female, male and female partners was a bit full on and it felt unrealistic. More for the author than the reader. It was open slather in Iceni land.

These issues aside, I liked this book and gave it 4 stars.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2012, and its the 1st volume of the amazing "Boudica" quartet of books, from the author, Manda Scott.

It a series that will begin in AD 32 and will end in AD 60, when Boudica, war leader of the Eceni tribe, will lead the final revolt against Roman rule in Britain.

But first we will get to know Breaca, the future Boudica, as a young girl who loves horses and who will kill her first warrior at twelve, and w'll follow her progress towards adulthood.

Her brother Ban is another important figure within the Eceni tribe, who at first having been a slave in roman territory is freed by a Roman friend, and thus able to see the best and worst about Rome.

This same Ban has the gift of dreaming the future, and he sees a future for Britain with Druids and dreamers and the magic of the gods, and not with an occupier like the Romans.

Being warriors who are fighting with honour and victory, they are in a Celtic world that will consist of tribes and their own culture that should be defended right till the end.

What is to follow is an amazing mystical tale about a British society consisting of tribes with their own beliefs, fighting prowess, magical spirits and human sacrifice, and in which Breaca, later Boudica, will play a major part in defending their rights and land.

Highly recommended, for this is a magnificent start of this wonderful series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Epic Dreaming The Eagle"!

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pulpy around the edges so that I feel indulgent, but few books lose me in themselves like this, why not five stars? I have been gobbled up by this book. Not the other way around.

Too much action-oriented hf bores me to tears and a Manda Scott is rare, who involves me, who even describes a fight with true excitement, not those tedious literal battles. The likes of Bernard Cornwell never made my heart race but Manda Scott knows how to.

The first thing that jumps out is that there is a world behind these people. When she puts such care into the behaviour of a chicken that’s settled outside the forge (I don’t think it was a chicken. It was a bird. And Manda Scott knows more about the behaviour of these birds than me; it did its own thing and that’s why it’s stuck in my head.) The writing is rich and visual. There wasn’t a word too much for me or a word too slow as she paints us a world.

And no, I didn’t find that world New Agey, though I did fear to from what’s said. I was happy to believe it Ancient Britainy. Shaman-type animal and spirit contact saturates the culture, but I found that real. What’s more I was genuinely interested in the results of Breaca’s vision-quest: I think that’s an achievement of story. There’s an intimacy with animal life without which this style of society wouldn’t be authentic. It’ll help if you’re fond of horses, or dogs.

Maybe Breaca is too splendid, but then heroes are. I can lose Caradoc I’m afraid. I think I am most struck by the side-figures and the general cast, because they can be unusual. The elder grandmother. Airmid, though she remains a mystery. Braint, who doesn’t say much but a girl who I can wish to be. We are in a woman-focused or woman-led society and sexuality is fluid. For me, this helps her get away from convention. You can see this as idealised, or then again you might underestimate the effects of the Judeo-Christian tradition. I don’t always like goddessy or mother-earthy stuff, I go near with caution, but this one laid my suspicions and I simply liked the world.

I thought pulp reared its head when we had a captive in Roman territory: a victimization that tried too hard to tug on the heart. On the other hand I’m not into Rome, I’m into the tribal societies on the frontiers of Rome, and I love a story of a freedom fight. I did enjoy, for instance, the description of a Roman villa with its atrocious ideas of home decor, a mermaid with gilt tits or similar.

I’ve settled in for the series and have the next in the mail.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️ OBSESSED

Mostly historical fiction, dash of dream magic and it’s a perfect combo. Characters: amazing, Battle scenes: epic, soul: crushed

[Sayuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

"—No —Ban miraba sin ver la masa ondulante de azul y gris que había sido su pueblo. El ruido rompió sobre él con olas oceánicas, y deseó haberse ahogado—. No es Caradoc. Él estaba perdido. Están celebrando al guerrero que le rescató —se volvió hacia Vespasiano, que le miraba intrigado—. La carga desde el oeste fue dirigida por una mujer, la Guerrera de Mona. El nombre que le dan es Boudica. La que trae la victoria" (p. 668).

Épica, violenta, conmovedora e increíble.

Una novela espectacular acerca de una de las figuras más interesantes que he tenido el gusto de leer: Boudica, reina de los icenos. Una guerrera legendaria que logró unir muchas de las tribus de los celtas con el objetivo de enfrentarse a uno de los más temibles y poderosos imperios de la historia: el Imperio Romano.

Sirviéndose de dos puntos de vista narrativos principales, ésta primera entrega cuenta la historia de Boudica antes de convertirse en guerrera. La historia de cómo una joven llamada Breaca empieza a forjar su destino al lograr acabar con la vida del asesino de su madre.

Su historia está contada tanto por su propio punto de vista, como por el de su hermano menor Bán, un niño inocente y talentoso, dueño de una de las habilidades soñadoras más poderosas de su tribu.

Es a través de ellos que la vida de la guerrera empieza a tomar forma. Pasando por conflictos internos entre las tribus, hasta la llegada del monstruo de Roma, ésta es una historia que se toma su tiempo en ser contada. Manda Scott no solo hizo un trabajo espectacular con la trama, sino que también logró plasmar un retrato vívido y crudo de lo que significaba pertenecer a una de las tribus celtas en aquella época.

Gran parte de esta primera novela está formada por episodios de la vida cotidiana de la tribu de los icenos, y si bien en algunos puntos pareciera que la historia no avanzara mucho, estos episodios serán cruciales para poder entender y empatizar con las decisiones tomadas por los personajes.

Un comienzo muy prometedor para lo que podría convertirse en una de mis sagas históricas favoritas.

(Y mil veces agradecida con el universo por haberme permitido leer esta maravilla, puesto que era el último ejemplar disponible en la librería).

[Ashley Marie]

DNF @ p190

I'm leaving the bookmark in, but for all intents and purposes I'm done with this for now. It's just so SLOW.

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense & Amazing Story!

Wow what an intense and graphically defined journey into the life of a Celtic Queen called Boudica. Her real name is Breaca but later becomes known as Boudica - She who brings Victory. This is the first installment that dives into a moment of life when young Breaca (Boudica)'s tribe (Eceni) is attacked and she makes her first kill by pure luck but at the same time experiences the loss of her mother from the same attack.

The story totally captivated me from beginning to end. The everyday tribal life, their experiences, their rituals of dreaming and becoming a warrior was told in fascinating detail - brilliant writing. I felt as though I was among them experiencing everything they did from hunting, training, doing chores, and becoming a warrior. I totally related to their feelings and emotions.

I loved the historical culture of the tribes, how they worshiped and which gods they prayed to and how they could dream their futures. I loved how sacred they cherished their lands and their teaching ways.

From the author's notes the research for this story is gathered from records from Rome (Boudica's enemy)leading up to the revolt of A.D. 60-61 along with many archaeological findings and theories.

I did take some notes down since the book is pretty big and there were key players through out the book that will continue on into the next one. For instance:

Ban - is Breaca's brother - they have the same father but different mothers. Ban's tale had me almost weeping from all the brutal hardships he goes through - Kidnapped, beaten, enslaved, and raped. He eventually escapes and becomes a Roman soldier given a roman name "Julius Valerius Corvus". (1st name from his emperor, second for his sponsor) Ban and Corvus end up lovers (Male-Male love is mentioned - no erotic scenes) I also loved Ban's horse Crow - that horse rocked and his hound .

The other tribes were very interesting. The sons of the Sun Hound, also known as 3 different tribes. Amminios (traitor)- he was one to hate and he was a back stabber and ruthless, he raped, enslaved young boys, murdered for no reason, and he was for Rome.

Togodubnos - ruler of Trinovantes tribe - I respected how honorable he was

Caradoc - ruler of the tribe Ordovices. I loved Caradoc and kept waiting for him and Breaca to get together but it doesn't happen until the end of the book.

The book was full of lots of action and the war and attacks were brutal and the imagery was so surreal. Some of the tribes could be explained as savages the way they fought. Their killings consisted of be-headings, strung upon trees naked with their manhood cut, their balls stuffed in their mouths, and the tribes sign carved into their chest. Some warriors dressed wearing the skin of their kills, their scalps, or even tied their heads/skulls around their waist.

As far as the Roman's go, you see the build up of greed and how they overtake several tribes just for sport or thinking that if they could take the lands they could civilize the tribes and increase their export trades with full control.

The story was definitely intense. This is not a quick read, the wording is smooth and reads fast but with all the information and action I had to slow down so I wouldn't miss the historical meaning behind the story. I look forward to reading the second installment to learn of Boudica and Caradoc's life and children.

Excellent Read!

[Ashley (BooksViaAshley) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had such mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, awesome historical fiction. I LOVED how the author dug into Celtic culture and mythology (about which not much is known besides what’s been found by archaeologists and what was recorded by Romans). I could really feel and see and imagine the life of the Celtic tribes. I liked the mystical side, with the dreamers. I liked Breaca, though I felt like we didn’t spend enough time with her.

And here’s my mixed feelings: Bán. His whole side plot was heart-wrenching. And that’s it. Just bad crap happens to him over and over and over and it just got to be too much. It ruined the book for me because it made it so depressing and also slowed the pace of the book. I’m all for building dramatic tension and pushing characters through trials, but you also have to give them some happiness and success. And there was none. I think the author wanted to show what was going on with the Romans at the same time as Breaca was doing things, but it just was painful and sad and... yeah. It ruined the whole feel of the book for me.

Related to Bán: too many animals died. I just really hate it when animals die, and I think that’s what put me off the most.

Also, the prose is beautiful, very poetic, but then also sometimes I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on because it skimmed and danced around things rather than saying them straight out. Sometimes it worked. Others it just really didn’t.

[Trevor · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a HUGE disappointment.

This story takes forever to get even remotely interesting and I found I had to force myself to keep reading until the end of chapters. The majority of the characters have completely age-inappropriate emotions and relationships and the events in their lives are incredibly unrealistic. The book has pedophiliac undertones and describes the majority of Romans as maniacal Homosexuals.

A story that was described as a tale of a Celtic warrior with epic battles turned out to be little more than descriptions of landscapes and peoples hair. I had a better understanding of the local weather than the main characters and to be honest I didn’t care about either. The author often uses 3 paragraphs to describe minute details about the landscape when a single line would suffice. There simply didn’t seem to be any room left over to develop the characters.

There is a plot twist toward the end of the book (I will not give it away) that seems to have no purpose aside from shock value. There is no build up to this twist and it is completely out of left field. I would say this twist ruined the story for me however that would imply I was enjoying it to begin with.

[Kogiopsis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: It was great, but... I'm not keeping it.

My attempt to curate my bookshelves has taught me a few things, and one of them is that there's a difference between books I enjoy/like and books I actually want to own. Can I explain what that difference is? Not really. It's just, as the kids say, vibes.

So, this book: it's honestly spectacular. I was vaguely aware of Boudica as an historical figure before reading it, and went to read more about her when I was partway through and there's just... not much information at all. Which was baffling to me, because the world Scott has crafted here is so incredibly rich and well-realized and detailed that I just sort of assumed there had to be more of a framework to build upon. This speaks to her skills both as a writer and a researcher, and to the incredible knowledge of the archaeologists who she consulted in working on this book - her depiction of life in Roman-era Britain felt incredibly believable.

The plot is... hmm. It's a bit on the slow side, I guess? But I didn't really care because the writing and the world made everything, even small things, deeply engrossing. Besides, this book is just the beginning of Breaca/Boudica's story - its purpose is to show the world she will spend her adulthood fighting to preserve, and how she becomes the kind of leader who can raise an army and march on a far more powerful force. In those aims, it's very successful, and the meditative pace works well.

One small-ish element I appreciated was the casual attitude towards same-sex relationships throughout the book, especially since it was published in 2003. That is something which could very easily have been elided or sensationalized; instead, it's treated as a very normal part of life, and differences in attitudes between the British tribes and the Romans added depth to the portrayal of each culture.

I would like to come back to this book and this series, I think, at some point when I have the energy and time to track down the sequels and read the whole quartet straight through - just immerse myself in the world and characters. But that is a longer-term goal.

[Cassandra L. Manna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is there a way for me to give 1/2 of this book 4 stars and the other 1/2 only 2? I wanted to read about Boudica, Warrior of the Eceni and defender of Britain, who defeated the Roman legions on several occasions. And half the book was about her…but only half.

The rest was about her brother. And, I cannot stress this enough, each chapter about him sucked. I felt it added nothing to the story except for maybe a view from the Roman side of the invasion but even that was minimal. Each of the brother’s chapters dragged on and on.

And then it would shift to Boudica again and summarize a battle she was just in but not have a chapter dedicated to that battle? That, quite literally, is why I picked up the book - why would you not write about the battles Boudica fought in?

Very disappointed about this and most likely will not finish the series. Boudica is still awesome, though, and if you just read her chapters it’s a blast!

Rate Procedure:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I loved the book so much I would reread it again and would recommended to a friend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Thoroughly enjoyed the book, could not do put it add down, would recommending to a friend, but do not need to read again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Probably a good book that I enjoyed but there was something about it I did not love (e.g. The writing style, the POV, etc.). I would only recommend to a friend if it was their "type" of book.
⭐️⭐️ - A book I have below average feelings for and it would not come with a recommendation from me but I would mention it in conversation if related to the book topic at issue.
⭐️ - I finished the book but I hated every second of it.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name they are calling is Boudica. She Who Brings Victory

This was a really awesome book. I expected this to have a lot of action and it does ramp up into that but there is a lot of slice of life and character building. Once I got familiar with the characters this really. Getting the insights of the cultures of these Britainic tribes was so interesting. One other aspect I did not expect was that there was a mystical/fantastic aspect that you can choose to believe as much as you want. Seeing the the looming threat of the Roman Empire that could literally wipe your entire culture off the map added so much tension. We also get a look into the Roman side which was cool. Manda Scott has smooth prose and this book is compulsively readable. Can’t wait to continue. Highly recommend!

[Gary O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreaming the Eagle is the first entry in Manda Scott’s Boudica quartet. Set in first century Britannia, it tells the tale of the rise of the mighty warrior queen who united the warring tribes against the invading legions of the Roman Empire. It is a story of family, loyalty, war and dreams, a story that captivated me from the first page to the heart-wrenching words of the final, and has me chomping at the bit for the second book. This is historical fiction at its finest. 

[Rue Dunbar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll preface this review by saying I know little to nothing about the real Boudica, so I can't really comment on the historical accuracy of this story, or Manda Scott's interpretation of it.

What I can say is, this was a wonderful book!

Manda Scott's prose is beautiful and her ability to immerse the reader in the setting and culture is remarkable - one of the best examples of this I've ever read (and I don't say that lightly...)! Each scene is full of tiny details about the animals, the food, the buildings, the weapons (etc.) which all add together to (re)create a world that feels real and dynamic and 'lived-in'.

There are two main characters we follow in this book, Breaca (who will become Boudica) and her half brother Ban. There is also a supporting cast of memorable (if unpronounceable...) characters for the reader to fall in love with, despise, break their heart over and cheer on. Manda Scott writes character very well and there are some that I have met in this book that I am sure will be on my mind for some time to come. If I had to pick a favourite at this stage, I'd go with Ban - he is a wonderful character, flawed, but relatable and had so much thrown at him over the course of this book that you can't help but feel for him.

Are there any negatives?

Remember all that wonderful, immersive detail I mentioned earlier? It comes with a price - this is a large book (700ish pages) and the pacing is fairly slow - especially near the beginning. Personally, I don't see this as a negative, but I can see why some other reviews are complaining about 'nothing happening' in the first half of the book. All I would say is have patience, enjoy the ride and trust the author - a lot is being set up, but it does pay off as the book goes along. This is also only book one of a four part series- I suspect even more will pay off as the series continues.

The book also covers a period of roughly ten years and therefore, inevitably, some events are told in more detail than others. There are some events I would have preferred to have more detail on and others I wouldn't have minded cutting down a bit (hard to be specific without giving spoilers) but I've seen other reviews from people who seem to have particularly loved the parts I didn't and yawned their way through what I thought were the most interesting bits - so clearly that's just personal preference!

Overall, I thought this was excellent and I look forward to continuing with the series! Thanks to the Brothers Gwynne for recommending the series and for hosting the readalong!

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars - English Ebook

This book is a fictional story about the great Iron Age warrior queen who many of us call Boadicea.
The research by Manda Scott that supports her tale with amazingly detailed and accurate research about the cognitive reality for Boudica's tribe, the Iceni, whose ceremonial enclosure was at Thetford, Norfolk, at the time that the Romans were slowly taking over the British Isles.
A important "pilar" in this page-turner is that shamans (Druids) were still highly revered in those days, and they used their powers to try to protect the tribes.
And so we are plunged into a world of magic and spirits as we follow the young Boudica through her shamanic initiatory training on the Isle of Mona (Anglesey) and learn how she developed the courage to stand alone "at the tip of the spear" - a basic requirement for any successful leader.
Of course, there is no proof that she had this training in the historical records, but it might explain why she and her warriors managed to cut such a swathe through the Roman-held territory and become a real problem for them.
" Dreaming the Eagle" is the first part of a trilogy that goes on in books 2 and 3 to deal with those battles.

[Seana James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book and awesome series. I'm really surprised that it hasn't gotten more notice particularly for its historical accuracy and its rousing battle scenes and human drama. Boudica, that old Roman-lover's bogie, has been transformed into a real hero reflective of her time and her culture. Making her first kill defending her mother, Breaca (as she is named then) is thrust into the adult world, like many heroes, before she is done growing, but her people's need is great and her destiny is approaching quickly as the Romans intrigue and scout Britain preparing for their coming invasion.

Breaca's journey to adulthood is fraught with tragedy and strife and with the underlying urgency of a culture threatened with death. The elders of the Iceni have seen and predicted the outcome of Roman conquest and they know that Breaca and her age-group have the only chance of maintaining the Celtic culture and lifestyle. As the series continues we see the threads of narrative begun here twist and weave a believable, dense, and deeply moving story of a people under attack and the woman who is destined to be their "Bringer of Victory."

[Sotiris Karaiskos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Η ιστορία της Μπούντικα μου έκανε πάντα μεγάλη εντύπωση οπότε μοιραία κατέληξα σε αυτή τη σειρά. Καταλαβαίνω βέβαια πως καθώς πρόκειται για μία ολόκληρη τετραλογία είναι νωρίς για συμπεράσματα, αυτό το πρώτο βιβλίο όμως μπορώ να πω ότι μου αφήνει μάλλον ανάμεικτες εντυπώσεις. Είναι δεδομένο ότι αυτά που γνωρίζουμε για αυτήν είναι ελάχιστα, όπως και όσα γνωρίζουμε για την κοινωνία που ζούσε, οπότε προφανώς υπάρχει ένα μεγάλο κενό που κάθε συγγραφέας πρέπει να καλύψει με τη φαντασία του και με όσα ιστορικά δεδομένα έχει στη διάθεσή του. Το πρόβλημα όμως εδώ είναι ότι η συγγραφέας προτιμάει περισσότερο να μας δείχνει πώς θα ήθελε να είναι η ιστορία, σύμφωνα με τις απόψεις και τις πεποιθήσεις της. Από εκεί και πέρα όμως η ιστορία έχει κάποιο ενδιαφέρον, στηρίζεται αρκετά στην πραγματικότητα και αποδίδεται αρκετά καλά οπότε θα δείξω λίγη επιείκεια και θα δώσω μία ευκαιρία στη σειρά.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this first book in the series. I did a combination of audio and eBook reading, and found that this helped so much with pronunciations of names that I would have badly struggled with on just physically reading.
I had heard of Boudica before - but not paid too much attention to the stories, I really should have. The historical aspects of this book where woven so well with the fantasy/magic beliefs of the people of that time that you would swear that it was fact and you had been there.
I would like to take the time to thank The Brothers Gwynn - Ed in particular for recommending this on their channel which prompted me to pick it up. 2023 will be a year of much more historical fiction/fantasies.
Looking forward to continuing the series, if not possibly finishing it in total in 2023.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly I enjoyed this book. There is very little real history from which to derive a story though. So most of this is imagined. That is unfortunate.
Some descriptions were very detailed and not necessary. But many of the battle scenes were very good. The author’s connection through her job as a veterinarian is evident in the descriptions of horses and dogs.
The characters are clear and distinct in their appearances and personalities. I’m sure many readers are smitten with Bán and Caradoc. We slowly see Breaca grow and emerge as a fierce leader. Briton is easy to route for here. The Romans are depicted as licentious and cruel land mongers. The “might is right” motto is very fitting.
I really enjoyed the relationship between animal and warrior here. I also liked the mystical aspect which was not expected. So this feels like a historical fantasy to me with parts of romantic fantasy also. Once I adjust to this, I think I’ll have a better time reading the next book.

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

I can't believe I've never heard of this series or had it recommended to me before now! HUGE shoutout and thank you to my friend Heidi for putting this one in front of me to read and enjoy!!

Let me start by saying if you enjoy historical fantasy such as The Gael Song trilogy by Shauna Lawless and The Nightingale and the Falcon by Stephen Aryan, then you are definitely going to want to put this one on your radar to get to.

This is my first experience reading anything written by Manda Scott. There's a beauty and a cadence to her writing that I fell in love with immediately. I loved the lore and the use of the historical greed of Rome - but all of that fell into the background as I became entranced by the plot and its characters. I won't lie - this is an extremely tragic story for many of these characters, but there is also hope, love and courage too.

I've always been a character driven reader, and while these characters are AMAZING - the breadth of their stories is just nothing short of magnificent - I have to say it's the overall plot that won the most points from me. Being an animal lover, I also have to mention that I loved the reverence and importance placed upon hounds and horses. Though that's a double edged sword in a couple places...ugh. But hey - it's memorable!

When Heidi recommended this book to me, she told me the audiobook narrated by Josephine Bailey was a must and I wholeheartedly agree! She translated the beauty of the writing and the gravity of events in such a way that had further impact on me emotionally. (Especially the epilogue!!! Pretty sure my heart won't be normal for a few days...)

I will most definitely be continuing this series!!!

A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!

Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Wilbur & Heidi.