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Germania: Roman Empire 9 CE
" This riveting, haunting tale will leave readers clamoring for more. " Best Books
It's A.D. 79 on the slopes of Vesuvius. With no warning the mountain has erupted into violent, terrifying life. Those who can, flee, but one old man, Lucius Quintus Claudianus, sits in an abandoned villa in Herculaneum, struggling to finish a story only he can tell. Seventy years before, Lucius was the sole survivor of three Roman legions, ambushed and slaughtered in the wilds of Germania.Lucius's tale is of dark forests, evil swamps and horrific pagan sacrifices, but it is also the story of his friendship with Freya, a Cherusci warrior. As soldiers caught up in treachery and war, they must choose between their culture and their friendship. And it's a choice they have to get right because the consequences of being wrong could mean death.
"… a complicated storyline which contains rich historical detail reminiscent of the great Rosemary Sutcliffe, as well as universals about war and cultural identity ." The Star Phoenix
"… this richly detailed and well-narrated Roman-era historical novel…is a hugely rewarding novel that has much more than its exciting and bloody battle scenes to appeal to…readers. Highly Recommended ." Canadian Materials.
The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.
It's A.D. 79 on the slopes of Vesuvius. With no warning the mountain has erupted into violent, terrifying life. Those who can, flee, but one old man, Lucius Quintus Claudianus, sits in an abandoned villa in Herculaneum, struggling to finish a story only he can tell. Seventy years before, Lucius was the sole survivor of three Roman legions, ambushed and slaughtered in the wilds of Germania.Lucius's tale is of dark forests, evil swamps and horrific pagan sacrifices, but it is also the story of his friendship with Freya, a Cherusci warrior. As soldiers caught up in treachery and war, they must choose between their culture and their friendship. And it's a choice they have to get right because the consequences of being wrong could mean death.
"… a complicated storyline which contains rich historical detail reminiscent of the great Rosemary Sutcliffe, as well as universals about war and cultural identity ." The Star Phoenix
"… this richly detailed and well-narrated Roman-era historical novel…is a hugely rewarding novel that has much more than its exciting and bloody battle scenes to appeal to…readers. Highly Recommended ." Canadian Materials.
The Caught in Conflict Collection is an imprint of fast-paced, historically accurate, morally-complex quick reads for Adults and Teens. In each of the titles the main character(s) (a Roman Legionary; a civilian in the Indian Mutiny; volunteers on both sides of the American Civil War; a Scottish soldier in WWI; a holidaymaker in Spain when the civil war breaks out there; and German and Russian soldiers in WWII), become enmeshed in conflicts immensely more complex than they anticipated and are faced with moral dilemmas that they never even imagined. The historical background to each of the dramas is extensively researched and the moral dilemmas are common to all human conflict.
259 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
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About the author
John Wilson
877 books52 followersJohn Wilson, an ex-geologist and frustrated historian, is the award-winning author of fifty novels and non-fiction books for adults and teens. His passion for history informs everything he writes, from the recreated journal of an officer on Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition to young soldiers experiencing the horrors of the First and Second World Wars and a memoir of his own history. John researches and writes in Lantzville on Vancouver Island. There are many more details in his memoir, Lands of Lost Content, https://www.amazon.com/Lands-Lost-Con...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 2, 2020
Pros: historical accuracy, shows both sides of the conflict
Cons: some graphic violence
During the eruption of mount Vesuvius, Lucius Quinctillius Claudianus rushes to record the events of his time as a Roman legionary serving in Germania.
The frame story of the old Lucius is told in the first person, present tense. But when the narrative switches to the past, it’s third person and occasionally alternates to the point of view of a female barbarian he befriends, Freya.
As far as I can tell the author did a remarkable job of maintaining historical accuracy. There’s more detail at times than I needed about the various Roman legions and where Lucius was marching in relation to other groups, but on the whole I loved the depth of detail in this novelization.
Bringing in Freya as a point of view character allowed the author to examine several issues from both the Roman and Germanic perspective. Lucius questions the Roman way a fair bit (largely due to Freya’s influence) but it’s still nice to see the various Germanic tribes humanized and shown off as being different from rather than lesser than the Romans. The author also does a great job of showing that neither side is inherently evil or good, and that when necessary, both are capable of horrific acts of brutality.
There are some graphic descriptions of brutal events. Some people are crucified, decapitated heads are staked to trees, there’s mention that one group of female prisoners will likely be raped before being sold into slavery. While mentioned once or twice, there’s no sexual content in the book.
If you’re interested in the Roman military and its interactions with different tribes, this is engaging and accurate.
Cons: some graphic violence
During the eruption of mount Vesuvius, Lucius Quinctillius Claudianus rushes to record the events of his time as a Roman legionary serving in Germania.
The frame story of the old Lucius is told in the first person, present tense. But when the narrative switches to the past, it’s third person and occasionally alternates to the point of view of a female barbarian he befriends, Freya.
As far as I can tell the author did a remarkable job of maintaining historical accuracy. There’s more detail at times than I needed about the various Roman legions and where Lucius was marching in relation to other groups, but on the whole I loved the depth of detail in this novelization.
Bringing in Freya as a point of view character allowed the author to examine several issues from both the Roman and Germanic perspective. Lucius questions the Roman way a fair bit (largely due to Freya’s influence) but it’s still nice to see the various Germanic tribes humanized and shown off as being different from rather than lesser than the Romans. The author also does a great job of showing that neither side is inherently evil or good, and that when necessary, both are capable of horrific acts of brutality.
There are some graphic descriptions of brutal events. Some people are crucified, decapitated heads are staked to trees, there’s mention that one group of female prisoners will likely be raped before being sold into slavery. While mentioned once or twice, there’s no sexual content in the book.
If you’re interested in the Roman military and its interactions with different tribes, this is engaging and accurate.
August 3, 2011
John Wilson's books are a masterful blend of highly detailed historical fiction, intriguing characters and fast-paced plots. His 2008 release, Germania published by Key Porter Books, is no exception. Set in the far edges of the Roman Empire, Germania follows Roman citizen Lucius Quinctillius Claudianus from innocent new recruit to seasoned veteran in the Augustus Caesar's army. Between high action battles with barbarian tribes of Germania, Lucius struggles with the meaning of what it is to be a Roman citizen when not all citizens, including his friend Freya a member of the Cherusci tribe, are treated equally. With an army stretched beyond capacity and a once powerful empire on the brink of collapse, allusions to current geo-political situations are there for astute readers to pick up. Fans of Wilson's earlier novels will relish traveling back in time once again for another great tale of power, politics and intrigue.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews