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Warrior Druid of Britain #1
El druida
Northern Britain, AD 430
A land in turmoil. A village ablaze. A king’s daughter abducted.
In the aftermath of a surprise attack Dun Buic lies in smoking ruins and many innocent villagers are dead. As the survivors try to make sense of the night’s events the giant warrior-druid, Bellicus, is tasked with hunting down the raiders and thwarting their dark purpose.
With years of training in the old ways, two war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey through lands still struggling to cope with the departure of the Roman legions.
Meanwhile, amongst her brutal captors the little princess Catia finds an unlikely ally, but even he may not be able to avert the terrible fate King Hengist has in store for her.
This, the first volume in a stunning new series from the bestselling author of Wolf’s Head, explores the rich folklore and culture of post-Roman Britain, where blood-sacrifice, superstition and warfare were as much a part of everyday life as love, laughter and song.
As Saxon invaders and the new Christian religion seek to mould the country for their own ends one man will change the course of Britain’s history forever. . .
. . . THE DRUID.
"Steven A. McKay's archetypal villains and heroes step vividly onto the page from a mist-veiled past of legend to battle for the life of a princess and the fate of Britain.
Dark age adventure at its gripping best." - MATTHEW HARFFY, author of The Bernicia Chronicles
A land in turmoil. A village ablaze. A king’s daughter abducted.
In the aftermath of a surprise attack Dun Buic lies in smoking ruins and many innocent villagers are dead. As the survivors try to make sense of the night’s events the giant warrior-druid, Bellicus, is tasked with hunting down the raiders and thwarting their dark purpose.
With years of training in the old ways, two war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey through lands still struggling to cope with the departure of the Roman legions.
Meanwhile, amongst her brutal captors the little princess Catia finds an unlikely ally, but even he may not be able to avert the terrible fate King Hengist has in store for her.
This, the first volume in a stunning new series from the bestselling author of Wolf’s Head, explores the rich folklore and culture of post-Roman Britain, where blood-sacrifice, superstition and warfare were as much a part of everyday life as love, laughter and song.
As Saxon invaders and the new Christian religion seek to mould the country for their own ends one man will change the course of Britain’s history forever. . .
. . . THE DRUID.
"Steven A. McKay's archetypal villains and heroes step vividly onto the page from a mist-veiled past of legend to battle for the life of a princess and the fate of Britain.
Dark age adventure at its gripping best." - MATTHEW HARFFY, author of The Bernicia Chronicles
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2018
1116 people are currently reading
998 people want to read
About the author
Steven A. McKay
52 books444 followersI was born in 1977, near Glasgow in Scotland and live in Old Kilpatrick with my wife and two young children. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts degree I decided to follow my life-long ambition and write a novel. The Forest Lord series now has four novels, and various short spin-off tales.
My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!
I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.
My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!
I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
March 14, 2025
This very astonishing book is the 1st volume of the "Warrior Druid of Britain" chronicles, from the indie Scottish author, Steven A. McKay.
Important details concerning this story can be found at the back of the book, while at the beginning you'll notice a list with place-names, and they are very much participating within this great tale.
Once again story-telling from this author is of a top-notch quality, just like in his "Forest Lord" series, all characters are very believable and lifelike, and the atmosphere of the Dark Ages, along with the myths and legends, in Post-Roman Britain comes splendidly off the pages.
The story begins in the year AD 430, and our protagonist, the Warrior Druid, Bellicus, and his companions the hunting and fighting hounds, Cai and Eolas, find themselves at a feast along with their Lord, the High King of the Damnonii, Coroticus, and his wife, Queen Narina, when all of a sudden their daughter, Princess Catia, who in reality is Bellicus and Narina's daughter, is abducted by marauding Saxons.
After catching and killing the Saxons who created this diversion for the real abductors, and gaining time and space for them, so that they can travel to their base unopposed, Bellicus and his hounds will set off in an desperate effort to find Catia and bring her back home.
What will happen is that along the way Bellicus and his hounds will encounter several hard-fought skirmishes and deadly battles, in which Arthur and Merlin will play a minor but interesting part, and not to forget the animating baker/Centurion, Duro, who will certainly make an important impact throughout this great tale, before finally reaching the Saxons at the Hanging Stones, with the brothers Hengist and Horsa in their midst, and so finally and hopefully with cleverness and strength to free Catia from the clutches of these same Saxons and so for a certain blood sacrifice.
Highly recommended, for this is a fast-paced and action-packed begin of a new series, and what this first episode is concerned, I like to call it: "An Amazing Warrior Druid Start"!
Important details concerning this story can be found at the back of the book, while at the beginning you'll notice a list with place-names, and they are very much participating within this great tale.
Once again story-telling from this author is of a top-notch quality, just like in his "Forest Lord" series, all characters are very believable and lifelike, and the atmosphere of the Dark Ages, along with the myths and legends, in Post-Roman Britain comes splendidly off the pages.
The story begins in the year AD 430, and our protagonist, the Warrior Druid, Bellicus, and his companions the hunting and fighting hounds, Cai and Eolas, find themselves at a feast along with their Lord, the High King of the Damnonii, Coroticus, and his wife, Queen Narina, when all of a sudden their daughter, Princess Catia, who in reality is Bellicus and Narina's daughter, is abducted by marauding Saxons.
After catching and killing the Saxons who created this diversion for the real abductors, and gaining time and space for them, so that they can travel to their base unopposed, Bellicus and his hounds will set off in an desperate effort to find Catia and bring her back home.
What will happen is that along the way Bellicus and his hounds will encounter several hard-fought skirmishes and deadly battles, in which Arthur and Merlin will play a minor but interesting part, and not to forget the animating baker/Centurion, Duro, who will certainly make an important impact throughout this great tale, before finally reaching the Saxons at the Hanging Stones, with the brothers Hengist and Horsa in their midst, and so finally and hopefully with cleverness and strength to free Catia from the clutches of these same Saxons and so for a certain blood sacrifice.
Highly recommended, for this is a fast-paced and action-packed begin of a new series, and what this first episode is concerned, I like to call it: "An Amazing Warrior Druid Start"!
February 2, 2021
Thank you to Steven McKay for sending me a copy of this for review.
I enjoyed my introduction into the world and writing that McKay has created in THE DRUID. I've been on a bit of a Celtic binge as of late, but this was the first historical fiction I have read surrounding this area.
This is undoubtedly a solid start. The characters grew on me, especially our main POV in Bellicus and his awesome hounds (any novel with not one but TWO loyal hounds has a big tick in my books!). I liked how he was a druid, though of a different type to the classic Merlin portrayal.
The novel builds up to the final third really well, each page turn growing in tension, and then the ending hit hard. It ended brilliantly, it was brutal with a fair few deaths and some good twists, which has really made me feel hooked in this world. I have a feeling book 2 will be even better as I much preferred the second half of THE DRUID.
At some points I felt that some of the language made me feel like it was in the medieval period rather than early dark ages, which felt a bit jarring at times. Mention of kings and princesses and the word 'bastard' a few times. There were, thought, some cool Celtic details - the Carnyx was a particularly highlight.
As a side note, please look up some videos on Youtube of someone playing the Carnyx. It's amazingly terrifying and magical all at once.
All in all I liked this story. It was simple in plot, but effective and and I am looking forward to picking up book 2 - SONG OF THE CENTURION.
I enjoyed my introduction into the world and writing that McKay has created in THE DRUID. I've been on a bit of a Celtic binge as of late, but this was the first historical fiction I have read surrounding this area.
This is undoubtedly a solid start. The characters grew on me, especially our main POV in Bellicus and his awesome hounds (any novel with not one but TWO loyal hounds has a big tick in my books!). I liked how he was a druid, though of a different type to the classic Merlin portrayal.
The novel builds up to the final third really well, each page turn growing in tension, and then the ending hit hard. It ended brilliantly, it was brutal with a fair few deaths and some good twists, which has really made me feel hooked in this world. I have a feeling book 2 will be even better as I much preferred the second half of THE DRUID.
At some points I felt that some of the language made me feel like it was in the medieval period rather than early dark ages, which felt a bit jarring at times. Mention of kings and princesses and the word 'bastard' a few times. There were, thought, some cool Celtic details - the Carnyx was a particularly highlight.
As a side note, please look up some videos on Youtube of someone playing the Carnyx. It's amazingly terrifying and magical all at once.
All in all I liked this story. It was simple in plot, but effective and and I am looking forward to picking up book 2 - SONG OF THE CENTURION.
August 29, 2019
To my mind this novel is everything historical fiction should be and more. The reader is served with a lesser known (and therefore original and highly interesting) setting which serves as the backdrop to a desperate hunt for an abducted princess. The characters are engaging and easy to follow, with their backstories and motivations being steadily and satisfactorily revealed with each page turned.
McKay is an exciting and inspiring historical novelist and what I love about his writing is that he clearly understands the strengths and the pitfalls of the ‘historical fiction’ genre. Which makes for a highly engaging story which constantly shifts between riveting action or scenes possessed of a simmering, underlying tension. So that there’s no sagging and boring ‘history lesson’ bits and the historical detail is seamlessly melded into a plot bursting with adrenaline and suspense.
That said, it would be superficial to label this book as just another ‘boys own’ action-filled, sword-waving romp. I think that the female characters are plausible and satisfying, without the author ever resorting to any fawning ‘mansplaining’ (an approach that’s unfortunately often used by certain historical novelists to try and loop in a female readership) in the way they’re crafted. In fact, McKay doesn’t baulk from describing intimate scenes as intricately as those scenes which include a raging battle.
The novelist makes no secret of Tolkien’s influence on him as a writer and it’s a relief to finally find an author who’s confident enough to also include a song or two in his story. That said McKay’s style is unique and all his own: there are some original and humorously grim scenes like the one in which the queen of Alt Clota urges her husband King Coroticus to remove a severed Pictish head from their dining table before asking him to bring her a beer.
McKay also casts the figure of a druid in a whole new light. For his druidic protagonist Bellicus is no bumbling, asexual and feeble Getafix from the Asterix comics but a physically imposing and formidable combatant who’s wise beyond his years. Despite these impressive qualities, Bellicus is not superhuman and struggles with moments of confusion and doubt. The enemy he hunts is also not to be trifled with and this is satisfactorily set out in the narrative.
Fans of high fantasy who want to take a break from their usual genre might want to give this book a try, since it also contains a strong and well-crafted mystic element which borders on and at times spills over into the realm of magic.
McKay is an exciting and inspiring historical novelist and what I love about his writing is that he clearly understands the strengths and the pitfalls of the ‘historical fiction’ genre. Which makes for a highly engaging story which constantly shifts between riveting action or scenes possessed of a simmering, underlying tension. So that there’s no sagging and boring ‘history lesson’ bits and the historical detail is seamlessly melded into a plot bursting with adrenaline and suspense.
That said, it would be superficial to label this book as just another ‘boys own’ action-filled, sword-waving romp. I think that the female characters are plausible and satisfying, without the author ever resorting to any fawning ‘mansplaining’ (an approach that’s unfortunately often used by certain historical novelists to try and loop in a female readership) in the way they’re crafted. In fact, McKay doesn’t baulk from describing intimate scenes as intricately as those scenes which include a raging battle.
The novelist makes no secret of Tolkien’s influence on him as a writer and it’s a relief to finally find an author who’s confident enough to also include a song or two in his story. That said McKay’s style is unique and all his own: there are some original and humorously grim scenes like the one in which the queen of Alt Clota urges her husband King Coroticus to remove a severed Pictish head from their dining table before asking him to bring her a beer.
McKay also casts the figure of a druid in a whole new light. For his druidic protagonist Bellicus is no bumbling, asexual and feeble Getafix from the Asterix comics but a physically imposing and formidable combatant who’s wise beyond his years. Despite these impressive qualities, Bellicus is not superhuman and struggles with moments of confusion and doubt. The enemy he hunts is also not to be trifled with and this is satisfactorily set out in the narrative.
Fans of high fantasy who want to take a break from their usual genre might want to give this book a try, since it also contains a strong and well-crafted mystic element which borders on and at times spills over into the realm of magic.
December 16, 2018
BLURB
Northern Britain, AD430
A land in turmoil. A village ablaze. A king’s daughter abducted.
In the aftermath of a surprise attack Dun Buic lies in smoking ruins and many innocent villagers are dead. As the survivors try to make sense of the night’s events the giant warrior-druid, Bellicus, is tasked with hunting down the raiders and thwarting their dark purpose.
With years of training in the old ways, two war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey through lands still struggling to cope with the departure of the Roman legions.
Meanwhile, amongst her brutal captors the little princess Catia finds an unlikely ally, but even he may not be able to avert the terrible fate King Hengist has in store for her.
This, the first volume in a stunning new series from the bestselling author of Wolf’s Head, explores the rich folklore and culture of post-Roman Britain, where blood-sacrifice, superstition and warfare were as much a part of everyday life as love, laughter and song.
As Saxon invaders and the new Christian religion seek to mould the country for their own ends one man will change the course of Britain’s history forever. . .
. . . THE DRUID.
REVIEW
When an author embarks on a new journey, a new set of stories and characters, it is a somewhat risky proposition. Can the author carry over the same creativity, the same character development, the same blend of historical authenticity and believable fiction. In The Druid, Mr. McKay has successfully ticked all of those boxes. It is at once a thrilling adventure, a romp through a volatile period of Britain's history, but it is also a character driven tale. Bellicus is a complex man; a warrior, a healer, a teacher, a bard, a spiritual leader in an age where his kind are on the decline. The task awaiting him tests all of his abilities and his emotions as events unfold. One of the features I enjoyed was the inclusion of Merlin (or, more correctly The Merlin), and Arthur as important bit characters. Stripped of the more mythical renderings, they are more down to earth, so to speak.
So, my dear readers, if you were wondering if The Druid would be a continuation of the excellence in McKay's Forest Lord series, wonder no more. 5 stars
Northern Britain, AD430
A land in turmoil. A village ablaze. A king’s daughter abducted.
In the aftermath of a surprise attack Dun Buic lies in smoking ruins and many innocent villagers are dead. As the survivors try to make sense of the night’s events the giant warrior-druid, Bellicus, is tasked with hunting down the raiders and thwarting their dark purpose.
With years of training in the old ways, two war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey through lands still struggling to cope with the departure of the Roman legions.
Meanwhile, amongst her brutal captors the little princess Catia finds an unlikely ally, but even he may not be able to avert the terrible fate King Hengist has in store for her.
This, the first volume in a stunning new series from the bestselling author of Wolf’s Head, explores the rich folklore and culture of post-Roman Britain, where blood-sacrifice, superstition and warfare were as much a part of everyday life as love, laughter and song.
As Saxon invaders and the new Christian religion seek to mould the country for their own ends one man will change the course of Britain’s history forever. . .
. . . THE DRUID.
REVIEW
When an author embarks on a new journey, a new set of stories and characters, it is a somewhat risky proposition. Can the author carry over the same creativity, the same character development, the same blend of historical authenticity and believable fiction. In The Druid, Mr. McKay has successfully ticked all of those boxes. It is at once a thrilling adventure, a romp through a volatile period of Britain's history, but it is also a character driven tale. Bellicus is a complex man; a warrior, a healer, a teacher, a bard, a spiritual leader in an age where his kind are on the decline. The task awaiting him tests all of his abilities and his emotions as events unfold. One of the features I enjoyed was the inclusion of Merlin (or, more correctly The Merlin), and Arthur as important bit characters. Stripped of the more mythical renderings, they are more down to earth, so to speak.
So, my dear readers, if you were wondering if The Druid would be a continuation of the excellence in McKay's Forest Lord series, wonder no more. 5 stars
February 26, 2019
Escapism is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book.
You don't need to be familiar with the period to enjoy it, the plot is not overly complex, it doesn't keep you over thinking or flicking back through the pages to try and remind yourself what happened previously.
It's just one bloody good romp from the get go.
Bellicus is a Druid, and also a fine warrior. He is young and confident, tall and broad, well versed in the sword and not at all afraid to use it. He is also familiar with the country, has two dogs that can both hunt and fight, so when his king's daughter is kidnapped by Saxons, who else will the king rely on to go and fetch her back?
So that is the basis for our story, with guest appearances from the said kidnapped daughter, a couple of Saxon raiders and their chief, a retired Roman optio and a couple of others along the way.
And it is a damn good read. As I said above the plot is easy to follow, the descriptions of dark age Britain explained so well that there really is no conscious thought required, you just enjoy getting to know Bellicus and his hounds as they make their way ever south.
There are, of course, a few bumps along the way, wouldn't be much of a story otherwise, and each bump brings with it a fantastically written fight scene in which our antagonist proves his mettle in battle.
Merlin and Arthur even make a guest appearance, which surprised me actually, as it seemed to be completely out of the blue.
The finale is both tense and well written, and really gives a feel for the magic of the old gods.
I think there is much more to come from Bellicus, his character not quite fully fleshed out yet, it felt as if Steven is holding just a little back to add another layer to the rest of the books in the series, which is no bad thing.
All in all highly recommended, and I look forward to the next one.
You don't need to be familiar with the period to enjoy it, the plot is not overly complex, it doesn't keep you over thinking or flicking back through the pages to try and remind yourself what happened previously.
It's just one bloody good romp from the get go.
Bellicus is a Druid, and also a fine warrior. He is young and confident, tall and broad, well versed in the sword and not at all afraid to use it. He is also familiar with the country, has two dogs that can both hunt and fight, so when his king's daughter is kidnapped by Saxons, who else will the king rely on to go and fetch her back?
So that is the basis for our story, with guest appearances from the said kidnapped daughter, a couple of Saxon raiders and their chief, a retired Roman optio and a couple of others along the way.
And it is a damn good read. As I said above the plot is easy to follow, the descriptions of dark age Britain explained so well that there really is no conscious thought required, you just enjoy getting to know Bellicus and his hounds as they make their way ever south.
There are, of course, a few bumps along the way, wouldn't be much of a story otherwise, and each bump brings with it a fantastically written fight scene in which our antagonist proves his mettle in battle.
Merlin and Arthur even make a guest appearance, which surprised me actually, as it seemed to be completely out of the blue.
The finale is both tense and well written, and really gives a feel for the magic of the old gods.
I think there is much more to come from Bellicus, his character not quite fully fleshed out yet, it felt as if Steven is holding just a little back to add another layer to the rest of the books in the series, which is no bad thing.
All in all highly recommended, and I look forward to the next one.
August 5, 2020
I was drawn to this book because of my interest in the history of the Druids. Unfortunately a lot of the research I undertook and novels I had read about them, failed to meet my expectations of what I wanted them to be like.
Then I read THE DRUID. Bellicus is the hero and man of honour I was looking for. He never wavered from his duty and both his fierceness, and his kindness, made him stand out to all those he encountered.
I was surprised and delighted to learn that a lot of the story took place near where I grew up and still visit regularly.
It was easy to picture the other characters and get a real sense of their place in the world. The storyline carried me along perfectly. The tension built up, then eased a little, only to build again, making me wonder - how he going to get out of this?
I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written and engaging book. It was a true adventure. I am looking forward to reading Book 2.
Then I read THE DRUID. Bellicus is the hero and man of honour I was looking for. He never wavered from his duty and both his fierceness, and his kindness, made him stand out to all those he encountered.
I was surprised and delighted to learn that a lot of the story took place near where I grew up and still visit regularly.
It was easy to picture the other characters and get a real sense of their place in the world. The storyline carried me along perfectly. The tension built up, then eased a little, only to build again, making me wonder - how he going to get out of this?
I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written and engaging book. It was a true adventure. I am looking forward to reading Book 2.
December 11, 2019
*** 4.00 ***
November 14, 2023
A new author for me, the first of a (currently) five book series called the Warrior Druid which is set in Briton AD 430 which was a land in turmoil after the Romans had left, the Saxons invading & the Christians trying to impose their religion on the populous.
It has a lot of promise going on the splurge above, hence me “splashing” out on a copy.
It’s an easy start as we follow said Druid who goes by the name of Bellicus who we find feasting & singing amongst his fellows where it seems he’s an advisor to a king (local chieftain that is). Its all amiable stuff, the vibe is (very) family friendly as it’s all rather sedate during the feasting (no brawls, fornication or lust) – bar brawl rating is already looking like a Zero…. 😉 Even an ensuing fight tells us very little in terms of sword play or weaponry with the detail scant, I don’t think this will be dripping in gore which is maybe what most folk think of when Druids are mentioned…. Those Christians did give such folk a bad rep after all.
What more can I tell you as I delved deeper?
It’s for the most part a very long-drawn-out quest style tale, which is a little dull in truth, where the druid does a lot of wandering about for nought in return…
Its VERY family friendly, for those liking that style of read, certainly not a realistic read (for me) of the period or for those liking some grit. I say realistic as in earthy & base.
It lacks any real characters apart from the druid himself, there’s no historical detail to the period, I certainly did not feel immersed in an Anglo-Roman Britain nor understood any of the social customs of the time except everyone was in awe of the druid & did whatever he bid without question….. mind it was really only cause he was so HUGE & carried a Druid staff…… it’s a read that could really be in any period spanning 500-years.
The other main fault, for me, is the lack of any real dialogue, which when it does appear is all so polite & rather dull as a result. The story is told in the style that tells the reader what the character is thinking or doing which I found rather tedious after a while. Add some characters man, give us some lively dialogue, make it fruity too, we have a group of Saxons (baaaaad boys) running wild through the countryside like there out for a Sunday picnic having afternoon tea….. sorry but it’s not for me, too tame by far is the reason for my jesting.
That was the first 160 or so pages (2/3rds way point)….. then we had a battle which would determine not jus said battle but the fate of this book……
And twas the Lamest.Battlescene.Ever. What more can I say, it was a whole 2 pages long! There was a battle, people died, the Britons won, the end…. No tactics, no weaponry, no breakdown of the combat, no cut n thrust, nada, zilch.. it was jus done…. Bar brawl rating (-) 1
As you might suspect I started to skip read from here, reading some parts a bit more fully that offered some respite from the monotonous quest….. Yes...There were some..... And actually the last quarter of the book read much better than all that went before, we even had some lively dialogue with an old salt called Octavian who was tres droll.. and characterisations started to show.... it’s a shame this style wasn’t adopted earlier. Although the ending was quite a let down after promising much but again after that 2 page battle scene what more did I expect….
One other thing that needs mentioning….. We did finally meet this Dura fellah, that everyone in the reviews was banging on about……I must say am greatly suspicious of many of the reviews on this book which start with a headline before giving it a 4 or a 5 star rating….. jus saying…. At page 170 for what must have been a heartbeat before it was over…. If that’s all they had to rave over then.. well…
Sorry n all that but that won’t be enough….. this will certainly be a one off for me.
As to a score I can’t decide yet but if I hadn’t a shelled out for this book it would have failed the 100 page test….. two it is then (1 for getting past the 100-page test (by default mind!) & another for finishing it). I could probably have deducted more marks too but that would be for the style (not to my taste) & I would say the author has found his target audience (family friendly & those that like to be told through narration what everybody is thinking & going to do rather than through character interactions) - thinking if you like Mathew Harffey's works you'll prolly love this too.
Each to their own.
It has a lot of promise going on the splurge above, hence me “splashing” out on a copy.
It’s an easy start as we follow said Druid who goes by the name of Bellicus who we find feasting & singing amongst his fellows where it seems he’s an advisor to a king (local chieftain that is). Its all amiable stuff, the vibe is (very) family friendly as it’s all rather sedate during the feasting (no brawls, fornication or lust) – bar brawl rating is already looking like a Zero…. 😉 Even an ensuing fight tells us very little in terms of sword play or weaponry with the detail scant, I don’t think this will be dripping in gore which is maybe what most folk think of when Druids are mentioned…. Those Christians did give such folk a bad rep after all.
What more can I tell you as I delved deeper?
It’s for the most part a very long-drawn-out quest style tale, which is a little dull in truth, where the druid does a lot of wandering about for nought in return…
Its VERY family friendly, for those liking that style of read, certainly not a realistic read (for me) of the period or for those liking some grit. I say realistic as in earthy & base.
It lacks any real characters apart from the druid himself, there’s no historical detail to the period, I certainly did not feel immersed in an Anglo-Roman Britain nor understood any of the social customs of the time except everyone was in awe of the druid & did whatever he bid without question….. mind it was really only cause he was so HUGE & carried a Druid staff…… it’s a read that could really be in any period spanning 500-years.
The other main fault, for me, is the lack of any real dialogue, which when it does appear is all so polite & rather dull as a result. The story is told in the style that tells the reader what the character is thinking or doing which I found rather tedious after a while. Add some characters man, give us some lively dialogue, make it fruity too, we have a group of Saxons (baaaaad boys) running wild through the countryside like there out for a Sunday picnic having afternoon tea….. sorry but it’s not for me, too tame by far is the reason for my jesting.
That was the first 160 or so pages (2/3rds way point)….. then we had a battle which would determine not jus said battle but the fate of this book……
And twas the Lamest.Battlescene.Ever. What more can I say, it was a whole 2 pages long! There was a battle, people died, the Britons won, the end…. No tactics, no weaponry, no breakdown of the combat, no cut n thrust, nada, zilch.. it was jus done…. Bar brawl rating (-) 1
As you might suspect I started to skip read from here, reading some parts a bit more fully that offered some respite from the monotonous quest….. Yes...There were some..... And actually the last quarter of the book read much better than all that went before, we even had some lively dialogue with an old salt called Octavian who was tres droll.. and characterisations started to show.... it’s a shame this style wasn’t adopted earlier. Although the ending was quite a let down after promising much but again after that 2 page battle scene what more did I expect….
One other thing that needs mentioning….. We did finally meet this Dura fellah, that everyone in the reviews was banging on about……I must say am greatly suspicious of many of the reviews on this book which start with a headline before giving it a 4 or a 5 star rating….. jus saying…. At page 170 for what must have been a heartbeat before it was over…. If that’s all they had to rave over then.. well…
Sorry n all that but that won’t be enough….. this will certainly be a one off for me.
As to a score I can’t decide yet but if I hadn’t a shelled out for this book it would have failed the 100 page test….. two it is then (1 for getting past the 100-page test (by default mind!) & another for finishing it). I could probably have deducted more marks too but that would be for the style (not to my taste) & I would say the author has found his target audience (family friendly & those that like to be told through narration what everybody is thinking & going to do rather than through character interactions) - thinking if you like Mathew Harffey's works you'll prolly love this too.
Each to their own.
February 23, 2022
Ladies and gentlemen it is not a criticism that I write for pleasure, or for pleasure. In fact, the author who has written the work that I am going to review I like. There are not many occasions, but when I promise a writer that I will read his book, and write a review of it. If I didn't like the book, I don't usually write it so as not to offend the author, or I tend to be as laconic as possible so as not to leave the author in a bad place. I had planned to write a lot of reviews, and I was going to move on from this one, but there was an event on Saturday, which made me change my mind. More than against the book what I am against is one of the ideas of the book, which revolts me and I do not agree.
I'm counting because I decided to write this review. On Saturday my friend Turbiales on his You Tube channel Dice Time did an interview with people from a verkami who asked for funds to sponsor some role-playing books set in Babylon in the time of Hammurabi, in Rome until the end of the Republic, and this is where the story begins the last one would be set in the year 480 in the pre-arthurian Britannia, that has to face the attacks of the Saxons (it is practically in a context similar to that of Steven A. McKay). I repeat again that Mr McKay is not to blame for this situation. My country has long since gone from being a very religious country to being hostile to Catholicism in part because of the influence of left-wing parties, and nationalist parties. I believe that Joseph Roth, the author of "The Radetzky March" had https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... considered nationalisms as the cause that motivated the rise of totalitarianism. The stronger the nationalism, the weaker the religiosity of the country. We see this in Vascongadas, and in Catalonia, because what is happening in the rest of Spain is due to the reaction that has motivated the emergence of left-wing and far-left parties that have always been enormously anti-Catholic, and this explains the religious decline that my country suffers. After this digression it is convenient to return to the subject of the Verkami of Mythica, when talking about Britannia it was commented that unlike Ireland Britannia was a country with a strong paganism, and commented on what more or less some characters of the book think among them the protagonist druid Bellicus, that Britannia after the withdrawal from Rome around 450 is alone, and the Britanna population must hide behind a strong leader who sought two goals. First a very legitimate one, which I would support which is to reject the incursions, Pictas, Irish, and Saxon. If I were Britanan, I would be in favor of that idea. But I am not in favor of the second purpose. The author of mythica's Verkami when I asked him (after all, it's a role-playing game) what would happen if I had a Christian character, surely if I would agree to fight alongside Arthur against the Saxons, but I wouldn't agree with Merlin's idea of creating an internal front to drive out the Christians, and to promote a religion, which re-establishes Celtic worship.
More or less this is what the characters of this novel would like Bellicus, Duro the centurion (who does not follow the Celtic religion, but is a Mithras worshipper), or Merlin, that this Merlin is very similar to the one that appears in other novels that follow a similar theme. I think of the novel "Lancelot" by Giles Kristian, which I already mentioned for you in Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and in turn they all come, or have as their common father Bernard Cronwell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . In fact the author of Britannia's book told me that the source of inspiration had been Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy of the Warlord https://www.goodreads.com/series/2505... I must be honest I greatly dislike Mr. Cornwell's anti-Christianity, but the three books I have read to him all three I liked. I think of "Stonhenge" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... , "Northumbria" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... and "Fools and Mortals" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... that literarily I considered to be the worst, but for me it is the most interesting of the three because of the theme that deals with telling the story of a brother of William Shakespeare. Curiously, in this novel Cornwell is much more critical of the Anglican priest than of the Catholic, who even enjoys the sympathy of the reader. But generally Cornwell's novels have always had a very strong anti-Christian ground. Presenting priests as fanatics, hypocrites, cruel, or greedy on power. Stonehenge that counts the construction of the famous monument is the story of a brother who faces another who has established a theocracy, and has gone crazy. True, Crornwell does not have as strong a presence as other riders of atheism such as Richard Dawkins https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Sam Harris https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Daniel Denet https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Michel Onfray. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Compte Sponville https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Pullman https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
I'm counting because I decided to write this review. On Saturday my friend Turbiales on his You Tube channel Dice Time did an interview with people from a verkami who asked for funds to sponsor some role-playing books set in Babylon in the time of Hammurabi, in Rome until the end of the Republic, and this is where the story begins the last one would be set in the year 480 in the pre-arthurian Britannia, that has to face the attacks of the Saxons (it is practically in a context similar to that of Steven A. McKay). I repeat again that Mr McKay is not to blame for this situation. My country has long since gone from being a very religious country to being hostile to Catholicism in part because of the influence of left-wing parties, and nationalist parties. I believe that Joseph Roth, the author of "The Radetzky March" had https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5... considered nationalisms as the cause that motivated the rise of totalitarianism. The stronger the nationalism, the weaker the religiosity of the country. We see this in Vascongadas, and in Catalonia, because what is happening in the rest of Spain is due to the reaction that has motivated the emergence of left-wing and far-left parties that have always been enormously anti-Catholic, and this explains the religious decline that my country suffers. After this digression it is convenient to return to the subject of the Verkami of Mythica, when talking about Britannia it was commented that unlike Ireland Britannia was a country with a strong paganism, and commented on what more or less some characters of the book think among them the protagonist druid Bellicus, that Britannia after the withdrawal from Rome around 450 is alone, and the Britanna population must hide behind a strong leader who sought two goals. First a very legitimate one, which I would support which is to reject the incursions, Pictas, Irish, and Saxon. If I were Britanan, I would be in favor of that idea. But I am not in favor of the second purpose. The author of mythica's Verkami when I asked him (after all, it's a role-playing game) what would happen if I had a Christian character, surely if I would agree to fight alongside Arthur against the Saxons, but I wouldn't agree with Merlin's idea of creating an internal front to drive out the Christians, and to promote a religion, which re-establishes Celtic worship.
More or less this is what the characters of this novel would like Bellicus, Duro the centurion (who does not follow the Celtic religion, but is a Mithras worshipper), or Merlin, that this Merlin is very similar to the one that appears in other novels that follow a similar theme. I think of the novel "Lancelot" by Giles Kristian, which I already mentioned for you in Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and in turn they all come, or have as their common father Bernard Cronwell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . In fact the author of Britannia's book told me that the source of inspiration had been Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy of the Warlord https://www.goodreads.com/series/2505... I must be honest I greatly dislike Mr. Cornwell's anti-Christianity, but the three books I have read to him all three I liked. I think of "Stonhenge" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... , "Northumbria" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... and "Fools and Mortals" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... that literarily I considered to be the worst, but for me it is the most interesting of the three because of the theme that deals with telling the story of a brother of William Shakespeare. Curiously, in this novel Cornwell is much more critical of the Anglican priest than of the Catholic, who even enjoys the sympathy of the reader. But generally Cornwell's novels have always had a very strong anti-Christian ground. Presenting priests as fanatics, hypocrites, cruel, or greedy on power. Stonehenge that counts the construction of the famous monument is the story of a brother who faces another who has established a theocracy, and has gone crazy. True, Crornwell does not have as strong a presence as other riders of atheism such as Richard Dawkins https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Sam Harris https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Daniel Denet https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Michel Onfray. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Compte Sponville https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Pullman https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
November 5, 2018
You should know who Steven A. McKay is..author of the Forest Lord series based around one of the best historical figures ever in my mind Robin Hood..after what seemed like forever the end of the series came hard like a punch to the gut.. I needed more.. but could the author ever live up to the expectations set..well lets see.
The Druid is a brand new tale for the author, this tale follows Bellicus. Religion is changing but Druids still hold some power..and as such when the King’s daughter is taken he sets out to rescue her. What he doesn’t know is that every corner he will be tested to his limits.
There’s twists and turns as Bellicus deals with the changes in the world around him. He’s been closed off abit in his own little bubble so he taken aback when people don’t give him the respect his station once demanded.. it’s doesn’t help that he’s a giant of a man..only his weapon makes him stand out as the Druid and as soon as people see it you seem them quickly decide to help the man out..for the most part.
He’s hot on the trail from the start but there’s numerous challenges ahead but Bellicus can handle everything..well at least that’s what he thinks..he either wins or will go down fighting.
The plot was good but I just know the author has more to give. It just proves McKay has a natural talent for storytelling, that he’s able to change the focus of his tales after such a well-developed series like The Forest Lord series. He still manages to give us a tale where there’s a clear ending but leaves so much open left to develop if he wishes. An ending like that just has me desperate for more.
Overall I thought it was well written, It flowed well and it seemed effortless..at no point did it feel like the story lost its way or that things didn’t make sense..it just worked.
Being such a fast paced action tale where the heat is on from the start it’s a wonder the author managed to develop the characters at all but he managed it perfectly.. at one point I even started to really like one of the kidnappers..that’s how easy McKay manages to control your thoughts.
Cracking read and a nice change from the authors previous work. Plenty of life left in the tale to see this develop further and I’d love to see how it continues.
5* .. I can’t give it any less.
The Druid is a brand new tale for the author, this tale follows Bellicus. Religion is changing but Druids still hold some power..and as such when the King’s daughter is taken he sets out to rescue her. What he doesn’t know is that every corner he will be tested to his limits.
There’s twists and turns as Bellicus deals with the changes in the world around him. He’s been closed off abit in his own little bubble so he taken aback when people don’t give him the respect his station once demanded.. it’s doesn’t help that he’s a giant of a man..only his weapon makes him stand out as the Druid and as soon as people see it you seem them quickly decide to help the man out..for the most part.
He’s hot on the trail from the start but there’s numerous challenges ahead but Bellicus can handle everything..well at least that’s what he thinks..he either wins or will go down fighting.
The plot was good but I just know the author has more to give. It just proves McKay has a natural talent for storytelling, that he’s able to change the focus of his tales after such a well-developed series like The Forest Lord series. He still manages to give us a tale where there’s a clear ending but leaves so much open left to develop if he wishes. An ending like that just has me desperate for more.
Overall I thought it was well written, It flowed well and it seemed effortless..at no point did it feel like the story lost its way or that things didn’t make sense..it just worked.
Being such a fast paced action tale where the heat is on from the start it’s a wonder the author managed to develop the characters at all but he managed it perfectly.. at one point I even started to really like one of the kidnappers..that’s how easy McKay manages to control your thoughts.
Cracking read and a nice change from the authors previous work. Plenty of life left in the tale to see this develop further and I’d love to see how it continues.
5* .. I can’t give it any less.
November 22, 2018
If a person looks at a good book and thinks of it as a glass of fine wine, Steven McKay's latest effort is a glass of fine, sparkling champagne. Yes, this is the same Steven McKay who authored the "Forest Lord" series about Robin Hood, putting his own twist onto that time-honored story. Now, he tackles the historically (at least by Hollywood script writers) much-maligned druids who have been shown to be bloodthirsty cannibals engaging in human sacrifices and then having them for dinner. As anyone who has studied any history can tell you, the druids evolved from that early incarnation into a respected religious order, holding true to the gods of old despite the rise of Christianity in Britain.
And, that's the type of druid the hero of this story - Bellicus -happens to be, and just for fun, let's make him a warrior and fighter as well.
Throughout English history there have been certain characters about whom people have asked, "were they real?" There is of course, Robin Hood and the other is King Arthur, who makes an appearance in this work and while he may or may not have existed, he plays an integral role in this tale.
Without giving away too much of the plot, Bellicus is on a mission to rescue the daughter of another one of those English characters mentioned previously, King Coroticus (or Caraticus as some spell it). It seems she has been kidnapped by those nasty Saxons who keep popping up in every book set in early Britain at the behest of their leader, Hengist, yet another character who pops up frequently in books set in this period.
Obviously, the adventures of Bellicus as he sets off to rescue the young lady form the basis of this action-packed novel which has enough blood for those who like a lot of blood-and-guts and perhaps a bit too much for those who don't. It isn't over done, so not to worry.
Does Bellicus succeed in his mission? How does Stonehenge fit into this tale? How does Arthur and Merlin, his druid, fit into it? To find out you have to read the book. And it's sequel which is being written.
A great book for action junkies and for those who are into excellent historical fiction. Highly satisfying, just like that glass of fine champagne.
And, that's the type of druid the hero of this story - Bellicus -happens to be, and just for fun, let's make him a warrior and fighter as well.
Throughout English history there have been certain characters about whom people have asked, "were they real?" There is of course, Robin Hood and the other is King Arthur, who makes an appearance in this work and while he may or may not have existed, he plays an integral role in this tale.
Without giving away too much of the plot, Bellicus is on a mission to rescue the daughter of another one of those English characters mentioned previously, King Coroticus (or Caraticus as some spell it). It seems she has been kidnapped by those nasty Saxons who keep popping up in every book set in early Britain at the behest of their leader, Hengist, yet another character who pops up frequently in books set in this period.
Obviously, the adventures of Bellicus as he sets off to rescue the young lady form the basis of this action-packed novel which has enough blood for those who like a lot of blood-and-guts and perhaps a bit too much for those who don't. It isn't over done, so not to worry.
Does Bellicus succeed in his mission? How does Stonehenge fit into this tale? How does Arthur and Merlin, his druid, fit into it? To find out you have to read the book. And it's sequel which is being written.
A great book for action junkies and for those who are into excellent historical fiction. Highly satisfying, just like that glass of fine champagne.
June 5, 2020
The Druid attacked and then elevated my expectations of what historical fantasy could accomplish. Steven McKay selected a peculiar timeframe of post-Roman invasion and used this to orchestrate a high fantasy world full of culture. His talent for weaving history throughout his story without making it complex is inspiring. Not once did I feel like my enjoyment was hindered from being unfamiliar with this part of Britain's past. Instead, I became equally fascinated with the historical foundation he used and the world he constructed.
Steven McKay challenged typical character stereotypes. Bellicus and Catia are realistic and sensible characters that were given authenticity through their struggles. You will not find spoiled princesses, overly philosophical Druids, or the reverse of their typecast. Catia is full of spunk! I would be hard-pressed to find another character her age that I enjoyed reading as much. Bellicus is a warrior druid whose actioned packed and character-driven story arch places him high on my list of favorite characters from any genre.
Steven McKay challenged typical character stereotypes. Bellicus and Catia are realistic and sensible characters that were given authenticity through their struggles. You will not find spoiled princesses, overly philosophical Druids, or the reverse of their typecast. Catia is full of spunk! I would be hard-pressed to find another character her age that I enjoyed reading as much. Bellicus is a warrior druid whose actioned packed and character-driven story arch places him high on my list of favorite characters from any genre.
November 17, 2018
WOW! What can I say about this book. It was a fantastic start to what I hope will be a long and enjoyable journey with Bellicus through Great Britian. The introduction to the main characters made for a brilliant first tale. It was set in the time, when the Romans were still a memory and Britian was still trying to repel the Angles. Little touches like the first hint at the actual parentage of Catia and the inclusion of "The Merlin" and Arthur made it all the more enjoyable. Like all good main characters Bellicus needs a side kick and it was great to see the introduction of Druro towards the end of this book. For me Bellicus is now up there with the likes of Ballista, Beobrand, Rufinus and Macro & Cato. What else can I say, it was exceptionally well written, a fabulous read and I can't wait for the next one!
February 8, 2019
A well written climax
The author certainly did his research, and the climactic battle at the "hanging stones" was a terrific set piece. Look forward to the next installment
The author certainly did his research, and the climactic battle at the "hanging stones" was a terrific set piece. Look forward to the next installment
November 9, 2018
With the forest Lord series Steven A McKay gave us a barnstorming version of Robin Hood, now he moves further back in British history to a time just after the Romans have left and the Old ways are starting to make a comeback and the Britons are desperately fighting off the Saxons. The Druids despite being decimated by the Romans play a big part in this and one Druid in particular Bellicus a young giant of a man, a commanding presence wise beyond his years with Druid lore and an almost preternatural skill with the blade. The kings daughter has been taken and Bellicus is charged with her safe return.... with his two trusty warhounds at his side this just what he sets out to do.
This is a fast paced read, with, true to form lots of bone crunching action as Bellicus moves from one adventure to another always trying desperately to close the distance between himself and his quarry. You really get a feel for the distances both parties have to cover and there are some bleak and rugged landscapes described through out. With some surprises along the way the characters in this book are wonderful realised. With an ending that feels satisfying but also leaves lots of room for the story to continue this book was a joy to read.
This is a fast paced read, with, true to form lots of bone crunching action as Bellicus moves from one adventure to another always trying desperately to close the distance between himself and his quarry. You really get a feel for the distances both parties have to cover and there are some bleak and rugged landscapes described through out. With some surprises along the way the characters in this book are wonderful realised. With an ending that feels satisfying but also leaves lots of room for the story to continue this book was a joy to read.
November 10, 2018
Steven A. McKay, author of the Forest Lord series about Robin Hood, tries his hand at a new character and a new time period with The Druid.
It's McKay's custom to deliver lots of action in his novels and The Druid is no exception. I think this may be his most action-packed novel so far. There are battles, raids, duels, skirmishes and chases throughout and the pacing of the novel reflects this; it's a fast-moving read.
As for the druid himself, Bellicus, McKay has created a strong protagonist who arrives fully-formed, trained, battle-ready and with a strong skill-set, but, as the novel shows, with plenty of room for development and character growth. He also has a spirituality that matches his profession as a druid. Aside from Bellicus, McKay also develops a cast of interesting supporting characters on both sides of the story's conflict.
The world of post-Roman Britain as devised by McKay is a dream setting for action stories. There are few definitive written records of the period and historians put forth multiple possible theories about what was going on at the time, leaving an author almost a free hand at invention. With the political and military rivalries of the Picts, the Dalriadans, the Alt Clotans, the Saxons and the Britons of the southern kingdoms, not to mention the religious rivalries between the Old Way of the Druids, the Christians of the south, the pantheon of the Saxons and even the vestiges of pagan Roman worship, there's plenty of conflict to generate great stories. As I was reading, I observed plenty of material here to generate sequels that could keep Bellicus busy for quite some time to come and I'm sure McKay has plans.
The druid order itself is explored believably based on what little I've read of Celts and druids. The idea that they are part-bard and part-priest is effectively developed within the framework of the story. We meet other members of this order, not just Bellicus, and these examples effectively demonstrate their place in their society. I'm not sure that real druids were warriors, but there's no reason a druid couldn't be as skilled as Bellicus following the manner in which the story suggests. The reasons for his war-training may be hidden in the character's mysterious past which I suspect will be mined in future instalments.
I heartily recommend this adventure from Steven A. McKay--I think it's his best novel yet--and I want to congratulate him for starting a new series which looks like it has the potential to outgrow and outshine even his successful Forest Lord series.
It's McKay's custom to deliver lots of action in his novels and The Druid is no exception. I think this may be his most action-packed novel so far. There are battles, raids, duels, skirmishes and chases throughout and the pacing of the novel reflects this; it's a fast-moving read.
As for the druid himself, Bellicus, McKay has created a strong protagonist who arrives fully-formed, trained, battle-ready and with a strong skill-set, but, as the novel shows, with plenty of room for development and character growth. He also has a spirituality that matches his profession as a druid. Aside from Bellicus, McKay also develops a cast of interesting supporting characters on both sides of the story's conflict.
The world of post-Roman Britain as devised by McKay is a dream setting for action stories. There are few definitive written records of the period and historians put forth multiple possible theories about what was going on at the time, leaving an author almost a free hand at invention. With the political and military rivalries of the Picts, the Dalriadans, the Alt Clotans, the Saxons and the Britons of the southern kingdoms, not to mention the religious rivalries between the Old Way of the Druids, the Christians of the south, the pantheon of the Saxons and even the vestiges of pagan Roman worship, there's plenty of conflict to generate great stories. As I was reading, I observed plenty of material here to generate sequels that could keep Bellicus busy for quite some time to come and I'm sure McKay has plans.
The druid order itself is explored believably based on what little I've read of Celts and druids. The idea that they are part-bard and part-priest is effectively developed within the framework of the story. We meet other members of this order, not just Bellicus, and these examples effectively demonstrate their place in their society. I'm not sure that real druids were warriors, but there's no reason a druid couldn't be as skilled as Bellicus following the manner in which the story suggests. The reasons for his war-training may be hidden in the character's mysterious past which I suspect will be mined in future instalments.
I heartily recommend this adventure from Steven A. McKay--I think it's his best novel yet--and I want to congratulate him for starting a new series which looks like it has the potential to outgrow and outshine even his successful Forest Lord series.
January 27, 2020
A complete let down after Robin Hood
I bought this book after enjoying the author's Robin Hood series; what a disappointment! The story is weak and revolves around one central character who lacks any charisma or magnetism. But the greatest failing for me, is any depth in the historical context; it is extremely light on the description of the physical environment, the social structure and hierarchies is completely underdeveloped and generally the reader gets no sense of the period setting. Very disappointing. I won't be buying Book 2
I bought this book after enjoying the author's Robin Hood series; what a disappointment! The story is weak and revolves around one central character who lacks any charisma or magnetism. But the greatest failing for me, is any depth in the historical context; it is extremely light on the description of the physical environment, the social structure and hierarchies is completely underdeveloped and generally the reader gets no sense of the period setting. Very disappointing. I won't be buying Book 2
November 2, 2018
Excellent read!
Thoroughly enjoyed this tale, well up to earlier standards; I look forward to the next in the series. I hope Catia is not too badly scarred by her experiences!
Thoroughly enjoyed this tale, well up to earlier standards; I look forward to the next in the series. I hope Catia is not too badly scarred by her experiences!
December 9, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This book was brilliant! A fast paced adventure with loads of action, twists and comedic greatness. This is the first Steven A McKay book I have read and will certainly not be the last! Book two will be started very soon
This book was brilliant! A fast paced adventure with loads of action, twists and comedic greatness. This is the first Steven A McKay book I have read and will certainly not be the last! Book two will be started very soon
August 6, 2020
Really enjoyed this first installment in a new series. Bellicus, the druid, is a great character and I look forward to the next adventure.
September 22, 2019
First, thank you to the great Steven A.Mc Kay for sending me this book. I now want to read on and find out what happens in the sequel.
The writing of this book is an excellent attention to detail. You are immersed into a rapidly changing world where the Roman rule has become ineffective and the power of Christ is set to arise on Britian’s shores, culminating will become part of English culture for many decades to come.
It’s also fascinating for me. In many ways, the polytheist religions that we know were being destroyed. There’s one story of a Christian Bishop damaging Thor’s Tree in Germania and that Thor did not strike. I think there’s a deeper story to that. In many ways, this novel is about religion more than anything else. Rome’s infighting did not help in many ways for the Gods, and to the ancient worshippers of Jupiter, they held a viewpoint that after abandoning the ways of the Old Gods; the Empire fell.
This is however no longer relevant in today’s time and circumstances. Back in those days, it was. I felt Bellicus was a man with his feet on the ground, but I felt he was too naïve. I would have wanted Aldred, who is a great man, to have formed a friendship with Bellicus as the two had a lot in common. They despised Horsa equally, and Aldred did not deserve to die at all. At least he will drink his fill of ale and fight in Valhalla.
I also felt this novel could have had two hundred pages more added into it. I understand that this was the first in a series, and thus there were many spots of world-building that could have been used in other areas. It wasn’t insincere to describe every single part of the geographic’s mystical elements, but I understand that writing about Dark Age Britain is tough because of the lack of resources that is needed to understand about it.
What really interests me is, what if the Polytheist religions of Europe had survived and they never adopted Christianity? This would make for cool alternate history and I’d love to see more authors pick this up. Many of the characters were fresh, many of the new concepts were great, including the concept of a brotherhood of druids, and I cannot help but feel Steven got his inspiration from Asterix and Obelix in some funny way. I cannot wait to see what is in store for Catia’s fate in the sequel, and how will Bellicus fight against Christianity when it soon will dwarf his lands? I also want to see what his life was like under Roman rule before they left. My rating a solid 4.5/5
The writing of this book is an excellent attention to detail. You are immersed into a rapidly changing world where the Roman rule has become ineffective and the power of Christ is set to arise on Britian’s shores, culminating will become part of English culture for many decades to come.
It’s also fascinating for me. In many ways, the polytheist religions that we know were being destroyed. There’s one story of a Christian Bishop damaging Thor’s Tree in Germania and that Thor did not strike. I think there’s a deeper story to that. In many ways, this novel is about religion more than anything else. Rome’s infighting did not help in many ways for the Gods, and to the ancient worshippers of Jupiter, they held a viewpoint that after abandoning the ways of the Old Gods; the Empire fell.
This is however no longer relevant in today’s time and circumstances. Back in those days, it was. I felt Bellicus was a man with his feet on the ground, but I felt he was too naïve. I would have wanted Aldred, who is a great man, to have formed a friendship with Bellicus as the two had a lot in common. They despised Horsa equally, and Aldred did not deserve to die at all. At least he will drink his fill of ale and fight in Valhalla.
I also felt this novel could have had two hundred pages more added into it. I understand that this was the first in a series, and thus there were many spots of world-building that could have been used in other areas. It wasn’t insincere to describe every single part of the geographic’s mystical elements, but I understand that writing about Dark Age Britain is tough because of the lack of resources that is needed to understand about it.
What really interests me is, what if the Polytheist religions of Europe had survived and they never adopted Christianity? This would make for cool alternate history and I’d love to see more authors pick this up. Many of the characters were fresh, many of the new concepts were great, including the concept of a brotherhood of druids, and I cannot help but feel Steven got his inspiration from Asterix and Obelix in some funny way. I cannot wait to see what is in store for Catia’s fate in the sequel, and how will Bellicus fight against Christianity when it soon will dwarf his lands? I also want to see what his life was like under Roman rule before they left. My rating a solid 4.5/5
November 10, 2018
If you've come across Druids in Historical Fiction novels before - old, vague, talking in 'riddles,' calling grown, bearded warriors 'my child,' wearing long white robes and mistletoe - forget them!
You need to think again.
Because Bellicus, the Druid at the heart of Steven's new series, is nothing like anything you've read before. Bellicus is big, huge in fact. He wears a brown robe, and he's young, just twenty-six. Yes, he sometimes has a beard, but it is not white, or even grey - though it might be soon, if he has to go through (which I suspect he will in the next books) more of what he goes through in this first volume. Bellicus is "taller than any other man he’d ever met," he has been in a shieldwall (or two) and consequently:
"A group of Saxon raiders held no fear for him."
You see, Bellicus is a warrior druid. He is a match for any Roman centurion in a fight and is steeped in the ancient druidic lore. He is one of an old line, one trained by the best of the druids who managed to escape the Roman slaughter on Ynys Môn (Anglesey), but those Druids living in the far north, well away from their Imperial rulers, have continued the old traditions. Bellicus is accompanied everywhere, by his two war-dogs, Cai and Eolas. Huge beasts, like their master, they add another intriguing dimension to The Druid, that will not be quickly forgotten by anyone who reads the book through to the end.
The story begins in the kingdom of Alt Clota, ruled by King Coroticus. Alt Clota and the great fortress of Dun Breatann seems to have been located around the area of the Antonine Wall, as was, modern Strathclyde (which I know from my reading wanderings through Viking history. played a huge part in later Viking Kingdoms in the East of Britain and Ireland). The King's daughter, Catia, has been captured and spirited away, for reasons unknown, by ruthless, savage Saxon warriors.
The Druid then, is about the chase Bellicus sets out on, and the tortuous quest he has to make in pursuit of his King's only daughter and her captors. We travel south, over Hadrian's Wall, then deep into the heart of Dark Age Britain, physically and mentally. To the ancient, beating, bleeding heart of Britain, at Stonehenge. It is a place where strange rituals once took place, still take place on moon-lit nights, and where the spirits of the long dead victims are said to walk the land on certain, terrible occasions. Why Stonehenge, why Saxons, and the rest of why this book is so fantastic, you'll have to find out for yourself.
In the meantime...I don't know any druids, I've never met any druids and as far as I know, no druids have ever met me. However...this druid feels much more realistic, than the druid you will, for instance, meet in James Wilde's Pendragon series - if you don't want to punch him in the face after two pages, then check your pulse, you may have died. Bellicus even acknowledges the actual powerlessness of his 'power.' He knows it is one that is in reality, based on trickery (just like the tricks that worked so well some 400 years earlier, for a simple, illiterate, nobody in the Galilee area. Why do you think poor people flocked to free exorcisms?).
The quest Bellicus is on is also, as the introduction at the top of the post says, an chance to look at several parts of the immediate post-Roman age Britain. Obviously, a lot of British society was thoroughly Romanicised when the legions left, and the arrival of the seemingly lawless and culture-less, Saxon invaders, just emphasised the black, barbarian hole their previously ordered lives seemed to be falling into. The Druid, with some finely worked, illuminating (!) details about Dark Age Britain, looks at how, in many areas, people felt they were abandoned, but had set about starting again, from year zero. For good or bad. Ordinary people are struggling to make sense of their new, constantly changing world, and falling back on the only stable, or constant, parts of their lives - the change of seasons, the need to eat, life and death, their old gods, and each other. And in the face of the rampant changes in waiting from the new religion of the White Christ, we can see how their druids could also offer at least a semblance of much needed spiritual stability as well. As well as a battle axe, in Bellicus' case..
What is even more stunning than the inspired character of Bellicus, is the quality of Steven's new writing. The Forest Lord series was very good indeed, this is better all the way round - substantially better. How? I can't analyse it properly, I can just state what I feel. It feels bright, clean, unencumbered, yet in no way stripped-down. Confident, straight-ahead and vivid - instantly engaging storytelling on a par with anything you've read before by him there Cornwell, or Kane, or Kristian (I'll also throw in a 'Harffy,' if he sends me a physical copy of his next book...).
It was clearly time for Steven to spread his writing wings after his best-selling The Forest Lord/Robin Hood, series reached its conclusion and starting out on a new adventure must have been more than a little daunting. However, Steven can relax (hopefully for not too long, as I want to be reading more about Bellicus and soon at that!). The promise from the Robin Hood books is fully realised, with characters, plot and results that are immensely satisfying. Hey! I could also see, and would read in a heartbeat, books about several of the other characters Steven has populated this story with. Not least the ex-Roman Centurion turned baker, Duro. There is an interesting character if ever I read one! How, for instance, did a former Roman soldier, become integrated, or is it re-integrated, enough to be a baker in a small British village? What is his background that led him to this point? He certainly knows how to time his arrival in a fight, that's for sure, not something learned in a bakery, I'll bet! And we haven't even mentioned King Arthur, Hengist or even Horsa yet...
So, The Druid is richly imagined, confident and gripping, full of memorable characters that fair leap from the page, and with a protagonist who, despite his calling, is written with just the right mix of the earthly and the unearthly, the spiritual and the realistic. Bellicus is big and strong, a warrior, and he doesn’t have the irritating, crippling self-doubt (predictably washed away by the “battle calm”), off-the-shelf characteristics so beloved of just about every other Tom, Dick and Hist Fic writer you’ll meet. Steven is to be roundly applauded for creating one of the most engaging, and more importantly, believable, Historical Fiction novels I’ve come across in a good while. The Druid is, to borrow a previously much over-used (elsewhere) term: a triumph, an honest to goodness, self-assured triumph.
You need to buy The Druid, read it, savour it, hug it and buy it again if necessary - just do it now!
Blog: Speesh Reads
Facebook: Speesh Reads
Pinterest: Speesh Reads
You need to think again.
Because Bellicus, the Druid at the heart of Steven's new series, is nothing like anything you've read before. Bellicus is big, huge in fact. He wears a brown robe, and he's young, just twenty-six. Yes, he sometimes has a beard, but it is not white, or even grey - though it might be soon, if he has to go through (which I suspect he will in the next books) more of what he goes through in this first volume. Bellicus is "taller than any other man he’d ever met," he has been in a shieldwall (or two) and consequently:
"A group of Saxon raiders held no fear for him."
You see, Bellicus is a warrior druid. He is a match for any Roman centurion in a fight and is steeped in the ancient druidic lore. He is one of an old line, one trained by the best of the druids who managed to escape the Roman slaughter on Ynys Môn (Anglesey), but those Druids living in the far north, well away from their Imperial rulers, have continued the old traditions. Bellicus is accompanied everywhere, by his two war-dogs, Cai and Eolas. Huge beasts, like their master, they add another intriguing dimension to The Druid, that will not be quickly forgotten by anyone who reads the book through to the end.
The story begins in the kingdom of Alt Clota, ruled by King Coroticus. Alt Clota and the great fortress of Dun Breatann seems to have been located around the area of the Antonine Wall, as was, modern Strathclyde (which I know from my reading wanderings through Viking history. played a huge part in later Viking Kingdoms in the East of Britain and Ireland). The King's daughter, Catia, has been captured and spirited away, for reasons unknown, by ruthless, savage Saxon warriors.
The Druid then, is about the chase Bellicus sets out on, and the tortuous quest he has to make in pursuit of his King's only daughter and her captors. We travel south, over Hadrian's Wall, then deep into the heart of Dark Age Britain, physically and mentally. To the ancient, beating, bleeding heart of Britain, at Stonehenge. It is a place where strange rituals once took place, still take place on moon-lit nights, and where the spirits of the long dead victims are said to walk the land on certain, terrible occasions. Why Stonehenge, why Saxons, and the rest of why this book is so fantastic, you'll have to find out for yourself.
In the meantime...I don't know any druids, I've never met any druids and as far as I know, no druids have ever met me. However...this druid feels much more realistic, than the druid you will, for instance, meet in James Wilde's Pendragon series - if you don't want to punch him in the face after two pages, then check your pulse, you may have died. Bellicus even acknowledges the actual powerlessness of his 'power.' He knows it is one that is in reality, based on trickery (just like the tricks that worked so well some 400 years earlier, for a simple, illiterate, nobody in the Galilee area. Why do you think poor people flocked to free exorcisms?).
The quest Bellicus is on is also, as the introduction at the top of the post says, an chance to look at several parts of the immediate post-Roman age Britain. Obviously, a lot of British society was thoroughly Romanicised when the legions left, and the arrival of the seemingly lawless and culture-less, Saxon invaders, just emphasised the black, barbarian hole their previously ordered lives seemed to be falling into. The Druid, with some finely worked, illuminating (!) details about Dark Age Britain, looks at how, in many areas, people felt they were abandoned, but had set about starting again, from year zero. For good or bad. Ordinary people are struggling to make sense of their new, constantly changing world, and falling back on the only stable, or constant, parts of their lives - the change of seasons, the need to eat, life and death, their old gods, and each other. And in the face of the rampant changes in waiting from the new religion of the White Christ, we can see how their druids could also offer at least a semblance of much needed spiritual stability as well. As well as a battle axe, in Bellicus' case..
What is even more stunning than the inspired character of Bellicus, is the quality of Steven's new writing. The Forest Lord series was very good indeed, this is better all the way round - substantially better. How? I can't analyse it properly, I can just state what I feel. It feels bright, clean, unencumbered, yet in no way stripped-down. Confident, straight-ahead and vivid - instantly engaging storytelling on a par with anything you've read before by him there Cornwell, or Kane, or Kristian (I'll also throw in a 'Harffy,' if he sends me a physical copy of his next book...).
It was clearly time for Steven to spread his writing wings after his best-selling The Forest Lord/Robin Hood, series reached its conclusion and starting out on a new adventure must have been more than a little daunting. However, Steven can relax (hopefully for not too long, as I want to be reading more about Bellicus and soon at that!). The promise from the Robin Hood books is fully realised, with characters, plot and results that are immensely satisfying. Hey! I could also see, and would read in a heartbeat, books about several of the other characters Steven has populated this story with. Not least the ex-Roman Centurion turned baker, Duro. There is an interesting character if ever I read one! How, for instance, did a former Roman soldier, become integrated, or is it re-integrated, enough to be a baker in a small British village? What is his background that led him to this point? He certainly knows how to time his arrival in a fight, that's for sure, not something learned in a bakery, I'll bet! And we haven't even mentioned King Arthur, Hengist or even Horsa yet...
So, The Druid is richly imagined, confident and gripping, full of memorable characters that fair leap from the page, and with a protagonist who, despite his calling, is written with just the right mix of the earthly and the unearthly, the spiritual and the realistic. Bellicus is big and strong, a warrior, and he doesn’t have the irritating, crippling self-doubt (predictably washed away by the “battle calm”), off-the-shelf characteristics so beloved of just about every other Tom, Dick and Hist Fic writer you’ll meet. Steven is to be roundly applauded for creating one of the most engaging, and more importantly, believable, Historical Fiction novels I’ve come across in a good while. The Druid is, to borrow a previously much over-used (elsewhere) term: a triumph, an honest to goodness, self-assured triumph.
You need to buy The Druid, read it, savour it, hug it and buy it again if necessary - just do it now!
Blog: Speesh Reads
Facebook: Speesh Reads
Pinterest: Speesh Reads
November 17, 2018
Good, fast-paced adventure. A man-on-a-mission yarn that put me in mind of a western transplanted in Post-Roman Britain. Plenty of action and good period detail as well as an interesting protagonist. Seems to be the beginning of an exciting series.
November 22, 2019
AD430 and a young princess has been abducted by a band of Saxon warriors and the Druid Bellicus is on a one man mission to bring her home.
This story was ok, but I found it a bit slow in places. Bellicus is a likeable character and I kept reading to see if he'd complete his task. There's an overweight baker, an ex Roman centurion who was probably my favourite character.
This story was ok, but I found it a bit slow in places. Bellicus is a likeable character and I kept reading to see if he'd complete his task. There's an overweight baker, an ex Roman centurion who was probably my favourite character.
December 16, 2018
Great book
I have read other books by this author and I knew that I would not be disappointed at all. The characters are wonderfully described and the story won’t disappoint you at all. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
I have read other books by this author and I knew that I would not be disappointed at all. The characters are wonderfully described and the story won’t disappoint you at all. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
February 11, 2025
Buena novela histórica de aventuras, en la que además aprendes historia de la Britania post-romana.
Una trama ágil y un protagonista carismático.
Eso sí, es parte de una saga. Una pena que en España sólo esté editado el primero.
Una trama ágil y un protagonista carismático.
Eso sí, es parte de una saga. Una pena que en España sólo esté editado el primero.
December 13, 2020
“𝘽𝙚𝙡 𝙘𝙖𝙣. 𝙃𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙚.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙. 𝘼 𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧-𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚. 𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨.”
🧙Northern Britain, AD 430. When some unknown raiders made a surprise night attack on Dun Buic, Damnonnii tribe king Coroticus discovered his daughter Caita is being abducted by them. Queen Narina is harboring a dark secret regarding Caita which could be the reason for her abduction, but she couldn't share it with anyone. Meanwhile, little princess Caita is been transported by her brutal captors to the south, to the Hanging stone, a spiritually charged monument of Britain where the Saxon king Hengist had already planned a terrible fate for her. However Bellicus, the giant warrior-druid is tasked with hunting down the raiders and rescue the princess. With years of training in the old ways, Cai And Eolas, the 2 war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey in which he meets brigands, superstitious villagers, a retired roman centurion, and a legendary druid; make new acquaintances and fought in another king's army. But will he really able to rescue the princess single-handedly from the Saxon clutches? or it became too late for the princess to be rescued?
🧙The book -1st in the Warrior Druid of Britain series- set in early medieval Britain when it was constantly threatened by the frequent Saxon invasions; its peoples are divided among various tribes and Christianity and the old ways are struggling for supremacy. It provides a list of place-names of that time, but I feel a map would've been more helpful for the readers to locate them.
🧙The author's writing is simple and flawless. The multiple POVs, the fast pacing narratives, and relentless chases, haunting, battles, duels, and skirmishes keep the reader glued to the last. The old ways of the druids and their position in society is well explored. The only things I didn't like are giving away the secret of the abduction too early and adding new POVs in/after the middle of the book.
🧙Bellicus's character is well-constructed; he is a warrior, an advisor, a healer, a bard, and a spiritual leader all at the same time. Other supporting characters are also interesting to read and well fleshed out. I just loved reading the 8-year-old princess Catia's POVs. Further, there are 2 famous mythical characters whose sudden appearance in the story was a complete surprise for me.
🧙The ending of the book is perfectly enigmatic, intense, and magical. It leaves plenty of room for further development of the story in the upcoming books and hooked me to continue with the series. I also loved the beautiful character concept arts provided at the end of the book.
Overall the Druid was an enjoyable lite read for me and reminds me of the Sky tv show, Britannia. If you love a fast-paced thrilling adventure set in a historical period then this book is highly recommended.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)
“𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙. 𝘼 𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧-𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚. 𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨.”
🧙Northern Britain, AD 430. When some unknown raiders made a surprise night attack on Dun Buic, Damnonnii tribe king Coroticus discovered his daughter Caita is being abducted by them. Queen Narina is harboring a dark secret regarding Caita which could be the reason for her abduction, but she couldn't share it with anyone. Meanwhile, little princess Caita is been transported by her brutal captors to the south, to the Hanging stone, a spiritually charged monument of Britain where the Saxon king Hengist had already planned a terrible fate for her. However Bellicus, the giant warrior-druid is tasked with hunting down the raiders and rescue the princess. With years of training in the old ways, Cai And Eolas, the 2 war-dogs at his side, and unsurpassed skill with a longsword, Bellicus’s quest will take him on a perilous journey in which he meets brigands, superstitious villagers, a retired roman centurion, and a legendary druid; make new acquaintances and fought in another king's army. But will he really able to rescue the princess single-handedly from the Saxon clutches? or it became too late for the princess to be rescued?
🧙The book -1st in the Warrior Druid of Britain series- set in early medieval Britain when it was constantly threatened by the frequent Saxon invasions; its peoples are divided among various tribes and Christianity and the old ways are struggling for supremacy. It provides a list of place-names of that time, but I feel a map would've been more helpful for the readers to locate them.
🧙The author's writing is simple and flawless. The multiple POVs, the fast pacing narratives, and relentless chases, haunting, battles, duels, and skirmishes keep the reader glued to the last. The old ways of the druids and their position in society is well explored. The only things I didn't like are giving away the secret of the abduction too early and adding new POVs in/after the middle of the book.
🧙Bellicus's character is well-constructed; he is a warrior, an advisor, a healer, a bard, and a spiritual leader all at the same time. Other supporting characters are also interesting to read and well fleshed out. I just loved reading the 8-year-old princess Catia's POVs. Further, there are 2 famous mythical characters whose sudden appearance in the story was a complete surprise for me.
🧙The ending of the book is perfectly enigmatic, intense, and magical. It leaves plenty of room for further development of the story in the upcoming books and hooked me to continue with the series. I also loved the beautiful character concept arts provided at the end of the book.
Overall the Druid was an enjoyable lite read for me and reminds me of the Sky tv show, Britannia. If you love a fast-paced thrilling adventure set in a historical period then this book is highly recommended.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)
December 18, 2021
In the mists of modern day Scotland, Saxon warriors steal a princess – believed to be intended for a sacrificial ceremony or something equally heinous. It is up to our main character, the huge warrior druid Bellicus, to get her back. He sets out alone, with his two trusty hounds at his side and the story follows his travels tracking this Saxon warband.
The author does excellently in setting the scene and capturing how Britain would have looked in the time period; interspersed settlements, where news travels slowly and people are suspicious of outsiders, and power is fractured and regionalised. This is against the backdrop of a growing Saxon presence and the spread of Christianity from the South. Both are a threat to the traditions of the isle, its people clinging onto a culture and home ripe for conquest in a newly post-Roman landscape.
Bellicus has the right amount of morality and brutality to be believable in a dog-eat-dog environment in which the sword is sometimes the only message to be understood by. Although the Saxons are the primary antagonists of the story and live by the same rule of the sword, we get Saxon chapters to show that they are human, just like the Britons on the other side; some good, some bad – all trying to survive and carve their place within the world. We get an insight into their own culture, the suspicions and fear of the native druids’ power despite a belief in Woden and the old Germanic mythologies.
McKay has a talent for keeping the action going whilst also building a wider picture so that you want to read more from the series and become invested in the story. What drives it is Bellicus’s determination and it helps that sharing the page with him is an enjoyable experience; a character you can really get behind and will to defeat these Saxon invaders.
It’s not the most in-depth, sprawling tale with intricate converging plotlines and several POV characters but its strength is its pacing and the amount of action; it doesn’t mess around with trying to tell a 300 page story in 600 pages. Despite this, it isn’t overly linear and straightforward – there are some great characters and the foundations set for the series to continue going places after this book.
We have a nice take on Arthur and Merlin (or the Merlin as he’s described here – part of the Druid’s order and together a resistance against the growing Saxon occupation) and an ally in the form of the retired Roman Centurion Duro, who has had stayed behind in Britain to live a quiet life as a baker.
You could read this as a one-off story as it does have a satisfying conclusion but I would recommend reading on with book two, Song of the Centurion, which I’m going to be doing as there is a lot of set up for further exciting events to come.
I hope you enjoyed the review and perhaps found a book that suits your tastes, thanks for reading!
The author does excellently in setting the scene and capturing how Britain would have looked in the time period; interspersed settlements, where news travels slowly and people are suspicious of outsiders, and power is fractured and regionalised. This is against the backdrop of a growing Saxon presence and the spread of Christianity from the South. Both are a threat to the traditions of the isle, its people clinging onto a culture and home ripe for conquest in a newly post-Roman landscape.
Bellicus has the right amount of morality and brutality to be believable in a dog-eat-dog environment in which the sword is sometimes the only message to be understood by. Although the Saxons are the primary antagonists of the story and live by the same rule of the sword, we get Saxon chapters to show that they are human, just like the Britons on the other side; some good, some bad – all trying to survive and carve their place within the world. We get an insight into their own culture, the suspicions and fear of the native druids’ power despite a belief in Woden and the old Germanic mythologies.
McKay has a talent for keeping the action going whilst also building a wider picture so that you want to read more from the series and become invested in the story. What drives it is Bellicus’s determination and it helps that sharing the page with him is an enjoyable experience; a character you can really get behind and will to defeat these Saxon invaders.
It’s not the most in-depth, sprawling tale with intricate converging plotlines and several POV characters but its strength is its pacing and the amount of action; it doesn’t mess around with trying to tell a 300 page story in 600 pages. Despite this, it isn’t overly linear and straightforward – there are some great characters and the foundations set for the series to continue going places after this book.
We have a nice take on Arthur and Merlin (or the Merlin as he’s described here – part of the Druid’s order and together a resistance against the growing Saxon occupation) and an ally in the form of the retired Roman Centurion Duro, who has had stayed behind in Britain to live a quiet life as a baker.
You could read this as a one-off story as it does have a satisfying conclusion but I would recommend reading on with book two, Song of the Centurion, which I’m going to be doing as there is a lot of set up for further exciting events to come.
I hope you enjoyed the review and perhaps found a book that suits your tastes, thanks for reading!
August 27, 2019
Steven A. McKay, author of the Forest Lord series about Robin Hood, tries his hand at a new character and a new time period with The Druid.
It's McKay's custom to deliver lots of action in his novels and The Druid is no exception. I think this may be his most action-packed novel so far. There are battles, raids, duels, skirmishes and chases throughout and the pacing of the novel reflects this; it's a fast-moving read.
As for the druid himself, Bellicus, McKay has created a strong protagonist who arrives fully-formed, trained, battle-ready and with a strong skill-set, but, as the novel shows, with plenty of room for development and character growth. He also has a spirituality that matches his profession as a druid. Aside from Bellicus, McKay also develops a cast of interesting supporting characters on both sides of the story's conflict.
The world of post-Roman Britain as devised by McKay is a dream setting for action stories. There are few definitive written records of the period and historians put forth multiple possible theories about what was going on at the time, leaving an author almost a free hand at invention. With the political and military rivalries of the Picts, the Dalriadans, the Alt Clotans, the Saxons and the Britons of the southern kingdoms, not to mention the religious rivalries between the Old Way of the Druids, the Christians of the south, the pantheon of the Saxons and even the vestiges of pagan Roman worship, there's plenty of conflict to generate great stories. As I was reading, I observed plenty of material here to generate sequels that could keep Bellicus busy for quite some time to come and I'm sure McKay has plans.
The druid order itself is explored believably based on what little I've read of Celts and druids. The idea that they are part-bard and part-priest is effectively developed within the framework of the story. We meet other members of this order, not just Bellicus, and these examples effectively demonstrate their place in their society. I'm not sure that real druids were warriors, but there's no reason a druid couldn't be as skilled as Bellicus following the manner in which the story suggests. The reasons for his war-training may be hidden in the character's mysterious past which I suspect will be mined in future instalments.
I heartily recommend this adventure from Steven A. McKay--I think it's his best novel yet--and I want to congratulate him for starting a new series which looks like it has the potential to outgrow and outshine even his successful Forest Lord series.
The narration by Nick Denton is very effective and he voices different characters and accents very well.
It's McKay's custom to deliver lots of action in his novels and The Druid is no exception. I think this may be his most action-packed novel so far. There are battles, raids, duels, skirmishes and chases throughout and the pacing of the novel reflects this; it's a fast-moving read.
As for the druid himself, Bellicus, McKay has created a strong protagonist who arrives fully-formed, trained, battle-ready and with a strong skill-set, but, as the novel shows, with plenty of room for development and character growth. He also has a spirituality that matches his profession as a druid. Aside from Bellicus, McKay also develops a cast of interesting supporting characters on both sides of the story's conflict.
The world of post-Roman Britain as devised by McKay is a dream setting for action stories. There are few definitive written records of the period and historians put forth multiple possible theories about what was going on at the time, leaving an author almost a free hand at invention. With the political and military rivalries of the Picts, the Dalriadans, the Alt Clotans, the Saxons and the Britons of the southern kingdoms, not to mention the religious rivalries between the Old Way of the Druids, the Christians of the south, the pantheon of the Saxons and even the vestiges of pagan Roman worship, there's plenty of conflict to generate great stories. As I was reading, I observed plenty of material here to generate sequels that could keep Bellicus busy for quite some time to come and I'm sure McKay has plans.
The druid order itself is explored believably based on what little I've read of Celts and druids. The idea that they are part-bard and part-priest is effectively developed within the framework of the story. We meet other members of this order, not just Bellicus, and these examples effectively demonstrate their place in their society. I'm not sure that real druids were warriors, but there's no reason a druid couldn't be as skilled as Bellicus following the manner in which the story suggests. The reasons for his war-training may be hidden in the character's mysterious past which I suspect will be mined in future instalments.
I heartily recommend this adventure from Steven A. McKay--I think it's his best novel yet--and I want to congratulate him for starting a new series which looks like it has the potential to outgrow and outshine even his successful Forest Lord series.
The narration by Nick Denton is very effective and he voices different characters and accents very well.
April 15, 2019
A reasonable romp through the dark ages - some rather tedious historical padding, a few minor inconsistencies (mentions of use of saddles in one group who turn out to all be on foot throughout their journey, one person saying something, then another person reported as saying it the next chapter). Lack of attention to detail really, which is strange because one detail which has WAY too much attention is the author’s obsession with the size of the main character Belicus, who is apparently very tall. My goodness he’s tall. He is a giant of a man. Taller than anyone else. Did I mention that he is of above average height?
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