The Wall

Marcus Flavius Victor #1

by Douglas Jackson

AD 400. Rome and its Empire are failing . . .

Veteran cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor sets out with his regiment to make what may be his final tour of the forts along Hadrian's Wall.

Through a combination of military prowess, brutality and bribery, Marcus has spent twenty years keeping the savage Picts at bay. Feared by his enemies and hated by his superiors, his strength of will is the only thing that has held the disgruntled, poorly paid garrisons of the Wall in place as the failing Roman Empire's grip on Britannia weakened.

Yet as this tour of the wall progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that this is more than a routine inspection. Why is Marcus stripping the defences of cavalry to strengthen his own force? Is he negotiating with the Picts - or conspiring with them? And who is the mysterious figure who follows Marcus' every move and yet hides in the shadows?

Segeduno, Cilurno, Brocolitia, Vindolanda: each fort holds memories and friendships, hides rivals, or conceals enemies. But what exactly is Marcus Flavius Victor's ultimate objective? It would appear he is willing to risk bloody civil war in a bid to seize Britannia for himself? Or is he raising an army to save the province from the darkness that waits on the other side of the Wall?

Hailed as one of our very best historical novelists, Douglas Jackson returns to the world of ancient Rome with this epic novel of a failing empire and a world on the brink . . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, War, Roman

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2022

About the author

Aka James Douglas

Douglas Jackson turned a lifelong fascination for Rome and the Romans into his first novel, Caligula. He was born in Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders and now lives in Bridge of Allan. He is an assistant editor at The Scotsman.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place in 400 AD within Brittania. As you might have already guessed from the title, the events occur around Hadrian's Wall. Rome is on the decline, and the military force, including auxiliaries, stationed at the Wall is understrength. The Picts plan to take advantage of this fact and wipe out the Romans.

As the book begins we meet the prefect, Marcus Flavius Victor. For his own reasons, he decides to conduct an inspection of the troops the entire length of the Wall. He interacts with his sister, some subordinates, some peers, and some superiors. Like usual in most stories dealing with ancient Rome, there is a lot of chicanery, backstabbing, political maneuvering and plotting.

Marcus holds his secrets close to his chest. As a result, I didn't like him for a fair portion of the book. His actions seemed shady and I couldn't figure out what exactly he was up to. As a matter of fact, I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on all around! Relying on the various chararacters' words and actions was fruitless since loyalties and allegiances changed like an elaborate game of musical chairs! Musical Motives, too. It wasn't until about three-quarters of the way through that things started to gel and became more clear. And even after that point, there were still plot and/or character surprises. The last hundred pages or so were much better, and ended shortly after the battle against the Picts.

Good book for those interested in Romans, Picts, and/or Hadrian's Wall. This may require some patience, but it pays off in the end!

[Adam Lofthouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Douglas Jackson never seems to disappoint, and this new one from him is an instant hit.

Set on Hadrian's Wall in the dying days of the western empire, we meet Marcus Flavius Victor, Lord of the Wall, and the man responsible for keeping Britain safe from the Picts. The book opens with a brutal example of Roman justice, as Victor attacks and defeats a band of Pictish raiders, cutting the hands from those that surrender to his will. It sets the tone for the book, and instantly draws you into the story.

Victor is a good character, an old and scarred warrior, haunted by a past in which he has buried two men he called father. He leads a band of horsemen, touring the Wall from coast to coast, gathering men as he goes. He does not tell a soul why he is gathering such a force; crumbs are dropped throughout the story, but it is not until two thirds in that we can see what he sees.

The Picts are coming south, driven on by an ambitious queen. A vast host, such as Rome has not faced in twenty years, and Victor must battle the bureaucracy of a decaying and outdated empire, as well his enemies in the north, in order to see his mission through.

There are other nuggets nestled in to the plot, such as the identity of Victor's father and the fate of his own estranged son, but I'll give no further details away for fear of spoiling the book for others. What I will say is that this book is the latest in a long line of examples of why Douglas Jackson is one of the best in the business. He breathes life into a dying world with seemingly such ease, painting a picture of what it was to be a citizen of an empire losing its grip on power. A must read for all historical fiction fans.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Douglas Jackson writes the most stunning and insightful Roman military fiction. There is a depth to his characters that really pulls me to these books and I'm delighted to see his return after a break with The Wall, set, as you would expect, on Hadrian's Wall. These are the dying days of the empire, with the Wall's forts tumbling and decaying. Allegiances are changing. It's a fascinating period, not often covered, and Jackson portrays it impeccably. There is also a great deal of action and some of the violence that would have characterised life on this lethal border. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.

[Shane Findlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very pleasant introduction to Jackson. Will read more of his work. 4⭐️

[Jo Merrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, different from what I usually read the cover caught my eye. Glad I read it

[Craig Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic read

[Jeff Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book - but then that's true of every one of the author's books that I've read. Brutal and nicely paced, this book was everything I hoped it would be.

[MT · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a lot of Roman fiction over the years and Douglas Jackson still finds a way to keep it fresh. The Wall pulled me right into that cold and brutal frontier in AD 400, when the empire is crumbling and the soldiers left behind are forgotten men. Marcus Flavius Victor is a scarred old cavalry commander who knows how to use fear, bribery, and hard steel to hold the Wall together. The story has a real sense of grit, the forts and the wild land beyond come alive, and the politics behind Victor’s decisions kept me turning pages to see what he was really after.

This is not just another sword and sandals tale, it feels more real. The violence is harsh but never overdone, and the tension with the Picts and the empire’s weakness is always there. I enjoyed how every fort they visited had ghosts from the past, rivals, and hidden enemies. By the time the truth is revealed about what Victor is building toward, I was hooked and it all made sense. Overall this is a fantastic read for anyone who loves Roman military stories. Highly recomended.

[Bert van der Vaart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just before I started our 6 day hike across Hadrian's Wall, I bought Douglas Jackson's book on the Wall--or more accurately on the last days of the Romans in Britain and how the Roman soldiers on the Wall were able--for a time at any rate--defend the Britain south of the Wall from the Picts and their sundry allies. The book does a great job in describing both the politics involved in a Rome which is torn by personal greed, decadence, and apathy--which has largely left Britain except for the apparently ever increasing taxes it seeks to extract from that country. The Wall--Hadrian's Wall--is largely manned by local auxiliaries managed by a diminishing force of Romans (and even within the "Romans", an increasing number of "Romans" born in Britain, where the "Roman blood" as it were is less and less "Roman" and more and more "British".

Marcus Flavius Victor is a bastard--which is to say the illegitimate son of a British woman and a Roman general and later for a time the Emperor of Britain before Romans from the continent fought and killed him. In 400 AD he is the Lord of the Wall--the military commander in charge of maintaining the Wall and keeping the Picts out. The Picts--who are tattooed as chronicles of their individual achievements/valor--have been gaining in strength and numbers, even as the "Roman" contingent is declining and underequipped. While the order and civilization of the Romans has generally led to greater economic growth and stability than that of the Picts--who reign over poorer land with less clear ownership and technology. Rome takes its taxes, and if there is a poor harvest north of the Wall, the Picts and their allies seek to rape and plunder from the settlers "protected" by Rome.

Marcus is a ruthless Lord of the Wall--but ruthless in order to increase the perceived cost to the Picts of their raids, given that he nor the Roman legions can be everywhere at once--even with the Wall. As the book starts, Marcus and his soldiers have to face one such marauding horde and do so with a particularly gruesome lesson--by cutting the hands off each soldier but one, whom they send back with the message to stay north of the border.

These tactics seem to provide a certain balance--that and the constant "deals" Marcus must make with various border tribes which are distinct from the Picts and the Scots. But Marcus is not happy with the way things are declining. He sets out to teach the new queen of the Picts--Briga--a strong woman, who keeps 3 wolves as her pets and is not afraid of being equally gruesome (although one suspects she does so not only for a lesson to be taught her observing followers, but also because she seems to enjoy seeing torture and abasement of her enemies. But how?

Marcus sets out for a tour of the Wall, beginning at Segedunum (today's Walls End)--at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall--and at each major fort, requisitioning especially cavalry officers. He seems to leave these first behind dangerously low on manpower and even food. His game is to entice Briga to attacking the weakened forts and moving faster and further to the richer cities that are England's jewels, notably York and the south.

Or is this his goal? We see Marcus also desperate to restore traditional strength and order, merit and integrity--rule not only in Britain but throughout the Roman empire. Will Marcus decide to take London and mobilize like minded soldiers to join him?

Jackson leads us on with this difficult choice always in Marcus' head--even as battle with the Picts approaches. A former journalist, Jackson presents the political forces and intrigues as well as the battle strategies--on and off the battlefield--in a very clear and credible manner. It turns out all options need to be on the table in war if success is desired. And this means political, personal, and military strategical--all woven together while taking the reader through much of the Wall and through the complex politics of mature empires. Interestingly with respect to the EU, US or even Western "order", Jackson points at the problems an empire is likely to experience as it stops growing, and as its rulers trade off their empire's good for their personal gains.

One passage may be worth noting: "Did Dulcitius (the Commander of the Military for all Britain) actually believe this nonsense? Perhaps he did. She [Marcus's half-sister] had known men so arrogant and bereft of self-awareness that, for them, the truth was whatever emerged from their mouths. . If their next words contradicted it, those became the truth in their turn...."

Jackson also is adept at characterizing the many nations represented at the Wall, including an important number of German mercenaries. He notes: "German was an all-encompassing title which took in at least a dozen tribes from east of the Rhenus (Rhine) who shared, more or less, a similar language that Marcus likened to a dog barking."

There is one fairly explicit and gratuitous sex scene (maybe 1 page long) near the beginning of the book--it seems an aberration and could cause some readers to think the book could be a "historically linked bodice ripper"--it is not and I would encourage readers interested in politics, military strategy and the Hadrian's Wall to continue reading for they will be happy to do so. For bodice ripping book lovers, you should seek elsewhere.



A fascinating book on many levels, but maybe especially for those walking the Hadrian's Wall.

[John Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

A brand new character and what a character he is. Marcus Flavius Victor, son of an emperor or usurper, depends on your point of view. A flawed character, aren't we all? Title of lord of the wall.
Devious and charming, Marcus will do anything to achieve his aims. In this case, is what he's doing for the good of Rome or the good of Marcus. Brilliantly written and addictive from the first chapter. A cracking novel.

[Kevin Burnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent book. it keeps you guessing to the end.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent Roman historical adventure is another sublime winner from the Scottish author, Douglas Jackson.

Storytelling is superb, all characters are lifelike, the interaction between these figures very believable, while the circumstances and its people at this time of history are wonderfully pictured and described.

At the beginning of the book you'll find some useful information concerning this book, such as an Author's Note with Place Names, there's a well-drawn map of Hadrian's Wall at around AD400, followed by a Dramatis Personae, with finally a phrase from Gildas the Wise.

At the back you'll notice a very well documented Historical Note, followed by a Glossary to make this book more complete historically wise, while the story itself is divided into various chapters, starting with Earth, followed with Stone, Iron, Silver, Fire, Ice, Fog, Decay, Dust, Sweat, and finally Blood.

This book is about Marcus Flavius Victor, who's blood-father was Magnus Maximus, and his adoptive father, Brenus, who's now the "Lord of the Wall", fictional name, of Hadrian's Wall in AD400, and he has devised a scheme to fulfil his dream of gaining more power.

Within this secret scheme of Marcus Flavius Victor, he'll be able to make some friends but also enemies within and without his fellow Romans, and the same can be said with some of the Kings close to the Wall, but not with the Picts from the far North, and so he has to play his cards right to try to make his grans scheme come true.

What is to follow is a marvellous and intriguing Roman historical adventure, where loyalty and treason, heroics and backstabbing, truth and deceit, and last but not least cunning and deception will bring this enterprise of Marcus towards a clash against the Picts of Queen Briga, that will make or destroy his reputation as a true Roman in a fragile Roman Empire.

Highly recommended, for this is a top-class Roman novel, look forward to the next instalment, with plenty of human action and great battle scenes, and with at its centre with all its splendour and frailties, a frontier that's called Hadrian's Wall, and because of all these wonderful ingredients I like to call to call this magnificent piece: "A Glorious Roman Frontier Defence"!

[Brian Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading novels set in Roman Britain since I was a child and read Rosemary Sutcliff's excellent books. When I came across this novel and saw that it was set in the time of the Emperor Honorius, shortly before Britain became independent, I decided to give a try. I wasn't disappointed and found it to be an excellent read.

Set along Hadrian's Wall and the region round about, at a time when the Picti are threatening to cross the Wall and attack the prosperous south of Britain, one man and the limited forces available to him are all that stand in their way. Marcus Flavius Victor is that man. I'm not going to reveal the plot, so you'll have to read it yourself. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If you like well written, well researched novels with strong characters and an excellent storyline , then this is one to read. I've read some stuffy, boring novels set in Roman Britain, but this novel held my attention and kept me guessing until the very last page. In fact it would make a great film or TV series. I can highly recommend it and hope there will be a third novel in the Marcus Flavius Victor series.

[Doug Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

AD 400 During the dying days of the empire, the wall forts are undermanned, under financed and decaying or in ruin, and with Dark clouds gathering beyond the horizon , its up to the Lord of the wall the protector, to hold against this coming storm using all his skill and cunning . wow Douglas Jackson just finished your book the wall in two days couldn't put it down , well what can i say such a brilliant book full of intrigue deception and intricate twists in the story line .some great action and an epic battle , the research into the planning and the detail of the strategy and tactics was breathtaking,such an amazing book, highly recommend it to historical fiction fans Has i read this via audible i must mention the Narrator Matt Bates who did the magnificent audio for this book giving characters extra characteristics .

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the waning days of the Roman Empire--5th century--Marcus Flavius Victor is the Lord of the Wall. This title means he is in charge of all Hadrian's Wall. So why does he, on ostensibly an inspection tour, gather cavalrymen from the forts to himself, stripping the forts of manpower? What is his object? Is he trying to set himself up as another usurper or does he have something else in mind? This a new Roman novel by Mr. Jackson, who has proven to be one of the masters of the genre, both in writing power and style and in research? I did wonder at the fact of Marcus's half-sister being in the story. I discount her sexual dalliance with the medicus [which I felt could have been left out], but I guess there were a couple of incidents where a brother wouldn't have moved the story along and it wouldn't have had the conclusion it did without her acting as catalyst.

[GBL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wall is set in Roman Britain in AD400 in the final days of the Roman occupation of the island. Marcus Flavius Victor is The Lord of the Wall, charged with defending Hadrian’s Wall against the various tribes north of the Roman province.

A new Pictish Queen, Briga, success in uniting the various tribes in the North, with the aim of invading the Roman province south of the Wall. Marcus recognises the threat to Roman power and plans to halt the invasion, but his preparations seem designed to enhance his own power. Can Marcus maintain his grip on power and stop the invasion?

Douglas Jackson is an established writer about Rome, but acknowledges that he is writing about a whole new context as he explores the late period of Roman rule in Britain. The second book with the further adventures of Marcus is The Barbarian and it’s next on my reading list.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

I liked the concept but this novel lacked depth - some of the dialogue and situations had me rolling my eyes. Usually I can't put books down and devour them in 1-2 days. This was a slow nightly read - I wanted to know what happened but a couple of chapters at a time was enough.

Perhaps the Sertorious scrolls by Vincent B. Davies have spoiled me - that standard is now what I expect from all Roman fiction.

[Keith Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now for something different !

The whole story took on many twists and turns and far from the average story line of life & time on Hadrian's Wall.
Corruption from top to bottom in the Roman hiarachy was by far the greatest enemy within Roman times.
It took men & women of vision to beat the system, although flying so close to the wind can get you murdered
Great plot & highly recommended read

[Ernest Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Ok so I didn't remember the Roman names for the towns and rivers and places. It would probably have made more sense in understanding the overall plot. I would have been able to visualise the geography of the setting. In the end I was so carried away with the story told so graphically with technical expertise and more importantly graphic passion that it was more than enough. Well written I enjoyed it all

[Louise Fincham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb historian who has written an exciting and fascinating novel about the final days of Rome in Britain, centered especially around the defence against the Picts, Hadrian’s Wall. I have just finished a novel by this author centred in Warsaw and its invasion in WW2 by the Nazis. I wasn’t sure whether a novel featuring a Roman veteran cavalry commander would be particularly appealing. It was throughly engrossing and I enjoyed it very much.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Douglas Jackson doing what he does best, great to be back with Marous Flavius Victor who has spent the last twenty years keeping the Pictish tribes at bay on Hadrian`s Wall. Douglas Jackson is a master of storytelling, and the Wall is superbly written and packed with historical detail and superb battle scenes that had me page turning late into the night.

[Álvaro Castillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel and the way it carries you back to Britain in the times of the late Roman Empire.

Nevertheless, the character of Queen Briga is developed and portrayed in such a ferocious way that the final battle feels a bit underwhelming.

Overall, a nice read for any fans of historical fiction.

[Mark Speed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable, well-written, well-researched novel set around northern Roman Britain. The story itself is very compelling, and keeps you guessing with some clever twists. I spent my childhood and early adulthood in that part of the world and it was fascinating to follow the action. The author is clearly passionate about his subject, and he brings a credible Roman Britain to life.

[F.Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

the Wall

A fine book of my home area ,I was born and lived near the wall ,good now to hear a excellent description of battles there.
Probably not true but an excellent read of the weapons and bravery of both sides
To be drafted there in winter by those mostly Mediterranean soldiers must have been sheer Hell.
Well recommended

[David Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of the Roman wall

A great read and a good study of the Roman wall . The names of the garrisons along the wall and the soldiers who manned
them brings it more real. There is plenty of political intrigue to add to the story and also the coming battle with the Scots.

[Steven Rundlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Douglas Jackson never disappoints!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kurt Vanwezer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wauw another great book by Douglas Jackson. Can't wait to read the second book.

[anthony baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wall

An interesting take on the end of the Roman occupation in Britannia. The characters are insightful and compelling as are their action. A good read.

[Gary B Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Line in the Sand

Excellent read that continues the earlier, great reads of Jackson.
Well write, strong characters and a great anti hero. What more do you want?