Tag: historical fiction

Book Review: BOUDICA: DREAMING THE SERPENT SPEAR lands an epic saga

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

What a series.

Manda Scott’s fourth novel in the Boudica series, Dreaming the Serpent Spear, was a fantastic ending to an epic saga about Boudica’s rise and rebellion against the Roman Empire in Britannia.

Where book one primarily covered how Breaca, daughter of the royal bloodline of the Eceni, rose to become a warrior and leader of her people, books two and three dove into the characters’ their internal struggles and the manifestations of their various choices on and off the battlefield, casting some of them far afield, with no apparent hope of ever reuniting.

Dreaming the Serpent Spear managed to bring many of the main characters’ arcs colliding back in a final clash to decide their individual fates, and that of the Celtic and druidic peoples of Britainnia.

Author Manda Scott treated the lingering trauma of Breaca and Graine with care while demonstrating their growth as individuals and in their relationship as mother and daughter. Other characters, like Cunomar, Sigve, Valerius, and Corvus also stretched and grew into their own – at times surprising – fitting ends.

The sense of dread throughout this read forced me to a slower pace. Knowing that Rome occupied Britannia for another century-plus after the timeframe of this novel meant that I did not expect a happy ending. I didn’t want to see beloved characters die in battle or languish in imprisonment.

However, I think Scott deftly navigated the brutality and desperation of the final battle and brought the characters’ stories to worthy resolution.

This series is absolutely worth a re-read and will sit among my favorite novels on this historical period.

Steve D


Book Review: BOUDICA: DREAMING THE HOUND

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

As expected from my earlier goals post, I finished Boudica: Dreaming the Hound, the third book of this series by Manda Scott, and am well on my way with the fourth.

I’ve already reviewed books one and two.

As book three of a four-book series, it was not too surprising to find that Dreaming the Hound had a minor case of middle book syndrome. The plot dragged a bit more than its predecessors, and both the characters and the reader are left waiting for momentous changes to happen: the Roman invasion of Mona, for instance.

Even still, there was some interesting character development in this story, particularly for Valerius and Cunomar. Valerius steps into his redemption arc, while Cunomar finally takes some initiative to become the warrior for which he has always overreached.

The ending of Breaca’s time with the Eceni, under Roman rule, comes swiftly and shockingly. I will spare the details, but the confrontational sequence towards the end of this arc is brutal and traumatic. Its purpose in the story is to portray what little historical evidence there exists for these events, as explained by Scott in the afterword. In the moment, though, it left a poor feeling.

I am still definitely enjoying this series overall, but I was somewhat relieved for this book to be over. Given Scott’s deft plot development and skilled character building, I was also optimistic to begin the fourth and final installment. That optimism has already paid off, and I’m greatly looking forward to seeing how this epic series ends.

Steve D

Book Review: BOUDICA: DREAMING THE BULL

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

As anticipated from my review of Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott, I quickly picked up and pored through book two of this series.

I actually finished reading (listening to) Boudica: Dreaming the Bull at the end of May, but I’m just now getting around to posting my review.

Everything I loved about the first book – the writer’s elegant prose, the depth of historical world-building, the poignant interplay of the characters’ dialogue and gestures – carried through in book two.

While I missed spending as much time with Breaca as in the first novel, I was surprised and riveted by the stories of some of the other characters. The continued fall into darkness of Julius Velarius was not what I had looked forward to about this novel, but his chapters were compelling.

Scott did an excellent job showing how one can empathize with Julius, even when one disagrees with and even despises the choices he makes. His tragedy becomes the centerpiece for this book that still carries the reader through, without bogging them down in despair or anger. Those emotions are certainly felt, but they don’t hold back enjoyment of the wider story. Dubornos was another surprisingly interesting character in this novel.

This book was enjoyable overall. The consistency in writing style and attention to detail is a testament to Scott’s skill as a writer. As of this writing, I’m already 75% done with book three.

Steve D

Book Review: BOUDICA: DREAMING THE EAGLE and intricate narratives

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

Among my greatest literary addictions is historical fiction, especially that of pre-Norman Britain. Thus, it was only a matter of time before I came across, immediately bought, and read Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle, by Manda Scott.

This is the epic telling of Boudica, the Warrior Queen of the Celts who led the Celtic tribes of Britain against Rome’s second invasion in the first century BCE.

One of my favorite acknowledgments of this book is when Scott describes that very little – almost nothing, in fact – is actually known about who Boudica was, so most of the story of her life, her family, and the people whose lives she influenced are fictional.

Even still, this is a period in history that is so well-researched that the world comes to life from the very first chapter. Scott fully acknowledges the immensity of historical and archaeological resources and experts she leans on to construct this work. The payoff is a style of world-building and character-driven exposition that feels organic and does not overwhelm the reader yet completely envelops them.

The story generally follows the young Boudica – before she earns that title – and various members of her tribe as they prepare for the Roman legions to return to their shores. The characters’ connection to each other, through inter-tribal politics and vows of personal honor, drive the emotional weight of the story.

This book has brutal depictions of war, but Scott deftly works around the gory details to paint the tapestry of a battle from the perceptions of those involved. The reader can see the battle play out in their mind’s eye but does not need to be told about every stroke of a blade or every spurt of blood. The horrors of war are apparent without being gratuitous.

Scott’s narrative is incredibly detailed with not a single word or metaphor wasted. Her prose is elegant and precise, where dialogue between characters does not have to reveal every single thought in order to convey deep meaning.

This is flat out one of the best epic novels I’ve read. I’m already reading book two, Boudica: Dreaming the Bull.

Steve D

Book Review: WAR OF THE WOLF has points of interest, falls flat

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I’m working my way through the final three books of Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series. War of the Wolf posits an interesting question: what sorts of adventures / wars does Lord Uhtred get drawn into after he’s achieved his ultimate goal?

The answer, it seems, is getting tricked into fighting a war in someone else’s land.

While I always enjoy The Last Kingdom series to some extent, this installment felt too formulaic. The book opens with Uhtred outside of Bebbanburg, the nigh impenetrable fortress of which he is lord, for a dubious reason. Someone lured him there with a lie to try to ambush and kill him. Without giving away any spoilers, the rest of the narrative follows with similarly dubious decision-making by our usually cunning Uhtred.

There were some notable emotional stakes here that helped Uhtred’s individual development, and his fealty to King Sigtryggr of Eoforwic makes for some interesting politics. Aethelstan remains a compelling character, but his presence in this story merely feels like set-up for future stories.

This was not my favorite story in this series, but it was still entertaining.

Steve D

Book Review: THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY winds through a meticulous plot

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I recently finished listening to The Great Train Robbery, by Michael Crichton, on audiobook. This is the second Crichton novel I’ve read, having started with Jurassic Park a couple years ago.

The Great Train Robbery is wholly different from Jurassic Park in both style and tone, but the level of detail and research poured into it is an obvious hallmark of Crichton’s I’ve already recognized.

This story recounts in meticulous detail the plot to pull off the greatest heist yet seen in Victorian England: the aptly named Great Train Robbery, masterminded by Edward Pierce in 1855.

The Great Train Robbery was a fascinating story combining court testimony of Edward Pierce’s trial, narrative dramatization of Pierce’s planning of the robbery, and historical context for Victorian England.

Because the story starts off with Edward Pierce giving his testimony in court, the suspense of this story comes from Pierce’s planning of the heist and the final outcome. While it’s obvious he had been caught and arrested, how the heist plays out, how Pierce was caught, and the result of the trial are all left as mysteries until the final chapters.

I found that I particularly enjoyed Crichton’s tangents into the culture and society of Victorian England surrounding the robbery and trial, even if these sometimes felt a little too far afield of the primary story. These sections reinforced my interest in Victorian England from a historical and sociocultural context that I’ve grown into recently. Crichton writes this story with the inquisitive eye and narrative flourish of an investigative journalist, which lends itself to a sweeping narrative that deftly weaves direct readings of the original court testimony with dramatized scenes of Pierce and his accomplices playing out their plot over the course of many months.

Narrator Michael Kitchens recounts the story like a documentary, seeming to speak directly to the listener and invite them into understanding every detail of Crichton’s meticulous research.

Although there were some moments of suspense, I was not necessarily riveted by the story. Still, I quite enjoyed its style and detail.

Steve D

Book Review: THE FLAME BEARER stumbles to a satisfying ending

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The Flame Bearer is the tenth book in Bernard Cornwell’s The Last Kingdom series, and it caps off a run of faster-paced stories in over the last few novels.

In this installment, Uhtred sees the budding rivalries between the West Saxons, the Danes, and the Scots in Northumbria as both a threat and an opportunity for his claim to Bebbanburg. acts on his ambitions from the previous story (Warriors of the Storm), and the result is a brutal battle.

Leading up to the climax, Uhtred blunders his way from one step to the next, always with some semblance of a plan in mind, but loose enough for the reader to think he’s on his way to disaster. As I was reading, this felt like an intentional plot point where Uhtred’s confidence leads to drastic measures for him to gather information. In retrospect, I think these sections were a little questionable.

Uhtred has shown in the past that his overconfidence or his desperation can cause him to act quickly, if not wisely. These chapters just felt a little out of character for the older, wiser Uhtred we’ve come to know. I’m okay with chalking it up to his desperation to retake Bebbanburg, though.

I also enjoyed seeing a few younger characters get more time and development on the page. Aethelstan has quickly grown into my favorite character, and his transition from a supposed bastard into a Prince of Wessex is fully realized here in the initiative he takes in the final act and the ultimate leadership he shows on the battlefield. Uhtred the younger also displays the cunning, bravery, and ferocity he’s learned from his father in surprising ways.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It followed a familiar formula from previous books, but that is to be expected by this point in the series. I still feel like I’m learning something new about Uhtred and some of the other characters with each book, and that’s progress.

Spoiler warning: I was honestly surprised that this was not the final book of the series. However, I think Cornwell has laid the groundwork with the story of the Flame Bearer in previous novels well enough that this story does not feel like a sudden turn. I’m excited to see what further developments come in future books. Spoilers end.

Steve D

Book Review: WARRIORS OF THE STORM

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

I’ve continued my listening to The Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell with Warriors of the Storm. This 9th entrant in The Last Kingdom series really brought all of the elements I enjoy about this story together.

In this story, Uhtred has entered his second “prime” as a lord serving Aethelflaed, the Lady of Mercia.

Uhtred has reestablished his relationships with his children and the young Aethelstan, and he builds on these relationships in Warriors of the Storm in meaningful ways, demonstrating that he is no longer the absent father as when his children were younger. He is a father and a leader of young people, who finds young boy servants he knows can learn from him and join the ranks of his warriors as they become men.

Uhtred’s own ambitions have also been reseeded after seeming lost for a time. Through the middle few books of this series, Uhtred appears mostly aimless. He always pines to retake his ancestral home at Bebbanburg, but he has very little idea of how to accomplish that, so he is buffeted from conflict to conflict against a constant tide of new enemies. Warriors of the Storm feels like the first time in several books that Uhtred shows real ambition, where he takes proactive steps to make his claim to Bebbanburg.

This ambition gets Uhtred into some trouble with an army of Norsemen, hearkening back to his younger brasher days. But as a veteran warlord, and with some good allies, he makes his stand.

This story called back a lot of themes from previous stories, helping it feel quite familiar: a Northern threat; a mysterious sorceress; a hair-brained quest; and a last-ditch battle. It was a great story overall that reminded me of why I love this series.

The narration is serviceable, but the tone of this narrator feels underwhelming to me. I suppose nothing compares to the bellowing and growling of Jonathan Keeble, who narrated the first few stories of this series.

Steve D

Book Review: DEATH OF KINGS ages the series gracefully

On By Steven D'AdamoIn On Storytelling, ReviewsLeave a comment

Death of Kings is the sixth book in the series of a thousand names… The Last Kingdom, The Saxon Stories, The Saxon Chronicles… This book serves as a nice change-up for the series at a point where the general arc of each story starts to feel predictable

  1. Uhtred clashes with his liege-lord, King Alfred of Wessex and yearns to be free of his oath.
  2. A Danish lord raises an army an threatens Wessex.
  3. Uhtred meets his army and kills the Dane in battle, bolstering his reputation.

That’s reductive and not really fair to a series I have greatly enjoyed, but it’s not hard to see how some readers might become bored of that type of formula.

Death of Kings plays with that formula a bit to lull both the reader and Uhtred, our protagonist, into a sense of complacency and end on a bit of a surprise. Yes, Uhtred must confront a Danish army, but he is now trying to do so in league with Edward, the newly raised king of Wessex, who is young and well-liked, but untested and uncertain.

The story proceeds and it feels as though our characters are approaching war… but the war doesn’t come. Uhtred is baffled by this, until he realizes a crucial piece of information, and the confrontational battle we’ve come to expect out of these books comes with a unexpected suddenness and a surprising turn of events.

This book is also an interesting advancement of Uhtred and several other characters. We meet an older Uhtred and walk with him through a changing of the guard, so to speak, among the leaders of both Saxon and Dane. There’s a lot of good character work with Uhtred, Aethelflaed, and Edward, and it’s clear that the relationship between these three will be pivotal going forward.

Steven Perring is a good narrator who brings a somewhat wiser and less intense voice to Uhtred. This feels appropriate given Uhtred’s Old Man Status (he’s 45 and describes himself as an old man with a graying beard), although I do miss Jonathan Keeble’s iconic narration from previous installments.

Steve D

See reviews of previous installments in this series here.