Recently read…

Eagle of the Ninth, the first part of the Three Legions omnibus. I bought this about 15 years ago and haven’t read it since my first reading back then. I did a Young Adults elective when I did library studies , but there’s not much call for a YA collection in a VET sector library. I’ve also decided to revisit some old favourites to see whether they still hold up for me.

Marcus Aquila is invalided out of the legions after a revolt in the second century. Accompanied by a British slave (who he manumits), he heads north to look for the lost eagle of his father’s legion, lost during an expedition to the north. He hopes to find the eagle and to have his father’s legion re-formed.

Sutcliff’s characters, Roman and British alike are drawn sympathetically. Her descriptions of the Roman south and the and the land beyond Hadrian’s Wall are all well drawn. Aquila’s quest fills out details of his father’s last campaign, and helps him define his place in the world.

This still held up for me after 15+ years. It was a nice re-acquaintance with an old friend.