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Aug 26, 2009

Mark rated it:

The Mark of the Horse Lord is about a freed gladiator, Phaedrus, in second-century Britain, whose accidental resemblance to the king of the northern tribe of Dalriada involves him in a plot to replace that king and enter into a war with a rival tribe, the Caledones.

As with many of Rosemary Sutcliff’s novels, The Mark of the Horse Lord is beautifully written, her characterization subtle, her sympathies even. Her respect is as great for the Roman fort commander, Titus Hilarius, as it More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 11, 2008

Annie rated it:

If I were sent to a deserted island with as many books as there are fingers on my right hand, this would be one of them. I found this book in its original edition in a small town library over twenty years ago and have sought it out in every library in every town I've been in since. Its that kind of story.

If the heart of a good story is the soul-journey taken by the main character, then this book deserves a place in the canon of great literature because Phaedros' journey is truly epi More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 09, 2011

Basicallyrun rated it:

Just to make things clear at this point: there are no limits to how much I adore Rosemary Sutcliff. I have yet to read a book by her I've disliked, and this one's no exception. That said, I can see why some people hate it (I know my mum would; our tase in books is *very* different) - the weird, inexplicable bonds Phaedrus feels with Midir, Conory and Murna would usually annoy me too, because I'm cynical like that, but in Sutcliff's work, they do tend to fit into the half-supernatural world she c More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 09, 2009

Notechis rated it:

Picked it up for the cover and an ever-unfulfilled wish for fun gladiator adventures. Read the first third, dragged my way across the second, and then skipped to the end to see if it ever got interesting. Did it? Answer: nah.

Tone is tricky when your viewpoint character is a jaded badass. On one hand you want a character that has highs and lows, fears and hopes. On the other, someone who starts the book by shanking his best buddy isn't exactly going to be gasping with shock over dewdr More...

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Oct 16, 2009

Newengland rated it:

Haven't read a Sutcliff? Quit horsing around and get with the program. Her enthusiasts (almost cult-like) say she's one of the best YA historical fiction writers ever. All I can say is, "Sure looks like a book for adults to me!" No, no. Get your mind out of the gutter. This does not mean the book is rife with rape, pillaging, and gore. It's clean. But the writing! I'm sorry, but this lady did not write like any YA fare I'm familiar with "these days." A real "wri More...

4 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jun 18, 2009

LeAnn rated it:

Anyone looking for a truly excellent YA historical read should look no further than Rosemary Sutcliff's The Mark of the Horse Lord, set in the second-century A.D. in Roman Britain, or more accurately in the non-Roman north, beyond the North Wall (the second wall that was north of Hadrian's Wall). MHL is the story of Red Phaedrus, a former slave of mixed Celtic-Greek ancestry who begins the story as a gladiator in a fight against his best friend,Vortimax. He kills Vortimax and thereafter finds hi More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 12, 2011

Cynthia rated it:

Rosemary Sutcliff’s THE MARK OF THE HORSE LORD is a tale set in northern England and Scotland during the Roman Occupation. Phaedrus, a slave-turned gladiator, wins his freedom only to throw it all away when he drunkenly burns down some buildings. Spirited away by an admiring merchant, he enters a very different world, that of the Scottish Clans and their ancient ways of doing things. One clan has a problem. It is time for their Queen to step down, but unfortunately she has done away with the hei More...

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Dec 15, 2008

Laura rated it:

OK... I have a confession to make. I am a real sucker for almost any book by this author, and this is one of her better ones in my opinion. It is written in Sutcliff's usual imaginative style, with "flight-of-fancy" description (you know, the kind that makes you say at first, "What?? That does not make sense to describe ...such and such... that way..." and then you realize that's exactly how it is. I like the way the romance between Murna and Red Phaedrus is an undercurrent o More...

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Jan 29, 2012

Feathzzz rated it:

Interesting. The strongest point had to be the pervasive mood; it was fresh being a kind of lurking dark-wild-pagan amorality. I really liked it and found it highly immersive. The description was just so strong; heady, vivid atmosphere and action sequences brought the story to life. Overall very skillful writing made it an enjoyable read, although I have to say I wasn’t hearing the voice very much, that would probably have to be the weakest point. Maybe a combination of a weaker voice to begin w More...

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Dec 10, 2010

Megan rated it:

Phaedrus is a Celtic slave in Roman-Britain. As a gladiator his one concern is keeping himself alive, even when he is matched against his only friend in a fight to the death. By winning the fight, Phaedrus also wins his wooden foil—freedom and Roman citizenship. But freedom means both less and more than he expected. Frightened by the sudden isolation and loss of direction he feels in his new life, Phaedrus adopts the identity of another—Midir, a deposed tribal prince. Although he only accepts t More...

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May 26, 2011

SA rated it:

This book is basically everything I love about historical fiction wrapped into one exceptional read. It tells the swooping, life changing story of Phaedrus with acumen and subtle passion. Sutcliff totally works within many of the expected structures of the hero's story but manages to make it not only engrossing but new, a real feat for me as a reader who has spent a lifetime consuming such stories.

Highly highly recommended. I can't wait to read this again.

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Jan 07, 2012

Janey rated it:

A couple things: Phaedrus was a stand-up dude, clearly. But I wondered why his final deed as gladiator didn't come back to haunt him more than it did later on. The other thing was Liadhan. For how interesting and relatively complex the key characters were, and the fine attention given to the politics and power games necessary to running kingdoms (see Romans), I'd hoped she'd get an equal(ish) shake. She was assigned the narrow role of The Ultimate Evil & Power-hungry Queen, but not given room to More...

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Jul 04, 2011

Ferox rated it:

An ex-gladiator freedman is persuaded to take the place of a tribal leader fighting a rival tribe in Scotland. More adult than The Eagle of the Ninth in themes and style, but with the same descriptive power, bringing the dark hills to life. It's surprisingly downbeat, however, and there's a sense of futility to it - no clear idea of why one tribe deserves to conquer another, and a clearer idea of why the Romans don't care. The first half is also depressingly misogynistic, but Sutcliff is no fool More...

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Oct 27, 2010

Rachel rated it:

I didn't really like it. I found the paganism to be just a little much. Well-written as usual but I won't recommend this one. It does seem to be geared towards an older audience than some of her other books. If you want to read a Sutcliff, The Lantern Bearers is the best. (But then one could argue that The Eagle of the Ninth and The Silver Branch come before it chronologically...)

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Nov 27, 2010

Reepacheep rated it:

I've been enjoying science fiction and fantasy books lately, and wasn't really in the mood for a historic novel. Since my wife had this out from the library anyway and thought I would enjoy it, I decided to read it until I either got bored or started enjoying it. I am happy to say that the latter proved true.

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Feb 10, 2012

Michele rated it:

I read this when I was ten or eleven and the final scene has stuck with me for...well, I won't say how many years. The writing is clear and spare, the story engrossing, the historical details fascinating, and the main character sympathetic, lively and three-dimensional. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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Jan 03, 2010

Angelyn rated it:

This is one of my all time favorite books. Rosemary Sutcliff writes about Roman Britain. This one takes a look at the Pagan tribes North of Hadens wall. I hated the ending but it had to be and it made the book. A must read. Not a children's book, maybe teenagers.

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Feb 08, 2012

Claire rated it:

This is the first Sutcliff book I ever read, and her gorgeous writing blew me away. An incredibly gripping, incredibly heartbreaking story - I was literally sobbing for days after I finished it. Besides, I love the dark age Celtic theme...

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Feb 04, 2009

Hillary rated it:

Began with death, ended with death, lots of death in between... just my kind of book. It is a good book, I promise, just set in Roman Britain, which is a deathly sort of place.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 23, 2011

Nadine rated it:

LOVED this book, one my favorite books of all time. Maybe I need to create a new bookshelf for "ya" because this isn't exactly a children's book ...

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May 10, 2010

Carly rated it:

Set back in ancient greek times. It has a fast moving plot and it has a few awesome 180's. If you want a more complicated read, check this one out.

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Apr 17, 2010

Courtney rated it:

Solid, but not as engaging as the real stunners in Sutcliff's list, such as 'Eagl of the Ninth'.

I do admire her though for the the sacrificial and not-at-all happy ending.

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Oct 06, 2010

Arianne rated it:

Young Adult, great history of ancient tribes in Scotland and Roman rule with a good story.

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Jun 18, 2009

Gwen rated it:

Oh, yes, I remember this one. The ending was rather different, even for Sutcliff.

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Sep 06, 2011

Joanna rated it:

A lovely, heartbreaking book.

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Jun 23, 2010

Widsith marked it as to-read

The Mark of the Horse Lord by Rosemary Sutcliff (2006)

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Dec 17, 2009

Lucy rated it:

Another brilliant book from Rosemary Sutcliff; one of my favourites and a book dealing with some of the sadder and more final aspects of Roman Britain. A story of horse warriors fighting to survive when surrounded in every direction by Romans, scrabbling at the slightest chance they find, the Mark of the Horse Lord is clever, complex and, in many ways, sad. A story of proud people fighting people three times their strength, this is a wonderful, strong and enthralling book.

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Dec 16, 2009

Melissa rated it:

Oh, wow. I can't believe I chose this book so randomly from the young adult section of the library and lucked into one of the best novels from any genre that I'd read in years.

It's historical fiction, as it seems all of Rosemary Sutcliffe's books are. If I didn't have a thing for warriors and battle action, I might not have picked it up. It hurts and it's fantastic.

I really loathe the new paperback cover.

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Jan 14, 2010

Maureen rated it:

When Phaedrus the Gladiator is convinced to pose as Midir, the blinded Lord of the Dalriadain, he is caught up in a tangled web of political maneuvering and deceit. In the end he discovers his place and that perhaps he himself is truly a leader of what has become his people. Very beautifully written.

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Apr 08, 2009

Kate rated it:

*WARNING! SPOILER*
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. However, I must note that it presents the main character's suicide as a noble deed, which view, as a Catholic, I must disagree with.

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