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Auriane #1
The Light Bearer
Her name is Auriane. She is a warrior, a priestess, and a threat to the powers of Ancient Rome. This breathtaking saga from acclaimed newcomer Donna Gillespie unveils a fascinating world of pagans and slaves, warriors and nobles--and the extraordinary life of a legendary woman they called the Light Bearer.
1239 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
67 people are currently reading
2231 people want to read
About the author
Donna Gillespie
8 books87 followersDonna Gillespie is the author of two historical novels set in first century Rome, The Light Bearer (Berkley/Putnam, 1994) and Lady of the Light (Berkley/Putnam, 2006). The Light Bearer has been translated into German, Dutch, Russian, Italian and Lithuanian. An international bestseller, it was optioned by Hallmark Entertainment for a miniseries. Her second novel, Lady of the Light, is the sequel to The Light Bearer, and is also available in German and Italian. Her love of historical novels began at age thirteen when she discovered Mary Renault's novel of ancient Greece, The King Must Die. She credits the novels of Robert Graves -- I Claudius and Claudius the God -- with her enduring interest in the culture and mores of ancient Rome. She has lived in San Francisco since 1971, where she presently is the copyeditor and occasional contributor to her neighborhood newspaper, The New Fillmore. She’s currently working on the third novel of the trilogy that began with The Light Bearer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
September 3, 2012
I read this book every spring for several years, bought multiple copies as gifts and even emailed the author to express my gratitude. I still keep two copies on hand, just in case I need to give one away. I stumbled across this book when I had no particular inclination to historical fiction. It rocked my world, made me ask difficult questions of my own person character and helped me remember why I loved storytelling.
Donna Gillespie isn’t one of those writers who puts a book out every year, and for that I admire her. Attention to craft and detail of the story, lifelike characters you’d invite home to family and stakes that leave you turning the pages as fast as you can – make Donna Gillespie one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a very beautiful, cinematic writing style.
If you like strong female characters, high stakes, powerful love stories, political intrigue and adventure – save yourself a second trip to the bookstore and buy two copies up front.
Donna Gillespie isn’t one of those writers who puts a book out every year, and for that I admire her. Attention to craft and detail of the story, lifelike characters you’d invite home to family and stakes that leave you turning the pages as fast as you can – make Donna Gillespie one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a very beautiful, cinematic writing style.
If you like strong female characters, high stakes, powerful love stories, political intrigue and adventure – save yourself a second trip to the bookstore and buy two copies up front.
January 31, 2015
It took me a long time to read this book, because it is a long book. It is way, way, way, way, WAY too long!
The story is great, but there were many times when I found myself wanting to shout a the words in front of my eyes, for page after page, "Just get on with it!" There was a long period during which reading this book reminded me of my marathon running days. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience, but it was sometimes a labour of love: between the 21 and 25 mile points. I suppose that equates to about pages 600-720.
Also, I knew what was going to happen. Most of the storylines are predictable. And the underlying love story is pretty dire.
Having said all of that, this is a great work of historical fiction. My benchmark is always to ask myself if the characters and dialogue and actions bring the history to life for me. In this case, they certainly did that job extraordinarily well.Clearly, a huge amount of research has gone into this book, and the detail comes shining through.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is far too long. Donna Gillespie would have made a much better job of it if she had condensed the story to, at most, half of its final length. The strength and power of her story-telling would have been much more compelling, and it would have gripped my attention until I had finished.
If you are interested in this period of European history, and want some colourful, graphic descriptions, and you have stamina, pick up this book and read it.
In my opinion Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix are much better reads than The Light Bearer. These two books are just about right in length, and the are fast-paced and dynamic. There are a lot of shocks and surprises in both stories, and Russell Whitfield's writing certainly stirs the emotions. I am still grieving for some of his characters now!
I agonised over my rating for The Light Bearer. If ever a book deserved exactly 3.5 stars, in my opinion, this was the one. Do I like it (3 stars), or do I really like it (four stars)? In the end, I decided that the quality of the writing, the detailed descriptions, and the excellent research could persuade me to round my rating up to four stars.
The story is great, but there were many times when I found myself wanting to shout a the words in front of my eyes, for page after page, "Just get on with it!" There was a long period during which reading this book reminded me of my marathon running days. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience, but it was sometimes a labour of love: between the 21 and 25 mile points. I suppose that equates to about pages 600-720.
Also, I knew what was going to happen. Most of the storylines are predictable. And the underlying love story is pretty dire.
Having said all of that, this is a great work of historical fiction. My benchmark is always to ask myself if the characters and dialogue and actions bring the history to life for me. In this case, they certainly did that job extraordinarily well.Clearly, a huge amount of research has gone into this book, and the detail comes shining through.
But, as I said at the top of my review, it is far too long. Donna Gillespie would have made a much better job of it if she had condensed the story to, at most, half of its final length. The strength and power of her story-telling would have been much more compelling, and it would have gripped my attention until I had finished.
If you are interested in this period of European history, and want some colourful, graphic descriptions, and you have stamina, pick up this book and read it.
In my opinion Gladiatrix and Roma Victrix are much better reads than The Light Bearer. These two books are just about right in length, and the are fast-paced and dynamic. There are a lot of shocks and surprises in both stories, and Russell Whitfield's writing certainly stirs the emotions. I am still grieving for some of his characters now!
I agonised over my rating for The Light Bearer. If ever a book deserved exactly 3.5 stars, in my opinion, this was the one. Do I like it (3 stars), or do I really like it (four stars)? In the end, I decided that the quality of the writing, the detailed descriptions, and the excellent research could persuade me to round my rating up to four stars.
January 16, 2024
Ik vond dit echt een heel mooie historische roman.
De hoofdpersonen zijn Auriane, de dochter van een leider van de Chatten, een Germaanse stam, en Marcus Julianus, een Romeinse jongeman van adel.
Het verhaal begint tijdens de regering van keizer Nero, maar het grootste deel speelt zich af tijdens de regering van keuzer Domitianus.
Hoe Auriane en Marcus met elkaar in contact komen? Auriane is een krijgsvrouw geworden, want de Germanen worden voortdurend door de Romeinen tot gevechten uitgedaagd, omdat de Romeinen dit gebied willen veroveren. Na vele seizoenen van oorlog, wordt Auriane tenslotte overmeesterd, en gevangen naar Rome gevoerd. Marcus, die haar al gezien had toen hij op expeditie in haar streek was, komt dit te weten, en omdat hij al dadelijk geïntrigeerd was door haar, volgt hij haar wedervaren op de voet.
Ondertussen heeft Marcus nog andere katten te geselen. Hij is adviseur van Domitianus, maar omdat hij meer een meer een afkeer krijgt van diens strenge en hardvochtige bewind, beraamt hij een moordaanslag op deze keizer.
Het verhaal biedt zowel oorlog en verraad, als vriendschap, liefde, romantiek en spiritualiteit. Er wordt ook uitgebreid aandacht besteed aan de gewoontes en religies van beide volkeren.
Het is wel een lang boek, bijna 1000 bladzijden, dus het heeft wel een tijdje geduurd eer ik het uit had. Een verhaal om te onthouden.
De hoofdpersonen zijn Auriane, de dochter van een leider van de Chatten, een Germaanse stam, en Marcus Julianus, een Romeinse jongeman van adel.
Het verhaal begint tijdens de regering van keizer Nero, maar het grootste deel speelt zich af tijdens de regering van keuzer Domitianus.
Hoe Auriane en Marcus met elkaar in contact komen? Auriane is een krijgsvrouw geworden, want de Germanen worden voortdurend door de Romeinen tot gevechten uitgedaagd, omdat de Romeinen dit gebied willen veroveren. Na vele seizoenen van oorlog, wordt Auriane tenslotte overmeesterd, en gevangen naar Rome gevoerd. Marcus, die haar al gezien had toen hij op expeditie in haar streek was, komt dit te weten, en omdat hij al dadelijk geïntrigeerd was door haar, volgt hij haar wedervaren op de voet.
Ondertussen heeft Marcus nog andere katten te geselen. Hij is adviseur van Domitianus, maar omdat hij meer een meer een afkeer krijgt van diens strenge en hardvochtige bewind, beraamt hij een moordaanslag op deze keizer.
Het verhaal biedt zowel oorlog en verraad, als vriendschap, liefde, romantiek en spiritualiteit. Er wordt ook uitgebreid aandacht besteed aan de gewoontes en religies van beide volkeren.
Het is wel een lang boek, bijna 1000 bladzijden, dus het heeft wel een tijdje geduurd eer ik het uit had. Een verhaal om te onthouden.
February 5, 2017
This novel opens up on the night of Auriane's birth. Her father? A known German warlord away fighting the enemy (that would be Romans). Her mother? Barely conscious from childbearing pains. Time period? During the rain of Nero the book says. So, you get the picture. It is going to be ancient Romans vs. German tribes kind of book. In other words, a historical fiction with a bit of gladiator action.
I'm going to jump ahead and say that the book is divided in two parts, meaning- the narrative occurs in two distinct words/lands (Germania and Roman Empire) and it features two main characters. I already mentioned Auriane. So, who is our hero in the Roman world? Marcus/ Endymion. He is a noble born boy who accidentally ends up as a slave (kind of ridiculous story) but fortunately Marcus' father finds him again. If only he didn't! As long as I'm spilling it all out, I'll add that I couldn't stand this character. He is so perfect in every way that it is extremely annoying- not to mention hard to believe. He fights for everything and everyone, including the rights of chickens (I'm not kidding!). He is horrified by chickens not being given breakfast so they would eat grain faster in a ceremony that is meant to bless the wedding- Such cruelty! Consequently, all the other characters inhabiting this Roman world look like villains compared to him...and unfortunately, for most part they seem to be. That's another thing I didn't like- the way the Roman world was presented, it reminded me of C rated Hollywood films- you know the ones with the screaming Christians being eaten by lions...or even worse those where Christian seemed to enjoy being eaten by lions? Those were just....grouse.
Now, if you were born in Europe most likely you've seen enough Roman ruins and art to grant them sophistication- if nothing else. Even if you don't care about history or art, you must understand that Roman world was a bit more complex than a group of intoxicated people busying themselves primarily with killing one another, complex fortifications and killing of Christians (which bad Hollywood films seems to have integrated into the human mind). Not to dwell forever on this topic, I'll just add that Marcus is one of the least convincing protagonist written. I can't believe these two protagonist (Auriane and Marcus) were written by the same writer. One is a caricature, the other- our Auriene so well rounded, vulnerable and human- well, for the most part- but I'll get to that. In fact, I would have liked this book a great deal more if there was no Roman part of it. Not because don't take an interest in ancient Roman history- it is because I do that I resent it being turned into such a cliche.
Quite frankly, I would have given this book two stars if it hadn't been for Auriane. For most part, I found her to be a well developed character. Her portrayal is not without flaws, at times the way she behaves is even quite silly (especially towards the end), but the overall impression is still good. She is so vulnerable and human, so full of self doubt and yet her deeds of courage make perfect sense. You can feel her struggle, you can follow her train of thought. Plus, there is some definite character development and you know I love those. The characters that surround our heroine, for example her parents ( mother and father) were convincing too. The hating grandmother was a nice touch. The 'witch' that practically saves her life by helping deliver her mother and later on tries to claim her as her student---now that is a formidable character in her own right. I felt sorry that she didn't get a bigger part in this one. Anyway, Auriane is a character that got under my skin. It is easy to feel how and why she feels such a love for her people. I found it easy to relate to her. She is the book's true hero (or better to say heroine) so liking her made the reading experience a lot more enjoyable.
What is my main beef with this novel? Well, let's say it like this. For the last 300 pages or so (the book is about 1000 pages long), I could see everything coming. I could guess with fair certainly most of events even sooner that that, yet had the ending been better written I wouldn't particularly mind that- this way I did mind it. Moreover, almost half of this book was quite boring to me. As I said, this novel has two protagonists. Towards the end of the book- and I don't think this is a spoiler because it is hinted at start--- they paths cross, there is the clash of these two worlds. The German world meets the Roman one- and alas things get quite boring and unconvincing (imo). The writing gets sloppy. Everything goes down hill. Even Auriane' character suffers and loses most of her credibly- she does get her moments of clarity, episodes when she feels real again and there is an interesting mythical experience that connects well with her roots but that's about it. I'm a sucker for European mythology. There is a lot talk of German pagan mythology, believes and customs in this novel so obviously I liked those passages. Some parts of that whole mythology thing were well woven into the story, so that is one of the reason why I liked this novel so much. Additional bonus, let's say. Then there were those really great moments - and I can say there were some parts (in which Auriane's character and her actions really made sense) I really liked- or at any rate I liked them enough to justify reading this one and those bad parts. Long story short, my feelings about this one are mixed.
Nevertheless, when I closed the book, Auriane still felt alive to me. So, I think I will just ignore the sloppy writing (which unfortunately makes for about 50 percent) and remember those brilliant moments. I will maintain that this novel is a bit more than ok, in other words- It's good. Not very good, just good. It is often entertaining despite being filled with cliches and it has its moments of depth. Besides, I don't think that the average person is going to notice all the historical details that the author got wrong. Her translation of Latin phrases was surprisingly bad- I mean how hard it is to look up a well know Latin saying? Sheer laziness if you ask me- but then again not that important.
So yeah- despite the disappointing ending that somewhat ruined a wonderful heroine for me, I'm still giving this novel 3 stars. If for nothing, then because it was fresh for its time. Perhaps it was not exactly revolutionary for its time but still....I mean they are hundreds if not thousands of similar novels around nowadays ( you know all those gladiator copy cats) and at least this one has some original ideas....and an interesting female protagonist.
I'm going to jump ahead and say that the book is divided in two parts, meaning- the narrative occurs in two distinct words/lands (Germania and Roman Empire) and it features two main characters. I already mentioned Auriane. So, who is our hero in the Roman world? Marcus/ Endymion. He is a noble born boy who accidentally ends up as a slave (kind of ridiculous story) but fortunately Marcus' father finds him again. If only he didn't! As long as I'm spilling it all out, I'll add that I couldn't stand this character. He is so perfect in every way that it is extremely annoying- not to mention hard to believe. He fights for everything and everyone, including the rights of chickens (I'm not kidding!). He is horrified by chickens not being given breakfast so they would eat grain faster in a ceremony that is meant to bless the wedding- Such cruelty! Consequently, all the other characters inhabiting this Roman world look like villains compared to him...and unfortunately, for most part they seem to be. That's another thing I didn't like- the way the Roman world was presented, it reminded me of C rated Hollywood films- you know the ones with the screaming Christians being eaten by lions...or even worse those where Christian seemed to enjoy being eaten by lions? Those were just....grouse.
Now, if you were born in Europe most likely you've seen enough Roman ruins and art to grant them sophistication- if nothing else. Even if you don't care about history or art, you must understand that Roman world was a bit more complex than a group of intoxicated people busying themselves primarily with killing one another, complex fortifications and killing of Christians (which bad Hollywood films seems to have integrated into the human mind). Not to dwell forever on this topic, I'll just add that Marcus is one of the least convincing protagonist written. I can't believe these two protagonist (Auriane and Marcus) were written by the same writer. One is a caricature, the other- our Auriene so well rounded, vulnerable and human- well, for the most part- but I'll get to that. In fact, I would have liked this book a great deal more if there was no Roman part of it. Not because don't take an interest in ancient Roman history- it is because I do that I resent it being turned into such a cliche.
Quite frankly, I would have given this book two stars if it hadn't been for Auriane. For most part, I found her to be a well developed character. Her portrayal is not without flaws, at times the way she behaves is even quite silly (especially towards the end), but the overall impression is still good. She is so vulnerable and human, so full of self doubt and yet her deeds of courage make perfect sense. You can feel her struggle, you can follow her train of thought. Plus, there is some definite character development and you know I love those. The characters that surround our heroine, for example her parents ( mother and father) were convincing too. The hating grandmother was a nice touch. The 'witch' that practically saves her life by helping deliver her mother and later on tries to claim her as her student---now that is a formidable character in her own right. I felt sorry that she didn't get a bigger part in this one. Anyway, Auriane is a character that got under my skin. It is easy to feel how and why she feels such a love for her people. I found it easy to relate to her. She is the book's true hero (or better to say heroine) so liking her made the reading experience a lot more enjoyable.
What is my main beef with this novel? Well, let's say it like this. For the last 300 pages or so (the book is about 1000 pages long), I could see everything coming. I could guess with fair certainly most of events even sooner that that, yet had the ending been better written I wouldn't particularly mind that- this way I did mind it. Moreover, almost half of this book was quite boring to me. As I said, this novel has two protagonists. Towards the end of the book- and I don't think this is a spoiler because it is hinted at start--- they paths cross, there is the clash of these two worlds. The German world meets the Roman one- and alas things get quite boring and unconvincing (imo). The writing gets sloppy. Everything goes down hill. Even Auriane' character suffers and loses most of her credibly- she does get her moments of clarity, episodes when she feels real again and there is an interesting mythical experience that connects well with her roots but that's about it. I'm a sucker for European mythology. There is a lot talk of German pagan mythology, believes and customs in this novel so obviously I liked those passages. Some parts of that whole mythology thing were well woven into the story, so that is one of the reason why I liked this novel so much. Additional bonus, let's say. Then there were those really great moments - and I can say there were some parts (in which Auriane's character and her actions really made sense) I really liked- or at any rate I liked them enough to justify reading this one and those bad parts. Long story short, my feelings about this one are mixed.
Nevertheless, when I closed the book, Auriane still felt alive to me. So, I think I will just ignore the sloppy writing (which unfortunately makes for about 50 percent) and remember those brilliant moments. I will maintain that this novel is a bit more than ok, in other words- It's good. Not very good, just good. It is often entertaining despite being filled with cliches and it has its moments of depth. Besides, I don't think that the average person is going to notice all the historical details that the author got wrong. Her translation of Latin phrases was surprisingly bad- I mean how hard it is to look up a well know Latin saying? Sheer laziness if you ask me- but then again not that important.
So yeah- despite the disappointing ending that somewhat ruined a wonderful heroine for me, I'm still giving this novel 3 stars. If for nothing, then because it was fresh for its time. Perhaps it was not exactly revolutionary for its time but still....I mean they are hundreds if not thousands of similar novels around nowadays ( you know all those gladiator copy cats) and at least this one has some original ideas....and an interesting female protagonist.
May 6, 2022
I first read this book in 1994, and I've loved it ever since. Initially, I re-read this book every year, but in the last five years, I've only read this book twice.
I've had so many new books to read that I don't need to re-read as much as I used to, but once in a while I would miss Auriane and Marcus, and want to read about them again. This time, I wanted to savor the story and read it slowly, I wanted to study Donna Gillespie's writing and maybe learn something from her.
But as I read, I forgot about the writing and got engrossed in the story. When I remembered, I would try to concentrate on the writing again, but then forget again as the story pulled me in. Eventually, I just gave up trying to study anything and just enjoyed reading the book.
That's how good Gillespie's writing is, that's how good the story is. It makes you forget everything else except the story. Everything else fades away.
The Light Bearer has been a favorite book ever since I was just 11 years old. There are many things I love about it, but among what I love most is that it features a very strong female protagonist, Auriane, who was a huge influence for me as I was growing up. I also love Marcus, and I love how wise they both were. I love how they outsmarted their enemies, how they solved their problems, and I love how exciting the whole thing was.
This is one of the most underrated books I know, and I wish more people would know about this book and read it. It's amazing.
I've had so many new books to read that I don't need to re-read as much as I used to, but once in a while I would miss Auriane and Marcus, and want to read about them again. This time, I wanted to savor the story and read it slowly, I wanted to study Donna Gillespie's writing and maybe learn something from her.
But as I read, I forgot about the writing and got engrossed in the story. When I remembered, I would try to concentrate on the writing again, but then forget again as the story pulled me in. Eventually, I just gave up trying to study anything and just enjoyed reading the book.
That's how good Gillespie's writing is, that's how good the story is. It makes you forget everything else except the story. Everything else fades away.
The Light Bearer has been a favorite book ever since I was just 11 years old. There are many things I love about it, but among what I love most is that it features a very strong female protagonist, Auriane, who was a huge influence for me as I was growing up. I also love Marcus, and I love how wise they both were. I love how they outsmarted their enemies, how they solved their problems, and I love how exciting the whole thing was.
This is one of the most underrated books I know, and I wish more people would know about this book and read it. It's amazing.
December 13, 2017
I'M SOBBING AND HAPPY AND EVERYTHING OH THE RUSH
Auriane. Best protagonist I've read in a while. Brave, witty, determined...did I mention brave witty and determined? This was really what won me over. She had boundless courage. You won't read a passage in this book where she freezes up in fear. When she feels she's defeated, it's only because she's fought as fearlessly as she can fight. AND THEN FRIA COMES TO HER AND GIVES HER STRENGTH. She is motivated by revenge and the way she leads makes her an extremely admirable character. She is not without her faults, just a leader, rational, bold, understanding. Auriane is active, Auriane takes control of her life. And the same can be said for Marcus Julianus. Clever words and a unbreakable courage.
The plot. Now this is what I call a great story. I've been looking for this sort of story for a while now. It made me crazy happy to realize I was reading a great story that also had great writing. There was the treachery, the tribal fighting and skirmishes with Rome, politics, debauchery, a love story. Every face of the human was presented. And the writing was like a picture painted before me. I saw everything as it happen. I could have been standing with Gillespie while she was telling me a story.
I CAN'T WRITE A PROPER REVIEW because I'M TOO EXCITED. But this is now on my new list of favorite books. I stayed up till 2am finishing it.
Auriane. Best protagonist I've read in a while. Brave, witty, determined...did I mention brave witty and determined? This was really what won me over. She had boundless courage. You won't read a passage in this book where she freezes up in fear. When she feels she's defeated, it's only because she's fought as fearlessly as she can fight. AND THEN FRIA COMES TO HER AND GIVES HER STRENGTH. She is motivated by revenge and the way she leads makes her an extremely admirable character. She is not without her faults, just a leader, rational, bold, understanding. Auriane is active, Auriane takes control of her life. And the same can be said for Marcus Julianus. Clever words and a unbreakable courage.
The plot. Now this is what I call a great story. I've been looking for this sort of story for a while now. It made me crazy happy to realize I was reading a great story that also had great writing. There was the treachery, the tribal fighting and skirmishes with Rome, politics, debauchery, a love story. Every face of the human was presented. And the writing was like a picture painted before me. I saw everything as it happen. I could have been standing with Gillespie while she was telling me a story.
I CAN'T WRITE A PROPER REVIEW because I'M TOO EXCITED. But this is now on my new list of favorite books. I stayed up till 2am finishing it.
March 4, 2017
1000 plus pages of Roman-German historical-fiction from the time of Nero through Domitian.
April 27, 2010
I'm really interested in the history of Ancient Rome and my favorite way to learn about history is through a well researched historical novel. I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the Roman Emperors, Nero and Domitian.
Half of the story follows the heroine, Auriane, through her struggles against the Roman invasion of the Chattian tribe, of which she is a warrior. I liked her character. Dispersed between Auriane's story is another subplot that takes place in Rome from the POV of Marcus Arrius Julianus, a personal advisor to the emperor. I was really impressed that the author was able to keep my attention on the story of Auriane, and make me really exited for the next part of Marcus's story. One of my pet peeves is when two sides of a story aren't balanced and you end up forcing yourself through the boring part to get back to the exiting stuff.
Inevitably, Auriane and Marcus meet and fall in love all while struggling to live through battles in the arena and keeping Domitian from murdering everyone, respectively.
I liked this book, but I didn't REALLY like this book, so I'm giving it three stars. Although, the author did do a great job with the history and the characters.
Half of the story follows the heroine, Auriane, through her struggles against the Roman invasion of the Chattian tribe, of which she is a warrior. I liked her character. Dispersed between Auriane's story is another subplot that takes place in Rome from the POV of Marcus Arrius Julianus, a personal advisor to the emperor. I was really impressed that the author was able to keep my attention on the story of Auriane, and make me really exited for the next part of Marcus's story. One of my pet peeves is when two sides of a story aren't balanced and you end up forcing yourself through the boring part to get back to the exiting stuff.
Inevitably, Auriane and Marcus meet and fall in love all while struggling to live through battles in the arena and keeping Domitian from murdering everyone, respectively.
I liked this book, but I didn't REALLY like this book, so I'm giving it three stars. Although, the author did do a great job with the history and the characters.
April 14, 2024
This is hands down my all time favourite book. I first read it as a teenager and was entranced by the characters, history and magic the author was able to weave into the pages of her book. I have read this book several times since then and every time I fall back in love with the it. Would highly recommend reading this book, especially if you enjoy Ancient Rome and Germanic history.
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April 10, 2021As I expected: DNF. At page +-200.
Honestly, not the worst thing ever, but wayyy to long for what it is.
Honestly, not the worst thing ever, but wayyy to long for what it is.
August 12, 2018
This is an absolutely stunning work of historical fiction. I've never seen a thousand page book use each page so well. This book is 24 years old, and I first read it well over a decade ago. It's stayed in my mind as my favorite roman historical for a long time and I was shocked that on the re-read, I only liked it MORE. Many of my old favorites from the 90s feel outdated now, but this feels fresh with feminist overtones that fit neatly with the themes of contemporary books being published this year. I'm even more impressed now that I know more about the craft of writing, to see how intricately the author plotted this so that every event ties in and strengthens later events and themes; so it feels fated by one of the gods that feel very much a presence in the world of this story.
I love the ending, and how the author truly makes you feel how interconnected all beings and all events are. I adore the juxtaposition of a barbarian pagan warrior princess falling in love with a rich philosopher/politician and marveling at the cruelty and base nature of his "civilized" culture. The fight scenes are physically, emotionally, and even spiritually involving and kept the stakes and tension high. This is truly a masterwork on so many levels: the deep and nuanced themes, the huge cast of characters, the historical and cultural detail work...
I can't wait to dig into the sequel!
I love the ending, and how the author truly makes you feel how interconnected all beings and all events are. I adore the juxtaposition of a barbarian pagan warrior princess falling in love with a rich philosopher/politician and marveling at the cruelty and base nature of his "civilized" culture. The fight scenes are physically, emotionally, and even spiritually involving and kept the stakes and tension high. This is truly a masterwork on so many levels: the deep and nuanced themes, the huge cast of characters, the historical and cultural detail work...
I can't wait to dig into the sequel!
December 23, 2009
A fascinating book, focused on ancient Germania and Rome in the 1st century A.D. Auriane is a young woman who becomes a warrior in her tribe, then a healer. Fighting against Roman legions, she's taken captive. Sent to Rome, she's forced to become a gladiator. Marcus Arrious Julianus is captivated by the tales of the Germanic tribes and of the warrior Auriane. When they meet, they fall in love. Julianus sets up a plot to kill the Emperor, Domititian, while Auriane is set on vengeance for her tribe. They both succeed, and Auriane learns she's to be the next high priestess.
Gillespie is exceedingly skillful in weaving bits of historical information into her drama. She has done so much research that the reader truly feels present--understanding the details of daily life, the power struggles, human behavior, their gods, and their strengths and weaknesses.
Gillespie is exceedingly skillful in weaving bits of historical information into her drama. She has done so much research that the reader truly feels present--understanding the details of daily life, the power struggles, human behavior, their gods, and their strengths and weaknesses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2013
I'm eating this book up. I supposed to be reading reference books right now due to an upcoming class I'm teaching, but can't put this one down!
It's an epic story about Ancient Rome and the destruction of the tribes of Germania with wonderful characters. I actually came to tears or shouted a "YAY!" at a few points while reading this, and dear readers, that is a rare occurance for me even if I'm enjoying a book.
A richly-embroidered tale of war, vengeance and spiritual transcendence, of palace intrigue and pagan ritual.
It's an epic story about Ancient Rome and the destruction of the tribes of Germania with wonderful characters. I actually came to tears or shouted a "YAY!" at a few points while reading this, and dear readers, that is a rare occurance for me even if I'm enjoying a book.
A richly-embroidered tale of war, vengeance and spiritual transcendence, of palace intrigue and pagan ritual.
September 10, 2019
Loved this book as a teenager. Read it again in my twenties. Time to read it again now I'm in my thirties. 😉
September 21, 2019
I LOVED this book when I read it in 2010. Historical fiction fun to the max!!! I remember the year I read it, what else is there to say?
July 16, 2021
Fantasy storico che avevo cominciato quando ero alle superiori, e ripresa ora che ho 25 anni, devo dire che sono riuscita ad apprezzarla molto di più ora, che ho molta più consapevolezza di me, piuttosto che quando avevo 16 anni.
Vengono trattate tematiche delicate, che attraverso uno stile descrittivo molto vivide, penso mi avessero annoiato ai tempi, proprio perché prolisse. Ma ora che conosco i miei limiti, che conosco i miei ideali, so che è un libro adatto alla me di adesso.
Con un setting incredibilmente realistico e evocativo, la Germania e la Roma imperiale fanno da sfondo ad un’incredibile storia di vendetta e amore, ambientata tra intrecci e tradimenti.
Ogni posto, cultura, modo di pensare e parlare, viene visto attraverso gli occhi dei due protagonisti in modo diverso, e penso che sia una delle cose più belle.
Ora riesco davvero a capire come mai questo libro mi intrigò: c’è una narrazione tolkieniana, c’è un’avventura attorniata da guerra, complotti, e alleanze improbabili, ci sono i momenti romantici e sono talmente belli, che mi hanno ricordato le storie di Sarah J. Maas, nonostante questo libro sia stato scritto prima.
I legame tra Auriane e Marco Giuliano si basa su una profezia comune che li riguarda e le loro intere esistenze sono segnate da segnali che li portano a cercare una via che li possa ricongiungere, nonostante loro non si incontrino fin verso la metà del libro.
Entrambi hanno sofferto enormemente, entrambi hanno conosciuto dolori indicibili che hanno messo a dura prova il loro spirito, ma sapevano che restare in vita era l’unica cosa da fare.
Ecco perché quando si incontrano per la prima volta, non è strano che inizino a sentire attrazione l’uno verso l’altra. Durante tutta la storia ci sono indicazioni sul fatto che sono destinati l’uno all’altro, proprio come il legame dei mate, e quando infatti fanno sesso per la prima volta, tutto l’amore che erano destinati a provare, fiorisce inesorabile, segnando definitivamente i loro destini.
Il loro legame innesca tutta una serie di eventi, che porteranno i personaggi circostanti a comportarsi come se ci fossero forze sovraumane in gioco.
Non fatevi spaventare dalla lunghezza, perché in realtà è molto più scorrevole di quel che sembra.
Vengono trattate tematiche delicate, che attraverso uno stile descrittivo molto vivide, penso mi avessero annoiato ai tempi, proprio perché prolisse. Ma ora che conosco i miei limiti, che conosco i miei ideali, so che è un libro adatto alla me di adesso.
Con un setting incredibilmente realistico e evocativo, la Germania e la Roma imperiale fanno da sfondo ad un’incredibile storia di vendetta e amore, ambientata tra intrecci e tradimenti.
Ogni posto, cultura, modo di pensare e parlare, viene visto attraverso gli occhi dei due protagonisti in modo diverso, e penso che sia una delle cose più belle.
Ora riesco davvero a capire come mai questo libro mi intrigò: c’è una narrazione tolkieniana, c’è un’avventura attorniata da guerra, complotti, e alleanze improbabili, ci sono i momenti romantici e sono talmente belli, che mi hanno ricordato le storie di Sarah J. Maas, nonostante questo libro sia stato scritto prima.
I legame tra Auriane e Marco Giuliano si basa su una profezia comune che li riguarda e le loro intere esistenze sono segnate da segnali che li portano a cercare una via che li possa ricongiungere, nonostante loro non si incontrino fin verso la metà del libro.
Entrambi hanno sofferto enormemente, entrambi hanno conosciuto dolori indicibili che hanno messo a dura prova il loro spirito, ma sapevano che restare in vita era l’unica cosa da fare.
Ecco perché quando si incontrano per la prima volta, non è strano che inizino a sentire attrazione l’uno verso l’altra. Durante tutta la storia ci sono indicazioni sul fatto che sono destinati l’uno all’altro, proprio come il legame dei mate, e quando infatti fanno sesso per la prima volta, tutto l’amore che erano destinati a provare, fiorisce inesorabile, segnando definitivamente i loro destini.
Il loro legame innesca tutta una serie di eventi, che porteranno i personaggi circostanti a comportarsi come se ci fossero forze sovraumane in gioco.
Non fatevi spaventare dalla lunghezza, perché in realtà è molto più scorrevole di quel che sembra.
August 26, 2025
I absolutely loved this book as a teenager, and I’m pleased to say it holds up upon re-reading. This is a richly researched rendering of the cultures of first century Rome as well as the neighboring Germanic tribes. It’s a coming of age story as much as one of conquest, with a smattering of romance that never becomes the central focus of either the epic story, or of the lives of the main characters. It’s pretty hard to write good “cultural misunderstanding” stories, but when done well I just love them!
September 29, 2021
2.5 stars. Took me forever but I finally finished it. Much stronger at the beginning than the end unless the reader is much more interested in gladiators and assassinating tyrants than I am. I really wish the book had been more about Germania and less about Rome, but that's more of a personal preference than a true issue with the book. The story definitely could have been told in about half the time and little would have been lost. Almost read like high fantasy as times.
June 13, 2017
This is one that's been on my 'to-read' list for years. I love long, epic, historical fiction. In many ways, it did not disappoint. I loved the details of the culture and beliefs of the Germanic people. I also loved the details of Marcus's life and rise from slave to Senator. I love seeing a long plot develop. However, much of the plot in Rome I found tedious. I didn't enjoy the detailed arena scenes. And, frankly the Roman characters were mostly horrible. Except for Marcus and maybe a few others, they were evil and perverse. I didn't like hearing details about them. And, even though I love long plots like this, it did start to drag a bit for me. Part of that might have been that I enjoyed the parts of the book set in Germanic so much more than the parts set it Rome, and the whole last part of the book was in Rome. My biggest issue with this book was content. There was absolutely no profanity. There was a lot of violence. This is about wars, and gladiators and assassination plots. I didn't find the violence too over the top for the plot. None of that bothered me. However, I did have issues with the sexual content. This plot deals with cultures in which slavery, rape and assault are pretty common and in many ways acceptable. So, there were a couple rape scenes and many discussions of sex. I didn't necessarily have a problem with them being mentioned given the context. However, there were a couple scenes I found way too descriptive. They didn't need to be to described in such great detail in my opinion. I didn't enjoy that and ended up skimming through a few scenes. The Romans (especially the leaders) were particularly vile and perverse. I got tired of hearing about their sexual fantasies....even if it was intended to should how horrible they were. This is a big reason why the last half of the book wasn't as enjoyable for me. Frankly, I might have put it down, but I was so invested in the book at that point that I wanted to finish the thing. And, considering that it was 1000 pages, most of it was perfectly fine, it was just a few scenes, and I'd get to one and have to skim. It did also seem like the sex talk continued to pick up more and more towards the end of the book, which left me with a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth for it, even though the beginning was so great. That being said, again, I really loved the portions about Auriane and the Chattians. I'm tempted to give the sequel a try since it appears to takes place only in Germania.
April 16, 2013
Excellent! This novel was a true pleasure to read - very well-written with a wonderfully twisty-turny plot. The story begins in the time of Nero and shifts seamlessly back and forth between two young people from totally different worlds - Auriane, daughter of a Chattian war leader; and Marcus Arrius Julianus, a slave boy turned Roman senator and imperial adviser. Of course, their lives eventually cross.
Fans of traditional romance may be disappointed with this one. This is NOT a romance. It is a story of power, politics, spirituality, and so much more.
I was quite impressed with the historic detail of the architecture and fashion as well as the volatile political and social atmosphere of Rome during the time of Nero. The landscapes and people of Germania were beautifully described. So many characters, but each one so meticulously developed that they were distinct and real. Even minor characters were very well drawn. Admittedly, there were several characters that seemed to be just plain evil, but somehow, even they were not one-dimensional. Gillespie even makes her premise of an undefeatable female warrior completely believable and not at all cheesy.
Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good literature, but of special interest to fans of historic fiction.
Fans of traditional romance may be disappointed with this one. This is NOT a romance. It is a story of power, politics, spirituality, and so much more.
I was quite impressed with the historic detail of the architecture and fashion as well as the volatile political and social atmosphere of Rome during the time of Nero. The landscapes and people of Germania were beautifully described. So many characters, but each one so meticulously developed that they were distinct and real. Even minor characters were very well drawn. Admittedly, there were several characters that seemed to be just plain evil, but somehow, even they were not one-dimensional. Gillespie even makes her premise of an undefeatable female warrior completely believable and not at all cheesy.
Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good literature, but of special interest to fans of historic fiction.
August 24, 2011
Very long, meaty historical fiction novel about the daughter of the chieftain of an early Germanic tribe, the Chattians, as they try to resist being conquered by the Roman Empire. Admirable amount of interesting historical detail about the times and a main character that you care about enough to stick with her for 700+ pages as her life undergoes many trials and tribulations... there is romance in this book, and you root for it, but I found it a tiny bit lacking... not enough time spent on developing the romance in my opinion. But entertaining nonetheless, suspenseful, and I would definitely read any sequels. Great first novel!
August 28, 2011
I really wanted to like this book. It's set in a time and place I'd like to read more about. The writing is pretty good too. The problem that it is very slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. And right now I have a very short attention span. So after a while I gave up. Perhaps it picks up later on but I just didn't care to get through it all.
December 25, 2014
{present from sister} -- a paperback not yet listed here. Info on the author's blog: http://peninhand.org/2014/08/31/heres... -- Where she recommends we read either the Kindled book, or the 2012 paperback she has published herself. These are rewritten from the old novel I adored.
January 5, 2013
Donna Gillespie writes with such rich language that she had me tumbling into her story. I traveled along with a feisty Germanic leader captured by the Romans. She made me cold in the bleak winter and sweaty in the Roman sunshine. A great adventure well worth reading. (Read it over Winter Break!)
January 3, 2021
One of my favorites of the last 30 years. I've read this book several times and every time I read it it's a new story for me. Because of age, wisdom, maturity? I don't know. I just know that I love this book each and every time. I recently got the sequel for Christmas and can't wait to dive in.
December 26, 2013
just couldn't get into this book..didn't want to waste any more time on it
December 12, 2020
Prettig geschreven in eenvoudige taal.
Het verhaal is relatief voorspelbaar, maar behoorlijk goed uitgewerkt.
Echter een groot gebrek in het verhaal: hoe de deuteragonist aan zijn exemplaar van de amulet komt, wordt nooit verklaard!
De research ivm de Oud-Germaanse mythologie is pover. Zo worden de god Tiwaz en Wodan (Odin) gewoon onderling inwisselbaar gemaakt (op een moment dat er een specifiek runeteken wordt gebruikt dat verwijst naar de eerste van beiden). Ook wordt een runeteken gebruikt dat zeer specifiek verwijst naar Freya, terwijl er zo geen rune bestond. Maar goed. Dat laatste kan nog worden verdedigd met de bemerking dat er veel lokale aanpassingen waren. Tiwaz en Wodan omwisselen is echter een no go als je dit cultureel aspect in je verhaal wilt opnemen.
Kortom al bij al onderhoudend, maar met meer dan 800 bladzijden in het vooruitzicht mag het toch iets 'meer' zijn. Wil je graag een flinke én goede roman met een sterke protagoniste en een verhaal over de botsingen tussen de Romeinse en de oude West-Europese culturen, dan is bijvoorbeeld 'Avond over Albion' van Pauline Gedge een véél betere keuze.
Het verhaal is relatief voorspelbaar, maar behoorlijk goed uitgewerkt.
Echter een groot gebrek in het verhaal: hoe de deuteragonist aan zijn exemplaar van de amulet komt, wordt nooit verklaard!
De research ivm de Oud-Germaanse mythologie is pover. Zo worden de god Tiwaz en Wodan (Odin) gewoon onderling inwisselbaar gemaakt (op een moment dat er een specifiek runeteken wordt gebruikt dat verwijst naar de eerste van beiden). Ook wordt een runeteken gebruikt dat zeer specifiek verwijst naar Freya, terwijl er zo geen rune bestond. Maar goed. Dat laatste kan nog worden verdedigd met de bemerking dat er veel lokale aanpassingen waren. Tiwaz en Wodan omwisselen is echter een no go als je dit cultureel aspect in je verhaal wilt opnemen.
Kortom al bij al onderhoudend, maar met meer dan 800 bladzijden in het vooruitzicht mag het toch iets 'meer' zijn. Wil je graag een flinke én goede roman met een sterke protagoniste en een verhaal over de botsingen tussen de Romeinse en de oude West-Europese culturen, dan is bijvoorbeeld 'Avond over Albion' van Pauline Gedge een véél betere keuze.
October 4, 2023
First of all, I do feel a little guilty giving this book only 3 stars. It is a monumental piece of writing work that is obviously backed by an intense load of prior research into old Rome and Germania. The author has a way of letting that long gone time come alive, and there is a good balance of suspense and delving into that bygone era.
I want to stress too that the one big gripe I had with the book may well be due to the fact that I read it translated to German. That’s just the copy I had. That being said, the style is quite stilted at times and other times a tad too dramatic/theatrical. It made getting through it a bit cumbersome and took me out of the story a little here and there. But I completely concede to the possibility that the style may have worked a lot better in English.
There are some issues with predictability too. Around half way through you will see the rest of it coming a mile away. Subtle hints pointing towards a later twist are after all not all that subtle, and you kinda know what’s up early on.
As it is, for me it stands at a 3.5
I want to stress too that the one big gripe I had with the book may well be due to the fact that I read it translated to German. That’s just the copy I had. That being said, the style is quite stilted at times and other times a tad too dramatic/theatrical. It made getting through it a bit cumbersome and took me out of the story a little here and there. But I completely concede to the possibility that the style may have worked a lot better in English.
There are some issues with predictability too. Around half way through you will see the rest of it coming a mile away. Subtle hints pointing towards a later twist are after all not all that subtle, and you kinda know what’s up early on.
As it is, for me it stands at a 3.5
December 30, 2021
This book was so big it was a bit intimidating- I think that of it was published today it would be a duology. However I really liked it and it was a fast read considering the epic proportions.
A historical fiction; the places, events, and most characters are accurate (spanning 30 years in the mid Roman Empire, Nero- Domitian) and the conflict with the Germanic tribes. The 2 characters we follow (Auriane and Marcus)
From their birth through this 30 year history are “bonded” but don’t meet until life has shaped them into similar people in different cultures.
I really like the accuracy and research that went into this book and unlike other reviewers I did not find it slow in spots, for me the pace never slowed on events and action.
My only issue was that The initial meeting of our core characters took way too long to occur and it seemed a bit forced on the bonding- but it was easily forgiven since the setup was there.
A historical fiction; the places, events, and most characters are accurate (spanning 30 years in the mid Roman Empire, Nero- Domitian) and the conflict with the Germanic tribes. The 2 characters we follow (Auriane and Marcus)
From their birth through this 30 year history are “bonded” but don’t meet until life has shaped them into similar people in different cultures.
I really like the accuracy and research that went into this book and unlike other reviewers I did not find it slow in spots, for me the pace never slowed on events and action.
My only issue was that The initial meeting of our core characters took way too long to occur and it seemed a bit forced on the bonding- but it was easily forgiven since the setup was there.
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