Hadrian's Wall: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "No one knows better than I just how big our empire is..." (more)
Key Phrases: senior tribune, junior tribune, young tribune, Galba Brassidias, Arden Caratacus, Marcus Flavius (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The limit of Roman imperial expansion in Britannia is marked by Hadrian's Wall, a fortification constructed in the second century A.D. to keep the northern barbarians from invading Rome's island province. Award-winning author Dietrich's fourth novel is an epic historical drama of warfare, treachery and political intrigue centered on Rome's most remote and desolate frontier outpost. In the fourth century A.D., the Celtic barbarians are restless, revolt is imminent and the hard-pressed Roman garrison on the frontier has a new cavalry commander. Brutally efficient veteran soldier Galba is replaced by scholarly aristocrat Marcus, whose appointment is the payoff of an arranged marriage to a senator's daughter. When Marcus's beautiful young wife, Valeria, arrives at the frontier, she becomes an unwitting pawn in the plots of Galba, Marcus and the Celtic chieftain, Arden Caratacus. Marcus seeks glory and a return to the comforts of Rome; Galba seeks power and revenge; and Caratacus seeks freedom from Roman oppression. All three men covet Valeria, but for very different reasons, eventually driving her to betray them all in a desperate effort to save them from war and disaster. Murder, betrayal, witchcraft and shifting loyalties add suspense and tension to this vivid tale. Dietrich's descriptions of Roman-style battle are bloody and graphic, with legionnaires wielding shield and sword against naked barbarians shrieking and swinging battleaxes. Dietrich is in top form with this rousing tale.
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From Booklist

Dietrich realistically re-creates the tumult and the confusion that characterized Rome's last-gasp attempt to retain its stronghold in Britannia as the empire faltered and began to crumble in the latter half of the fourth century. Built early in the second century, Hadrian's Wall was both an engineering and a military marvel. Eighty miles long, the impressive barrier separated Roman Britain from the barbaric Celtic tribes ever threatening the border. Passed over as commander of the Petriana Cavalry for purely political reasons, battle-hardened Galba Bassidias hatches a treasonous plot to disgrace Lucius Marcus Flavius, the ambitious aristocrat sent to usurp him. When Marcus' betrothed, Valeria, a senator's daughter, arrives from Rome, Galba immediately begins to manipulate them both. However, Valeria proves more resourceful and resilient than Galba ever imagined. Kidnapped by a Celt employed by Galba, she falls in love with her captor, provoking a battle that signals the beginning of the end for both Hadrian's Wall and the mighty Roman Army in Britain. Page-turning historical fiction seething with action, adventure, and passion. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (March 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060563710
• ISBN-13: 978-0060563714
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #832,295 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you like romance novels, this one is pretty good, June 23, 2004

By	Kenneth S. Smith (Goleta, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was fooled by the cover and endorsements on the jacket. I was expecting Roman Legions battling it out with barbarians. There is one great battle at the end, but this is really a romance novel set in 375 AD Britain. Tribune Galba Brassidius expects to be the new commander of the Petriana cavalry at the Hadrian Wall fort Petrianais, but he is supplanted by an inexperienced Praefectus, Marcus Flavius, from Rome. Marcus has obtained the post through a financial arrangement with a Roman senator. In exchange for money, Marcus gets the new posting and the hand of the senator's daughter, Valeria. This arrangement gives him the prestige of a senatorial connection, and a field command to further his career. An irate Galba has his own agenda. He has been dealing on both sides of Hadrian's Wall, and he enlists the aide of a Celtic Chieftain, Arden Caratacus, to kidnap Valeria. Galba hopes to incite war between the Celts and Romans and get Marius killed, take his wife, and in the process, become a hero. A naive Valeria loathes Galba's crude advances, is puzzled by her husband's indifference, ignores the worship of young tribune Clodius, and struggles with her growing feelings for the young Celt, Arden. Valeria also ignores the advice of her wise slave Savia. Much of the story is related in the aftermath by Roman investigator Draco, who is trying to piece together the cause of the catastrophe.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A romance novel disguised as historical fiction, October 17, 2005

By	Colin P. Lindsey (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I absolutely have to agree with the sentiments of the spotlight reviewer: this is a romance novel masquerading as a novel about the legions in Britain. I hate writing bad reviews, but I feel that there are a lot of readers like myself who will pick this book up hoping for one thing and finding something completely different and not to their tastes. I was so looking forward to reading this book too! Finding it in the bookstore last spring was a delightful surprise since good novels about Rome and her legions are rather sparse on the ground. The book itself turned out to be a disappointing let down for me since it is actually a romance novel set in Britain during the time of the Roman occupation. If you like novels about 17 year old girls acting childishly and selfishly, with rather immature ideas about love and romance, who luckily happen to find their dream mate in a handsome, highland king who panders to their sense of how the world should work, well, then this is probably a great book. If you are seeking historical detail, gritty realism, character development, accuracy, believable and intelligent plotting, you'll probably be a whole lot happier with Colleen McCullough's Rome series. I read half of this novel before casting it aside. This one is misrepresented on the dust cover, so beware.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hadrian's Fence, February 13, 2007

By	Robert Andrews (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Hadrian's Wall: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I wish I could have enjoyed this book more. Dietrich treats the era well, and the idea of the Wall is relevant to our times, reminding one of the Berlin Wall and of the current American debate over the Fence on the Mexican Border.

As a Texan, and as a fan of Historical Fiction, I expected more about a collision of peoples and ideas and less of a romance novel.

Nevertheless, all characters were treated fairly and the plot was well developed. I will read more of Dietrich's work, but I do hope he gives up as a romance writer.