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The Light Bearer (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It was a wolf-ridden night..." (more)
Key Phrases: Marcus Julianus, Marcus Arrius Julianus, Holy Ones (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Quo Vadis for our times! Well, not exactly. It's been awhile since anyone tackled the Roman Empire as entertainingly as Gillespie has done in this book, a nearly-straight historical novel which should please readers of fantasy, too. Germanic Auriane is a combination of the noble, natural savage, and the heroine marked from birth for great deeds. Roman Marcus Julianus is the personification of the highest civilized, republican Roman values. Both are typical and atypical of their societies, fighting for what each believes to be just. Their individual struggles with the clashing Roman and Teutonic cultures are carried out in the Northern forests and in the salons and arena of Rome. Strongly- drawn characters, a setting both familiar and exotic (we all know something of imperial Rome, but very few of us are well-informed about it), a whiff of New-Age ancient mysticism, and a subdued but important romance subplot drive the sweeping novel of Auriane's growth and maturity and Rome's decadence. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.


From Publishers Weekly

Probably the greatest compliment to Gillespie's first novel is that at 800 pages, the book isn't too long. Spanning the years between A.D. 52-shortly before Nero's accession-and Nerva's accession in 96, the novel invokes tribal warfare, two tyrants, Domitian's terror, gladiatorial spectacles, blood vengeance, imperial intrigues and a mythic love. At the center is Auriane, the daughter of a Chattian chieftain fated to lead her tribe against Rome but also to disgrace it by murdering her father. On the other side of the Alps is Marcus Julianus, a philosophically disposed nobleman trying to salvage justice under the despotic Nero and Domitian. Marcus is haunted by his late father's vague records of a German warrior maid and the two finally meet when Auriane is captured in Domitian's Chattian campaign. Gillespie depends too much on the reader's indulgence when describing the lovers early meetings; they are portentous fated conjoinings rather than a naturally evolving attraction. But this is a quibble because the romance is secondary to the mature couple's greater, more pressing concerns. For anyone interested in this tumultuous period of Roman despotism and Germanic tribes, Gillespie's epic is an intriguing recording of everyday detail, national issues and, more impressively, overarching influences of religion and psychology. Advertising.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 800 pages
  • Publisher: Berkley Trade (November 7, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0425143686
  • ISBN-13: 978-0425143681
  • Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #271,789 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

Donna Gillespie
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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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It was a wolf-ridden night. Read the first page
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Marcus Julianus, Marcus Arrius Julianus, Holy Ones, Domitia Longina, Baldemar's Companions, Village of the Boar, First Advisor, Ludus Magnus, Daughter of the Ash, First Hall, Julianus the Elder, Upper Germania, Marcus Antonius, Five Wells, Musonius Geta, Wido's Companions, Ash Grove, Blessed One, Second Hall, Claudian School, Holy Nine, Licinius Gallus, Old Forum, Praetorian Guard, Senator Nerva
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Customer Reviews

92 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (92 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Aurinia Regina!, January 15, 2003
By Kelly L. (www.FantasyLiterature.com) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
This review is from: The Light Bearer (Paperback)
"Better a spirit that does not quite fit in this world than one that is broken."

Such is said by Baldemar, chieftain of the Chattian tribe on the border between the wild lands of Germanis and the ever-encroaching Roman empire. His daughter Auriane is our heroine for this rousing adventure tale, and she proves her father's words in spades.

As a young girl, Auriane wants nothing more than to be a happy wife and mother, like her own mother, comfortable and beloved by the hearthfire. But her first taste of battle leaves her unsatisfied with such a life; fighting awakens a dark passion in her that she does not quite understand. Adding to her confusion, the high priestess Ramis predicts that Auriane is also gifted with the powers of magic. Then Auriane is thrown into the middle of the Roman-Chattian war. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but let me just say that violence, treachery, danger, and true love abound.

Gillespie is talented at depicting her world. She is equally at home in the forests of Germania and the crowded streets of Rome, and she takes us along with her. She has the gift of a Margaret George or Kathleen Winsor for showing us historical detail we never could have imagined. She's obviously done her research on everything from Roman politics to pagan customs to battle tactics. But don't be deceived--this is no dry historical text! I was so caught up in the story I was yelling cheers at the good guys and obscenities at the bad guys, not to mention begging for more as I realized I was on the last page. My only gripe is that Auriane seems too good to be true at times--but maybe I wouldn't have liked the book so much had she not been "larger than life". It's hard to say.

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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great portrayal of the paradigms of the times, September 27, 2000
By "americanexpatworkingmom" (Gordonsville, VA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Light Bearer (Paperback)
One of the finest examples of HISTORICAL fiction I have read. There is a romance component to this novel, but it is very much in the sub-plot category. The characters are complex and developing throughout the book, the setting - including the warring psychology and belief systems of Rome and the 'barbarians' - are wonderfully described. I am still 'haunted' by some of the imagery and marvelous juxtapositions in this book (after a couple of weeks). On the other hand, the historical detail does not prevent this from being a page-turner - and a pretty easy read.

After reading this book, Donna Gillespie has made it high on my list of favorite historical fiction (loosely defined) authors, which includes Margaret George, India Edghill, Edward Rutherfurd, Steven Pressfield, Diana Gabaldon, Ken Follett, Irving Stone, and Sharon Kay Penman. All of these authors have varying styles, but what unites them is portrayal of the paradigms of the times about which they write through well-researched detail. The Light Bearer is a perfect example of this amazing talent. If you enjoy HISTORICAL historical fiction, and some of the authors above, this is a book for you.

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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Read the book, see the light, October 11, 2005
This review is from: The Light Bearer (Paperback)
The old Roman Empire was a kind of nasty place to be if you weren't Roman. But for Auriane, a daughter of the Germanic tribes, it's become a hell on earth. All Auriane really wanted in life was to be like her lovely mother and have a good home. But being born to the warlike Chatti tribe as the daughter of the tribes' leader insures her life will different than she planned. From her first day on earth when a powerful seer/witch woman predicts she will cause the death of her father-the greatest sin a person can commit, Auriane is different. Over her short teenage years she becomes a daughter of the earth, a warrior women sworn to protect her people, and never know the touch of a man.

Yet all along a young man in Rome, Marcus Julianus, gutter rat who turned out to be the lost son of a Senator has been wearing a bag of dirt around his neck, a bag given to his father by a wise woman of the Chatti tribes, a bag that there is only one other like...around Auriane's neck.

Destiny collides in the fierce arena of the Roman imperial court and the terrile but lovely woods and bogs of Auriane's home. Auriane must fight for her life against the might of Rome and Marcus Julianus must fight for his own in the corrupt Emperors court...can these two people prevail?

This is a wonderful book. It's full of life, and the descriptions are so vivid I found myself wondering that I was reading a book, not falling back in time. The characters are all very real people (even the larger than life Auriane is insecure about her body) and the plot line is so vivid and realistic it's hard to stay still while reading. You will be running around, book in hand, screaming for the good guys and cursing the bad. This is probably the best book I ever read, bar none. And there is not one boring sentence in the whole book. Its chopped full of action, romance and adventure, and it's impossible to believe this is a first novel. I plan on buying another copy soon so I'll have one for mine falls apart. I'm sure I will read this book every year of my life.

I recommend this book to any one who loves history, drama, romance, or action. It has something for everyone, and I just received an email from the author saying the sequel is done (!!!) and it will be published in November of this year. Lady of the Light here we come...I'm preordering.

Five stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Still my fav pick
I first picked up this book when I was in middle school (keep in mind I was reading thorn birds, Ben-hur, and Shakespeare in middle school) and it is still the solid favorite in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. Kelley

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fiction at its Best
History tells us that in the early 1st Century AD, Roman armies withdrew from Germania for fear of the curses of its `barbarian' priestesses. Read more
Published 8 months ago by K. Murphy

2.0 out of 5 stars I am bored
I just read the Eagle and the Raven and was blown away. This book seems well written (lovely desriptions and wording) but overly dramatic and predictable and I am thinking maybe I... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Adam D. Jensen

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Masterpiece
I'll never completely digest the fact that this is her first book!
Beautiful prose, characters that spring to life and roam in your mind, surprisingly insightful details of... Read more
Published 17 months ago by M. Kim

3.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable debut
Donna Gillespie's The Light Bearer is an entertaining, substantive work, made even more impressive by being the author's first novel. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Rich Gubitosi

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Book

This is a big book by any standards, 800 pages and is the result of years of research and study by the author into the culture, and history of Rome and the Germanic tribes... Read more
Published on October 4, 2007 by J. Chippindale

5.0 out of 5 stars A sumptuous tale with few stops for breath
There is much I could say about "The Light Bearer" which has already been said, but as I don't review all the books in McCullough's Masters of Rome series (of which I've ready... Read more
Published on September 12, 2007 by Andariel Halo

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it! Suspenseful, passionate, breathtaking imagery
The Lightbearer is truly an amazing read. Once I began it, I couldn't pull myself away from the spell of Auriane, woman warrior, fighting for the survival of her embattled... Read more
Published on May 18, 2007 by Kyron

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to Savor
Every possible element of good writing comes alive in this book. Gillespie recreates a lost time with such powerful detail we can feel we're living there with her characters... Read more
Published on May 17, 2007 by Darya Elle

1.0 out of 5 stars A Really Bad Soap Opera
After my original one-star review of the book caused problems for other readers, I will explain: I only managed to get through 100 pages of this hefty book, so maybe the story got... Read more
Published on May 17, 2007 by Etruria

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