Dreaming the Eagle

May 26, 2003
Scottish writer Scott has already turned out three crime novels, but this is her debut historical fiction, the first in an ambitious trilogy about the life of Boudica, the warrior queen of Britannia who fought the Romans in the first century A.D. Long on meticulous detail and religious spells, and short on suspense and battle action, this lengthy volume runs from A.D. 32 to 43 and covers Boudica's youth (when she was known as Breaca), during which she kills her first opponent in battle and begins a life of leadership and bloodshed. Many of the tribes in Britain were either ruled by women or held men and women as equals. Breaca's tribe, the Eceni, had both men and women as warriors, healers and elders. Violent feuds, territorial rivalries, shifting alliances and desire for plunder made Britain a bloody patchwork of warring tribal lands, but invasion by the Romans gave the tribes a common enemy. Breaca meets Caradoc, warrior son of a rival king, and the two develop both a romantic relationship and a battlefield camaraderie that will be sorely tested over the decade. They fight Caradoc's evil brother, Amminios, who is allied with the Romans and whose treachery makes him a formidable foe. Tribal life and Roman politics are well depicted, and there is no shortage of juicy love triangles in all kinds of exotic configurations. The plot, however, needs tightening; it bogs down in too many soap-opera subplots about shocking betrayals. And those looking for blood-soaked battlefield mayhem will be disappointed. Not until the Romans arrive, 400 pages into the book, does the real action begin.

Starred review from May 1, 2003
In the first volume of a projected trilogy, Scott (No Good Deed) offers an imaginative look at the life of Boudica, Celtic Britain's legendary warrior queen. Breaca (later named Boudica) wants to be a mystical Dreamer for her people, but it is clear from a young age that she is meant to be a fierce warrior. (She will, in fact, go on to kill her first warrior at age 12.) Her beloved younger brother, Ban, has powerful dreams of a terrifying future in which Breaca figures prominently. She must bear the responsibility of defending her people from warring neighborhood tribes led by three very different brothers. Or are the Romans the true enemy, as they were in the time of Julius Caesar? Scott weaves the stories of Breaca and Ban into a complicated and satisfying pattern. Definitely not a tired old retelling of a legend, this novel is beautifully written and lovingly told, filled with drama and passion. Scott takes great care to draw secondary characters and evoke the feel of first-century Britain. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/03.]-Laurel Bliss, Yale Arts Lib., New Haven, CT

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2003
Very little is known about Boudica, the first-century Celtic warrior who helped defend her tribe and Britain from Roman invaders. Nevertheless, Scott has written a suspenseful historical novel that will entertain fantasy readers and those looking for a strong character who can fight her own battles and still show her vulnerability. Breaca does not take on the name Boudica until she proves herself in combat, and Scott imagines what her life was like while preparing to be a leader in battle. Breaca hesitantly follows in her mother's footsteps as a ruler (due to noble birth) and a military leader because she wants to be a dreamer--one who can see the future, that is. Dreamers are important in Scott's tale because they advise tribal leaders, and the community depends upon their special talents and gifts. But Breaca cannot change her fate, and she decides to travel to Mona, where she learns the art of warriorship. Of course, there is a bit of romance here; Caradoc, taken in by Breaca's people after he is shipwrecked, proves to be an equal to Breaca's intelligence and bravery, and Scott augments the story with their romance. Oaths, loyalty, and tradition are at the heart of this imaginative tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)