Dreaming the Hound

In the third book of the Boudica quartet, the Romans increasingly oppress the Eceni and other tribes, which serves to explain Boudica's preparation for rebellion. The story opens with Breaca hunting down and killing Romans on her own. Meanwhile, Valerius/Bán lives - if not alone - in exile in Hibernia. As with the first two books, the stories of sister and brother run parallel. But as the end approaches, the two begin to merge. Valerius gradually deals with his past. Breaca flounders at first, a stranger even to her children. But once she decides to step forward and lead, she looks to the future. Interwoven throughout, is the development of previously lesser known characters - Cunomar (son of Breaca and Caradoc), Graine (daughter of Breaca and Caradoc), Cygfa (daughter of Caradoc), and Bellos (rescued slave now living with Valerius). While readers who enjoy character development may like this, others who want to read about the rebellion, which doesn't occur until the final book, may grow impatient. Some may also find the detail with which the author describes certain rites of passage as well as Roman abuse and oppression disturbing. There is more violence in this book than in the preceding stories. There are several things I like about Manda Scott's style. First, her characters are flawed but immensely likeable. As Valerius says toward the end, "So much of what I have done is unforgivable and there is no going back." Yet you want Breaca to forgive him. You want for them to move forward together in the struggle against Rome. (I found Valerius' story as compelling, if not more so, than Breaca's.) Even some of the Roman characters - certainly Corvus and Longinus - are likeable. While you might hate what they stand for, you will find it difficult to dislike them. Second, as with the previous book, Dreaming the Bull, this story opens with a recapping of earlier events. Moreover, it isn't just a narrative summary. It fits well into the story. Third, I like that each book ends with its own statement about the actual history. You learn more with each reading. The author is candid about what is known and how solid the evidence is. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the final book, Dreaming the Serpent Spear. A qualified recommendation for those who enjoy epic fiction and character development, and who do not cringe at graphic descriptions of violence. If you enjoy an element of mysticism, all the better.

Boudica is a fantastic read. You feel like you are fighting the Romans with Boudica and her army of Ecini warrior the telling is so real! Accurate descriptions of the land, people, clothing and life styles. Very believeable characters, most especially Boudica and her family.

In AD 57 Britannia, Breaca of Mona agrees with what others including the Roman Standard Bearer Vindex have said that fighting alone means eventual defeat. However, uniting the tribes against the brutal outsiders seems impossible especially since her potentially best ally her brother Ban the Valerius lingers in prison. Ironically in spite of her sibling switching sides several times betraying his people and the Romans, he remains her only hope to help her unite the still bickering clans even after fourteen years of occupation by Emperor Claudius' legions. Over the next couple of years Breaca remains steadfast feeling strongly that she must continue to take the fight to the Romans. That is why she kills Vindex and leads the rescue of Caradoc. Her success brings hope to her and her Eceni people who now call Breaca the Boudica, "Bringer of Victory". She wonders if perhaps her new husband Prasutagos could expedite the removal of the Romans from Eceni. However, the Romans also have heard of the legendary warrior woman and plan to attack the island of Mona where she is allegedly leading the insurgency. The third Warrior Queen historical tale (see BOUDICA: DREAMING THE EAGLE and BOUDICA: DREAMING THE BULL) is an exciting look back at Ancient Britannia during a two-three year period in which Boudica tries to rally forces against the Romans. Manda Scott enables her audience to see much deeper inside her key protagonists so that motives are apparent especially Ban, who's hard to fathom his honor system from a modern day perspective. Though the story line at times feels padded and subsequently slows down, for the most part this is a terrific addition to the epic saga; fans of the series will appreciate this entry while newcomers should read the previous two thrillers first. Harriet Klausner

It's volume three of Manda Scott's hugely successful fantasy about one of Britain's most famous warriors. Breaca, known as the Boudica, is back in Britain killing Romans and spending months agonising over her destiny at the head of the Eceni. In isolated tow is her younger brother, Ban, now known as Valerius, a deserter from the army and exile after the death of Claudius. Nero is on the throne and Britain is no longer safe. Scott has our tortured, reluctant leader spend the first hundred pages hunting alone, struggling to deal with the choices facing her. Return with no honour to Mona or go east to the enslaved Eceni and the one-armed embittered Prasutagos. After facing multiple demons and spirits both without and within we end the first part of this latest novel with her in her own familial fellowship of her ex-lover Airmid her son and daughters, Cunomar, Graine and Cygfa and their protectors, Ardacos and Dubornos. With the ever faithful hound, Stone at her side she returns to the Eceni to take a position at Tagos' side as his queen, all the while tormented by images of her family enslaved and trying to establish a parental relationship with Cunomar and Graine. Meanwhile Valerius is living a quiet life as a blacksmith, an unwilling adopter of the boy Bellos and being constantly pushed by the Mona dreamer, Luain mac Calma, to take active part in Eceni life again.. The action really starts around page 170 or so when the British client kings and families are summoned to the Roman governor for a lesson in subjugation. The resultant death of Eneit and then Tagos' death in an ambush of Philius hands control of the Eceni to Breaca. Both she and Cunomar begin their assembalge of a war host, whilst on Mona Valerius finds himself reborn as a dreamer to both Nemain and Mithras. Longinus Sapdze returns at the vanguard of the legions under the command of Suetonius Paulus to take the island and ends up in a trap sprung by Valerius, captured and on the end of a shifting allegiance. Our explosive climax ends with the historically infamous flogging of Breaca and rape of Graine and Cygfa before Valerius and Corvus rescue them setting in motion the events that will lead to the most famous insurrection in British history. I criticised Manda Scott's opener of this series as a somewhat directionless fantasy. However, the massive improvement that commenced with her sequel is surpassed in this stunning third. Here, for the first time, Scott was going to be measured against historical fact and has not been found wanting. Emotive characterisation, a solid merging of ancient Celtic culture and mythology with Roman modernisation, gripping plots, effusively described battle scenes and rending portraits of personal and familial pain make this everything Conn Iggulden is not. If, like me, you weren't overly captured by the first novel, stay with it because this author does deliver in a big way in this novel and for one, this reader, awaits the fourth installment as soon as S