Frontier Wolf

by Rosemary Sutcliff

Overview

'We are the scum and the scrapings of the Empire. They tipped out the garbage-bin of the Eagles to make us what we are.'

In disgrace after a mistake that cost the lives of half his men, Alexios arrives in Castellum. It's his first command, but it isn't really a promotion. The Frontier Wolves who man this outpost in the far north of Roman Britain are a fierce and savage bunch, a far cry from the regular legions he'd served in before. Alexios will only survive if he learns to understand them and win their respect - and he's determined to try.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781448173006
Publisher:	Penguin Random House Children's UK
Publication date:	08/31/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	826,752
File size:	578 KB
Age Range:	9 - 11 Years

About the Author

Rosemary Sutcliff was born in 1920 in West Clanden, Surrey. With over 50 books to her credit, Rosemary Sutcliff is now universally considered one of the finest writers of historical novels for children. Her first novel, The Queen Elizabeth Story was published in 1950. In 1959 her book The Lantern Bearers won the Carnegie Medal. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and in 1978 her book, Song for a Dark Queen was commended for the Other Award. In 1975, Rosemary was awarded the OBE for services to Children's Literature and the CBE in 1992. Unfortunately Rosemary passed away in July 1992 and is much missed by her many fans.

Editorial Reviews

AGERANGE: Ages 12 up.

After a poor decision in a German province, Alexios Flavius Aquila is given the dubious honor of a command of the Frontier Wolves, legionnaires at the northern most end of the crumbling Roman Empire. It is hard to win the respect of such wild and rough men and the local tribes, but slowly Alexios manages to become accepted. However, when the new Praopositus arrives to inspect Castellum, everything Alexios has worked hard to build falls apart. When an attack that Alexios had feared begins, with an alienated friend joining the attackers, Alexios must once again make the fateful decision that sent him to the frontier in the first place. Though according to the author's note there were not any Romans in the area where she set Castellum, the story is otherwise very plausible and historically accurate. The early history of Britain is made to come alive through the eyes of the likable Alexios--the brutality and hard decisions, but also the camaraderie and discipline of the legionnaires. This would be a great reading for any history class studying the fall of the Roman Empire. Reviewer: Kathleen Foucart

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