First published 1980
Marcus Flavius leads his century into the mist-shrouded forests beyond Hadrian's Wall, pursuing barbarian raiders who have struck Roman settlements. The familiar world of ordered legions and stone fortifications falls away as his men venture deeper into hostile territory. Strange signs appear along their path. Local tribes speak in hushed tones of ancient powers that still move through the wilderness. Marcus finds his disciplined soldiers growing uneasy as they encounter phenomena that military training never prepared them for. The forest itself seems to resist their advance. His maps prove useless in terrain that shifts according to rules older than Rome. As supplies dwindle and men begin to disappear, Marcus must choose between the safety of retreat and the duty that drives him forward. The empire's reach has limits, but some boundaries cannot be crossed without consequence. Marcus discovers that conquest means nothing when faced with forces that predate civilization itself.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy, ancient
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, supernatural-elements
Setting: Hadrian's Wall, Rome
Period: Ancient
621 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday