I just watched The Eagle, which reminded me of how much I love Rosemary Sutcliffe. I need to do a deep dive back into her books, much the way I’ve been doing with Georgette Heyer. Let the book collecting begin! (Rubs hands gleefully.)
The Eagle was definitely respectable, and seriously, Channing Tatum, y’all. And Jamie Bell. All of you people who are all, Ryan Gosling this, and Ryan Gosling that — not for me, thanks.
One thing that really hits home when watching movies or reading books about the Roman Empire — the US is Rome. This is an empire, and our sympathies lie with the Romans, not the Celtic tribes. (Unless we’re talking about Asterix.) I could tell myself — and the movie tells us over and over — that the Romans were invaders, and total bastards, and evil occupiers, and all that’s true, but … indoor plumbing and good roads go a long way to making me forget all that.
I recently read David Wishart’s The Horse Coin, which takes place during roughly the same era and had the same reaction of sympathizing with the Romans but experiencing that disconnect of uncomfortable loyalties. My review is here if you are interested. It’s a good book — give it a try.
In other news, about 3,700 words on the new project. I’ve started the Labor Day weekend off right.
3 Comments
A Lockwood · September 2, 2012 at 7:03 am
I just read The Eagle of the Ninth a few weeks ago. Fantastic book! I wasn’t sure if the movie would be worth it, but glad to hear it is.
Yay new project! So much excitement.
Patrice Sarath · September 2, 2012 at 8:32 am
I loved her books so so much. I think I read the school library’s copy of The Horse Lords to tatters.
In the same vein, there is a book by another author, called The Wolf King, that I loved — Bronze Age Britain. I still have my Scholastic edition copy.
A Lockwood · September 2, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Oooh, I’ll have to check that out.