Simon Turney's historical fiction novels are an entertaining way to learn about history and how people lived in the Roman Empire.
Gripping and gritty, entertaining and well researched.
A novel that I strongly recommend and hope it will be the first in a long series
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Simon Turney follows the early career of Agricola the famous Roman general in his first appointment as tribune in the Roman army in Britannia. He was second in command of the general who destroyed the druids on the Island of Mona. He then was in the high command of the Roman troops who destroyed Boudica after her rebellion. His slave Luci is his source of information on the Silures who were the first tribes to be subdued in his time in Britannia. The interplay between the less than subdued slave and Agricola is interesting for the latter's character development and military acumen. Very interesting historical novel.

This had a great start to this series, it had everything that I was looking for in a historical adventure novel. The characters felt like they belonged in this world and that the characters felt like they were supposed to be in Rome. I was invested in what was going on with this story and loved the adventure element that I was looking for. Simon Turney has a great way of writing interesting places and characters, I'm excited to read more in this series.

Agricola: Invader is the first in a new series detailing Agricola's career. This first book takes us to Britain in the early days of Roman occupation to place our main character at the heart of attempts to subdue the rebellious tribes to the west, ending with the revolt of the Iceni, led by Boudica.

Agricola is a young man, desperate to advance his career following his father's death, but he needn't fear because his mother has a means of finding him a military position. And Agricola is a man who thinks. He buys a Briton slave before leaving for Britain. Luci is a real highlight of the book - a great character who develops as the story does.

This is a wonderful recreation of Britain in the first century AD. I am fascinated by the period, and Turney has done his homework, plotting the course the advance might have taken and ensuring that the clash between the tribes and the might of Rome is well documented. Agricola might well be a Roman and think in the way of a man with Roman schooling, but he is also a member of a long-settled tribe. He gives us an insight into the advances that being a part of Rome can bring.

But it's not all politics. There are many battles throughout the story as Agricola grows into his command and position, and I just adored it. Turney is my 'go-to' author for tales of Rome - all aspects of it - from the BC to the AD - from Britain to Egypt - from politics to war. I will be awaiting book 2 eagerly.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

I do like a good Simon Turney novel, and this is one of his best! I was a little dubious about Agricola: Invader, wondering if I would appreciate a book set in Roman Britain where the native Britons are the enemy. But the author drew me in with his first scenes, of sword practice and then an imaginary dinner party with some of the great and the good, including Vespasian, Paulinus and Agricola himself. It must have been a fun scene to write and you can tell that Simon Turney is enjoying himself. The scene serves another purpose, it sets up the greater story, whereby Agricola’s mother calls in old favours, using her dead husband’s connections to secure her 18-year-old son his first position in the Roman legions.

From those first scenes, Agricola leaves Rome to take up his appointment in Britannia. He faces jealousy and prejudice within the military hierarchy, while battling the druids and the native tribes, who are chafing under the Roman yoke. We do not meet Boudicca, although Agricola faces her revolt, which is a shame, to e honest. I was looking forward to Agricola and Boudicca staring each other down in a fictitious face-to-face. But no matter. This is Agricola’s story. We see Britannia’s history through his eyes, from the point of view of the great Roman war machine and the Pax Romana. Of the victors.

One cannot help but sympathise with our ancient ancestors but that does not diminish the story.

Agricola comes across – at first – as a typical teenager. He’s read the books and knows everything. He’s brash, confident, but is aware of a lack of knowledge of his destination. He even buys a slave, a Briton, to educate him on the people of the land he is to be stationed.

I like Agricola. I like his slave, Luci, even more. A pure invention of Simon Turney, Luci is a Silurian slave, purchased by Agricola in Rome. He has his own story to tell, which comes out in stages and is, at times, surprising. He gives Agricola an insight into the enemy’s minds and tactics, helping the young tribune out in potentially dangerous situations. The relationship between master and slave develops throughout the book. Luci is hardly the submissive, beaten slave. He knows his value, and his own abilities. As does Agricola. It is a fascinating relationship and a highlight of the book.

Simon Turney stays true to the history, depicting the strength and might of the Roman legions as the pacify Britannia. He expertly recreates the Roman campaign that swept across England and Wales.

Agricola: Invader is a riveting read and I am happy to hear that it is only the start of Agricola’s adventures. There’s more to follow! Simon Turney has a passion for the era that shines through on every page. His own enthusiasm for the subject will draw the reader in and leave them wanting more.

It’s the young Agricola we meet in Invader. Although he comes from a noble family, Agricola is conscious that he hasn’t the resources to buy his way to an influential position. He’s going to have to do it by his intellect, courage and determination to succeed, and perhaps a little help from the Gods. Ambitious for himself, he’s also conscious of the need to uphold the honour and reputation of his family. Posted as a military tribune to Roman Britain, he makes the shrewd move of purchasing as a slave a captured Briton, Luci. Agricola hopes he will provide valuable information about the different tribes still threatening, or yet to be subsumed into, the Roman province of Britannia. But can he trust Luci? More importantly, can he catch the eye of those in positions of power?

Alongside the wealth of detail about Roman weaponry, army structure and military tactics you’d expect from an author who has immersed himself in the period, there are thrilling action scenes. These include a daring assault on a fortress on the island of Mona (Anglesey) defended by tribal warriors and druids, and the besieging of a heavily defended and seemingly impregnable hilltop fort in which goats play a crucial part. The battle between the might of the Roman army under the command of Roman General Suetonius Paulinus and the Iceni tribes led by Queen Boudicca (who makes only a fleeting appearance) forms the climax to the book. The author gives Agricola a pivotal role in this bloody, brutal affair with its soundtrack of ‘the roar of a thousand furious and desperate throats, the clang and crash and thud of iron, bronze, wood and flesh’.

As this first book in the series comes to an end, Agricola has gained experience in battle and, through his tactical nous, has proved himself a young man to watch. The next book promises us a return to Rome where his battle will be for preferment and political influence.

Invader is the start to what promises to be a fascinating and exciting new series. One for readers who like their historical fiction history-packed as well as action-packed.

Rating of 4.5.

I was in the mood for a compelling historical adventure, and the intriguing upcoming novel Invader, the first book in the Agricola series, seemed like the perfect choice, especially with the always impressive Simon Turney at the helm.

58 AD, Rome. Teenager Gnaeus Julius Agricola is the son of a distinguished Roman family that has languished into poverty since the death of his father. Determined to bring honour and glory back to his family’s name, Agricola sets out to prove himself to the people or Rome through military service. Utilising the last favour owed to his family, Agricola secures a posting as Tribune in the province of Britannia.

Determined to make the most of his opportunity, Agricola finds himself assigned to the staff of Roman general Suetonius Paulinus, who is about to launch an ambition campaign to capture more of the island and pacify the resentful tribes. Marching across Britannia, Agricola begins to show himself a capable leader, especially while be forced to deal with rebelling locals, dangerous rivals, and an incompetent commander.

Soon, the war leads to the ancient stronghold of the druids, where Agricola finds his star on the rise. However, great disaster awaits the Romans back at the heart of the province. The warrior queen Boudicca has risen in revolt, determined to wipe out all the Romans in Britannia. With the fate of the entire colony hanging in the balance, can Agricola help find a way to ensure victory for the Romans, even with the odds firmly stacked against them?

Invader was an epic and compelling piece of historical fiction from Turney, who starts up an awesome new series in a big way. Loaded with action, intriguing characters, and some great historical detail, Invader was a highly addictive read that I was able to power through in two days.

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A brilliant tale on the Roman invasion of Wales featuring the early career of the great general. Never less than engrossing this violent finely detailed story has great battle scenes and the relationship between Agricola and his slave builds to mutual respect which presumably is a tempter for future episodes. Highly recommended!

I've read short stories by this author before, mostly in anthology style books but I've been meaning to read a full length book by him for so long. When I saw this newest book of his about Agricola up on NetGalley I didn't hesitate and requested a copy for review. I ended up really liking the story and I'm already excited for the next part in the series. It was a pretty quick book, a real pageturner full of action and memorable characters.

With Invader, Simon Turney gave us a historical fiction about Gnaeus Julius Agricola, a roman general and politician who ends up being one of the Roman conqueror's of Britain. Starting in 58 AD, we meet a teenage Agricola from a noble family but despite that they have become quite destitute. His family used their most of their resources to get Agricola a posting as a tribune in Britannia to start his career and hopefully turn things around for the family.

The setting of this book is really interesting to me. I've always been fascinated by the early decades to the first century of the Roman Empire, whether in nonfiction or as it's the case with this book in historical fiction. Caligula and Claudius have just been emperor, and their reigns were chaotic to say the least, especially Caligula. Now Nero is the emperor, which we know will also be a pretty eventful reign. We aren't in Rome, though, this book takes place in a partially conquered Brittannia and Agricola got his very first posting. There are tribes that work along with Rome, not wanting to fight against them but there are also tribes that are full on defiant. Agricola is one of the officers who is supposed to help with that and he sure takes this opportunity to rise in the ranks.

Agricola himself was very well-written. I really liked how the author has portrayed him, at least in these early years of his career. There were also many secondary characters that I ended up loving. Luci, a slave originally from Brittannia that Agricola purchased to get to know the lay of the land better, was probably my favorite character. I liked that they didn't have a typical master/slave relationship and that Luci was pretty defiant despite being a slave. They did understand each other and I can't wait to see where it all will go next.

I'm definitely not an expert with the conquering of Brittannia which took place over many many many decades so I can't say how historically accurate this book was. But I am sure that Simon Turney did the best as he could. He clearly is very well versed in the Roman world as he has written fiction as well as nonfiction about it. There are events in this book that did happen that I have read about before like the slaying of the druids on Mona. And of course the uprising of the Iceni tribe led by the incredible queen Boudicca. I kinda wished the author had spend more time on the uprising but I do get that this book isn't a story on Boudicca, it's about Agricola.

As I already said at the start of my review, I already can't wait to read more about Agricola because we are only at the start with Invader. I'm sure there's so much more to come and I can't wait. Invader was a solid read that was well-written, with a lot of battles but also some humor here and there sprinkled about, which made me chuckle more than once. Bring on the next book!

A great opening instalment of the series. We follow a young Agricola across Europe to the shores of Britain where he hopes to make a name for himself and regain status for his family. It’s obvious from the off just how great the writing style is, in the sense that once you start reading you can’t stop! Really easy to like characters and a story that takes you in to the very heart of tribal Britain. Can’t wait for the next book. 5/5

An amazing look and the Roman invasion of Wales and the beginning of a career of a notable Roman who really lived.