Agricola: Invader

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

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

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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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.