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The Barbarian Princess by Robert J. Ristino is a historical novel set in the era of Roman Britain. Alauna, a Votadini princess is pressured by her father, King Cunorix, to find a husband before he dies. To Alauna, only three things matter – the love of her people, whom she will one day rule; a firm idea of what she doesn’t want in a husband; and her deep hatred for all things Roman. This hate soon changes into something she cannot understand when she meets Praefectus Fabrun Tertius Vulpienus. As she spends time with the Praefectus and observes the Romans, she begins to understand her father’s wisdom regarding Roman rule. Before long, Alauna finds herself increasingly drawn to the Praefectus, even as it complicates her loyalties and relationship with her kinsmen.

In The Barbarian Princess, Robert J. Ristino explores various themes, with cultural conflict and identity taking center stage. The tension between the Roman occupiers and the native Britons, who fear assimilation and loss of their heritage, is palpable. Additionally, Alauna’s loyalty to her people and her evolving feelings toward the Romans create a conflict between her duty to her heritage and personal desires. These aspects add depth to the narrative, making it both engaging and thought-provoking as it examines the complexities of personal and cultural transformation. The characters truly shine in this story; each was well developed and contributed to an engaging plot from beginning to end. My favorite was Vulpienus, whose strength of character, ideals, integrity, and intelligence made him stand out. I would recommend this for readers who enjoy historical novels infused with romance, thriller, and mystical elements.

The Barbarian Princess was too good to put down. I loved sinking into the Roman occupation of Britain, feeling the sense of place, hearing the legion soldiers speaking in their way, watching the precise movements of the builders following the detailed directions of the engineers. The major plots interwoven with minor plots and intrigues kept the pages turning. I either loved or hated the characters, and sometimes they surprised me.
I appreciated the author’s authentic research into the history and culture of the period. His storytelling made learning history intriguing and fun.
And now, I am ready and waiting for his next book.

After the exciting adventure of The Illuminai Protocol, I couldn’t wait to pick up another assumed-to-be legendary piece by Robert Ristino. I wasn’t wrong. The Barbarian Princess was an exciting, terrifying, brutal, historically accurate tale laced with love and the power of virtue. I fell victim to each character’s persona, and their conquests by way of swords and heartaches come to life through the written word. If you’re looking for a poetic, albeit unapologetic, epic to get lost into, this is the book for you. Learn of history, learn of passion, and learn of the sword!

Get ready for an epic adventure in Dogs vs. Aliens by Robert J. Ristino! This captivating story weaves together science fiction with a heartwarming tale of the unbreakable bond between humans and their beloved canine friends. The plot introduces us to ‘Others’ created when some of the ‘Ones’ meant to protect the universe had their memories disrupted by space storms. When these ‘Others’ accidentally land in Maine, they bring chaos and danger to the small town of Brooks.The dogs of Brooks, led by the brave Pomeranian Lilly and other canine characters like Bruno and Chief, rise to the occasion to protect their human companions and the town, thanks to their connection with the ‘Ones’ and the ‘dogs’ unique abilities, including advanced communication and understanding. Lilly’s One-self provides her with insights and guidance, making her a crucial player in the defense against the ‘Others’ Dogs vs. Aliens is an exciting page-turner filled with action and heartfelt moments. Robert J. Ristino pays tribute to the remarkable qualities of dogs and reminds us of the extraordinary connections between species. The story focuses on the intelligence of the dogs of Maine, particularly Lilly, with a dual consciousness of dogs and ‘One’ The characters are strong and help to convey important themes such as loyalty, courage, sacrifice, bravery, and love. The writing style is simple yet effective, creating vivid descriptions and bringing the characters and settings to life. This makes the narrative easy to follow. The dialogues between the characters flow smoothly and truly bring out their unique personalities. Fans of science fiction and animal stories will enjoy reading Dogs vs. Aliens.

It is incredibly clear how much time and effort went into the research for this book, and it’s always enjoyable to be immersed in a world that the author is so engaged in crafting. The plot is compelling, the characters interesting, and I often found myself chuckling at the clever dialogue. As someone who has read much of Roberts’ published writing, I highly recommend ‘The Barbarian Princess’ to anyone interested.

A powerful tale of adventure and intrigue, devotion and betrayal and the power of love with a touch of mysticism. This well written book has been throughly researched as benefits a work of historical fiction. In the postscript we learn that the principle characters really existed. The authors ability to draw their portraits allows the reader to come to know them, like them and perhaps even identify with them. The extensive use of latin words and phrases demands concentration but soon becomes familiar enough not to slow the reader and adds to our enlightenment.
We are treated to details of the make up of a typical Roman legion and its day to day functions from the food they ate to the uniforms they wore as well as their weapons. The reader can follow Roman engineers as they build roads, bridges and fortresses with helpful descriptions of the tools they used.
We know from history that there were powerful Britanic women like Bodica during the Roman occupation so our Barbarian Princes has precedent. The coming together of a Roman leader and such a woman presents a novel twist.,
It would have been helpful to have current British cities included in the facing map. In two occasions we hear a ranking Roman officer “holler” his demands. The word holler seems out of place. These minor quibbles aside I found Ristino’s novel both entertaining and informative and a really good read.

Really enjoyed the book. Kept my interest t throughout. Any student of the Roman Empire specifically the
Roman legions organization and their positive effect, both militarily and more importantly theiir introduction of laws and infrastructure on the then known world at that time will, read this with interest.
The interaction of the Briton princess and the basic religion of her people which centered on the natural world and the spirits that inhabited it mirrors closely the beliefs of the American Native Americans. Makes you wonder who was closer to the truth of the universe , them or the current Judeo Christian, Islamic religious view that have countenanced so much bloodshed in the last thousand years.

Recently finished Dogs Vs. Aliens and found it to be an easy and captivating novel. As an avid dog lover, I empathized with each and every dog and character in the book. Perhaps one of my favorite paragraphs of all times is Mr. Ristino’s closing paragraph. A truly enjoyable read!

Amazing experience.