Book
The Barbarian Princess
By Robert J.Ristino
The Barbarian Princess
In 84 CE, Alauna, a Votadini princess, is chosen by her father to guide into the southern highlands of Britannia a Roman cohort assigned to build a fortress. Unlike her father, she hates the Romans and longs to free her people. The trek north is filled with dangers as Alauna leads them into unforeseen perils. The Roman leader is a prefect of engineering, Tertius Vulpienus. She comes to admire his intelligence, strength, and bravery. What began as hate turns into respect and then into something unexpected as the Romans confront a danger that threatens them all.
The Barbarian Princess
By Robert J.Ristino
A Preview of What’s Inside
In 84 CE, Alauna, a Votadini princess, is chosen by her father to guide into the southern highlands of Britannia a Roman cohort assigned to build a fortress. Unlike her father, she hates the Romans and longs to free her people. The trek north is filled with dangers as Alauna leads them into unforeseen perils. The Roman leader is a prefect of engineering, Tertius Vulpienus. She comes to admire his intelligence, strength, and bravery. What began as hate turns into respect and then into something unexpected as the Romans confront a danger that threatens them all.
Reviews
Reviewed by Maalin Ogaja for Readers’ Favorite
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 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
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
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!
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.
It is incredibly clear how
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.