I loved almost everything about this book, and I enjoyed every page. It's quality historical fiction at its best. It contains phenomenal characters, plot, setting, historical detail, adventure, writing style, description, and so much more. I also enjoyed how clever and witty the narrative and dialogue are, and both are immensely well-crafted all around. And I really appreciated how the author realistically portrayed the Roman Empire, including both its glory and corruption, and that this is a story of the fight for justice and truth amid all of the rottenness.

I especially loved the compelling, vivid, and well-developed characters. The heroes and allies are immediately likeable and endearing, and the villains and unlikeable characters are despicable and believable. I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters, including both sweet friendships and intriguing enemyhoods.

I am so incredibly glad that a dear friend recommended this book and this author to me! I'm indebted to her, because I wouldn't have discovered this author at all or read the book so soon if she hadn't pushed me to. I've been missing out by not experiencing this author's books sooner! This is my first book by Geoffrey Trease, but it will most definitely not be the last. I look forward to reading many more books by this author.

Thanks to the wonderful author Rosemary Sutcliff, I feel at home in Roman Britain and enjoy reading good books in that setting, but I've been able to find next to none by other authors. I'm so excited to have found a good and wholesome book in that era.

I was thinking during the beginning of the book that it would be 4.5 at least but there was almost nothing I didn't like, and it definitely earned a full 5 stars. The book actually gained its five stars in a single moment instead of gradually...because during one scene a quarter of the way into the book, I identified with something the protagonist went through, and it made me cry. An immediate 5 stars! *grins*

A fabulous book in every area! Highly recommended to fans of history and historical fiction, teens and up. 5 stars. ( )