the mark of the horse lord

See my full review on The Emerald City Book Review.I haven't read much Rosemary Sutcliff, but I really need to change that. This new edition of The Mark of the Horse Lord from Chicago Review Press brings one of Sutcliff's classic works of historical fiction back into print 50 years after its original publication, and it's a stunner. Winner of the very first Phoenix Award, it's a perfectly paced, thrilling, emotionally engaging foray into that time period that Sutcliff made her own: the Roman occupation of Britain. In this story of a gladiator from a frontier town who ends up as chief of the Dalriadain (better known to us as the Scots), both Roman and British culture are brought vividly, savagely to life.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot, because I want you to have the pleasure of having it unfold according to Sutcliff's intentions; it is masterfully done. I will say that I wouldn't have thought that I could pick up a book about a gladiator, a finely honed fighting machine, and be so instantly drawn into his drama and sympathize so fully with his quest. Phaedrus is a magnificent character, and in The Mark of the Horse Lord you will meet many others: Conory, his companion and rival; Murna, the woman who is a true match for him; Sinnoch, a wily horse trader. You will feel you have really inhabited the past with them, and touched the spirit of the northern tribes, which is at once foreign and familiar.

This is one of those books where age-related labels don't really fit well at all. Published as a children's book, it could indeed be read by a child and be an extraordinary and transformative reading experience. Its mature themes and violence make it more what we would call “YA” today (a label that didn't exist 50 years ago). But it can, and should, be read by anyone who loves history, or thinking about what motivates human beings, or the British landscape and people, or great writing. It's going on my shelf along with other favorites by Mary Renault, Naomi Mitchison, and Robert Graves, and I hope you will add it to yours as well.

I really enjoyed Rosemary Sutcliff's writing in the the Eagle of the Ninth trilogy, and it is once again in fine form in this book. Her descriptions don't have to take pages to give you the feel and atmosphere of the time and era, I always feel transported to the places she writes about, right down to the smell, sights and sounds. The Mark of the Horse Lord, however, wasn't as strong of a story I felt. I didn't warm up to the main character and the side characters didn't bring much else to the story either. It wasn't by any means terrible, and I enjoyed it, but I didn't love or even like it as much as Sutcliff's Eagle trilogy, which I really, really enjoyed. If your a fan of Sutcliff's then it's worth a read, but I wouldn't start with this one if you are new to her writing.