ISBN:
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Review Date: 24 May 2006
Reviewed by Autiotalo
It's 73 AD, and Roman centurion Antonius stands amongst the ruin of his small army to face the enemy the Celts. As part of a detachment sent north in an attempt to secure Scotland against the local tribes, Antonius did not expect to endure such a terrible defeat. He is humiliated and stricken with remorse as ghosts of his former friends and colleagues return to haunt him but he finds a hope for the future in the beautiful Celtic healer, Maeve.
Maeve is the daughter of the clan Druid. A widow with a young daughter, she's being courted by the warrior Fergus. When Fergus brings her an injured Roman captured in battle, she uses her skill in healing to save his life. Although he's the enemy of her people, Maeve begins to fall in love with Antonius and so she's horrified when she discovers that her father intends to sacrifice Antonius to the gods on Beltane. But she has other problems to deal with Fergus plans on becoming the next chieftain, and he wants Maeve as his bride to help him achieve his goal. Can she rid herself of her unwanted suitor and save the man she truly loves without inviting the anger of her people and the wrath of the gods?
An interesting book set in a time and place that enjoys perennial popularity, this promises to be the start of an exciting series following the life and troubles of Antonius and Maeve. There was some nice characterisation, particularly Antonius and Maeve's daughter, Dryada, who lit up the page whenever she appeared. The love story is solid and realistic as the couple struggle to know one another's cultures and habits as well as their personalities in the face of ever-present danger.
However, there were editorial errors throughout, and I could have done without the Latin + English translation, which seemed to me clunky and unnecessary, particularly as some of the Latin was not correct (worst offender: 'fabula' for 'Roman' it doesn't mean *that* kind of Roman!). Something the publishers may want to consider in future is to make sure the typescript is black and not grey. It is difficult to read grey font on a white background, and although I enjoyed this book, I was put off by eyestrain caused by this font. Black type only, please!
You can buy Celtic Heart: Season One from
(prices were checked when the review was first published, and might vary)
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Celtic Heart: Season One
