The first volume in a thrilling new historical adventure series by Simon Turney, critically acclaimed author of Legion XXII and Sons of Rome.

58 AD, Rome. Agricola, teenage son of an impoverished yet distinguished noble family, has staked all his resources and reputation on a military career. His reward? A posting as tribune in the far-off northern province of Britannia.

Serving under renowned general Suetonius Paulinus, Agricola soon learns the brutality of life on the very edges of the empire, for the Celtic tribes of Britannia are far from vanquished.

To take control of the province, the Romans must defeat the ancient might of the druids – and the fury of the Iceni, warriors in their thousands led by a redoubtable queen named Boudicca…

I do like a good Simon Turney novel, and this is one of his best! I was a little dubious about Agricola: Invader, wondering if I would appreciate a book set in Roman Britain where the native Britons are the enemy. But the author drew me in with his first scenes, of sword practice and then an imaginary dinner party with some of the great and the good, including Vespasian, Paulinus and Agricola himself. It must have been a fun scene to write and you can tell that Simon Turney is enjoying himself. The scene serves another purpose, it sets up the greater story, whereby Agricola’s mother calls in old favours, using her dead husband’s connections to secure her 18-year-old son his first position in the Roman legions.

From those first scenes, Agricola leaves Rome to take up his appointment in Britannia. He faces jealousy and prejudice within the military hierarchy, while battling the druids and the native tribes, who are chafing under the Roman yoke. We do not meet Boudicca, although Agricola faces her revolt, which is a shame, to e honest. I was looking forward to Agricola and Boudicca staring each other down in a fictitious face-to-face. But no matter. This is Agricola’s story. We see Britannia’s history through his eyes, from the point of view of the great Roman war machine and the Pax Romana. Of the victors.

One cannot help but sympathise with our ancient ancestors but that does not diminish the story.

So, once they were settled onto a new ship, a trireme of the classis Britannica, he began to ask about their destination.

‘Tell me about Britannia,’ he began.

‘Firstly, stop calling it that.’

‘Why?’

‘Because Britannia is a Roman invention. If you want to understand my people you have to stop thinking like their conqueror. To my people it is just “the land” and we are “people of the land”. We have mostly come to think of ourselves in the tribal groups you acknowledge: the Silures, the Ordovices, the Demetae and so on. But here and there you will find small tribes that Rome considers Silurian while they themselves think otherwise. Indeed, you will find tribes who are part if the Silures and are content to recognise the fact, and yet still call themselves by their own ancient names.’

‘Now onder you could not mount an organised defence of your island when we came.’

Luci narrowed his eyes. ‘From what you tell me of your people’s history, you were no different.’

‘I’ll give you that. Perhaps Rome would not have taken Liguria and Gaul if we had managed to overcome our own hatreds and differences long enough to turn them on our enemy. Speaking as a product of their conquest, though, I’m not sure we would have survived without the order that Rome brings.’

A grunt was the only answer to that.

Agricola comes across – at first – as a typical teenager. He’s read the books and knows everything. He’s brash, confident, but is aware of a lack of knowledge of his destination. He even buys a slave, a Briton, to educate him on the people of the land he is to be stationed.

I like Agricola. I like his slave, Luci, even more. A pure invention of Simon Turney, Luci is a Silurian slave, purchased by Agricola in Rome. He has his own story to tell, which comes out in stages and is, at times, surprising. He gives Agricola an insight into the enemy’s minds and tactics, helping the young tribune out in potentially dangerous situations. The relationship between master and slave develops throughout the book. Luci is hardly the submissive, beaten slave. He knows his value, and his own abilities. As does Agricola. It is a fascinating relationship and a highlight of the book.

Simon Turney stays true to the history, depicting the strength and might of the Roman legions as the pacify Britannia. He expertly recreates the Roman campaign that swept across England and Wales.

Agricola: Invader is a riveting read and I am happy to hear that it is only the start of Agricola’s adventures. There’s more to follow! Simon Turney has a passion for the era that shines through on every page. His own enthusiasm for the subject will draw the reader in and leave them wanting more.

To buy Agricola: Invader

About the author:

Simon lives with his wife, children, rabbits and dog in rural North Yorkshire. Having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites with his grandfather, a local photographer, Simon fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region, beginning with the world famous Hadrian’s Wall. His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Egypt, Greece and Byzantium, though his focus has always been Rome. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling the world visiting historic sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously.

Simon’s early career meandered along an arcane and eclectic path of everything from the Ministry of Agriculture to computer network management before finally settling back into the ancient world. During those varied years, Simon returned to university study to complete an honours degree in classical history through the Open University. With what spare time he had available and a rekindled love of all things Roman, he set off on an epic journey to turn Caesar’s Gallic War diaries into a novel accessible to all. The first volume of Marius’ Mules was completed in 2003 and has garnered international success, bestseller status and rave reviews, spawning numerous sequels. Marius’ Mules is still one of Simon’s core series and although Roman fiction features highly he now has Byzantine, Fantasy and Medieval series, too, as well as several collaborations and short stories in other genres.

Now with in excess of 40 novels available and, Simon is a prolific writer, spanning genres and eras and releasing novels both independently and through renowned publishers including Canelo and Orion. Simon writes full time and is represented by MMB Creative literary agents.

Look out for Roman military novels featuring Caesar’s Gallic Wars in the form of the bestselling Marius’ Mules series, Roman thrillers in the Praetorian series, set during the troubled reign of Commodus, imperial intrigue in the Damned Emperors series and the Rise of Emperors series, epics of the Knights Templar, adventures around the 15th century Mediterranean world in the Ottoman Cycle, and a series of Historical Fantasy novels with a Roman flavour called the Tales of the Empire.

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My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Out Now! Women of the Anarchy

Two cousins. On the one side is Empress Matilda, or Maud. The sole surviving legitimate child of Henry I, she is fighting for her birthright and that of her children. On the other side is her cousin, Queen Matilda, supporting her husband, King Stephen, and fighting to see her own son inherit the English crown. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how these women, unable to wield a sword, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It show how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other.

Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Coming on 15 June 2024: Heroines of the Tudor World

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. These are the women who made a difference, who influenced countries, kings and the Reformation. In the era dominated by the Renaissance and Reformation, Heroines of the Tudor World examines the threats and challenges faced by the women of the era, and how they overcame them. From writers to regents, from nuns to queens, Heroines of the Tudor World shines the spotlight on the women helped to shape Early Modern Europe.

Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops or direct from Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. 

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword,  Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Elizabeth Chadwick, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

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©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS