The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff #1954Club

This is a special guest review of The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff for the #1954Club, hosted by StuckinaBook and Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings, from my mother, Stephanie Martin, in honor of one of her favorite authors:

When I made my long-anticipated visit to Hadrian’s Wall in northern England, I knew a lot about the history and archaeology of the area, but I wasn’t thinking about any of that. My mind was focused on a young Roman soldier named Marcus whom I had read about years before. And that goes to show that when Rosemary Sutcliff’s characters get a grip on you, they never let go.

The hero of The Eagle of the Ninth is Centurion Marcus Flavius Aquila, whom we meet as he takes command of a fort in Roman-occupied Britain. Although he misses his farm not far from Rome, he is excited about his new military career. His ambitions are to rise to a high army position and to find out what became of the Ninth Legion, a famed Roman unit that had vanished while battling the tribes north of the Wall, with Marcus’ father as second in command.

Marcus embarks on some battles and adventures, in particular a quest for the eagle, the quasi-sacred emblem of the lost legion. He travels north to the Wall and the wild territory beyond. Marcus has some triumphs, but not everything turns out rosy. While the plot is exciting, it comes in second to the deeply real and human characters, especially the changing relationship between the centurion and his former slave, Esca, who becomes a loyal friend.

Here is the meeting of the two, just after Marcus has bought the enslaved gladiator:

“I am Esca, of the tribe of the Brigantes, the bearers of the blue war-shield.”

“And I am – I was, a centurion of the Second Legion,” Marcus said, not knowing why he made the reply, knowing only that it had to be made. Roman and Briton faced each other in the lamplight, while the two statements seemed to hang like a challenge in the air between them.

Sutcliff’s style, as always, is measured and beautiful. The book is aimed at teenagers, who might be put off by the rather slow opening and the frequent descriptions of nature, but who have, since 1954, made the book a favorite. There is even a touch of romance.

The Ninth Legion was real, and its disappearance (about the year 120) has been the subject of much speculation, by novelists and historians. This version is entirely convincing.

After my thrilling day at the Wall, I wrote a letter on hotel stationery to Rosemary Sutcliff in care of her publisher, thanking her for her part in my experience.