The Druid King

Norman Spinrad has long been recognized as one of the most talented of all science-fiction writers, and such books as The Iron Dream and The Void Captain's Tale marked him out as one of the most intelligent and innovative of practitioners in the field. His admirers may find the change of genre represented by The Druid King a little startling, and for the first few chapters it seems the author's embracing of the epic historical novel genre lacks the gusto of his earlier work. But Spinrad knows precisely what he is doing, and this vivid and glittering tale begins to exert a considerable grip. The Roman Empire's mastery of the known world is total, and no nation or army can stand against its imperial might. Gaul is the next objective for the all-conquering Julius Caesar, but the fly in the ointment is the champion of Gaul, Vercingetorix. The latter has two great obstacles to overcome: the all-encompassing ambition of Caesar and the bitter squabbling between the sundered tribes of Gaul. Juggling the demands of politics and battle, Vercingetorix also finds his life complicated by the imposing Rhia, whose skills in battle are as finely honed as her erotic abilities. Spinrad builds his canvas and the ancient world with quite as much assurance as he devoted to the futuristic landscapes of his earlier work, and while the heroic Vercingetorix is a forcefully drawn protagonist, it's the picture of Caesar that truly stays in the reader's mind - a humane yet powerful figure, as adept in debate as in the strategies of battle. This is a gripping novel by a multi-talented author. (Kirkus UK)