Bantam Boudica:Dreaming The Serpent Spear: (Boudica 4): An arresting and spell-binding historical epic which brings Iron-Age Britain to life

Love love love this series. Totally gripped from the 1st page.

Poderia ter uma versão em português, pois esse é o 4⁰ volume de uma série. Os 3 primeiros eu li em português.

Brilliant and Mind Blowing!Wow what a journey Boudica goes through in raising a war host to fight against Rome. Even with many of the sacrifices to the gods and the dedication from the tribe warriors to include some of the Roman Soldiers who turned to Boudica's side the war was a brutal ending with great loss on each side.The story that the author weaves is brilliant. This is not a fast pace read, it is filled with lots of details and must be savored to get the full effect of the feelings towards war and why the lands were stripped away. However just know that the smooth writing captures your heart and mind and sweeps you into an amazing story of sacrifice and victory.The development of the characters and their emotions bleed from the pages right down into my own soul. I felt their pain and their victory of each kill. The action was intense and mind blowing in the brutal battles between the tribes and the Roman soldiers. It simply amazed me how these roman soldiers fought because they were told too, not because they wanted too - they had no choice but to fight or be killed by their own governor. At least the tribe warriors had a choice.The tribe rituals and how they worship their god's totally tripped me out but believable for that time frame. I loved the tribal characters and loved Boudica's family. I didn't want this story to end even though Boudica left her spirit for fight to carry on in her children and their future children. I loved the emotional drama between Corvus (Roman Perfect) and Ban (Valerus) - it was bitter sweet in the end.I think this is a more accurate account of how the men and women loved each other. I'm glad the author showed the females having female lovers and the male's having male lovers or even how the tribes had open relationships instead of being bound to marriage. It makes sense if you think about how long the men were left alone and away from their females - I am sure they would seek out some kind of comfort - what better way to do it than with your own battle buddy.I know this story is only fiction in most part concerning a lot of the characters but the reality that the Boudica and the war host she raised was in fact the truth and gives our current day actions examples of what happens when greed and hatred bleeds into everyday life. I see our history repeating itself and that is sad. I know the author's comment is that we can change our ways and thinking and try not to repeat the past but from the study of history it is unstoppable. Even now as we sit here and read, we have the Muslim Brotherhood trying to take over ever part of the word and are causing wars unnecessary.Thank you Manda Scott for writing Boudica's Dreaming and I hope for everyone's own sake that in our current lives that we have a better dreaming of a future that is not full of war.

I have been unable to put this series down from the start but the fourth book, Dreaming the Serpent Spear makes you feel proud to be British but deeply saddened of the way we now are.This book over and above the other four thrusts you into a space where you can hear the dreaming, see the dreaming and smell, hear and taste the blood and love. This is a book written in such a way that makes you want to stand up and fight for what is right, fight for the peace and tranquility that is snatched away from us all too often.You can read this book without the other three but I recommend you don't. I strongly recommend that you read them all back to back and in as short a time as possible. Manda explains at the back of the book the Historical basis for the story and for me it screams a writing skill that few can match. I have always loved the image of Boucidea, Boudica and the tribe of the Eceni but these four books and this one in particular is spellbinding in such a way that you will read it agian and again. I will of that I am sure if not for the honour and the hope of something after death then simply for the superb, sheer brilliance of the book(s).

This is a fabulous ending to the series the started with Dreaming the Eagle. I hope that Manda Scott can find a way to continue the series into a different part in history.