This is the best of all of Sutcliff's young adult novels, and comes a very close second to her sequel "Sword At Sunset" for adults, which is my all time favourite.
"The Lantern Bearers" is the final book in Sutcliff's Three Legions Trilogy and begins when the last of the Eagles have flown from Britain, leaving it to the mercy of the Saxon invaders. The main character, Aquila (a descendant of Marcus in the "Eagle of the Ninth") deserts the Roman army to defend his home and family in Britain. But tragedy strikes, his household is massacred, save for his sister Flavia who is carried off by the Saxon raiders. Aquila's fate leads him to thralldom in Jutland, but years later he returns to Britain, and unexpectedly encounters Flavia, now the wife of a Saxon warrior.
This is a novel that starts ind darkness and ends with light - a story of hatred and forgiveness, heroic resistance and hope against all odds: hence the title.
It took me very long while (and many re-readings) to warm up to Sutcliff's bitter, taciturn Aquila, but I still found the story incredibly moving and full of a poignant sense of loss. A book not to be missed - Sutcliff is a true master of the historical novel; she has no equal - unless it's Dorothy Dunnett... but as they say, that's another story!!
(Book cover photo from: www.macmillan.com)
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