Maggie Blackbird

Today, author Stephen D. Owen is guesting. He’s talking about his latest release Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice, book one in the Iceni series, a historical fiction novel. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

“The revolt of Queen Boudica and the Iceni against the might of Rome has echoed down the centuries. Nearly 2000 years ago, during the early years of Roman Britain, Boudica, a victim of Roman injustice, raised the Iceni tribe in rebellion against Rome.”

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What we can expect from Stephen in the future:

I am working on two further titles in a proposed trilogy, Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice is the first in the series. Iceni rising and Boudica’s Fate will tell the full, dramatic story of the revolt of Queen Boudica, the druid priests, the Iceni and their allies against Roman rule in Britain.

The book cover designer:

My publisher, The Book Guild, designed the covers which is exactly what I had in mind and has become a real asset and integral part of the book. The covers have gained much interest and praise.

His characters:

My novel has a rich caste of characters. Some existed, others I created. Yet people much like them must have taken part in the war of the Iceni against Rome.

Boudica, queen and priestess of the Iceni, her late husband a former ally of Rome. She must make hard decisions that risks everything she ever believed in as she is humiliated and sees Rome as a cruel oppressor that must be challenged. Arminius, a druid priest who begins to realise he cannot escape his fate and the power of prophecy as war overtakes the world of the Iceni. Scathach, female champion warrior of the Iceni who never submitted to Rome and believes her people can throw off the Roman yoke.

Suetonius Paulinus, propraetor or governor of Roman Britain. A soldier and commander who must try and save the province for Rome against this dangerous revolt. Julius Varro, an officer of the Germanic Batavian auxiliary cavalry, part of the Roman Army. Varro, with Germanic blood, has distant kindred to the Iceni, like many auxiliary soldiers who serve alongside the Roman legions. He must reconcile his absolute loyalty to Nero Caesar and the Roman state with the Iceni, so called “barbarians” who fight for a way of life.

Cadifor, champion warrior of the Iceni and loyal to Boudica and the royal house. He was also loyal to King Prasutagus, late husband to Boudica and client ruler or ally of Rome.  Cadifor must reconcile his belief in the old traditions of the Iceni with the alliance with Rome. Scathach, his former lover, sees him as a traitor. However, once Boudica renounces Rome and leads the Iceni to war, Cadifor becomes her chief leader and champion in the cause of freedom. These are just some of the characters, historical and otherwise, in my dramatic retelling of the Iceni Revolt. 

What he enjoyed most about writing Book One:

I enjoyed recreating early Roman Britain and the world of the Iceni in my writing and imagination. The landscapes, the characters. The bitter cold of an Iceni winter, the scenes of a Roman marching camp, the scenes and smells of Roman towns or a wooded glade where druids worshipped the earth goddess. Boudica speaking to her people on the eve of war. Suetonius Paulinus, Roman governor of the province of Britannia, overseeing the invasion of the Isle of Mona (Anglesey), by his seasoned soldiers as they attempt to destroy the resistance of the druid priests.

How he came up with the book’s name:

The title of the book, Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice, came from the ongoing theme of sacrifice throughout the novel and the proposed trilogy as the Iceni fight for a way of life against the imperial Roman future.

Audiobook release:

If the opportunity arises, I would like to see Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice become an audiobook. I believe I have the characters and scenes to tap into the imagination of the listener. I read extensively yet there is just so much out there, so that I listen to many titles as audiobooks. I prefer to read a book if I can yet also enjoy the experience of an audiobook if narrated well.

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Title: Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice
Series: Iceni, Book 1
Author: Stephen D Owen
Genre: Historical Fiction

Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice is the first thrilling instalment in this historical trilogy.

Blurb: 60 AD. The death of Prasutagus, the Iceni king, leaves his kingdom divided between Rome and his daughters. The Roman Procurator Catus Decianus seizes the entire territory and brutalizes Boudica and her family.

Driven by vengeance, Boudica rallies the Iceni tribe and allies including the Trinovantes, Coritani, and Catuvellauni. As Roman forces are preoccupied in the north, Boudica’s rebel army advances on Camulodunum, the Roman provincial capital, where a vastly outnumbered Roman defence struggles to hold.

With the fate of Roman Britannia hanging in the balance, the epic tale of sacrifice, rebellion, and fierce determination unfolds.

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The air was bitter cold and heavy with tension, threatening more snow. High in the trees that overlooked the track, ravens cried hoarsely.

The first century of Romans, veterans of the colonia of Camulodunum to the south, halted before the circle of warriors, not twenty yards off. Their leader, the grim centurion with the heavy scar etched across his face, advanced a few paces, with the wolfskin-clad standard-bearer at his side.

Behind them, another century halted, shields presented to the front in two ranks, their centurion advancing before the first rank. Behind them, hundreds more Romans on foot, marching in column, moved off the track and formed up in ranks. The mounted Gauls had moved around the far side of the palace. More than a dozen surrounded Boudica and the others, spears lowered.

Even as the Roman veterans and Gauls halted in perfect formation, investing the palace buildings of the Iceni, the mounted leader rode forward from the track.

He halted by the lead centurion and dismounted silently. A soldier moved forward from the ranks and took the reins of his horse. He stood there momentarily, gazing on the Iceni queen and the others.

Calonus and his warriors waited silently, hands on the hilts of their swords. The man narrowed his eyes, drawing his rich cloak about him, his breath steaming on the bitterly cold air.

Then he took a few steps forward, his boots crunching on the snow. The centurion and standard-bearer at his side. Even as he looked on them, Arminus, the priest, saw two more riders moving down the track behind the soldiers, heavily cloaked. He felt his blood run cold as he looked on them. Even though their cowls were drawn over their heads, obscuring their faces, he feared who they might be.

The leader broke the silence. He spoke in a commanding voice, so that all could hear. “I am Catus Decianus, procurator of Britannia and representative of Nero Caesar himself in the province. He paused. “Which one of you is Bera of the Trinovantes, sometimes known as Boudica, wife to the recently deceased Prasutagus of the Iceni?”

Boudica paused for a moment then stepped forward, leaving her daughters with Arminus and her serving women. She stood alongside Calonus and his warriors.

“I am Boudica of the Iceni.”

The procurator took a few more steps forward, the centurion at his side, looking her up and down. The tension in the air was palpable. Calonus gripped the hilt of his sword as hundreds of Romans stood in silence, watching the procurator and the queen of the Iceni.

The procurator nodded slowly, as if confirming her words in his own mind. “So be it,” he continued. He raised his voice again, speaking to all of them, so that none of his words could be mistaken.

“I am here with the authority of Nero Caesar. As a client kingdom, the Iceni are the subjects of Caesar and must answer to his will.”

He produced a rolled-up parchment from the folds of his cloak. Slowly, he held it up before him.

Boudica felt cold as she realised what it must be. The will of her late husband. The other copy lying amongst his possessions in the palace.

“I received this from a so-called embassy of the Iceni. An embassy that carried the words of the Queen Boudica, wife of the late king and self-styled leader of the Iceni.”

He turned his gaze to her then, his cold, narrow eyes searching hers.

“You are she.”

Boudica remained silent.

“Know this,” he said, “so there can be no mistaking of my words. Your king was subject to the whim of Caesar. A client he may have been in his lifetime, yet now he is dead, his kingdom, his estates, his people are subject to Rome. Rome, and Caesar, are the arbiter and power in this matter. It is the will of Caesar that the Iceni, and the estates of Prasutagus, once king of the Iceni, be brought within the power of Rome.”

There were angry murmurings amongst the followers of Boudica, yet the queen herself raised her hand for silence. Arminus placed his hands on the shoulders of her daughters. He felt a deep foreboding settle upon him. He looked up into the grey sky, searching for Her. For the all- giving one. Danu, goddess of the people. Yet he knew her presence was distant. His gaze fell on Boudica; so much rested on her shoulders.

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Stephen D Owen, an enthusiast of Roman Britain and the Iceni Revolt, wished to bring the dramatic story of Queen Boudica, a druid priest and the Iceni Revolt to life in his debut novel, Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice.

Stephen explains: “The revolt of Queen Boudica and the Iceni against the might of Rome has echoed down the centuries. Nearly 2000 years ago, during the early years of Roman Britain, Boudica, victim of Roman injustice, raised the Iceni in rebellion against Rome.

On 1st of August 1984, millennia later, a mysterious link with the drama of the Iceni Revolt may have been uncovered. The remnants of a male peat body were found at Lindow Moss Wilmslow Cheshire, England.

At first the peat body was thought to be a murder victim, yet in time the body was proven to be far older. As old as the Iron Age in Britain at the time of the Roman Conquest.

Known as Lindow Man, or Pete Marsh, archaeologists and experts were called in. A theory was put forward, Lindow Man was in fact a high-born sacrificial victim. A druid priest, perhaps close to Boudica herself, who was a witness and key to the Iceni revolt.

The discovery of Lindow Man inspired me to write Iceni: The Year of Sacrifice. Was this man a priest?

Fundamental to the fate of Boudica and the Iceni? Although my version is fictional, I decided a good challenge would be to write my version of what could have happened, but I would encourage any reader to look into the history to form their own opinions!”

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