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"I’ve just finished reading Boudica
and wanted to tell you of my experience. I
actually took notes throughout so I could be
specific about what struck me particularly.
I have little knowledge of British history
or this period; a smattering of Arthurian
legend and quite a bit of Latin from high
school and college, so it helped fill in and
enhance the experience, though it is such a
well-written novel that even someone without
any background could enjoy it for the story
alone. You set me in a time and created a
world for me from the opening scene of the
6-year old Boudica watching her father strap
on his sword. I found the main characters
well-developed, got to know them and care
about them (or hate them.). Your
vivid imagery, fresh similes and, what seems
to be authentic terminology, vocabulary, and
speech patterns, made this story alive,
engaging and educational. There is a lot of
powerful visual imagery and poetic
expression here. At one point in my notes, I
wrote "filmic," and kept seeing the
possibility of this being a movie. I was
particularly struck by these scenes: the
fair at Marnadunum (p. 22); the scene in the
dolmen (pp. 33-34); the scene of Antedios
suffering the loss of his wife and daughter
(p. 37); Plautius surveying Camulodunum (p.
52); the night scene in paragraph one (p.
164). I loved the recurring symbol of
the night heron. I don’t know if it has
metaphysical or mythical significance, but
it painted a picture for me. The
descriptions of the nemeton and ceremonies
were very vivid and the spirituality was
conveyed. And now, on to war: The
descriptions of strategies, battles,
carnage, brutality, rape, torture and
revenge – so vivid, so bloody, so
disturbing. I kept flashing to our U.S. and
world situation today. How much has changed
in the mentality of ‘civilized’ society
versus the ‘barbarians’ of Briton and Rome?
Now death is mechanized and technologically
delivered with the occasional face-to-face
killing. We see in the headlines, killing of
innocents, or 'collateral' damage as it is
now labeled, and there is still
pre-meditated rape and torture. Human nature
hasn’t changed much, has it?"
Sylvia Levinson, author of
Gateways: Poems of Nature, Meditation and
Renewal, (http://www.sylvialevinson.com/)
"Congratulations on your stupendous new
book. What a page turner. I loved every
minute of it. Thank you. Look forward to
your next book." Carol Bloomfield,
Queensland Australia.
"Thanks again for coming to talk to the
group [The Utica Writers Club]. It was the
best presentation I've seen by any author.
It must be your career as an educator. I
loved your format of giving facts then
reading passages."
Dennis Webster (http://www.denniswebster.com/).
Congratulations!
Reading BOUDICA was a most enjoyable
experience. The story was thoroughly
engrossing, and the historical background
especially interesting. The book was
obviously painstakingly researched and
taught me a lot about a period I knew little
about. The Celtic Britons were apparently
much more sophisticated than I had been
taught to believe. Given how thoroughly
you filled in the background, it is amazing
to me how you managed to provide so much
without letting it get in the way of a very
gripping narrative. I hope we can look
forward to more like this one from you.
David Mascitelli,
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Our phone chat was
so great, and there were many compliments
directed toward you. The group was
definitely won over by you. Your voice was
very pleasant and soothing, and you reminded
us of an engaging professor with much
information to impart to us. We decided we
would have liked to have taken one of your
classes. . . . We will definitely recommend
your book, and we hope you have great
success. I am sending some photos that we
took that night. The second pic is just for
your entertainment, as we are pretending to
be Boudica.
Paula Whitaker, Fort Worth, TX
Thank
you so much,Mr. Roesch, for participating in
our book club chat on May 19th. We thought
you were delightful! I know other book clubs
would enjoy the experience. I will be
awaiting your next novel.
Sandra Carter, Keller, TX
"I'm sorry I can't make your Colgate
appearance [Colgate University Bookstore,
Hamilton, NY, Tuesday, April 25, 2006, 6:30
p.m.] . Will you be having a book signing at
the Barnes and Noble in New Hartford, NY? I
run the Mohawk Valley Writer's Circle at the
Barnes and Noble and would love to have you
appear. I'm the author of the mystery book
Daisy Daring and the Quest for the Loomis
Gang Gold. I've ordered your book from
Amazon and I'm looking forward to reading
it."
Dennis Webster, Clinton,
NY,
http://www.denniswebster.com/
"There are battles, there is intrigue,
there's romance, there's a powerful female
heroine – and most of all, there is terrific
historical research. . . . In Roesch's
account, Boudica is a natural leader, a
woman born to perform her role, who
sacrifices the consummation of true love for
her duty to tribe and family. He skillfully
mixes historic characters with fictional
ones to flesh out the few facts we have
about Queen Boudica's rise to power, and her
revolt against the Roman occupiers. And he
blends them all with hints of the mystic
spirituality of the Celtic people, who were
instructed by Druids, a mysterious class of
scholar-priests. . . . Unlike many
highly-researched books, this one reads
easily and well. As might be expected,
Roesch is at his best with the military and
political details. I admit it, I often skip
over the paragraphs on battle strategy, but
Roesch is masterful in not only describing
the action and relating the strategy, but in
making it readable and entertaining. Perhaps
it's the fascinating details . . . or
perhaps it's Roesch's willingness to put
himself in the minds of his characters as
they make the decisions that move the
battles forward. Either way, I found myself
as eagerly following the action of the
battle scenes as the love scenes. . . ."
From a review by Nancy
Roberts in Table Hopping, April
2006;
for the complete review, go to
http://nancyr.blogspot.com/
Congratulations on the publication of your
first book. . . . I have always loved the
story of Boudica. My book club is interested
in reading it and having a follow-up phone
chat with you. My husband is an historical
storyteller (www.storymantales.com),
and he does a story of Boudica. I am
passing on your website to him. Again,
congratulations and good luck.
Paula Whitaker, Fort Worth,
Texas
Boudica, Queen of the Iceni is the
product of a wonderful storyteller -- we
found it hard to put down! The book opens
with a charming look at Boudica as a child;
then one dramatic scene after another
seduces the reader to want more and more.
Joseph Roesch excels at writing descriptions
so vivid the reader feels the mist in the
glen, shudders against the driving snow and
sleet, and is blinded by the thick fogs. His
picture of the brutality of raw, unchecked
power is nothing short of breathtaking. What
an inspiring look at a people struggling to
be free, told without sentimentality, yet
with great passion!
Rosemary Agonito & Joseph
Agonito,
authors of Buffalo Calf Road Woman,
www.agonito.com
Congratulations on your exciting new
book. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Bruce Kivo, New York City
I have been fortunate
enough that not only was I gifted with an
author-autographed copy of "Boudica", but
the individual presenting the gift to me was
Donna Woolfolk Cross. Therefore, the
best compliment I can give to you in return
is to say that "Boudica" is written in the
same mesmerizing and detailed style as
Donna's "Pope Joan." Both are remarkable
characters by remarkable authors.
Thank you for
enlightening me to another woman in history.
As additional
thanks to you for giving me the pleasure of
your book.
I have posted a review at Amazon.com.
Dorothy Irwin, Brewerton, NY
WOW! What a
story! I am awed by the story itself, never
having studied English history, or knowing
very much about the Celts. You tell it in a
very entertaining way. . . .
Congratulations on a fine story well told.
I was thoroughly engaged in the story
throughout. Are you going to follow up with
a story about King Arthur? I could not help
but note that you left the sword for him to
find . . . .
William A. Wineburgh, Succasunna, NJ,
http://members.aol.com/WWineburgh]
". . . Boudica, Queen of the Iceni
tells the story of Boudica’s life from early
childhood to death, concentrating mainly on
the period of the revolt. For me, one of its
key strengths is its historical accuracy and
attention to detail. The events in the story
follow the accounts of Tacitus and Dio, with
minor variations that are detailed in the
Historical Note, and the imaginative
infilling appears plausible to me. The
material culture of Romans and Britons fits
what I know of the archaeology, with some
vignettes recreated in considerable detail.
For example, the remains of a glass and
pottery shop have been excavated on what was
the main street of Roman Camulodunum. The
glass had been stored on a shelf above the
pottery and the heat from the fire was so
intense that the shattered pottery was
covered in drips of melted glass. In
Boudica, Queen of the Iceni this shop
(or one remarkably like it) is kept by a
retired centurion. . . . Very much to the
author’s credit is the presence of a
Historical Note, a character list and a
glossary of place names indicating what is
documented and what is invented. . . . A
well-crafted retelling of Boudica’s story
with commendable attention to historical
detail."
Carla Nayland, UK,
http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/boudica_roesch.htm
I’ve just finished reading
Boudica, Queen of The Iceni, and I had to sit
down at my computer right away to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I really
got caught up in the characters because you draw them so vividly. Even the
minor characters, like Lady Cornelia, Januaria or little Florus, are much
more than just pawns to move the story along. As a woman, I found Boudica a
wonderful role-model for her modern sisters. She’s courageous to the point
of ferocity when she has to be, but she’s also tender and passionate in her
roles as queen, lover and mother. The attention to historical detail is
apparent everywhere, and that helps me identify with the characters as real
people, not just names in a story. Your style is very clear and descriptive
with a lyrical quality that reads like poetry in many places. I’m a busy
person (the mother of young twins!), so I don’t get a chance to read as
often as I’d like, but I’m awfully glad I found time to read this book!
Thanks for a great read.Karen Coty, Delaware
Just found your website - I love medieval history and can't
wait to get my hands on your book!!!
Congratulations!!!
Audi Stone, Edmonds,
Washington
In
this meticulously researched novel, Roesch
transforms the known history of Boudica into
a
richly textured narrative of mythic
proportions.
James MacKillop, Author of Dictionary
of Celtic Mythology (Oxford)
Captivating . . . a
beautifully crafted story of one of
history’s most extraordinary women. Boudica’s
indomitable courage will inspire you.
Donna Woolfolk Cross, Author of Pope
Joan
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