The Eagle of the Ninth

Brief Description: The future of a legion is in Marcus's hands. Brief Description: Originally published: Great Britain: Oxford University Press, 1954. Brief Description: A young centurion ventures among the hostile tribes beyond the Roman Wall to recover the eagle standard of the Ninth, a legion which mysteriously disappeared under his father's command. Review Quotes: "Sutcliff has a genius for the re-creation of an historical period."--"Horn Book Reflections""An unusual blend of stirring action and poetic symbolism. Authentic in background, skillful in plot, and perceptive in characterization."--"Booklist""Imaginatively conceived."--"The New Yorker""Decades later, I can still hear echoes of The Eagle of the Ninth in my head: the chink of mail, the tired beat of the legionaries' feet."--"The Independent""What a splendid story it is, compulsive reading!"--"Junior Bookshelf"An ALA Notable BookMarc Notes: Includes discussion questions.; Originally published: Great Britain: Oxford University Press, 1954.; An ALA notable book--P. [4] of cover.; A young centurion ventures among the hostile tribes beyond the Roman Wall to recover the eagle standard of the Ninth, a legion which mysteriously disappeared under his father's command. Biographical Note: ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF was born in Surrey, England, in 1920, the daughter of a British naval officer. She was the author of four works of nonfiction, an autobiography, four novels for adults, and more than fifty books for children, including the eight volumes of the"Eagle of the Ninth"series. Sutcliff won many literary awards, including the Carnegie Medal for"The Lantern Bearers," and received an OBE and a CBE for her services to children's literature. She died in 1992. CYRIL WALTER HODGES (1909-2004) was an English book illustrator at the height of a distinguished career in the 1950s and '60s when he illustrated some of Sutcliff's early works. Hodges was a leading scholar of the Elizabethan theater and himself the author of a number of books including"Columbus Sails"and"Shakespeare's Theatre," which he also illustrated."Review Quotes: "For [readers] poised between Harry Potter and Tolkien, there really is nothing better than Sutcliff." --"The New Yorker"Publisher Marketing: This indispensable classic, Rosemary Sutcliff's"The Eagle of the Ninth"--an adventure story that unfolds in Roman Britain, published in 1954--set the standard for all historical fiction for children that came after. EVERYMAN'S LIBRARY CHILDREN'S CLASSICS. In the second century AD, the Ninth Legion marched into northern Britain to suppress a rebellion of the Caledonian tribes and was never heard from again. The young Roman officer Marcus Aquila sets off on a perilous journey to find out what happened to the legion in which his father served, and--if possible--to salvage its eagle and its honor. Accompanying him is Esca, his freed slave, with whom he gradually develops a deep and remarkable friendship that crosses the boundaries of conquest and colonialism. An unforgettable story of adventure, humanity, and the mysteries of the past."

Contributor Bio:  Sutcliff, Rosemary Rosemary Sutcliff (1920-1992) wrote dozens of books for young readers, including her award-winning Roman Britain trilogy, "The Eagle of the Ninth", "The Silver Branch", and "The Lantern Bearers", which won the Carnegie Medal. "The Eagle of the Ninth" is now a major motion picture, The Eagle, directed by Kevin MacDonald and starring Channing Tatum. Born in Surrey, Sutcliff spent her childhood in Malta and on various other naval bases where her father was stationed. At a young age, she contracted Still's Disease, which confined her to a wheelchair for most of her life. Shortly before her death, she was named Commander of the British Empire (CBE) one of Britain's most prestigious honors. She died in West Sussex, England, in 1992.