BOOK REVIEW: 'The Druid King' will please lovers of historical novels
Copyright © 2003 Nando Media
Copyright © 2003 Scripps Howard News Service


By CLAY EVANS Daily Camera of Boulder, Co.

(September 3, 11:09 a.m. ADT) - Except for fans of Julius Caesar or of
the famed French "Asterix" comic books, few Americans have probably
heard of the legendary warrior king of Gaul, (France, more or less)
Vercingetorix.

At a time when France has the wholly undeserved reputation (on this side
of the Atlantic) as a nation of cowardly capitulators, it's worth
remembering the legend of Vercingetorix. He capitulated, too, to
Caesar's legions, but only after a ferocious campaign that earned the
respect of the Romans and had the added benefit of unifying the Gauls.

Norman Spinrad, a writer best known for his controversial "New Wave"
science fiction of the 1960s and '70s, has now rendered the story of
Vercingetorix in novel form. Spinrad, an American who has lived in Paris
for years, obviously has a deep and abiding respect for his subject.

"The Druid King" is in some ways comparable to the quasi-fantasy novels
"The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mary Renault's reworking
of Greek history and Mary Stewart's Arthurian novels. It's historical,
based on the only written record of the Gaulish warrior king: the
journals of the nemesis who came to respect him, Julius Caesar. It also
contains more than hints of powers beyond this world, druidic spirits
who watch over the Gauls and visits to the Land of Legend, the afterlife
where Vercingetorix will find his kingship at last.

The story is actually quite simple. As a boy, Vercingetorix witnessed
the burning at the stake of his father, Keltill, at the hands of leaders
of other tribes of Gauls, for the crime of expressing the desire to
unite the Gauls against Rome. Bitter and angry, Vercingetorix steals
away with the Crown of Brenn, the last Gaul to unite the warring tribes,
and becomes a student of the druids.

But despite his training as a man of knowledge, Vercingetorix has in his
blood an unquenchable desire to become a man of action - and a vision
that he will unite the Gauls. Later in life, after discovering it was
Caesar who ordered his father's death, he fights to drive the Roman
legions from his homeland.

Much of "The Druid King" is presented in chapters that flip quickly
between Caesar and Vercingetorix as they plan strategy, and those who
love depictions of battle will eat up those scenes. Vercingetorix -
almost by formulaic necessity, it would seem - also has not one, but
two, love interests, the virgin warrior Rhia and the sensual Marah.

Prophecy and vision flow through all the action of the story, which
tends to undermine the tension. Vercingetorix sees his own fate - to
surrender to the Romans as King of Gaul, in Rome - and knows that he can
never break his pledge of chastity with Rhia, or she will die. The
hallucinatory visits to the Land of Legend are fascinating, but they
telescope future action in a way that's not entirely to the novel's benefit.

Characterwise, Spinrad realistically portrays both the strengths and
weaknesses of Vercingetorix and Caesar, rendering them in mostly human
terms and ultimately portraying their respect for one another.

Spinrad, once considered quite the young rebel, is in a surprisingly
traditional mode here, occasionally verging on excessive earnestness.
He's not an ornate writer, and the book is a little talky, but he's
skilled at portraying action. An experimental mode of slipping into
present tense, especially when druids are present, seems to point to
some larger meaning, though I could not fathom what it might be.

Lovers of historical fiction, strategy and battle should enjoy "The
Druid King."

"The Druid King." By Norman Spinrad. Alfred A. Knopf, 413 pp. $24.95.

 Review by John C. Snider © 2003

 Very little is known about Vercingetorix, the warrior and brilliant
strategist who opposed Julius Caesar's ambitious conquest of Gaul (what
is now modern day France).  One thing known for sure is that
Vercingetorix was finally defeated by Caesar after the Romans laid siege
to his forces at Alesia.  Today, Vercingetorix is remembered mostly from
Caesar's extant writings, and folktales which have rightly elevated him
as a French national hero.

Now SF writer Norman Spinrad celebrates the life of Vercingetorix in The
Druid King, a beautiful novel that vividly describes the duel between
the two strategic geniuses, and details the anguish of the Gallic tribes
over the impending loss of their culture to the iron fist of Rome.

Circa 58 B.C.: Roman trade and intertribal politics have begun to put a
strain on the fiercely independent lifestyle of the Gauls.  Some of the
vergobrets (tribal leaders) rightfully suspect that Rome ultimately
intends to absorb the entirety of Gaul into their vast empire.  Once
such leader is Keltill, vergobret of the Arvernes, one of the largest
and most influential tribes.  In a reckless attempt to re-unify the
tribes, he crowns himself King of the Gauls, breaking what has been the
greatest taboo in Gallic culture (the tribes haven't had a King since
Brenn sacked Rome centuries ago). 

 Keltill is executed for his foolishness, and his teenage son -
Vercingetorix - is taken into the tutelage of Guttuatr, head of the
Druids (a priestly class who provide wisdom and advice to the
vergobrets).  The Druids teach Vercingetorix that there is such a thing
as "magic", but it doesn't consist of potions and spells.  "Magic" is
the inspired combination of knowledge and action that yields a result
that is greater than the sum of its parts.  Traditionally the vergobrets
are the Men of Action; the Druids the Men of Knowledge.  Guttuatr
realizes that the Gauls will need a leader who is both.  But is
Vercingetorix - with both noble birth and Druid learning - the man to
unify the fractious Gauls and save them from Rome?

 The Druid King is hard to categorize.  Technically, it's an historical
novel, but it feels like great high fantasy (think Lord of the Rings),
despite the dearth of magic, elves or dragons.  It celebrates selfless
heroism like that found in the Arthurian legends.  And it provides rich,
detailed descriptions of combat and military strategy.


Whatever it is, The Druid King is fantastic.  Although Spinrad gets
inside the heads of both Vercingetorix and Caesar, his sympathies
clearly rest with the embattled Gaul and his nearly hopeless quest to
preserve his culture.  Parallels can easily be drawn between the
conquest of Gaul by the Romans and the conquest of the Americas by the
Europeans.  In fact, Spinrad's next novel is The Feathered Serpent,
based on the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards.

 

 
Norman Spinrad is better known for his prolific science fiction novels such

as The Solarians, Greenhouse Summer, Deus X, Journal of the Plague Years, or 
The Iron Dream, but with his most recent novel, The Druid King, he delves 
deep into the realm of historical fiction.
 
This novel is purely historic in nature, except for a few artistic 
interpretations of rather vague factoids. In 54 B.C.E., the Roman military 
led by the flamboyant, but wise leader, Julius Caesar plunges his army 
across the Alps and deep into Gaul. The Druids looked to one man to unite 
the tribes and save their way of life, Vercingetorix.
 
Vercingetorix was an Arvernian prince and the son of Celtillus, who was put

to death by his fellow Celtic tribesmen for attempting to reinstate kingship 
in Gaul (He, of course, wanted to be King of Gaul). Ironically, 
Vercingetorix had served in Caesar's armies as a youth, as part of the 
Gallic contingent sent there to show loyalty of the tribes. Vercingetorix 
served his time in Rome's army then returned to take over the rulership of 
his tribe. He proved that he learned much from Rome. He had become a 
well-known, respected leader and warrior. While unrest simmered in Rome, 
Caesar attempted to conquer Britannia. With Caesar occupied, the various 
Celtic tribes on the mainland led by the Carnutes, rebelled. The Druids 
gathered and declared Vercingetorix as the King of the united Gaul tribes. 
This did not sit well with Caesar so he abandoned Britannia and focused his

sights on Gaul. He returned to the mainland with the might of Rome to crush

the rebellion and capture the King of Gaul.
 
In The Druid King, Spinrad captured the intensity and struggle of a people 
desperate to hold on to a fading way of life. He effectively demonstrates 
the very complex Celtic social structure and the role of the Druid within 
Celtic society. He also successfully captures the tragedy and pain of the 
failure of Vercingetorix to stop Rome, which signals the subsequent demise 
of Celtic Europe. One of the more interesting and little known aspects of 
this time period that Spinrad delves into is the involvement of Germanic 
tribe, the Teutons, in the eventual fall of Celtic Europe. If it were not 
for Caesar bribing the Teutons to assist in the attack on the Gauls, things

may have turned out differently.
 
This is a marvelous historical novel for anyone fascinated by ancient 
European, Celtic and/or Roman history. There are elements of romance, 
intrigue and betrayal throughout. Spinrad paints such a vivid portrait of 
this time period that you do not need to be a student of ancient European 
history to understand and enjoy this novel. This may very well be Norman 
Spinrad's best novel to date. That is an arguable point, but The Druid King

is one of the better historical novels out there today. The Druid King holds 
up against comparison to the historical novels of such writers as Stephen 
Lawhead and Bernard Cornwell.
 
The only problem that I found, from a purely historical perspective, is the

cover art. It depicts Vercingetorix riding before the Roman legions with 
what certainly looks like a "Braveheart-style" Scottish Highlander 
longsword. Sword designs of this nature did not appear in history until 
around 1225 C.E. or so, over one thousand two hundred after Vercingetorix 
was taken back to Rome and beheaded. I guess the marketing moguls decided to 
attempt a tie-in to Braveheart, which is not necessary. The story of 
Vercingetorix is a dramatic one that stands on its own.
 
Note: The Druid King was recently made into a feature film entitled Druids 
(originally titled Vercingétorix, la Légende du Druide Roi in France) 
starring Christopher Lambert. Norman Spinrad co-wrote the screenplay.

      "Great historical fiction"

In Ancient Gaul, after watching treachery lead to the defeat and
subsequent death of his tribal leader father, Vercingetorix flees,
taking shelter with the Druids. The Arch Druid Guttuatr and the
swordswoman Rhia become the lad's teachers training him in the art of
magic and war.

Gaius Julius Caesar recruits the young man to become Rome's client ruler
over Gaul. Vercingetorix accepts the position thinking that Caesar is
now his mentor. However, their relationship abruptly changes when
Vercingetorix learns that Caesar was the devious force behind the death
of his father. Now Vercingetorix turns feral against his former
benefactor leading his people in war against the Roman legion.

This exciting insightful historical fiction provides the audience with
an interesting look at Ancient Gaul without the victorious Roman filter
altering the view. The story line is very vivid as Norman Spinrad points
quite a panorama. The hero is an engaging individual who comes to line
in THE DRUID KING. Though Mr. Spinrad's loyal science fiction fans
should be aware that this book is not anything like his Sci Fi tales,
readers will appreciate the rest of the story from the loser's
perspective as opposed to the victors goes the history books.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner 

The Druid King
by
Norman Spinrad

The Druid King
a novel by Norman Spinrad

Published by Alfred A. Knopf
release date: August 11, 2003

Norman Spinrad paints a vivid portrait of the Gallic warrior
Vercingetorix in this bold novel of his life & times. Set when Gaul was
made up of tribes instead of one mighty nation, Spinrad takes the reader
through the life 
of Vercingetorix & his visions of the future.

He begins in the days when Vercingetorix is a boy, proud of his father &
his father's dreams for the future of Gaul, when Gaius Julius Caesar
begins his inexorable trek into Gaul to conquer & subjugate its proud
peoples. As his father fears, Caesar's encroachment into the lands of
the Gallic peoples reaches farther & farther in.

With the death of his father, Vercingetorix takes up the gauntlet Caesar
throws into Gaul & begins to gather knowledge with strength & the
admiration & loyalty of the Gauls. Being schooled by the Druids,
Vercingetorix 
becomes a man of knowledge & a man of action - a Druid & a King. The
combination proves to be what is needed for Gaul to come together as a
whole to unite against the invasion of Rome & the ambition of Caesar.

As Spinrad reaches the climactic days of the siege that led to the
defeat of Gaul by Caesar & Rome, one can almost believe they are there
during that time, can see the fierce pride & refusal to surrender by the
Gauls in their faces - can feel the triumph of Caesar & his legions as
they win the battle for supremacy of Gaul.

Powerfully written, the research Spinrad has done takes on a whole new
world of color & strength. The stark and compelling portraits he paints
of the Gallic people, of Caesar, are painted with a masterful flourish.
Spinrad draws the reader into the minds of Vercingetorix & Caesar, two
powerful poles of opposing nations. A good read, with a lot of meat &
substance.

Watch for "The Druid King" to hit bookstores on August 11, 2003. Knopf
Publishing, a subsidiary of  Random House Publishing.

 

Render unto Caesar

Noted science fiction writer Norman Spinrad is switching genres with his
latest book, The Druid King. This historical novel (which might be
classified as speculative fiction) is the story of Vercingetorix, a Gaul
who stood up to Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire. The Druid King isn't
alternate history, so from the start the ending is assured. With the
plot fixed, Spinrad occupies the reader with a rich variety of mostly
male characters, fragmentary and ever-changing alliances and a touch of
the fantastic: Vercingetorix not only leads his tribe, he is also a
druid, and, like Caesar, he occasionally has visions.

Caesar wants to use Gaul as a political springboard to Rome but his
invasion sparks Vercingetorix's opposition. The two men are therefore
the cause and ongoing grounds for war: they know neither will surrender,
so they use their armies ruthlessly. The battles in the fields, forests
and cities are horrifyingly described in prose that occasionally flashes
purple ("What a glorious sight! Shouting, screaming, a mighty barbarian
horde in full battle frenzy.")

Spinrad is at his best describing the towns and cities of Gaul and the
changes brought by trade and war. No matter how civilized Roman
occupation is, the reader's sympathies remain with the underdog tribes
who will eventually join under one leader, Vercingetorix, as Gauls. The
Druid King is an uncompromising political tragedy which forces readers
to weigh the human cost of war.

  
 --- Reviewed by Ava Dianne Day
THE DRUID KING
Norman Spinrad
Knopf
Historical Fiction
ISBN: 0375411100


THE DRUID KING is a sweeping, soaring, crashing, and enchanting
historical novel by Norman Spinrad, a distinguished author best known
for speculative or science fiction. In this book he creates a fictional
life for Vercingetorix, who lived in what is now France in the First
Century BC. Although a hero to the French, Vercingetorix is not well
known in this country --- especially since so few of us now encounter
the memorable sentence: "Gallia omnia divisa est in tres partes." That
is the opening line of Julius Caesar's GALLIC WARS, which not only made
Caesar's reputation in Rome but also made generations of young Latin
students either love or hate him. What history knows of Vercingetorix
--- and, for that matter, of the Druids --- comes largely from Caesar.
The rest is legend ... but who can say that there is not in every myth a
core of truth, or else why would these stories endure through the centuries?

Vercingetorix's historical truth is just this: He was a Celt, a warrior
who managed to get the several fiercely independent tribes of Gauls to
unite in a final battle against the Romans, led by Caesar, at the Siege
of Alesia in 52 BC. Under the leadership of Vercingetorix, the Gauls
came very close at one point to defeating the great Roman Army, but in
the end the Romans won because of their well-organized battle tactics.
Vercingetorix surrendered himself to Caesar, was taken to Rome in chains
for exhibition in one of Caesar's triumphal marches, and was either
assassinated there or allowed to kill himself by falling on his own
sword --- the Roman death with honor --- six years later.

This is a stirring and heartbreaking framework for a novel, and Spinrad
makes the most of it. He begins when Vercingetorix is fourteen and
witnesses his own father's ill-timed and ill-fated attempt to crown
himself King of Gaul, using the crown of Brenn. Brenn is another
historical figure, a Vandal warrior who had sacked Rome on his way
through before settling Gaul with his warriors. For his audacity,
Vercingetorix's father is imprisoned and burned alive, an execution the
boy witnesses before being rescued from a similar fate by the Archdruid
Guttuatr.

Guttuatr spirits Vercingetorix away to the forest and educates him as a
Druid. This part of Spinrad's tale, so far as I've been able to find out
by doing some research of my own, is pure fiction. But never mind, it's
a fine idea and makes for some grand reading. Better than grand, it's
magical --- the Druids themselves couldn't ask for more. Guttuatr is a
great character, much more true-to-life than Gandalf or Dumbledore.

At the banquet where his father had made the unfortunate proclamation,
Vercingetorix met Marah, the fair-haired daughter of one of the Gallic
chieftains whose tribe was being held together primarily by the widow,
Marah's mother. Marah becomes the kind of woman most heroes have in
their lives, the remote beauty worshipped from afar --- though she
eventually proves not entirely unattainable. But Vercingetorix has
another woman in his life too. Her name is Rhia --- she is an amazon who
teaches him the martial arts and later becomes his faithful fighting
companion.

There is historic precedence for having an amazon warrior alongside
Vercingatorix. Here, as in the rest of his tale, Spinrad pushes the
envelope of imagination, but not too far. He is extremely skilled in
taking his readers right up to, but never over, the top. In the case of
the amazon, those who like to check out the real history behind the
story may recall that the Celts who settled France, England, Scotland,
Ireland and parts of Spain and were in fact the remote ancestors of so
many people who ultimately ended up in the United States, came
originally from the steppes of Asia. They were nomadic horsemen. One
strain of these nomads went East to become the Mongols, one went West
and became the Celts, and along the way it is most likely true that a
substantial body of women warriors broke off to remain in Asia Minor ---
since called amazons. At any rate, Rhia is another wonderful character.

What is best about this book is the language, which will transport you.
Spinrad tells a story that is chockfull of vivid details in which the
Celtic, Latin and Germanic cultures are all accurately but never
boringly brought to life. The battle scenes near the end of the book are
particularly arousing, and Vercingetorix's ultimate surrender amid the
bravery of his Celtic warriors is heartbreaking.

Norman Spinrad has been living in Paris lately. The French should be
thankful to him, not only for making his home among them, but also for
bringing one of their epochal heroes to life.