Casca #5: The Barbarian

Click book to return to booklist

Return to Index page

This novel picks up directly from the Immortal Soldier (#1) with Casca deserting the Roman army in the aftermath of the carnage of Ctesiphon. He endures crossing the furnace of a desert and then makes his way through the lands of the Caesars to the untamed wilderness of Germania, crossing the Rhine. On the far bank he meets a Germanic warrior by the name of Glam and, after defeating him in combat, the two strike up a friendship and travel round the lands of Germany until they come to a northern hold where a man called Ragnar rules with an iron grip. As it is winter the two decide to stay until the snows cease but things are complicated when Casca falls in love with Ragnar's daughter Lida. Unfortunately Ragnar has beholden Lida to a British Celtic prince and in a rage throws Casca into his dungeon and blinds Lida, thereby ending any chance she had of marrying the prince!   Casca survives the seasons in the dungeon by eating insects, rats and anything else that happens by, and one day two guards are unfortunate enough to pass by and investigate noises from a cell long thought abandoned. Casca kills both guards and then, with the help of Glam who has remained in the hold, overpowers Ragnar's bodyguard and finally kills Ragnar.  Lida and Casca marry and Casca becomes chieftain, ruling the small 'kingdom' of 3 villages that exist close by. There are a few battles to ensure his lands remain his, notably from encroaching Saxons where he cuts off the Saxon leader's hand. As the years pass by Lida grows old but Casca does not, but he has extracted a promise from all at the hold not to tell Lida that he does not age; that he is 'touched by the gods'. Eventually Lida dies one winter and Casca is left to mourn the woman he has loved.

This is one of the most enjoyable novels in the series, concentrating more on early Viking life and how they lived, loved and died. It is essentially a love story, which is different from nearly all other stories in the series, and one can't but help sympathize with the main character in losing one he loves, knowing he will never join her in death. The fictitious 'Helsfjord' is Viking but from the narrative in the book - references to mountains etc - it would appear to be Norwegian rather than Danish and further references to 'Scandia' would confirm this as Scandia equates to southern Sweden/Norway. As this area is linked to Germany only via Poland, the Baltic States and Finland, it would appear Casca and Glam traveled very far indeed! The period of this story would cover approximately from 163AD to 255AD.

For a look to see where this story falls in Casca's life, click HERE for a Timeline check