Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
May 1, 2019/in I Wish I'd Written /by Ellie
This article is featured in BfK 236 May 2019
This article is in the I Wish I'd Written Category

I Wish I’d Written: Susan Martineau

Author: Susan Martineau

Susan Martineau on the magic of The Eagle of the Ninth

One of my favourite books was, and still is, The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. In fact, I still love reading anything by Sutcliff, who always manages to bring the ancient world vividly to life whilst crafting a brilliant adventure story.

The Eagle of the Ninth is set in Roman Britain and centres on a mystery involving the disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion of the Roman army into the mists of northern Britain. The marvellously named Marcus Flavius Aquila is the son of one of the vanished soldiers. He is desperate to find the lost bronze eagle standard of his father’s legion and to restore their honour. (As a nerdy child, of course I quickly realised that ‘aquila’ was Latin for ‘eagle’!)

As a kid I was not only reading historical adventure stories, but also digging around in the garden in the hope of finding ancient artefacts. If I found anything the least bit intriguing I used to take it to my local museum to ask one of their long-suffering experts to look at it. I was rattling around in the Roman section of the place one day when I saw a bronze Roman eagle sitting in a display case. It felt as if the book had spun some kind of magic to lead me there. I don’t think the fantastic feeling I had that day has ever really left me. The books we read as a child are more powerful than we can imagine!

Susan Martineau’s award-winning book Real-Life Mysteries illustrated by Vicky Barker (978 1474960236) £7.99 is published by b small publishing.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Susan-Martineau.jpg 640 479 Ellie http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Ellie2019-05-01 08:21:502021-11-21 19:37:31I Wish I’d Written: Susan Martineau
BfK 254 May 2022 Download BfK Issue BfK 254 May 2022
Skip to an Issue:

Related Articles

I Wish I’d Written: Derek Keilty
BfK 253 March 2022
I Wish I’d Written: Elys Dolan
BfK 252 January 2022
I Wish I’d Written: Daisy May Johnson
BfK 249 July 2021
I Wish I’d Written: Cath Howe
BfK 248 May 2021
I Wish I’d Written: Em Norry
BfK 247 March 2021
I Wish I’d Written: Alex Wheatle
BfK 246 January 2021
I Wish I’d Written: Sarah Lean
BfK 245 November 2020
I Wish I’d Written: Joseph Coelho
BfK Poetry Special October 2020

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

Peter Bently and Steven Lenton named winners of The Children’s Book Award 2022

June 27, 2022

Shortlist for the 2022 SLA Information Book Award

June 23, 2022

2022 Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Winners Announced

June 16, 2022

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2022 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
Good Reads: Manav Rachna International School Bringing Beowulf to Britain
Scroll to top