The Savage Isle

‘The lost world of the ancient Britons is vividly and memorably recreated’ The Times

The old ways are dying, and a mighty empire is reaching out across the sea.

Britannia, 42AD. The wild island at the fringe of the known world is in chaos.

Cunobelin, High King of the Britons, is dead. His heirs, warrior princes Togodubnos and Caratacos, have spurned the careful alliances that kept the irresistible might of the Roman Empire from Britannia’s shores for so long.

In this land of warriors, druids and kings, riven by conflict, orphan boy Cullen must fight for survival within a tribe he despises. Captured by the Catuvellauni after a brutal raid on his own Atrebates tribe, he must find his purpose swiftly if he is to avoid the murderous attentions of the chief druid.

As the Britons turn inward, jostling for dominion, avaricious eyes look on from across the Narrow Sea. The mighty legions gather

This is the epic story of Britain on the cusp of the Roman conquest, of a clash of civilisations and the last cries of resistance from a doomed way of life.

Praise for The Savage Isle

‘There are several dawns in the history of these British Isles, but the dark before each one was never so impenetrable as that which preceded the Roman invasion of AD 43. Michael Arnold has shone a fascinating light on this period, capturing perfectly the anxiety, the high stakes and the conflicting interests of the moment. A warrior coming-of-age story unlike any I’ve ever read, with prose that sings like a druidic bard. Authentic, poetic, powerful. An epic overture to this savage isle’s history’ Theodore Brun, author of A Burning Sea

‘The Savage Isle tells the story of Iron Age Britain on the cusp of the Roman invasion. The evocation of the land of Ancient Britannia and the customs and way of life of the Ancient Britons is vividly and imaginatively brought to life’ Alex Gough, author of Caesar’s Soldier

Michael Arnold’s rich imagining of the island of Britain on the eve of the Roman invasion is lyrical and powerfully evoked but delicately described and packed with authentic human emotion… Simply masterful… will have you turning the pages long into the night’ Angus Donald, author of The Last Berserker