Crown of Thorns

By AD 44 Caratacus has survived the first Roman assaults but the balance of power has shifted sharply against the British resistance. Some rulers have accommodated the invaders, while Caratacus is driven westwards and must decide whether to risk another conventional battle or preserve his forces for a longer struggle. The expanding Roman frontier and the collapse of old alliances leave him increasingly dependent on communities beyond the conquered south-east.

The second Caratacus novel follows the transformation of resistance from open warfare into a more dispersed campaign against occupation. Boyle uses the historical advance of Roman power across southern Britain to explore the political cost of continued defiance, as Caratacus tries to sustain legitimacy and loyalty while his enemies consolidate their control.