Simone van der Vlugt
The Hercynic Forest
Rufus, a writer, is recruited against his will as a scout in the army of Julius Caesar in the first century BC. The Roman army has been ordered to conquer the Germanic tribes. On a scouting expedition Rufus is taken prisoner by the Germans, but because Rufus once had a German slave who taught him the language and customs of his people, he eventually comes to occupy a very different position in the tribe.
His doubts about Caesar’s lust for conquest increase as he gets to know the Germans better and as the Romans come closer to the tribe’s camp. Then Rufus has to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life: the Romans or the Germans? In this book, Van der Vlugt has woven historical events to create a fascinating story about loyalty and decency. The powerful language has great pace and variety, leading you by the hand into another age and keeping you gripped right until the last page.
