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The Silver Branch Audiobook
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(3.03) - 679 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In The Eagle of the Ninth, Marcus Flavius Aquila ventured into the wilds of Caledonia to retrieve the lost Eagle of his father’s dishonored Ninth Legion. In this new story of Roman Britain, the mutilated standard is found again by Flavius, a descendant of Marcus, and his cousin Justin, a young surgeon in the Roman army. It is found at a time when conflicting loyalties, violence, and intrigue are undermining Roman rule in Britain.
Justin and Flavius are accidentally caught up in this power struggle when they discover a plot to overthrow the emperor. A series of adventures carries them across England and down again to the South, where they become secret agents of Rome. But when the time comes for open revolt, they are ready with a band of loyalists to carry the Eagle of the Ninth into the thick of battle to win new honor for the Eagle and for Rome.
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"Definitely not my favourite of the Sutfliff Roman Britain books, although it was interesting to read having read books that occur before (Eagle of the Ninth) and after (Lantern Bearers) the events of this book. I liked the supporting women characters, especially Flavius' aunt."
— Julian (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Rosemary Sutcliff brings this distant period in world history to life, giving her characters color, texture, and vivid personalities…Johanna Ward gives each character a rich and meaningful individuality so that the listener has no difficulty ‘seeing’ Justin, Flavius, their friends, and their enemies.”
— Looking Glass Children’s Book Review -
“Superb...Enthusiastically recommended.”
— Horn Book -
“The Silver Branch is set in Britain at the time of the Roman occupation, and Johanna Ward is a marvelous guide to that period. Her sharp narration is paced so that the listener can become familiar with the sites and culture of the time…The Silver Branch brings this historical period alive.”
— AudioFile -
“Rosemary Sutcliff’s superb historical imagination never fails.”
— New York Herald Tribune -
“[Sutcliff] writes as though Roman Britain were as real and as close to her as the England of today.”
— Chicago Tribune
The Silver Branch Listener Reviews
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" I've read this before. It was good, but I didn't feel that it had the amazing plot line as did "The Eagle of the Ninth". Finding out who was related to who was a little confusing--so if you thinks that was clear, maybe you could tell me. I found it a little depressing (if I thought correctly) that Marcus and Cottia died when they were young. "
— Katie, 2/19/2014 -
" Average, wanted to give it 2 and half stars but i cant. Just seemed a bit underdone compared to the Eagle of the ninth. "
— Jim, 1/22/2014 -
" Woobies get banished to the Wall, end up saving Britain from the nasty tribeses on the Border. Gladiators die! Mysterious exiled Scots spy! Everything is PERFECT! "
— Supriya, 1/7/2014 -
" It's her sequel to the Eagle of the Ninth. It's not her best but still good. "
— Angelyn, 1/4/2014 -
" Not quite as good as "The Eagle of the Ninth," but pretty good. Down the scale of fantasy towards realism. Continues the story. "
— Katie, 12/13/2013 -
" Not my favorite Sutcliff, but not every Sutcliff can be. It's still a remarkable book. "
— Gwen, 10/27/2013 -
" This was better than The Eagle of the Ninth in many ways, though it might be because I didn't have a visual version to compare it with. Nevertheless it felt as though there was much more action. I also liked the relationship between Flavius and Justin. An all round good read. "
— Xanpet, 10/24/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the 1st book in the trilogy. "
— Elaine, 10/23/2013 -
" I loved this just as much as the Eagle of the Ninth. Perhaps more, even; although it was darker, it was no less engaging and I found myself very moved during the final chapters. Looking forward to The Lantern Bearers, "
— 123bex, 10/19/2013 -
" i absolutely hated this book. "
— Emilita, 10/8/2013 -
" It was interesting, but not great. "
— MaryLynn, 8/30/2013 -
" A great swashbuckling read. I couldn't put it down! "
— Johnny, 7/13/2013 -
" Excellent historical fiction for younger readers but equally good read for an adult reader. "
— Arabella, 6/22/2013 -
" Another Rosemary Sutcliff masterpiece. Need I say more? "
— Eyebright, 5/10/2013 -
" I think by now I had the girls reading these and they were getting impatient with me to hurry up so they could have this one. We only had one more--the rest we were going to have to get from the library. Oh horrors! "
— booklady, 2/23/2013 -
" A good read,which continues the story of The Eagle of the Ninth. "
— Johan, 6/25/2012 -
" What a cracking read this was. I really enjoyed it from the first page and it was really exciting until the last. A really interesting tale. Cant wait to read the last in the trilogy - although I dont really want to finish. "
— Vanessab, 11/14/2011 -
" mooi boek "
— Annette, 10/27/2011 -
" I had not read Rusemary Sutcliff since I was a young girl. I started off again with "Eagle of the Ninth" which is wonderfully descriptive writing and now I am into this second book in the Roman trilogy. Fun reading. "
— Malinda, 5/10/2011 -
" Woobies get banished to the Wall, end up saving Britain from the nasty tribeses on the Border. Gladiators die! Mysterious exiled Scots spy! Everything is PERFECT! "
— Supriya, 4/19/2011 -
" As good as "Eagle of the Ninth." "
— Suzanne, 4/7/2011 -
" This was also good, but I was sad that it wasn't a continuation of the same characters. But still worth reading. "
— Sarah, 1/31/2011 -
" Another Rosemary Sutcliff masterpiece. Need I say more? "
— Eyebright, 9/14/2010 -
" It's her sequel to the Eagle of the Ninth. It's not her best but still good. "
— Angelyn, 1/3/2010 -
" Not quite as good as "The Eagle of the Ninth," but pretty good. Down the scale of fantasy towards realism. Continues the story. "
— Katie, 6/22/2009
About Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff (1920–1992) was born in Surrey, England. A voracious private reader, she left her regular studies at fourteen to attend art school. In 1950 her first children’s book was published, and from then on, she devoted her time and talents to writing children’s historical novels. Many of her books are set in Roman Britain, a period that particularly interested her. She received the OBE in 1975 and, in 1992, was awarded the CBE. She was still writing on the morning of her death at the age of seventy-two.
About Johanna Ward
Johanna Ward (a.k.a. Kate Reading) is an Audie Award–winning narrator and has received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine. She is also a theater actor in the Washington, DC, area and has been a member of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company since 1987. Her work onstage has been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards Society, among others. She and her husband live in Hyattsville, Maryland, with their two children.