Author: Michael ArnoldHistorical adventure | War & combat fiction | Historical fictionPublished on 5th March 2026 by Canelo in the United Kingdom as part of the 'Savage Isle series' series.Hardback | 320 pages 241mm x 164mm x 32mm | 520g The Romans have landed in Britain. The invasion is over, but the resistance has just begun.The legions march inland, but progress is slow, hampered by vast, ancient forests, swamps and treacherous rivers that must be crossed. But, guided by traitorous Celts blinded by self-interest, progress they do.Marshalling the fractious tribes, High King Tugodubnos plans the first major battle for the only fording point of the mighty Vaga River.Meanwhile, Cullen, now a warrior of renown, is dispatched by Aoife the Dread to seek out a mystic religious totem - the whetstone of the smith god, Gobannos - which could help unite the bickering clans.But will he be able to find the stone and return it to Aoife before the two great armies clash?The compelling second novel in the Savage Isle series, from the author of the Stryker Civil War novels. Praise for The Savage Isle'The lost world of the ancient Britons is vividly and memorably recreated' The Times '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 SoldierMichael 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
