Don Helin: July 2010 Archives

Jack Everett and David Coles would like to dedicate their novel, The Last Free Men, to the last men who offered resistance to the might of Rome in ancient Scotland during the second century.  In their historical thriller, the hero is half-Roman, half-Briton, and used as a spy by the Romans.  He is wrongly accused of murder.  Escaping from a lead mine, he is aided by Druids to reach Scotland.  Here he plots to bring about the destruction of the Roman legions.

I caught up with Jack and David a few days ago and had a chance to ask them some questions.

Is there anything special you'd like to tell us about The Last Free Men?

"The book is a historical thriller which sets down what we believe may have happened to the Ninth Roman Legion, because it is a matter of historical fact that the Ninth disappeared around that time.  Our hero, Marcus Uffin Gellorix, is the result of a union between a married Roman Tribune and a high-born woman of the Brigantean tribe.  The hero's father returns to Rome and his wife, leaving Marcus and Marcus's mother to their fate.  A short time later, attempting to save his commander from a spear thrust, Marcus is mistakenly accused of his murder and sentenced to the lead minds.