Simone van der Vlugt
The Hercynic Forest (Het Hercynische woud)
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.
Publisher
Lemniscaat
Vijverlaan 48
NL - 3062 HL Rotterdam
TEL. +31 10 206 29 29
FAX +31 10 414 15 60
Website: www.lemniscaat.nl
Publishing details
Het Hercynische woud (2005, 96 pp)
Illustrations: Martijn van der Linden
Age: 10+
Biography
Simone van der Vlugt (b. 1966) completed teacher training in Dutch and French. She made her debut in 1995 with De amulet (The Talisman), followed by Bloedgeld (Blood Money, 1996), De guillotine (1999) and Zwarte sneeuw (Black Snow, 2000). Van der Vlugt is seen as the successor of Thea Beckman, and like this well-known Dutch author, she thoroughly researches her historical novels, gathering all kinds of information, even postcards and posters of paintings as well as, where possible, taking pictures of the specific places in her novels. Van der Vlugt has also written a number of books for early readers.
Website: www.simonevandervlugt.nl
Quotes
A story with a great deal of suspense.
Leeswelp