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Guardians at the Wall Kindle Edition
In the same place, in the year 180 C.E., Centurion Gaius Atticianus, hungover and unaware of the bloody conflicts that will soon challenge him, is rattled by the hoot of an owl, a bad omen. These are the protagonists whose lives will brush together in the alternating strands of this dual timeline historical novel, one trying to get himself noticed and the other trying to stay intact as he approaches retirement.
How will the breathless battles fought by a Roman officer influence the fortunes of a twenty-first century archaeology student? Can naive Noah, distracted by the attentions of two very different women, work out who to trust?
Find out in Tim Walker's thrilling historical dual timeline novel, Guardians at the Wall.
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateMarch 6, 2021
- File size5425 KB
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Product details
- ASIN : B08Y85DJYB
- Publisher : (March 6, 2021)
- Publication date : March 6, 2021
- Language : English
- File size : 5425 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 301 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : B09HG6WMZ7
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,025,838 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #57,591 in Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #71,313 in Action & Adventure Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #158,092 in Action & Adventure Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Tim Walker is an independent author based in the UK.
In 2024 Tim published his second audiobook, London Tales, to add to 2023's Thames Valley Tales. These two audiobooks were produced and narrated by British actor and author, Richard James and are available on Amazon Audible. London Tales is a collection of eleven stories that echo London's past, reflect the present and imagine its future. London Tales is a companion volume to Thames Valley Tales, re-published as a second edition in 2023. Thames Valley Tales is a collection of contemporary stories that draw on current affairs and the rich history associated with England's longest river wholly within the country.
His most recent novel is a thrilling dual timeline, Guardians at the Wall, published in June 2021. Inspired by a visit to Hadrian's Wall in 2020, it tells the story of a team of archaeologists who uncover artefacts that connect them to the life of a Roman centurion who had guarded the wall in second century Roman Britannia. The story of centurion Gaius Atticianus of the VI Legion is told in alternating chapters, shadowing the efforts of student archaeologist, Noah Jessop, to piece together an account of Gaius's life and struggles for his thesis. How close will Noah's assumptions be to Gaius's real fate?
Tim published three books in 2020 - Perverse (April); Arthur Rex Brittonum (June) and Charly in Space (September).
Arthur, Rex Brittonum, a re-imagining of the King Arthur story, is book five in his historical series, A Light in the Dark Ages, and follows on from 2019's Arthur Dux Bellorum. Book one in the series is Abandoned (second edition 2018), followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); and book three is Uther's Destiny (2018). Series book covers are designed by Canadian graphic artist, Cathy Walker. The series connects the end of Roman Britain to elements of the Arthurian legend, presenting an imagined history (inspired by early historical sources) of Britain in the early Medieval period, once called the Dark Ages.
Tim lives near Windsor - close to the River Thames - the inspiration for his first book of short stories, Thames Valley Tales (2015, revised second edition, 2023). In September 2017 he published a second book of short stories, Postcards from London (unpublished in August 2023 to make way for London Tales, 2023). These stories draw on the local history and current affairs of towns and cities along the course of the Thames where the author has lived and worked. A new collection of poems and short fiction, Perverse, was published in April 2020.
His first novel was a political thriller, Devil Gate Dawn, that received pre-publication exposure on the Kindle Scout programme in March/April 2016. It found a wide readership due to its unnerving predictions of a post-Brexit Britain beset by political turmoil under King Charles III's rule and buckling under attacks from terrorist groups and includes a chapter that anticipated life in Trump America, written a year before his election.
In early 2017 he published his first children's book, co-authored with his daughter, Cathy - The Adventures of Charly Holmes. Another adventure story was published in 2018 - Charly & The Superheroes, followed by Charly in Space (2020).
Customer reviews
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024Tim Walker has written a hell of a book which must have been difficult for him to do. I say that because Walker has written what amounts to two novels in one book, with one story taking place two thousand years in the past and one in the present. That is one difficult thing for an author to do, and yet Walker pulls it off wonderfully. Walker has an archaeological student during his graduation thesis interpret scrolls found near Hadrian’s Wall that mentions a Roman Tribune several times. The interesting way Walker tells the story of the tribune’s lost payroll chest is a work of art. Couple that with the student discovering hints of where if it still exists the treasure might be buried. This is a very well written book with a clever plot, so if you enjoy reading books about the Roman Legions, then get this book, you won’t be disappointed.
Joe Corso
Author of Lafitte’s Treasure
- Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2022A story told across centuries, this book tells of the Roman soldiers of 180CE, and the archaeologists in the modern day uncovering their story.
Centurion Gaius Atticanus faces a series of battles as he is stationed by Hadrian's Wall, while in the modern day, archaeology student Noah follows the trail of clues that might lead to the centurion's last act, and a treasure hidden for thousands of years.
Both sides of the story are well told, though I'll confess I preferred the mystery of the modern to the action of the ancient. But no need to choose, we have both! The modern also works in secret lust, tentative romance and grand theft along the way.
An intriguing way to tackle a story inspired by real history.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2021I really enjoyed the characters and settings in this exciting and well-researched dual timeline. Both modern and Roman stories wove together beautifully, and I found them equally riveting. I don't know a lot about the Roman period in England, and I think the way the author presents the history, through the eyes of archeologists and their own stories, really draws you in. Highly recommend, for those familiar with the Roman period, as well as those who want to learn more in an entertaining and easy-to-read novel.
Top reviews from other countries
- Squeaky JoeReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and realistic book
At Hadrian’s Wall, a group of archaeology students explore the area close to the ancient ruins, searching for buried artefacts left by the Romans while guarding the barrier separating Roman Britain from the Caledonian tribes. Twenty-year-old Noah is delighted to discover a figurine, and hopes it’ll put him in good stead with the enigmatic Professor Wilde as he researches material for his dissertation. Meanwhile, in the year 180 CE, Centurion Gaius Atticianus, strives to keep his men safe while negotiating more cordial relationships with marauding tribesmen.
The story segues between the modern-day dig and the Roman occupation, charting the progress of the heroes on each side. Surprisingly, the Roman narrative had a more realistic feel to it than the modern-day one, but that’s not to take anything away from the author’s skill in twisting the two stories together. As always with this author’s work, the research is impeccable, giving a level of detail that, especially in the Roman era, brings it to life vividly and realistically without getting in the way of the story. For me, the most interesting parts were those of the centurion as he deals with his men, his family and the constant threat of battle. However, the way Tim Walker entwines the stories of Noah and Gaius Atticianus is well done and creates an interesting interchange between the historical facts and the archaeologists searching for the truth behind the treasure they unearth.
A fascinating and realistic book that mixes fiction with an evocative picture of Roman life in Britain.
- Ian McardleReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2021
4.0 out of 5 stars Two Stories Separated by 2,000 Years
This twin-timeline novel gives the reader two compelling stories in one: the second century and present day.
Although separated by 2,000, the author has cleverly interlinked the two narratives in a way that they support each other and moves them along at a fair lick with some compelling characters and plenty of action.
The historical narrative seems well researched and the picture of life on the edge of the Roman Empire in the second century is evocative.
If you like your Romans cold, wet and gritty, this book is well worth your time.
- Linnet LaneReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Vindolanda brought to life, then and now
Historical action films, far too noisy and free and easy with sudden closeups of nastiness, are not often for me. Neither am I drawn to text books cluttered with statistics and citations when I want to simply relax and be transported. No, to go at my own pace and find the flavour of another time, I go to historical fiction like this.
Tim Walker has imagined the challenging life of one Roman centurian stationed at Hadrian's Wall, and it is a bonus that this soldier's energetic, eventful, and sometimes violent story is balanced and leavened with an intertwined tale of a young archaeologist exploring Vindolanda in the present day. At nearly three hundred pages, this book kept me very happily absorbed and entertained for several hours, and I finished it knowing much more than I had before about the Roman occupation of northern Britain.
- maureen turner-books by maureenReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Another cracking read from Tim Walker
Guardians of the Wall is the second Tim Walker book that I have read. This one appealed to me as it tells the story of a Roman Centurion from two aspects. His own story of his posting to Hadrian's Wall and also from the perspective of a young modern day archaeologist gathering information for his dissertation. Young student, Noah Jessop translates pieces of the centurion's story from tablets dug up near the wall and is intrigued enough to pursue the long dead soldiers story. The back and forth time line kept my interest throughout the novel. I recommend it most highly to any reader of Roman history novels.
- JKirraneReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 28, 2021
2.0 out of 5 stars Laughable
I finished the book, but the more I read, the more ridiculous it became. The main character is quite unbelievable and his relationship with the professor is laughable. The plot alternates between the present day and the past, but the plot, dialogue and characterisation is absurd. If you want a good laugh read this book.