I usually am hesitant to buy books with no review, as I have stated in previous reviews. However, I am deeply enchanted with the Dark Ages, especially the era of Late Antiquity in Britain. The concept of a blend of Sarmatian, Celtic, Pictish, Romano-Briton culture and clash of cultures is very fascinating to me, and when the opportunity presented itself, I bought this book. And I am glad I did. Although it does not cover some of the aspects I was hoping it would, such as the aqueducts and Roman villas in great detail, Konstam at least mentions the villas, although he seems to be primarily interested in the Hill forts, both Briton and Saxon. As a side note of this review, it amazes me that all the great masonry and engineering of the Romans was lost, it seems so dramatic, and so pathetic, that no one left in Britain was seemingly able to duplicate their engineering, especially the 'Romano-Britons.' Konstam suggests in his work that there was a high degree of order kept, but because authority was decentralized, order was a relative term. He also presents a side view of the Vortigern enthusiasts who argue for the existence of a High King. Konstam points out we cannot say anything conclusively yet, but that archaeology has been of more value than literature and texts at this point. That said, he does go on to point out the various hill forts, legends associated with them, and so forth. The illustrations of this book strike me as both profound and enlightening. Peter Dennis is the next Angus McBride it seems to me, I have not seen any other illustrator in Osprey's arsenal paint with such clarity and yet the colors he chooses are both dashing and blunt, depending on what he is depicting--his fortifications are always complete with a `human element,' suggesting that these weren't just stark defenses, but places of living as well.
