"Different but well done."

In Ancient Britannia, Saxon chieftain Wulfred vows to destroy every aspect of the hated Romans that he finds on his beloved island. When he locates a remote Roman villa, he leads warriors on a destructive assault like none that the inhabitants have ever seen before. However, Wulfred is stopped in his tracks when he sees what he believes is the beautiful abomination that represent the Roman woman, the intrepid Melania, whose father just died in battle with the Saxons. She reciprocates his deepest feelings of loathing except hers target the Saxons.

She considers him a murdering barbarian. while he deems her an invading scrounger. He makes her his slave, but quickly wonders who is the master (or mistress) in this relationship as love blossoms between Wulfred and Melania. However, neither trusts the other as sleeping with the enemy goes against their respective value system.

This ancient historical romance between star-crossed lovers contains an intriguing character twist. The lead protagonists fall in love and respect the principles of their beloved, but neither overcomes their bias towards the other's people. The religious debate between the lead characters and the prejudicial stereotyping make TO BURN more realistic than the usual sub-genre novel, but a bit slower of a plot because the historical authenticity needs time to develop. Paradoxically, because the plot feels so genuine, readers will wonder why Wulfred allows Melania to live. Still Claudia Dain writes an insightful tale that entertains the reader while enabling fans to taste a past over two millenniums ago.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 25, 2002

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Summary

He had sworn to battle the empire wherever he found it, and an isolated Roman villa in Britainnia seemed the perfect target for his revenge. He and his fierce Saxon warriors would sweep through it like an inferno, destroying all in their path.

From the moment he saw her, he knew she embodied all that Rome stood for: pride, arrogance, civilization...beauty. She was a woman like no other, fighting with undaunted spirit even as he made her his slave. And as he gazed into her glittering golden eyes, he realized he could not leave until he had satisfaction from her.

She called him barbarian, called him oaf, called him her enemy. Yet when he took her in his hard-muscled arms, her body trembled with excitement. But would the fire flaring between them conquer him or her? Was the passion that burned in their souls born of hatred, or of love?