Every year, Epona Warrior-Queen of Atrebates hosts a magnificent feast and bonfire to mark Samhain, the autumn equinox. Spear-women and their chariots recall defeating a Roman legion, though the Romans are long since gone, as young lad Arawn helps his family sell salt to tribespeople for preserving meat. In the tribes of Britannia, the women give the orders and fight hard and fast. LEGACY OF A WARRIOR QUEEN takes a long hard look at this way of life in turbulent times.

Boudica, who is revered as a goddess, was a tribal queen in generations past who fought the Romans. Her red hair - and her words - are remembered. Arawn falls astonishingly in love with a warrior princess Rosmerta, red-haired and valiant. But she comes from another tribe, and disputes break out at the bonfire. The two hardly get to exchange any words. Amid the jealous power of the Druids and domineering leaders, tragedy occurs which changes Arawn's life. Fleeing to the Cantiaci lands of Rosmerta's tribe, he learns that his own home was just an earth and thatch roundhouse whereas here stone-built, slate roofed, wood- framed houses are marvellous, solid and superior. He has no status here, so why would the girl even want to speak with him?

Amid Gaulish traders and fierce Angle pirates, Arawn learns other ways of life. Tragically, mistrusting women, he learns a corruption of religious belief which turns him to darker ways. He doesn't know that Rosmerta is seeking him. This is a multilayered story, with enough fighting, betrayal, lust and sorrow to fill volumes.

The Dark Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire were anything but peaceful, so Maria Herring has reconstructed different traditions, kinships and crafts to show us how the people got on with daily life. What saddened me was the characters walking around the ruins of Roman villas and towns, gaping at the rumour of a large stone bowl throwing rain up into the sky, tracing out the patterns in mosaics. So much knowledge was lost for so long.

LEGACY OF A WARRIOR QUEEN may go a little far in blaming the downfall of Rome on Boudica, at the extreme edge of their empire, when barbarians were massing all over the continent. But rumours are powerful currency. Maria Herring has given us a vigorous adult drama full of larger than life characters.