Outcast

By: Rosemary Sutcliff

Narrated by: Johanna Ward

When a Roman ship is wrecked on the coast of Britain, Beric, the infant son of a Roman soldier, is the only survivor. Beric grows up with a Briton tribe, but to his foster people he remained an alien, one of the Red Crests. So when bad times come, the tribe holds him responsible and casts him out.

Rejected by the only life he knew, the boy turns to his own people, but Rome too rejects him. Lost, bewildered, a captive in his father's land, he escaped from slavery only to be captured again and condemned to labor on the rowing benches of a galley of the Rhenus Fleet. Will Beric ever find ultimate happiness?

Rosemary Sutcliff provides a fine and exciting story with a background of Roman Britain that rings true from the first page to the last.

©1955 Rosemary Sutcliff (P)2001 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Outcast comes to life under Johanna Ward's smooth reading..." (Reviewer's Bookwatch)

Beautiful Historical Fiction

I love Rosemary Sutcliff's writing. This book is beautiful in spite of the intense difficulties and human evil. The narrator is my new favorite - she was perfect for the job. It's one of those books I'm sad to finish! Great for adults and (probably older) kids.

Glad I didn’t miss it

Love the detailed telling of the culture in this time period. Appreciate the steadfast persistence of the main character.

The beautiful imagery and story

I have loved this story since I was a child, and Ward does a beautiful job with the text. Though this is billed as a children’s book, it contains nuance and imagery that could easily have been lost. Instead, Ward’s performance highlights all the wonder of Sutcliff’s text. Thank you.

An excellent story

Rosemary Sutcliff is an excellent writer, and this book of hers is once again supported by one of the premier audio book narrators in Johanna Ward - a great combination making an excellent book. Not sure why Audible considers this part of Audible Kids - its great literature for all ages. The story lines are complex and rich, and the historical detail that is always part of her stories makes it not only interesting but also a learning opportunity. She was obviously fascinated with the period of time when the Roman empire was in decline and the Germanic people were beginning to assert themselves on the culture of the island. I highly recommend this book and also her classic the lantern bearers.

A captivating piece of historical fiction for older children and adults of all ages

I recently listened to this for the first time and really enjoyed it. I was a bit unsure at the very beginning but quickly learned how compelling the story actually is and the world Sutcliff depicts. Beric is such a relatable character and his story of growth is well worth digging into as he faces many trials and each time decides that life is worth living. I love his fight, his struggle, and the end of the story feels satisfying. It really feels like a real story you’d hear someone tell you about their life during the time. I’m 30 but frequently enjoy “children’s literature” like this story and other novels because of the fresh and genuine perspective they carry. I’d say this would be a good read for somewhat older children who can handle knowing some of the hardships people in slavery (and in general, the ancient world) went/go through with proper context and supervision to process the story accurately.