But in a subtle way, Morpurgo’s books are instructional. He says he “can’t do fantasy” like children’s writers including JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books. “I think there’s room for all of us. I deal with issues, history, and also there’s an element of adventure in my books. I have to have my books rooted in something that is true and real. Otherwise, I can’t seem to grow my stories. dilema podului? Poate fi găsită sub diferite forme și nume. Ești pe un pod lângă un om. Vezi că se apropie un tren, care va lovi alte persoane. Nu le poți avertiza, dar poți opri trenul, dacă împingi omul de lângă tine în fața trenului. Ce crezi că ar trebui să faci? Să lași acei oameni să moară, ca să îți păstrezi conștiința intactă, sau să alegi cifra mai mică și să sacrifici unul pentru ceilalți? Conflictul acesta dintre deontologie și utilitarism îl găsim și aici, dar într-o formă foarte, foarte, foarte simplificată pentru copii. Diferența majoră este că în problema filosofică nu știi ce fel de om e cel de lângă tine, dar noi știm deja ce a făcut ulterior Hitler. Cine poate cataloga o fapta ca fiind corecta sau incorecta? Este suficienta ratiunea? Cum ramane cu empatia?

Ya sabéis cómo acaba la cosa, ¿no? Entonces nos queda disfrutar de la ambientación, de la forma de narrar y de los personajes. Banished to the Empire's farthest outpost, veteran warrior Paulinus Maximus defends The Wall of Britannia from the constant onslaught of belligerent barbarian tribes. Bravery, loyalty, experience, and success lead to Maximus' appointment as General of the West by the Roman emperor, the ambition of a lifetime. But with the title comes a caveat: Maximus needs to muster and command a single legion to defend the perilous Rhine frontier.It’s too dangerous, Barney,” she said, shaking my shoulders to make me listen. “Just go with Grandpa. Do as you’re told, please, Barney. I’ll find what I can, I promise.”

Maximus ultimately receives no support from any other Roman legion, reflecting the fractured, disaggregated and self-interested nature of the Empire's far-flung nations. The ending is inevitable - though such is the emotive monologue by Maximus that one can't help but feel hope and optimism at each turn in the ultimate series of battles. Se desarrolla durante los últimos años del imperio romano de Occidente, cuando las tribus bárbaras invadieron la Galia atravesando la frontera del Rin. El protagonista es Máximo, el general romano a cargo de la defensa de esa frontera.I am by no means a regular reader of historical fiction, but whatever genre you want to file EAGLE IN THE SNOW under, it's an absolute masterpiece: a gripping and terrifying story told in prose that is literary and beautiful but never flowery. As the Roman Empire is crumbling in the early Fifth Century, a Legion is sent to try to hold the Rhine during a bitter winter, and keep the massing barbarian tribes from crossing. The tribes are waiting for the Rhine to freeze over. As Stephen Pressfield's Introduction points out, this book doesn't read like a historical novel, it reads like an account written at the time: the details and sense of place are fantastic but never take the reader out of the story, and the interior monologues are shot through with the beauty and stoicism of Marcus Aurelius's MEDITATIONS. Count me now among the raving fans of this book. Incredible. Don’t you worry, missus,” he said. “Boys will be boys. I was one once myself, a while ago now, but I was.” Then, after a moment or two, he went on: “S’cuse me, missus, but this is the London train, isn’t it? The 11:50, right?”