New novel explores belonging at the end of empire

A new novel set at the end of the Roman Empire explores what it means to belong when the world around you begins to collapse.

Tillers of the Soil, the first novel by Mark Clavier, follows the lives of a small villa community as the empire retreats, threats rise from the west, and familiar structures begin to crumble.

Inspired by the site of a long-lost Roman bathhouse once discovered near Llanfrynach, Mark began to imagine the people who might have lived and worked there, walking the local footpaths as the story took shape.

“I wanted to explore things like what does it mean to belong?” Mark said. “How do we form our identities? What does it mean to be faithful to the land and to our neighbours, especially in a world on the edge of collapse?”

The landscape plays a central role in the novel.

“The landscape is so important,” he said. “It was a way of expressing my love for the Welsh landscape and imbuing people with a sense of belonging. Tillers of the Soil allows readers to walk these paths in their mind’s eye.”

Tillers of the Soil, published by Sacristy Press, will be released tomorrow (November 1) and will be available via booksellers.

A launch event will take place at St Mary’s Church, Brecon, on 15 November at 2pm.

Visit https://www.markclavier.com/tillers-of-the-soil to read an excerpt, meet the characters, explore the historical context, and find downloadable reading guides for small groups.