Product Description

It's 44 AD, and as Vespasian and the Second Legion forge ahead in their campaign to seize the south-west, Macro and newly-appointed centurion Cato are ordered by Vespasian to provide Verica, aged ruler of the Atrebates, with an army. They must train his trible levies into a force that can protect him, enforce his rule and take on the increasingly ambitious raids that the enemy is launching. But despite the Atrebates' official allegiance to Rome, open revolt is brewing, for many are wary of the legions and want to resist the Roman invaders. Macro and Cato must first win the loyalty of the disgruntled levies, before tackling the enemy without. But can they succeed whilst surviving a deadly plot to destroy both them and their comrades serving with the eagles? In the midst of this highly volatile situation, Macro and Cato face the greatest test of their army careers as only they stand between the destiny of Rome and bloody defeat...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #237840 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

About the Author
Simon Scarrow worked as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer.

Customer Reviews

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The Roman Legions are now well entrenched in Britain, but are still finding dogged resistance from the fearsome natives. Macro and Cato find themselves standing between victory and bloody defeat.

Cato is newly appointed to the rank of Centurion and it falls to him and Macro to provide an army of untrained recruits for the aged ruler Verica.

With an army of raw recruits can they halt the progress of a cunning opponent and plotters who are eager not only to destroy Macro and Cato but the whole of the Roman army.

Simon Scarrow has a wonderful feel for the period he writes about and his characters endear themselves to you the reader. These books are well researched and for anyone interested in this period of Britain's history are a great read. Fact mixed with fiction in the best possible way.

A new master and commander of Historical Fiction
It might seem a bit premature to state that Simon Scarrow is a master of the historical novel genre. After all his series of novels set in the Roman legions numbers only four books, and as far as I am aware these are the only novels he has had published. But the quality of his writing really shines form the first page. Each book has opened with a pacy introduction to the ancient world and this latest is no exception. Our heroes, the brilliant but self-conscious Cato and the irrepressibly soldier-like Macro, are ordered to raise a private army to enfore the will of the ailing Atrebatan king, Verica. His court is riddled with plotters thirsting to be the new king. Outside the walls of the Atrebatan capital, enemy raiders are razing his kingdom. It is up to Macro and Cato to ensure that this vital ally to the Roman cause is kept safe and kept onside.
As ever the plotting is flawlessly involving, the action makes you feel as if you were there in the thick of battle and the characterisation makes you feel as if you know these men like old friends. The writing is crisp, punchy and occasionally striking in its preciseness and deployment of wit.
Christmas is coming. Now you know what to put at the top of the list when you write to Santa!

Scarrow a leading torch in the march of Rome
Scarrow is someone that has only recently been recommended to me by a reader of the site (cheers Robin) and as such is an author that I feel having read is one that deserves to have his work mentioned. Many people know of authors such as Bernard Cornwell and Steven Pressfield and know the sort of historical fiction that they write. But what does Simon's work have to offer readers?

Whilst many authors base thier characters in a more modern time, Simon's work is based during the Roman invasion of Britain during the first century and makes great use of not only the political strife of Rome at the time but also the beliefs of the peoples involved during this period of great conflict. An altogther rich environment full of intrigue which shows clearly in Scarrow's lovingly crafted work.

The tales centre around two characters in the roman legion and we follow thier careers as the series progresses, however unlike other authors, he isn't afraid to put them not only in mortal peril but will allow a soldiers language to accompany the situations, which is something that many authors leave out feeling that it would ruin the content of thier novel. Far from ruining it, this sort of careful consideration actually throws the reader a chance to see the emotional side of the characters in addition to making them more believeable.

Perhaps the greatest testimony to an author is recommendations by readers and as such Scarrow is starting to build a huge fanbase through not only those who have followed his work since the beginning but also by those who are new converts to the cause to which I am probably one of the newest members. As such I really don't think it will be too long before the fans will number more than enough for a number of legions marching under the banner of Scarrow's Eagle for the glory of Rome.