The Eagle's Conquest

If you read novels to take your mind off the bills or the divorce or tax time, then this novel may please you. If you are hoping to learn more about Roman history or Latin or whatever, then this is not the book for you. Several reviewers have complained about the lack of depth of the characters, but they are deep enough. Others have said that the scenes are not realistic or the Optio, Cato, not believable because of his youth and inexperience. This isn't Moby Dick, people. It's like a romance novel for guys (d*** lit) -- there are lots of characters, lots of action, some love scenes, heroes, villains, exotic locations (well, I don't know if the British Isles count as exotic), historical people... Fun! I spent many a night telling myself "only one more chapter..." and paying for it the next day. I thought the scenes moved quickly, the conversations were pretty believable (despite the PC modernity of a few of them), the battle scenes easy to follow, and the characters drawn well enough to maintain my interest. You may never see this novel offered up as great literature at the local college, but judging by what passes at literature these days, I may have to eat my words.

In the summer of 43 AD the Roman invasion of Britain is being bitterly contested by the brave natives. The battle-weary men of the Second Legion are faced with a new challenge; the heavily fortified crossing on the Medway. A treacherous tidal river and massive earthworks seem to present an impenetrable obstacle to Roman Army. Having shown his worth to his comrades in a recent fight, Cato - optio of the sixth century of the third cohort, must now prove that he can be trusted to lead the hard, experienced legionaries in his unit. The Britons are not the only enemy Cato and Macro must face in the coming months. The same sinister forces they had confronted in UNDER THE EAGLE are still working to depose Emperor Claudius. A chance encounter on the misty banks of the Thames and a mysterious coded message plunge the two legionaries into the dark world of traitors and assassins. Discredited in the eyes of their comrades and manipulated by corrupt and powerful schemers Cato and Macro become involved in a desperate race to save Claudius from the hands of a killer when the Emperor arrives to lead his army into the decisive battle against the Britons.

This is a sequel to Scarrow's first book, Under the Eagle, and is every bit as good as its antecedent. Both provide us with a series of interesting, new twists. Few novels have been written of Ancient Rome that do not feature christians, the triumph of christianity, or the excesses of Latin civilization. This is one of the few that has none of that. It follows the career of a slave who was once in the Emperor's service and who so pleased that worthy that he was freed and sent into the Roman army in a position of responsibility (highly unusual for a recruit). The legion to which he's assigned is destined to invade and conquer Britain and I, being of British extraction, surprisingly find myself cheering for the efforts of the legions.There is one important inaccuracy (I believe) that should perhaps be challenged. Claudius was the emperor during the conquest of Britain and that is accurate enough. However, he is portrayed as a bumbling dolt which, according to my old Ancient History professor at UCLA, he was not. Suetonius wrote of him as such, as did many of his contemporaries, but that was evidently because of physical disabilities and a speech impediment that made him appear retarded. Apparently those physical flaws masked a real ability for organization. Civil war abounded in republican Rome and had it remained a republic, many historians feel it would have collapsed shortly after Caligula's death. Claudius was the one who pulled that republic out of the hands of self-seeking senators made them responsible for their acts, and established a firm government administration as well as a standard of succession to supreme power. It was Claudius, not Augustus, who made Rome into the Empire that survived for another 300 years. But I digress.Scarrow has given us a slightly watered-down, but exciting, view of life within the legions, and has filled his adventure with historical facts and some speculations that are nothing short of fascinating.I cannot recommend this book too highly.

For some reason these books are hard to get here in the US. ... .Scarrrow has begun what will (hopfully) be a long historical series focused on the legions of Imperial Rome. He manages to convey a high level of historical accuracy without turning his novels into glorified textbooks and he definately strikes home in his descriptions of the thoughts, speech and actions of 'average' soldiers. Just going to show that things really don't change that much, even after 2000 years.