Misplaced Legion

This is the first book in a four volume series that I rate as one of the most enjoyable in all fantasy literature. It is, as other reviewers have commented, basically a first century BC Roman legion thrown into the eleventh century Byzantine Empire, with a bit of magic added for good measure. Videssians are the Byzantines themselves; the Yezda are Seljuk Turks; the Makurani are Persians; the Arshaum are Mongols; the Halogai are Vikings; the Namdaleni are Normans, and so it goes throughout the books.Turtledove's borrowings extend to place names as well, some of which are carried over without alteration from real place names of the Byzantine Empire. Even specific events are lifted from the pages of history. Two Roman legionaries, for example, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus are taken, along with their rivalry and deeds, right out of Caesar's Commentaries. The Videssian Emperor, at one point before a battle, stumbles in front of his men, who gasp at the evil omen. Equal to the occasion, he grabs a fistful of sand in each hand and declares that he has a tight hold on his country. Students of history will recognize this as something William, Duke of Normandy was reported to have done when he arrived in England, just before the Battle of Hastings.But don't let all this fool you into thinking the series is too unoriginal to bother with. These "borrowed" details merely serve to flesh out the story and the fictional world in which it's set. The story itself is quite original, and highly entertaining. What's more, the "fish out of water" motif of the misplaced Roman legionaries allows the author to focus on a great deal of detail of this world without all the exposition seeming tiresome and distracting, and this fine detail also helps to lend the fictional world a greater aspect of reality.The real strength of this series, however, is its characters. It's a highly character driven story. Never before or since has Turtledove drawn such detailed, unique characters. They really come alive for the reader, each with a distinct, and usually likeable personality, but each with believable, human flaws that also make them convincing. More than anything else, it is the realistic characterization that makes this series worth reading. I picked it up back in '87 when it first hit the stands, and I've reread it countless times since then. It's one of the few series with which I can do that. And each time I finish it, it's with a real sense of regret that it's finished. Those of you who are about to read these books for the first time, how I envy you!

Harry Turtledove has said that his life was shaped and molded by reading "Lest Darkness Fall" by L. Sprague De Camp. To my mind this first series by the master of alternate history is a time travel book based loosely upon that previous classic. Elements of one of Caesar's legions are transported forward in time to the Byzantine Empire. Only it's not the Byzantine Empire, it's the Videssos Empire in another universe where magic works. Aside from that, it's the Byzantine Empire written by a Byzantine historian. Aside from just surviving, the hero must prevent his new homeland from being overrun by barbarians "Lest Darkness Fall". For this reason I consider this the best time travel series to a fictitious universe ever written, as well as the best series about a Roman Legion. It is a must read for anyone interested in the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, or time travel.One of the many things which make this series interesting is that the heroes are from Caesar's Rome. Rome is young energetic vibrant and, most of all, expanding at this time. They are transported to the Byzantine/Videssos Empire while it is in a period of decline. (If it were the real Byzantine Empire, it would be the final decline, but we can still hope for a revival of the Videssos Empire.) The decadence brought by a thousand years of Empire is sharply contrasted with the vibrant patriotism of our heroes who remain unknowing that this is the destiny of their empire too.This isn't just a military book where the legion moves from battle to battle. This is a much more realistic and complete world where the hero is thrust into the middle of court politics, and has to fight to overcome the shear inertia of the Empire's slide towards collapse. The hero spends more time facing corruption, political intrigue, distrustful monarchs, intolerant monks, and tax collectors than he does facing mounted cavalry units.I don't want to repeat the excellent review written by Robert, 12 MAR 99, about the warfare in this series. I would like to add though, that this is not a series about a general. This is not a David Drake/S.M. Sterling series about Belisarius. As Robert points out, the hero of this series stands in the middle of the battles, and seldom knows more of what's going on than immediately to his left and right. The battles themselves are mostly standup fights where two sides hack at each other. This is really much more realistic though. Most battles, especially in the Roman era, were fought this way. Even though nowadays it seems like every book we read is about Belisarius, brilliant generals with innovative battlefield ideas come along only once in a thousand years or so. Most battles are fought without them."The Misplaced Legion" (Videssos Cycle, Book 1) is followed by "An Emperor for the Legion" (The Videssos Cycle Book, 2), "The Legion of Videssos" (Videssos Cycle, Book 3), and "Swords of the Legion" (Videssos Cycle, Book 4).

This book opens a wonderful 4-part series on the fate of some 1500 Roman soldiers and one Gallic warrior that are magically transported to another world. They become a mercenary force in the army of the Empire in which they find themselves, quickly becoming embroiled in the battles and political feuding. Mr. Turtledove is the master of alternate histories, and it shows in these books. One advantage of setting this series in an imaginary world, is the ability to mix-and-match military units and fighting styles that would be totally anachronistic on our world. We see "Norman knights", "Viking axemen", and "Mongols" fighting next to our mini-legion. This provides fascinating food for thought for any armchair generals. Sadly, it is food without any seasoning provided by the author. The tactics used in the battles are not well described. All the battles are decided with a ruse, with hardly any blood shed, or fought out in first-person perspective with little more tactical description than who's to the left of whom at the start. Mr. Turtledove has an incredible knowledge of our history and ancient literature, but I'm not so sure of his _military_ history knowledge. We don't seem to see any brilliant _maneuvers_, just straight up hack-and-slash with a little magic thrown in. The other advantage that Mr. Turtledove finds in his use of an imaginary setting is the ability to explore religion and those who follow it, without offending anyone. Don't misunderstand me, this is done with a light hand, and is not at all preachy, but you definitely see the difference between tolerance and extremism. The magic of this book and series, though, is in Mr. Turtledove's characters. While the many long and similar-sounding names of peripheral characters can sometimes get confusing, his main characters are developed with loving care. I found myself feeling their emotions with them, not too far into the series. All in all, this book and the series are excellent reads. I made the mistake of getting the 2d and 3d books in the series at the same time, making for two sleepless nights that week.

Probably the best fantasy series I've ever read (and I've read a few). The depth of the character's really draws you in, and the plot is very deep. I'd recommend this book (and the series) to anyone!

Enjoyed reading Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" in English class? Thought that "Braveheart" was one of the greatest movies ever? Then you'll love all of Harry Turtledove's Videssos Cycle books. Close to one thousand Roman legionaries and a Celtic chief are abruptly thrown into the empire of Videssos, where magic is as real as flesh and blood. Hired by the empire as mercenaries, these hardy foot-troops must start their lives over in an alien land win the trust and respect of Emperor Mavrikios Gavras. Extremely well written, Turtledove creates a completely new universe based slightly on the Byzantine empire, complete with armored knights, sabre-wielding nomads, and the unforgettable Haloga guards, burly men who sing while they hack their enemies with battleaxes. The characters are also very unique, yet familiar. The Celt reminds readers of Mel Gibson running around in a kilt in "Braveheart", decapitating and otherwise mauling enemy troops, while the Tribune has traces of Captain Kirk in his attitude. We must also include the Senior Centurion, whose attitude is like that of Dr. McCoy, while his logical thinking is Vulcan-like in nature. If you're tired of those ancient history classes, take a study break and whip out Harry Turtledove's "Misplaced Legion"!