Under the Eagle

The author, Simon Scarrow teaches at a leading Sixth Form College. He has run a Roman History programme taking parties of students to a number of ruins and museums across Britain. This is the first in a series of books about Quintus Licinius Cato, Optio (second in command) to Macro a centurion and veteran of more than one campaign in the Roman legions. The year is AD42 and Cato has just arrived in Germany as a new and raw recruit assigned to the Second legion, well known throughout the Roman army as the toughest legion. After a life of relative ease and contentment Cato not only has the job of adjusting to army life, but must also contend with the scorn of his colleagues when because of his imperial connections he is immediately promoted to a rank above them. But the men's attention is soon drawn away from Cato when they discover that their next campaign will take them to the shores of Britain, a land of mists, cold and forbidding where the people are barbarians in the true sense of the word. After the long march west, Cato and Macro are chosen to undertake a special mission that throws them headlong into a conspiracy that threatens the Emperor himself.

I wish I had found this book and author years ago when it first came out. You'll love the two main characters, Macro and Cato, soldiers in the Roman legion, and their adventures together as they campaign in Germany and Britain. Simon Scarrow stunningly brings Roman military life to life without the tediousness of history books, and makes you laugh and cry and grip your (mental) gladius through some of the most gripping battle scenes I've ever read. On the basis of this read, I bought the rest of the books in the series and love every single one of them.

One of the big problems in following any series is waiting for the author to get the next novel out. Having read Vagabond I was at a bit of a loose end until I picked up Scarrow's first novel, having browsed these reviews. I'll be honest, while most people are very flattering the negative reviews did put me off a bit, but being something of a Roman nut I thought I'd give it a go. Lucky I did. Scarrow is a first rate writer who can describe a scene as if you were there yourself. Especially when he moves into action sequences where no-one I have ever read can beat him. The characters are wonderfully rounded and play off each other very well; the dialogue flows like the real thing and does not feel stilted in any way. At first, I'll admit to being a little shocked by the graphic use of language and harshness of Roman army life, but then again the heroes are soldiers, not preachers and the immediacy of their language is a real tonic.One particular aspect that I found impressive, was Scarrow's grasp of the position of the army on the political scene. They were not just there to fight the enemy, the legions decided who would be emperor, and the emperors knew it. Thus the intrigue of the sub-plot fleshes out the representation of life in the Roman army and made this a first rate page-turner.I'm already reading the second book, The Eagle's Conquest, and I have so say it is even better than this novel; and that, my friends is no small achievement. I have to wonder about the complaints by other reviewers. Scarrow is not out to win a Pulitzer (or whatever they have in the UK). He is writing action adventure, and he does it 'bloody' well. Frankly I'd rather read this kind of book than any of the posturing 'literary' garbage that imposes itself on you from the shelves of bookstores. So ignore the gripes of some of the other reviewers and treat yourself to the huge pleasure of a wonderful new series of novels.

In 42 AD Claudius is Emperor, the Germans have been mostly subdued and Rome has the isle of Britain set as the next territory to be aquired. It has been nearly a century since Julius Caesar made his unsuccessful foray to subdue the Britons, and Claudius needs this success to assure his rule. Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasian, as Augusta and legate of the Second Legion, is to play a major role in the conquering of this new province.Simon Scarrow does a wonderful job bringing history to life through the exploits of new recruit and optio Quintus Licinius Cato--and his centurion, Lucius Cornelius Macro. These two fictional characters weave a credible story by their interaction with fictionalized versions of Vitellius, Vespasian and his wife Flavia, and Narcissus--freedman, secretary and confidant of the Emperor Claudius.I look forward to reading further novels by this author as they make their way into American publication, and highly recommend this work of fiction for anyone with interest in this part of history. You might also enjoy the "Roma Sub Rosa" series by Steven Saylor and the "SPQR" series by John Maddox Roberts.