978-0-75-538132-6

I have bought all 17 books of this series and I hope Simon Scarrow can have a few ice creams at my expense from the royalties. The books are totally brilliant. I am saying that after reading the entire Conn Iggulden, Emperor series about Julius Caesar and about Augustus. He is another of my favorite authors. When I grow up I want to be like Conn Iggulden or Simon Scarrow.Macro and Cato's story has huge lessons in leadership, mentoring, friendship, colleagueship and partnership. And thoroughly enjoyable reading to boot. I am now reading Book 9 of the 17 and then I intend to read everything that Simon Scarrow has written.I have already read everything that Conn Iggulden has written, so may I request him to write some more?

Awesome

Read this book in 2006, and its the 4th volume of the amazing "Eagle" series.This tale is set in the year AD 44, and with Vespasian and the 2nd Legion in control of things, this same Vespasian wants to seize the south-west.Centurion Macro and newly-appointed Centurion Cato, are sent to the Atrebates and provide Verica with an army.Training the tribal levies they hope they can away the animosity towards the Roman army, so they can defend themselves from threats from across their Atrebates border, and so protect Vespasian and his enforcing rule.Although the Atrebates allegiance to Rome, brewing still is an open revolt, because many of the tribal levies are cautious of the Legions and want to resist the Romans every way possible.Cato and Macro must somehow seem to convince the locals before they can encounter the threat from without, and when especially their own lives are at stake they will need their wit and cunning to repel this volatile situation.What is to follow is an intriguing and suspenseful Roman adventure, in which Cato and Macro will show real leadership and determination to quell an uprising and defeat, and so in the end save their own lives and the rule and destiny of Rome.Highly recommended, for this is another marvellous addition to this tremendous series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Fabulous Eagle Sequel"!

This is book 4 of Simon Scarrow’s “Eagle of the Empire” series. The first phase of the conquest of Britain has ended but Caradoc, the chief of the Catuvellani and heart of the resistance against Rome has escaped capture and retreated to the North-West (to what is now Wales) with the remnants of his army. The bulk of the Roman forces with Aulus Plautius have advanced to confront him while Vespasian (and Macro and Cato) with the Second Legion have “pacified” the South-West and taken dozens of hill-top forts and towns in the process. The problem is that the Roman supply lines have become extended and the territory behind the lines is far from being totally subdued.The story begins as Cato and Macro are recovering (especially Cato, grievously wounded in the previous episode) at Calleva, the Roman rear base and supply depot. The King of the Atrebates – Verica (a historical character) is pro-Roman but not all of the Atrebates are and many fought against the Romans. Because the Romans cannot spare enough soldiers to garrison Calleva, Cato and Macro are tasked with forming and training two cohorts of auxiliaries out of the Attrebate warriors, cohorts which will fight hard and give their best against the common enemy.This is probably one my favourites titles in the whole series. It includes the usual themes developed by Simon Scarrow, such as the rough bantering and friendship of the comrade-in-arms Cato and Macro and the usual desperate fighting. One valuable element with this is to make the story more plausible and to show that the conquest of Britain was no “walk in the park”. Resistance was fierce and Romans suffered setbacks, as shown in the book. It also helps to explain why it took so long (about a decade) to subdue only the southern part of Britain.This volume, however, also introduces somewhat different themes. One is the fact that Rome was in fact supported by a number of chieftains and at least part if not all of their respective tribes. Rather skilfully, Rome exploited old rivalries, hatreds and the settling of old scores against the Catuvallani which had previously been dominant and seem to have caused the exile of Verica King of the Atrebates. The point here is that such support certainly helped the Romans although, as shown in the book, it may not have been wholehearted. No levy and formation of auxiliary cohorts of Britons to fight against Britons from other tribes are recorded although, given the circumstances described in the book, this could have taken place since the fall of Calleva to Caredoc would in fact have cut-off the Roman forces from their supplies and any reinforcements.Another more moving theme is that of loyalty, trust and the warrior ethos as the Wolves develop a sense of a new common identity and pride under the harsh training of their Roman centurions. The way the author presents their faithfulness and their fate is rather moving and not exactly to the credit of the Roman command, although the latter’s behaviour is perhaps understandable given the dramatic circumstances.The battles, both outside and within Calleva, are simply griping. An interesting feature used by the author in a number of his novels is to show that the noble warrior elite were “professionals”, probably just as well armed as the Romans and just as dangerous, as shown for instance in the last battle. The intrigues and plots within the ruling caste and families of the Atrebates, with the divide between pro and anti-Roman matching rivalries for leadership, is also well done.Easily worth five stars.

BRIEF STORY DETAILS - SLIGHT SPOILERS44 AD, and in south-west Britain Vespasian, commander of the Second Legion, Centurion Macro and newly appointed centurion Cato in the thick of the fighting. Verica and his Atrebatans align with Rome but revolt against the invasion spreads. Macro and Cato fight for their lives as a Rome itself is threatened by political plotSAFE READING _ NO SPOILERSI have read all the "Eagle" series in order, followed the careers of Cato and Macro with great interest and eagerly await the already pre-ordered "Praetorian".Not the heights of Literature (nor pretending to be), but well-written nevertheless, the series is filled with his great depth of knowledge, enthusiasm for and interest in the Romans.Cunningly peopled with all the names from our history lessons - Vespasian, Cladius, Caratacus, Boudica - and the Roman campaigns to extend the Empire but centred on two Roman soldiers who become unlikely close friends, Macro and Cato, their careers and friendship carries the stories along. Following them closely allows the intimate details of human life to be in the forefront while the everyday lives of Roman soldiers and the political intrigues of the Roman Empire provide the backdrop.PS I found it helpful to have a one-page list of Roman army ranks, which I used as a bookmark, and I had the odd glance at ancient maps (not mine I hasten to add!).

Really enjoying the Eagles of the Empire series. Simon Carrow has the talent to bring some life to a part of history that little is known about. The’ literary licence’ is believable, the battle scenes are just bloody enough and the story lines just flow. Thoroughly enjoyable!

This is my second round of reading these stories and once again they have not failed in keeping me thoroughly entertained. As with Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series and the Last Kingdom books,it seems i will never tire of reading these excellent,well written adventures of Macro and Cato as the continue their campaigns within the expansion of the empire into Britannia.