Rebellion (Eagles of Empire 22) (Eagles of the Empire Book 108)

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I was happy to catch up with Cato and Marco, felt for them and hope to read soon their new story as the aftermath of the rebellion won’t be easy. The series has also lost the 'Eagle' that was always included somewhere in the earlier titles ( Under the Eagle, The Eagle's Conquest, The Eagle and the Wolves etc), with that word last used in the title in entry # 7 ( The Eagle in the Sand). Macro and Cato each face deadly battles against enemies who would rather die than succumb to Roman rule. The future of Britannia hangs in the balance. With the military distracted, slow-burning anger amongst the tribespeople bursts into flames. The king of the Iceni is dead and a proud kingdom is set for plundering and annexation. But the widow is Queen Boudica, a woman with a warrior's heart. If Boudica calls for death to the emperor, a bloodbath will follow.

I want to read the rest of the series because this book can be read as a stand alone but I want to learn more about these characters. There is a desperation as the Roman Army have to crush all in their wake. Some underestimated and some not so much. If you enjoy history and the thriller genre this should definitely be on your list to read. So I've been avoiding (intentionally or not) these books for a while now. It seems like everyone who's really excited about Roman military fiction just gushes over Scarrow's books. And that's why I've been a little nervous about them. Military fiction fanboys are a whole different breed from historical fiction ones.* At some level people who seek out military fiction expect to see an experience they can relate to. When centurions issue commands to their men they want to feel not "how interesting the way the Roman class structure coexists with army ranks" but "ah, I remember when my NCOs acted like that." And that is perhaps not an approach I find rewarding. Christian Cameron (one of the best writers of ancient military fiction) sums it up best: there's no such thing as military history. It's impossible to understand ancient warfare (or the warfare of any period) without understanding how it interacted with all other aspects of ancient life. Without a good grounding in the economic, political, administrative, cultural, and technological history of the past it is impossible to really depict ancient warfare. Which, as you might imagine, is where I find this book frustrating. Full of non stop action and vicious battles, and it all leads to the final nail biting heart pounding battle with Queen Boudica’s rebel army. We know from history what happened: Londinum (London) had to be evacuated. Verulanum (St. Albans) was destroyed. The Ninth Legion was destroyed (the first time); it would be destroyed a second time sixty years later and marched into legend. The Second Legion, once one of the best, never joined the fight. Decianus, the procurator who incited the rebellion, in history successfully flees to Gaul. Scarrow at times likes to create an alternate history branch has a different fate for Decianus. (See Eagle in the Sand where he altered Christianity - the fates of Jesus, Peter, and Judas).There is also an interesting parallel .story of a Roman column invading Mona (Anglesea) with the intention of destroying the last of the remaining Druids. The plot isn't groundbreaking but allows for some great action such as the siege in the German village which was excellently done and allowed Cato to really shine and show his potential, especially with his bravery. That's not all that has changed: Cato is no longer the scared young man he had been in the first entries; Macro no longer the seasoned Centurion. Now, Macro is retired from active service whilst Cato - who now has a family of his own - has risen in rank above that that Macro ever reached but is still firm friends with the latter.

Let's talk about Under The Eagle by Simon Scarrow. It's good, in a sort of balls-to-the-wall way. Having read this before, I knew what to expect. Blood, betrayal, lots of swearing and gladius slashing fun. With any historical novel, there's a fine line between historical accuracy and story-telling. Conn Iggulden, as much as I respect him for taking on Caesar is a fine example of bad story-telling set against historical accuracy (which in part is well researched). Simon Scarrow doesn't pretend to be 'historical accurate', yes it is accurate in the sense of being set within the reign of Claudius-I've-The-Mind-Of-A-Child-And-The-Eating-Habit-Of-A-Ox. Yes it is accurate given the timeline, the invasion of Britain was what solidified Claudius's Emperor-ship - without it, he would have been history (ironic).I didn’t realise just how much I was going to enjoy this one, but I love to read outside my usual genres and this is why I do! I find something different that I enjoy immensely. I had read one of Simon’s books, so I did know the writing was going to be very good. They are first described as taking part in the battle in Germania and against the invasion of the Britishers by Claudius. In the later of the series, the two soldiers are described as serving in the Imperial Navy in the east of Italy. The action scenes are pretty thrilling and seem like you're part of a grand adventure. There was nothing particularly new or original in this book's depiction of a village under siege, but it is drawn out well enough that you actually care about the outcome. I suspect this is enough for most people. You are also treated to the inner workings of the Roman Army and the thought processes involved, you see a sense of forlorn hoplesness and foreboding of what is to come within the Romans, afterall they are facing an army in the thousands On the other hand, Cato is just a teenager, who previously grew up as a slave in the Imperial Palace. At the start of the series, he joins as Macro’s Optio in the Eagles. The first book of the series is set in 42 A.D. Throughout the series, author Simon Scarrow has shared the experiences of Macro and Cato.

This is a sweeping novel, a novel for me which is all about the characters and the story. Simon Scarrow is a supreme storyteller It was a fascinating read as Boudica’s rebellion is a fascinating topic as it’s also one that changes according to the personal point of view of the reader: feminist ante litteram, nationalist or simply someone who rebelled against the power of the Romans. The main thrust of the story is, inevitably, about the military. We join Cato as he undergoes strenuous training (Gemmell's LION OF MACEDON sprang to mind) and is then involved in some action. There's a wonderful extended set-piece in the middle of the book as the Romans battle Germans in a run-down settlement, and then some massive battles at the climax against the Britons. The action is well written and bloody, without being excessive. Scarrow ably balances the small scale front-line work with the strategies undertaken by the commanding officers.

Publication Order of Revolution Quartet Books

Well what can I say.. I have been a fan of Simon Scarrows Eagle of the Empire series since 2017 when I discovered the books in my local library.

Simon Scarrow is a popular novelist from the United Kingdom, who is best known for his novels based on the Historical Fiction genre. Till date, he has written a total of 5 novel series’ and the most notable novel series written by him is the Eagle Series. El protagonista es un ex-esclavo de 17 años que vivía en palacio en los primeros años del emperador Claudio y al que hace libre a costa de tener que ingresar en la legión. El chaval tiene cultura por eso de haber vivido entre cultos peo es poca cosa y parece un poco apocado. Y así empieza la cosa.At this point, I am not sure where Scarrow will be going with the next book. We know that Boudica disappears from history; her exact fate was never determined. There is a bombshell revelation which I will not say to avoid spoilers. After Boudica's rebellion, the next crisis to face the Roman Empire was a renewed war with Parthian. Will we see General Corbulo again? FBI Special Agent Rose Blake has more than an increasingly distant husband and an Asperger’s teenage son to cope with. She is still recovering seven months on from an investigation that went horrifically wrong. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the next installment in the series. This is a compelling first novel in what has turned into a long-running series. Scarrow's aim is to deliver Sharpe-style military thrills and spills in the Roman era, and his books focused around a central pairing of interesting characters: the weedy and scholarly Cato, young and inexperienced, and the battle-scarred and squat Macro, an experienced soldier. I immediately liked Macro and he soon became my favourite character, a simple soldier just trying to do his job. The first half of the book follows this and the eventual start of the rebellion by Boudicca and Macro as senior centurion at Colchester has to deal with the fallout.