Rebellion (Eagles of Empire 22)

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I was fascinated to read the way the Roman army worked and pulled together to form ‘wedges’ and almost impenetrable walls of shields. Some of the fighting, well actually all of it, is quite gruesome but that’s war. Another excellent book in the Cato and Macro series. In this adventure, Macro is newly retired from the Roman army and has moved to Britain to set up a new life with his wife. Macro, along with his mother, is the co-owner of a bar in London and he also plans for a rural retreat in Colchester. TheEagles of the Empireseries centers upon two main protagonists,Quintus Licinius CatoandLucius Cornelius Macro, who are bothRoman soldiers. Macro, a veteran with nearly 15 years’ service (at the start of the first novel) in the Roman Army, has recently been appointed to the Centurion. Cato is in his teen years, grew up in the Imperial Palace as a slave, and at the start of the series joins the Eagles as Macro’s Optio. Macro has retired to Britain with his wife, Petronella, to enjoy a peaceful life together farming their patch of veteran's land and assisting his mother in the inn she and he together owned in Londinium. Cato was also heading for Britain, having had to leave Rome swiftly and secretly to protect Claudia, Nero's ex lover. Together again, they face more blood and battling than any retired veteran might reasonably expect. This novel mirrors that approach, with the larger bulk of this following Macro and his adventures in Londinium and in the veterans colony of Camulodunum (which I've just found out is Colchester, and the first Roman Capital of the province) before the two principal characters finally reunite circa - again - three quarters of the way into the story.

The novels since Under the Eagle first being published have contained the word 'Eagle' in the title however since the 8th book Centurion the author has refrained from using 'Eagle' - the reason for this is unknown, however some speculate that this has been done in effort to make the books accessible to a wider audience, and also explains the change in cover illustrations. Alerted to the rapidly spreading uprising, Governor Suetonius leads his army towards endangered Londinium with a mounted escort, led by Prefect Cato. Soon it's terrifyingly clear that Britannia is slipping into chaos and panic, with ever more tribal warriors swelling Boudica's ranks. And Cato and Suetonius are grimly aware that little preparation has been made to withstand a full-scale rebellion. Scarrow, Simon (2020). Traitors of Rome. London. ISBN 978-1-4722-5841-0. OCLC 1140119312. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link) To me whilst this is a work of Historical fiction don’t be fooled into thinking I don’t read that genre so the book won’t be for me, it transcends that, revel in the quality of the writing and storytelling, engage with the characters and be prepared to take a glorious journey with two of the Romans finest and bravest Cato and MarcoIn the first novel, he is only seventeen years of age, tall and gawky, and so weak-looking that many of the officers, including Macro, place bets on how long it will be before he quits, or is killed. The Emperor grants Cato an immediate commission as a Centurion, but because of his age, Vespasian makes him an optio as a compromise, which causes the officers and his fellow recruits to resent him further. He is however, extremely determined and proves the officers wrong throughout the series. Cato attains the rank of Centurion at the end of When the Eagle Hunts and during the events of Centurion, he is promoted to acting prefect of the Second Illyrian. Halfway through The Gladiator Cato is promoted to the rank of tribune for his mission to Egypt, temporarily outranking Macro, but at the end of the book he is awarded a temporary rank of prefect. In The Legion Cato joins a legion in Egypt and receives a temporary promotion to Senior Tribune.

At the beginning of the book you'll find two well-drawn maps of South-East Britannia and of Londinium in AD 59, as well as a Chain of Command, and not to forget a Cast List, with figures featuring in this great tale.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. In Londinium there is devastating news. Centurion Macro is amongst those unaccounted for after the massacre at Camulodunum. Has Cato's comrade and friend made his last stand?