Customer Reviews

When the Eagle Hunts (Roman Series)

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Scarrow's third installment of Cato and Macro in `When the Eagle Hunts' drops us into Camulodunum (after a quick account of the shipwreck of Valerius Maxientius with unknown female plus children in the Channel) where our familiar heroes are frequenting a seedy tavern as Macro continues his `courtship' of the forthright Iceni warrior, Boudica. Given the previous two novels this unashamed and blatant use of another venerated historical figure comes as no surprise, even less so the parodied caricature of her as a lustful, forthright and general adventurer.
Still, with good humour we follow them into the tavern and then meet Boudica's mentor and husband-to-be, Prasutagas whose characterisation as a huge warrior with little intellectual capacity is entirely at odds with actual history. Scarrow introduces a minor love triangle with the usually dour Macro falling for the lively Boudica though he refuses to admit it.
The action of the third novel takes off with the Augusta II being sent to Calleva (near the modern town of Silchester) in order to scout the Britons' next move. Whilst down there the sixth cohort under Hortensius is ambushed in a town that has previously been raided by the Durotriges and they fight a rearguard action all the way back to the legion. It is at this point we learn of a shadowy order of Druids who have captured General Plautius wife, Pomponia, and children, Julia and Aelius, and are holding them to ransom in return for the legion's own prisoners.
Macro and Cato are sent undercover deep into the Durotriges territory to attempt a rescue of the prisoners. Their guides are Boudica and Prasutagas - neatly providing us with some amusing asides as each learns to live with the other. We move from farmhouse to secret villages as the four delve ever deeper into southern Britain until they finally catch up with them at a formidable hillfort. Cato attempts a risky rescue via the drains (having previously saved one of the children, Julia) after Macro is felled with a sword blow to the head and in the process of the legion's storming the fort receives a near fatal wound from the sickle of the head Druid. However all ends well and finally Cato gets what he deserves - promotion to centurion and both he and Macro end up in their own personal sickward for a month to cap it all off.
Mr Cornwell doesn't have `too much to fear' (as he professes on the front covers) but Scarrow's books are an enormously refreshing in the historical genre. The purist can pick multiple holes in their historical accuracy and probably several characterisations that are more parodies, but it simply does not matter.
For Scarrow historical accuracy is not all-important. What is important and where he succeeds admirably is in providing a ripping yarn that has action, adventure, characters you can delight in, and plot lines that are gripping.
I hope the adventures of Cato and Macro continue for a very long time and eagerly await the next installment.

Probably the most exciting adventure for Macro and Cato so far in the series (admittedly that's three books - but if Scarrow can keep improving then fans of historical novels are in for a rare treat).
After the Roman governor of Britain loses his family to some wild druids Macro and Cato are called in to search for them and if possible rescue them. A tall task to ask of anyone, but as ever the lads are game and get stuck into the enemy as only they know how. But this time they have the help of one Prasutagus and his fiery bride to be Boudica.
The adventureis gripping and literally page turning, and hte characrters play off each other like seasoned Quentin Tarantino pros. The dialogueis crisp and credible, and the languageis exactly what you would expect from soldiers. Thisis no prissy Cornwell novel, these guys are three-dimensional with all the failings of real people. That's why the seriesis so successful; despite the fact that we know Macro and Cato are going to get out of whatever hot water they are in, their escapeis never signposted and the readeris kept on tenterhooks right up until whatever qualified victory they achieve at the end.
Frankly, a military adventure series doesn't get any better than this and when you compare it to the swathe of poor quality fiction set in Rome that finds its way into bookshops, Scarrow's books shine out like a jewel in a middle of the midden (to coin a phrase).

This book really kept my interest!! Nice addition to the series. It seems that Macro and Cato always risk their lives and never really get any monetary reward. Of course, they get the grass crown etc. but what they really need is money! Centurions were so underpaid. I really do like most of Scarrow's books but I find that other author's are much more historically accurate. The best series was written by Colleen McCullough. So many more historical characters are put into play in her Roman series.

I got sucked into this series from the first, and all you can do is avoid starting. The chararacters are pals after the first books.

This book is one of many in a series that circles around 2 Romans and their adventures in the Roman Legion. All of these books make for a great read to where you don't want to put the book down. The author has really done his research being hitstorical as possible while weaving an awesome story into it. I would recommend this as well as all his other ones. Under the Eagle is the first book in this series if you are looking to get into it.

Fans of Scarrow will enjoy this third entry in the series dealing with the adventures of Rome's 2nd Legion in Britain. Scarrow's protagonists, Macro and Cato are involved in yet another fast-paced adventure with some surprising plot twists that keep you turning pages. If historical fiction or military fiction with a solid historical basis is what you are looking for, then you won't find many better reads than this one.

I was curious about this series but my wife talked me into checking out the 1st book at the library before buying the series. Well, after 15 pages I put the book down & ordered all 8 books in the series. If you like action & unexpected twists & turns, I highly recommend this series.

As with the first two books from the Eagle series, I was totally entertained. I highly reccomend these books to anyone with an interest in ancient Rome and its military in particular.

Simon Scarrow is a teacher at a Sixth Form College. He has run a Roman History programme that takes parties of students to a number of sites and museums across Britain and I assume that while doing this he gleans lots of useful information for his books on the Roman Centurion, Macro and his Optio, Cato.

First published in 2002, this is the third book in the series. The book opens in Britain in the year 43 AD. The Emperor has returned to sunnier climes leaving the Roman army to continue its rape of Britain. After a protracted effort the Second Legion have been instrumental in quashing resistance in Camulodunum, leaving time for Macro and Cato to rest with the rest of the Legion.

Their General, Plautius has had the distressing news that the ship carrying his wife and family to Britain has been shipwrecked in storms off the south coast. The survivors have fallen into the hands of the Druids, who now wish to use them as a bargaining tool for the release of members of their sect who have been captured by the Romans.

Unless their demands are met in full within one month, Plautius's family will be burned to death. The general decides to give Catp and Macro the opportunity to seek out the hiding place of the druids with a view to rescuing his wife and children before the month runs out. The general sees this as his only hope, as bowing to the demands of the Druids is not the Roman way . . .

A good read, with Macro and Cato continuing to get into and out of scrapes. The first in the series was a very good read and spurred me to continue. This was the second I read, even though out of sequence (The Eagle's Conquest is the second of the series). I am a bit disappointed in this one because of the profuse amount of British slang, e.g.,"Oi! Careful, you hopeless wankers. I've got your number." I may read more of the series but I'm not as enthusiastic as after the first.