Eagle in the Sand (Roman Legion 7) [Hardcover]

Simon Scarrow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2006 | Series: Roman Legion 7

Trouble is brewing in Syria, on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. With the troops in a deplorable state, centurions Macro and Cato are despatched to restore the competence of the cohort. But another challenge faces them as, Bannus, a local tribesman, is brewing up trouble and preaching violent opposition to Rome. As the local revolt grows in scale, Macro and Cato must stamp out corruption in the cohort and restore it to fighting fitness to quash Bannus -- before the eastern provinces are lost to the Empire forever!

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Simon Scarrow has developed a strong following... a former ancient history lecturer who knows his stuff, and brings the ancient world back to life with verve and plenty of action.' -- Brisbane News --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Simon Scarrow is a former teacher who now devotes himself to writing full-time. He lives outside Norwich with his family.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Headline Library Hardbacks (August 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0755327748
• ISBN-13: 978-0755327744
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate, August 5, 2006

By 

J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eagle in the Sand (Roman Legion 7) (Hardcover)

After a brief sojourn into the eighteenth century with the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon, Simon Scarrow is back to sorting out the problems of the Roman Empire with his two lead characters Cato and Macro. Cato was once Optio (something like the equivalent of a sergeant) to the Centurion macro, but they are now both centurions and have been through many encounters together. This has made them the closest of friends. Friendship that only standing side by side in battle can mould. Each would happily die for the other, though neither would admit it.

Both men have been sent on a mission to the Roman frontier, where trouble is brewing and the for once the troops seem to be in disarray. When they arrive a local revolt is beginning to grow in scale, with a local tribesman preaching violence and death against Rome

Macro and Cato must use their knowledge and expertise as centurions to stamp out the corruption in the cohort and get the men back to being a unified fighting force before the East Provinces are lost forever

I will read anything and everything about the Roman legions, be it fact or fiction so these books are like manna from heaven for me. Simon Scarrow's books are very authentic and an extremely enjoyable read.

36 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Eagle bogged down in sand, October 21, 2006

By 

Alex Tang "the reader" (Malaysia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eagle in the Sand (Roman Legion 7) (Hardcover)

This is the seventh book written by Simon Scarrow in the Eagles series. The other books are Under the Eagle, The Eagle's Conquest, When the Eagle Hunts, The Eagle and the Wolves, The Eagle's Prey and the Eagle's Prophecy. Each book details a campaign of Rome in the first century as she seeks to conquer and bring to heel, much of the known world at that time.

The two main characters are Macro, a veteran legionnaire and Cato, an aristocrat who was exiled to become a legionaire. The various campaigns were in Europe and Britain. The Eagle in the Sand was the first one set outside Europe in Judaea, in the present day Middle East.

The author, Simon Scarrow is a lecturer at the City College in Norwich. In his free time, he used to organize Roman History programs for students in taking them to the ruins and museums. It was his extensive knowledge of the Roman army life and of the various campaigns that makes reading his novels so interesting.

The Roman army was the most disciplined and well trained fighting force of that era making Rome the sole superpower. The infantry or legionaries were the backbone of the army. With their heavy body armour and the strategic teamwork in forming a modified phalanx with their shields and gladius (short sword), it was a formidable killing machine. Scarrow researched his various novels well; making the campaigns seems like CNN reports. His writing is similar to Conn Iggulden's Emperor series which narrated the life of Julius Caesar; The Gates of Rome, The Death of Kings and The God of War.

In this novel, Macro and Cato, both centurions now, were sent to Judaea to spy out whether the governor of Syria was planning a military coup. How they became unwilling agents of Rome's secret service was told in the previous novels. In Judaea they became involved in the great revolt of the Jewish people in AD 66. With a small contingent of soldiers, they were able to defeat the revolt of the peasants and their ally, the Parthians, who also had design on this part of the world.

Scarrow did not give too much details of Roman army life in this novel but instead spend more time describing the land of Judaea and Nabataea especially its capital Petra. Petra is in modern day Jordan. This is still an interesting read but the story telling is often distracted by information about the Jewish people. Somehow it lacks the continuity of the other novels. This series is comparable to the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell (Napoleonic wars in Spain, Portugal and France).

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eagle in the Sand Re-Examined, April 9, 2008

By 

Paul G. Cooper (Granite Bay, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eagle in the Sand (Roman Series) (Paperback)

After reading some the negative reviews I decided to risk reading Eagles in the Sand because I had enjoyed the past books in the series so much. Well what did I find? For one, I came away with the impression that the negative reviewers never really read the book with care and attention. One refers to "bildings" made of wood, well they weren't made of wood but the roofs would be as in most Roman forts and in this case it was the living quarters which had wooden roof components. It was not as if wood appeared from nowhere after all Lebanon, which would not be too far away for the Romans, was famous for its trees. As for Christian references Scarrow never uses the traditional names as they exist in the Bible and indeed those who believe that Jesus is being discussed might look more closely at the details and realize that the character which they thought was Jesus may not be him after all. Admittedly the names are similar but the option is open that this "Christian group" which are never called Christians was just one of many factions making up the Palestine region. Scarrow does a wonderful job characterizing the fragmentation and feuds which existed at that time and still do. For those who are interested our heroes visit the mysterious city of Petra which was an unexpected pleasure. As for the same old scenes with just a little desert added, I a least found the conflict at the Temple in Jerusalem and with Bannus quite different with the story filled with plentiful twists and turns. You will NOT be disappointed with this book and in fact the greatest displeasure I felt upon reading it was the realization that I had come to the last page. One final note, I am a college level history instructor who teaches military history and I have found Scarrow's work refreshing and reasonably accurate and a true pleasure to read. Enjoy!