The Eagle's Prophecy: A Novel of the Roman Army [Paperback]

Simon Scarrow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2009

In this sixth entry of Scarrow’s page-turning Roman historical series, it is spring a.d. 45 and Centurions Macro and Cato are trapped in Rome, waiting for the investigation in their involvement in the death of a fellow officer. It is then that the imperial secretary, the devious Narcissus, makes them an offer they can’t refuse: to rescue an imperial agent who has been captured by pirates operating from the Illyrian coast.

With him were scrolls vital to the safety of the emperor and the future of Rome. However, Narcissus also sends Vitellius, an old enemy of the two centurions. The three officers set out from Ravenna with the imperial fleet but the pirates are forewarned and the Romans pay a heavy price. Outnumbered by the enemy, surrounded by rumors of treachery, and endangered by Vitellius’s desire to redeem himself, Centurions Macro and Cato must find the pirate base to avert a disaster that could destroy the emperor.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The sixth installment (following 2005's The Eagle's Prey) of Scarrow's popular Roman Empire series is a combustible concoction of intrigue, treachery and violence. Having returned to Rome from Britain to await an investigation into their involvement in the death of an officer, centurions Macro and Cato, Scarrow's recurring heroes, are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves: they must recover the Delphic scrolls—reputed to foretell Rome's future—from the pirates who stole them. Macro and Cato are assigned to the Roman fleet under the command of a former nemesis, the venal Vitellius, who secretly covets the scrolls for himself. Vitellius's plan to destroy the pirate fleet and seize the scrolls, however, runs aground when the pirates, aided by a Roman traitor and Vitellius's ineptness in battle, inflict severe losses on the Roman fleet. When Vitellius is replaced, Macro and Cato get another chance to salvage their careers (and lives). Series fans will welcome Scarrow's depiction of the overlooked venue of the Roman navy, and though the plotting is formulaic, the intense action, beguiling characters and authentic detail more than compensate for it. (Dec.)
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Review

“A rip-roaring, thoroughly entertaining tale of swashbuckling adventure from one of the most exciting writers of historical fiction.”
- Daily Record (Scotland)

“Scarrow manages to summon up all the glory and the gore that characterized life in the Roman legions. Outstanding military history from a relatively new master of the genre.”
- Booklist

“A combustible concoction of intrigue, treachery, and violence. Series fans will welcome Scarrow’s intense action, beguiling characters, and authentic detail.”
- Publishers Weekly

“Scarrow again provides a vivid sense of history and believable scenes of maritime action. His righteous but flawed protagonists are winning heroes.”
- Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (August 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312565267
• ISBN-13: 978-0312565268
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,591 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cato and Macro leave Britannia, December 16, 2005

By 

ilmk "ilmk" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eagle's Prophecy (Roman Series) (Paperback)

Scarrow's sixth novel featuring the adventures of the grizzled centurion Macro and his able sidekick Cato takes them out of their comfort zone of the Augusta II in Britannia and plonks them in Rome. It was only a matter of time before we saw how Scarrow would deal with Rome and he neatly avoids it by having a quick trip to the races where their remaining monies are lost in a cloud of crash dust one hundred feet from the finish line and describing a squalid room in the the Subaran district. Other than a final visit to the imperial palace to see Narcissus, Scarrow avoids the place entirely.
It's a few months after the heroic efforts of `The Eagle's Prey'. Macro and Cato finds themselves penniless, out of commission and still under an execution order unless they obey Narcissus and lead a covert operation off the Ravenna coastline to recover three missing scrolls of immense value to the Empire that have been stolen by a group of pirates lead by the Greek, Telemachus and his son, Ajax. Thrown into the mix is the ever unctuous and viperish Vitellius, who has been appointed Prefect of the Fleet. The immediate antagonism followed by military ineptitude in a battle at sea results in a heavy loss for the Roman fleet and Vitellius' attempt to blame Cato in official dispatches. Cato's rewriting of the dispatch results in Vespasian's arrival on the scene to direct a proper assault on the pirate's lair, ensuring Cato and Macro are firmly thrust to the fore as the leaders and saviours of the Delphic scrolls.
During the course of the novel the scheming Vitellius somehow manages to land on his feet (and presumably Scarrow will eventually have him meet his historical destiny come A.D 69), Macro finds his long lost mother and also the marine that stole her away from his father (there's a nasty oedipan twist at the end) and Cato continues to mature into a fine leader of men. The paternal relationship between the two characters perfectly suits the rough and ready nature of Macro to his intellectual junior and as a pair they are formidable indeed.
This latest effort by Scarrow shows just how far his writing has come. His novels have gradually gained more and more bulk, substance of character, action and plotline. Action sequences are longer, more descriptive and thus possess more reality to them. Our two main characters have grown with Scarrow and possess immense likeability, his plotlines are clean and crisp and, above all, gripping. Reviews of his earlier novels complained about historical naivity and factual inaccuracy but that doesn't matter with Scarrow (unlike Iggulden). These novels are quite simply superb.
Read them.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars another good book in a great series, January 15, 2007

By 

Roger P. Tatum (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Eagle's Prophecy (Hardcover)

This book is a very enjoyable read, but not quite as good as some of the others in the "Eagle" series, which are some of my absolute favorite books. The action is, as always, very well described, and the plot moves along well. There are a number of convenient coincidences in the plot that make it a little less believable than most of the previous novels. Nevertheless, I highly recommend the book and will eagerly read the next installment.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Fun, June 17, 2007

By 

Jimbo - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Eagle's Prophecy (Hardcover)

Scarrow has turned in another solid work. While not as good as some of his other Macro and Cato adventures, this one packs a fair amount of intrigue, action, and harrowing escapes.

Scarrow seems to stretch at points, having characters do things that seem to contradict expectations, but overall has delivered a fun story. The focus is on Cato for most of the story, with Vespasian figuring prominently later in the book. I recommend it as a quick summer read.