Customer Reviews

Ranks of Bronze

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Although I've been a fan of military science fiction books for a while, this was my first introduction of David Drake. I'm glad to say that I wasn't disappointed. Other people have already done a great job of covering the plot, so I won't bore you by going over it again. However, I would like to point out that this book is not a collection of short stories. The book has several independent military campaigns in it, but they involve the same people and are interconnected. Also, while this book was written several years ago (mid-80's, I think), it doesn't feel dated they way many books from that era do.

The characters have a lot of dimension to them and they react in very human ways to the situations that they face. They also grow over the course of the book. I often found myself wondering how I would react if I was in their place.

Unfortunately, there is nothing in this book that you can point at and think "Wow, everyone should read this book!" There really are no grand or unique ideas presented; however, if you're looking to kill some time, this is a fine book to pick up. This would also be a good book to get someone interested in the Roman Empire, military fiction, or science fiction. Cheers!

I've always believed that some of David Drake's best works are his novels mixing science fiction and the Roman Empire. Having been a Roman history buff for as long as I can remember one could argue that I'm rather biased, but in my opinion Ranks of Bronze rates up there with another of his Roman novel's, Birds of Prey. Ranks of Bronze takes it's inspiration from an actual battle that occurred in the year 53 B.C. Marcus Crassus - one of the three members of the first triumvite along with Ceaser and Pompey - led a Roman army into Parthia ( modern Iran ) to take care of the Parthian empire once and for all. Instead his army was defeated and Crassus was killed. What we do know is that some ten thousand legionaires survived and were either sold into slavery to owners as far away as China and India or the Parthians put them to work as slave soldiers setteling frontier land within the Pathian Empire,just like the British did in Austraila. David Drake has the survivors being sold to aliens - in disguise - who work for a star spanning commercial league. Rather like the organization that was attacking Naboo in The Phanthom Menace. The League isn't allowed to use modern weaponry against primitives who refuse to deal with them. I gather the rules are put down by an organiztion similar to our U.N. So in order to stay out of trouble the aliens buy the Roman legionaries and put them to work fighting their wars. The clincher is that excluding total destruction of the brain the aliens can ressurect the dead soldiers, even if they are decapitated. The main character is a young tribune who eventually rises to command of the legion and the realization that their masters aren't Human. The battles are graphic, but show some serious research on Drake's part. The book gives a nod to the Human ability to overcome obstacles by brain power and nothing else. It's also an intersting contrast of Iron Age soldiers living among advanced technology. I don't want to spoil the ending, but suffice to say you will be kept on the edge of your seat.To paraphrase the previous review, Don't mess with the Romans.

Consider the title a disclaimer. I'm the guy that started the yahoo group that is referenced on his web site. Ok? But I wanted to reply to a couple of the issues raised in other reviews.

How do you define military sci-fi if taking one of the greatest war machines of the historical era and transplanting it into a science fiction universe does not qualify? This is a story about a group of Roman soldiers, and the tribune who ends up commanding them as they travel through the galaxy, serving unworthy masters, and what they do about it. Statements suggesting that it is a set of loosely connected stories are made by people who haven't read the book.

Drake considers this one of his more artistically successful stories, and suggests that it sold well too. Jim Baen wanted a sequel so much that he got Drake to agree to one of those shared universe anthologies, and the sequel is more fun that it is legal to have in most states. Luckily, I live in Nevada, where the only thing that is illegal is being a non-smoker.

If you like military science fiction, by a man who has been on the sharp end and mostly came back to tell us about it, get to know Drake.

As for space opera? Try his Leary/Mundy books.

This story was published first in 1986. Readers of Drake's modern fantasy efforts, all apparently following the same plot map time and time again, should know that once upon a time, Drake could write an original storyline in a normal-length book.

The basic premise of the book is that the remainder of Crassus' defeated legion is sold as slaves to an alien trade guild who takes them into space and uses them for proxy wars on low-tech planets where an enforced convention prohibits use of high-tech people or weapons to subdue lower tech planets. The romans are deployed in set-piece battles and sieges, many of which are described in great detail in the book (in fact, i think well over half the book is battles). Aside from brain and spinal injuries, most damage and even death can be repaired - along with not aging, this makes for a legion with more battles fought and far more experience per person than any roman legion ever had on earth. The conflict in this story is the slow development of the legion's resistance to being slaves of the trade guild, and how that problem plays out. The story is told from the third-person viewpoint of a tribune in the legion.

I would comment that none of the armies faced in set-piece battles by the legion seemed to have any knowledge of formations or tactics and were less organized in that regard than the romans. Even some of the physically weaker aliens in tight controlled formations (phalanx, etc) would have presented different difficulties, but in the end the set-piece battles were hard for the romans only in terms of being outnumbered every time. The one siege did present a new complication. Drake does know his roman military tactics from this period.

I wish that drake still wrote stories like this.

I read author David Drakes's "Ranks of Bronze" for the first time nearly twenty years ago while an 82d Airborne Div. Soldier. Recently I purchased another copy and thumbed through it again. Drake is one of my favorite Sci-Fi authors (Hammer's Slammers, et. al.) and in my humble opinion has successfully mastered the art of simple good old fashioned storytelling.

Ranks of Bronze begins as a story where a defeated Legion of Roman Legionnaires (ostensibly one of Crassus' lost legions in the Battle of Carrhae vs. the Parthians) was captured and sold to a space alien trading guild to be used to conquor, as per the guidlines of the alien's own treaties and rules of conquest, peoples (creatures) inhabiting planets that had roughly the same level of technology as the mercenaries employed.

The aliens employ a system of diplomacy similar to Star Trek's "prime directive" where they cannot invade or conquor with their high level of technology but can (and do) employ mercenaries to achieve the desired results by way of proxy.

In the end the Legionnaires, after surviving countless surface invasions of countless planets, manage to wrest control of their transport ship from their alien captors. The Legionnaires, who have only held on to the hope that one day they would return to their home, demand passage to Earth.

The twist in the end is that however, they return to an Earth a millennium older then when they left.

A fascinating and good Sci-Fi read. I recommend it for a lazy afternoon of reading at five stars!

JP

"Ranks of Bronze" follows the idea that a human military contingent is somehow transported to "another world". In this case it is a Roman legion, taken by aliens to act as mercenaries in their trade wars.

David Drake has written workmanlike sci-fi for several decades and this fits that category. It is very readable but not "great" s-f literature.

In the last decade Drake has produced a series of books based on the Patrick O'Brien stories of a Napoleonic war British frigate. But transposed into space opera. In doing so he became a much better writer and I whole heartedly recommend his "With the Lightnings" and follow on novels.

Human warriors transported to other worlds has been done better. Notably the Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson and, perhaps, the Lost Regiment series.

In the year 53 BC, Crassus, the richest man in Rome, led an army to a humiliating defeat by the Parthian Empire at Carrhae. The poet Horace mentions, in the novel's Prologue, captive Roman soldiers marrying barbarian women and growing old fighting for their new masters.

That bit from Horace's _Odes_ neatly sums up this story except, rather than growing old with the Parthians, the Romans become the military assets of an alien trading guild who uses them to fight the low tech wars somehow required by their political system. The Romans prove quite adept at their new duties. In between campaigns, they whore with aliens surgically altered to mostly resemble human women, watch and participate in strange combat simulations with alien beasts, and try not to think too hard about how they and their comrades are repaired after nearly every injury.

There's plenty to like in this novel: the development of tribune Gaius Vibulenas from a callow youth to a true leader of men; Drake's nitty gritty consideration of all the physical aspects - balance, footing, strength, stamina, sight - of battle; the understated relationship Vibulenas has with alien "woman" Quartilla; the very believable spark that finally triggers revolt and characteristic Roman terror.

The only disappointment I had with the novel was its sometimes confusing descriptions of battle and Roman military organization - even though I know something of the Roman army of the period.

Altho this book is not "new" , I was pleased to find that it has been reprinted. This was actually my first introduction to David Drake and his exciting style of military sci-fi. I am now able to replace my tattered copy!

To summarize the story line without belaboring the details , a Roman Legion is taken into captivity by starfaring aliens. The aliens then utilize the military prowess of the Romans to subjugate other low-tech planets (it seems that a galactic league of some sort prohibits the use of hi-tech force aginst primitives!). The Roman soldiers don't realize that they have been captive for several thousand years due to the time altering effects of light speed space travel , and sieze upon an opportunity to overthrow their captors. Drake then concludes the novel in a uniquely "Roman" manner! Great read--fun!

Good premise, good action and a great ending. Remember - don't mess with the Roman Empire.

When I mean he knows it, I am not just talking about history, I am talking about how Romans thought, fought, lived and dealt with every day life. Add his knowledge of military tactics, and his skill at making belivable science fiction settings and what you get is a great novel you should try to get no matter how old the copy or how much it costs!