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

by Simon Scarrow

Book Overview

The arresting sixth novel in Simon Scarrow's epic series of the Roman army

It is spring A.D. 45 in Rome, and Centurions Macro and Cato, dismissed from the Second Legion in Britain, are waiting for an investigation into 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...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312565267
• ISBN13: 9780312565268
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Great book in a Great Series

Other great book of Simon Scarrow about our friend Macro and Cato. I really enjoy with the clearly description about enviromente surrounding Macro and Cato. It looks like yourself would be into the novel. Magnificiente writing style by Scarrow.

roman action is great

the book was great as all his other titles have been and the seller was speedy and accurate with the service

A great follow up to the Eagles Prey

If you enjoyed the previous titles in this running series you won't be disappointed here. Cato and Macro are re-united with their nemesis Vitellius who is once again out for self fullfillment. Unlike the books in the earlier parts of the series Cato and Macro take to the sea to battle a pirate fleet that has been crippling the trade routes that keep the Roman Empire running. Cato and Macro are put under the leadership of Vitellius and are ordered to eliminate the pirate threat. However eliminating the pirate threat is only a cover up for what their real mission is. As usual Cato and Macro will be thrown into situations of impossible odds making it rather difficult to put the book down. A must read if your a fan of the running series.

Simply irresistable

I have read all of mr. Scarrow's books, and maybe the last two from the series (The Eagle in the Sand and this one) are the best so far, even though I enjoyed them all. Maybe it's because the plot is not taking place in Britain, as usual, but maybe it's just because you simply have to like Macro and Cato more and more with each new book. Some critics have said that mr. Scarrow's books have plots like comic books because of the non stop action, but I have to disagree. His books are thoroughly researched, and characters of Macro, Cato, Vespasian etc. are not two dimensional, but are gaining in depth in each sequel. Besides, along with first rate action, one can see how mr. Scarrow compares politics of Ancient Rome with politics of today's world, and how he tries to make us understand not only moral values of the time, but pros and cons of an expansionist policy of a Roman Empire as well. If you like novels about ancient Rome run and buy this book. You'll not be able to put it down till you're finished.

Cato and Macro leave Britannia

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.