Revenge of Rome (Eagles of the Empire 23)
Britannia, AD 61. It is over twenty years since Simon Scarrow introduced us to tough centurion Macro and his callow second-in-command, the idealistic Cato. In the intervening years, we have followed their adventures in Britannia and elsewhere, fighting for the glory of Rome. Almost twenty years have also elapsed in ‘book time’, and the pair are back in Britannia, Cato as Prefect and commander of the eighth Illyrian Auxiliary Cohort with Macro, still a centurion, as his second in command.
The unthinkable has almost happened. Boudica’s rebels have been defeated but at the cost of enormous death and destruction, and the loss of the Eagle of the Ninth Legion. Boudica herself is still at large. Emperor and Empire howl for revenge. Cato and Macro are tasked with hunting down the rebels, recovering the Eagle and delivering Boudica, dead or alive, up to Rome’s vengeance.
We accompany her as she withdraws along hidden pathways through marshes and fens to the secret islands where she will make her last stand. The Romans must follow, always at risk of being stranded or attacked. As they penetrate deeper into this eerie world of half water, half land, will their tried and proven tactics prevail?
Simon Scarrow does not insult the reader by rewriting history but shares his insights into those critical weeks, presenting both sides of the story. Each party considers itself in the right, has its reasons to feel aggrieved. Cato and Macro, who in the past considered Boudica a friend and ally, must now weigh their sense of duty against their personal honour. Is this their swansong? If so, it is a fitting end to a great series, but fans will be left hoping their adventures continue.
