Under the Eagle (Eagles of the Empire 1) Paperback – 5 April 2001

I read the entire series of Cato & Macro books and am giving a break before I read them all again. Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden are my favorite authors. I believe that anyone interested in Roman history must read the entire Cato & Macro series and then Conn Iggulden's series on Julius Caesar.

It is Britain during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. The Roman Army has a toehold, and are facing a lot of hostile natives. Some new recruits arrive at a fort. Among them is a well-dressed youth who seems out of place amongst the other recruits. This is Cato, a former slave who has been well educated and has grown up in palaces. He is assigned to Centurion Macro, a veteran of the legions who has only recently been promoted to his current rank. Although Cato would appear to be ill-suited to soldiering, under Macro's guidance he actually takes to it, and a special bond between the two men takes root. They complement each other well with Macro's toughness and experience and Cato's intelligence and ability to read situations perfectly and formulate solutions. Macro and Cato will need all their talents as they are facing massive hostile armies and also intrigues from within their own ranks! A really really good read!

I'm very much enjoying working my way through this series. Yes, it's easy reading and not particularly sophisticated, but that's exactly what I'm enjoying as I'm in the mood to keep turning pages and watch the action bounce from one act of derring-do to another. Never a dull moment. The reason I haven't given this one five stars is that it's pretty silly how the gangling, utterly battle-inexperienced, weedy Cato goes into a fight and manages to defeat an awful lot of infinitely more skilled adversaries, not once, but repeatedly. If he were a woman he'd be called a Mary Sue (I'm not sure if there's a male equivalent!). I'd much rather have had him fall over, need rescuing, have lucky escapes etc, since he's obviously going to survive relatively intact, then have this skinny unfit youth suddenly knowing how to duck under a blow and whack his opponent into submission.That aside, it's cheerful, undemanding stuff. The few women are wives or girlfriends, the only gay guy is dead, it's all very old-fashioned, but if you approach the series on that basis you'll have a very entertaining time.

I'm actually now on book 15 of this series now but I came back to book one to encourage new readers to give Simon Scarrow a try. He is not quite as good as Bernard Cornwell but I have found myself just as hooked on this 'Eagles' series as I was with Cornwell's 'Sharpe Series'. That is high praise as far as I am concerned.He gradually develops the main characters, Cato & Macro, extremely well so that you almost feel that you know them and how they will react. He also weaves the stories between real historical events (just as Cornwell does) which gives me a better sense of realism and a small real history lesson too.Thoroughly recomended.

The first book in the Eagles of the Empire series and an essential read if you want an insight into the the making of two great careers Centurion Macro and his Optio Cato. Macro is a hardened warrior deeply committed to the Roman second legion when he receives into his command a young untested soldier Cato. Cato is promoted above his comrades at the order of the Empire and is deeply resented by the other men. Soon the legion has to prepare for a dangerous assignment to Britannia a country still relatively untamed with gangs of tribesmen still eager to test the so called invincibility of the Roman soldier. How will the well educated new recruit react to the daily grind and hardship that was the life of a soldier expected to serve 25 years with death as an unwelcome bedfellow every waking day. Simon Scarrow's research as always is immaculate, giving a real feel as to the hardships faced by a serving soldier, of the Roman Empire, at that time. Recommended

Under the Eagle sees the start of the epic adventures of Centurion Macro and Cato. I actually bought 'Eagle in the Sand' first and then spent frantic weeks trying to find all the previous titles in hardback format.Under the Eagle sees the arrival of a young Cato with the legion and his experiences as he comes to terms with life in the army with Macro in Germania. Simon Scarrow produces an excellent story with realistic characters as the battles commence and the blood flows.Some poetic license is included as the two Roman soldiers jump geographically from region to region in the books and their capers are more like those of Roman Special Forces but they are excellent reads.I took five of his books with me to Spain on holiday and by the time the two weeks were over, the books were read and throroughly enjoyed. Simon Scarrow for me is a better story teller than Bernard Cornwell because theres more action, more going on and his stories flow.