Simon Scarrow’s latest book in the Eagle’s Series, entitled The Eagle’s Prophecy, continues Scarrow’s great work. The book takes the heroines, Cato and Macro, to the Adriatic Sea region and puts them in the Roman Navy – a total 180 for them since they are used to fighting on ground in the Roman Army.
Here is a good synopsis of the book 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).
I can’t put my finger on why I enjoy this series so much – maybe because the characters are so likeable or because the plots are so good. I also enjoy reading about this time period. In any case, Scarrow makes reading his books easy. The writing flows across the pages and before you know it, you have read almost an entire chapter.
Although some may say that the plot is weak and formulaic, I disagree. This book’s plot is multidimensional with good character development – this is especially true as the book series goes along. The relationship between Cato and Macro and Vitellius is a good portrayal of the ruthlessness of Rome. Vitellius is willing to sacrifice the lives of Cato and Macro and many others in order to stay in the good graces of the Emperor.
This book is another fine adventure of centurions Cato and Macro.
