When the Eagle Hunts: A Novel of the Roman Army

by Simon Scarrow

Overview

Well-paced and intricately plotted, When the Eagle Hunts is a brazen tale of military adventure, political intrigue, and a suicide mission.

Is the unflinching courage of the Roman army a match for the ruthless barbarity of the British tribes?

In the bitter winter of a.d. 44, the Roman troops in Britain are impatiently awaiting the arrival of spring so that the campaign to conquer the island can be renewed. But the native Britons are growing more cunning in their resistance, constantly snapping at the heels of the mighty Roman forces.

When the most brutal of the native tribesmen, the Druids of the Dark Moon, capture the shipwrecked wife and children of General Plautius, quick action is called for. Two volunteers from the crack Second Legion must venture deep into hostile territory in a desperate attempt to rescue the prisoners.

Centurion Macro and his optio, Cato, find themselves slipping out of camp in the dead of night to reach the General's family before they are sacrificed to the Druids' dark gods. They know they are heading towards an almost certain death, and their only hope is that, with sheer courage and ingenuity, they can outwit the most ruthless foes they've ever faced.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312305369
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/29/2005
Series:	Eagle Series , #3
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Simon Scarrow teaches at City College in Norwich, England. He has in the past run a Roman history program, taking parties of students to a number of ruins and museums across Britain. He lives in Norfolk, England, and writes novels featuring Macro and Cato. His books include Under the Eagle and The Eagle's Conquest.

Recipe

“This authentic evocation of the mighty Roman army is cloaked in action, suspense, and history. A darn good yarn.”---Booklist

Is the unflinching courage of the Roman army a match for the ruthless barbarity of the British tribes?

In the bitter winter of a.d. 44, the Roman troops in Britain are impatiently awaiting the arrival of spring so that the campaign to conquer the island can be renewed. But the native Britons are growing more cunning in their resistance, constantly snapping at the heels of the mighty Roman forces.
When the most brutal of the native tribesmen, the Druids of the Dark Moon, capture the shipwrecked wife and children of General Plautius, quick action is called for. Two volunteers from the crack Second Legion must venture deep into hostile territory in a desperate attempt to rescue the prisoners.
Centurion Macro and his optio, Cato, find themselves slipping out of camp in the dead of night to reach the General’s family before they are sacrificed to the Druids’ dark gods. They know they are heading towards an almost certain death, and their only hope is that, with sheer courage and ingenuity, they can outwit the most ruthless foes they’ve ever faced.

Praise for When the Eagle Hunts
“His settings are well described and the plotting is strong, with much of the action reminiscent of Bernard Cornwell’s.”---Publishers Weekly
“An account of war and religious fanaticism with plenty of spice.”---Kirkus Reviews
“The third in Scarrow’s historical series...and it’s probably the best.”---The Mail on Sunday (UK)

Editorial Reviews

This authentic evocation of the mighty Roman army is cloaked in action, suspense, and history. A darn good yarn.” —Booklist

“His settings are well described and the plotting is strong, with much of the action reminiscent of Bernard Cornwell's.” —Publishers Weekly

“An account of war and religious fanaticism with plenty of spice.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The third in Scarrow's historical series...and it's probably the best.” —The Mail on Sunday (UK)

From the Publisher

Third installment in Scarrow's saga of Roman centurion Macro (The Eagle's Conquest, 2002, etc.), who rose from obscurity to command legionaries in an obscure outpost of the Empire known as Britain. Those who have followed Macro's rise will know the terrain, but newcomers should have no trouble picking up in media res. An illiterate foot soldier who rose to become a centurion (rough equivalent of a modern captain) in the crack Second Legion, Macro has survived both combat and palace intrigue and finds himself beset now by the warring tribes of Britain in a.d. 44. Although the British warlord Caratacus was soundly defeated (in the last episode), he somehow managed to escape the battlefield alive and has been coordinating resistance efforts against the Roman occupiers ever since. Some of his fiercest allies are the Druids of the Dark Moon, a bloodthirsty and fanatical cult who maraud through the country arousing terror in Roman and Briton alike. The Druids even manage to capture the wife and children of the Roman General Plautius after a shipwreck, and they demand the release of Druid prisoners in exchange for their prisoners' safe return. Since the Druids are fond of burning their captives alive in gigantic wooden totems known as Wicker Men, there's little doubt what lies in store for the general's family should he refuse to comply. But Macro and his faithful lieutenant Cato believe they can organize a rescue in time. Macro is aided by the dauntless Boudica, a tough daughter of the neutral Iceni tribe, who knows more about dealing with the Druids than ten centurions could ever learn. Together, Macro and Boudica manage something even more difficult than the raid itself-that is, fall in love.An account of war and religious fanaticism with plenty of spice, though not up to the adventure level of the first two.

Kirkus Reviews