Secundus's Book Review

Hello and welcome to yet another Secundus book review, for what it's worth, I'll be writing up my latest Roman literature conquests and giving them a Secundus mark out of ten. Well, where do we start. Simon Scarrow and his EAGLE series has turned out to be quite good, I've just finished the fourth novel in the line and it was OK. 'When the EAGLE HUNTS' continues the story of Macro the Centurion and his trusty Optio, Cato. This time they are sent under cover to find a commanders kidnapped family, say no more. I enjoyed the Celtic factor in this book and the details of how Scarrow thinks the Druids lived and acted. The major problem I will always have about these books is the fact that Scarrow has them quote famous lines from other historical characters through history, as a little nod to all arm chair historians through out the world. Also the fact that every thing of the time is tied together in a way that would make George Lucas proud, an example of this is when Macro introduces his latest girl friend, a tall, fiery, red headed girl from the Iceni tribe....any guesses who she might turn out to be? Saying all this, I still enjoy the books and they make the train journey fly by, but wait! What's this...If you haven't read any of the Stephen Dando-collins books go and do so now. Rather than make the train journey fly by these books make you curse that the train journey is coming to an end. Not being a strong reader as a kid, I never dreamed I would ever say " That book is unputadownable!" if ever such a word exists that is. Nero's killing machine had me reading everywhere, I loved it. It traces the story of the 14th Legion from its creation all the way through to the Boudicca revolt...we're back to her again I see. Anyway, It has the best write up of the Varus disaster in Germany I have ever read and I've read whole books on that subject alone! I'm reading Mark Antony's Hero's at the moment, another in the range and again I am in love with it. As far as inspiration goes for painting and all things roman, these books fill my massive bloated head and keep me marching all the way to the station and back again every day.
Secundus gives the Simon Scarrow 'When the EAGLE HUNTS' 6/10, a good read but a little to 'Sharpe' in sandals to get any higher. Secundus gives Stephen Dando-Collins 'Nero's killing Machine' 9/10. This book is one of my desert island reads...along with all the rest in the series that is.