'Simon Scarrow's stories of Roman military action in Britain have gathered quite a fan club and it's not hard to see why... Scarrow is highly skilled at describing violent action... for those who like their historical fiction to include plenty of bloody thrills and spills, Scarrow's latest book will prove irresistible' (Living History )

Simon Scarrow's brilliant adventure novels about the Roman army appear with stunning new covers.

It?s 44 AD, and Vespasian and the Second Legion are forging ahead in their campaign to seize the south-west of Britain. Macro and newly appointed centurion Cato are ordered to provide Verica, ruler of the Atrebatans, with an army. They must train his tribal levies into a force that can protect him and take on the increasingly ambitious raids that the enemy is launching. But despite the Atrebatans? official allegiance to Rome, open revolt is brewing, for many want to resist the Roman invaders. Macro and Cato must win the loyalty of the disgruntled levies - but can they succeed whilst surviving a deadly plot to destroy both them? Macro and Cato face the greatest test of their army careers as only they stand between the destiny of Rome and bloody defeat...

Simon Scarrow's brilliant adventure novels about the Roman army appearwith stunning new covers. It's 44 AD, andVespasian and the Second Legion are forging ahead in their campaign to seize the south-west of Britain. Macro and newly appointed centurion Cato are ordered to provide Verica,ruler of the Atrebatans, with an army. They must train his tribal levies into a force that can protect him and take on the increasingly ambitious raids that the enemy is launching. But despite the Atrebatans' official allegiance to Rome, open revolt is brewing, for many want to resist the Roman invaders. Macro and Cato mustwin the loyalty of the disgruntled levies - but can they succeed whilst surviving a deadly plot to destroy both them? Macro and Cato face the greatest test of their army careers as only they stand between the destiny of Rome and bloody defeat...

Simon Scarrow worked as a teacher before becoming a full-time writer.

2007-06-02 Still good

While not the best of the series to date this book still has more than its fair share of charms. It's character interactions, pacing and breathless action are as usual top notch. Given the position of the series, with the Roman Campaign bogged down after more than a year its understandable the setting is not quite as grand, Marco and Cato understandably not at the centre of main events following their injuries in the previous novel. All in all this is an enjoyable installment in the series with no major flaws.