The Eagle and the Wolves

by Simon Scarrow

Reviewed by Coral

When Caratacus’ new strategy of fighting Rome – pulling his army back while refusing to commit them battle and ambushing Roman supply lines as the Romans follow him – seem to be working. Unless they can protect their supply lines, Plautius will have no choice but to cease his pursuit of Caratacus and may even be forced to abandon the conquest all together. Given that the Emperor has declared the island subdued, this would have disastrous consequences for them all.

Recovering from their injuries against the Druids, Cato and Macro find themselves charged with training men from the Atrebates, uneasy allies with Rome. With an aged King, only recently put back on his throne by the Romans, his people find themselves caught between the might of Rome and their desire to live free. Cato and Macro must unite the people behind their king and win their allegiance, or Rome may lose Britain forever.

I find it easier to empathize with Roman characters in stories that are mainly set in Rome. It’s harder to empathize with them while they are going about conquering and enslaving people. I do like the author’s style of writing, but find myself cheering against the main characters. It doesn’t help that Macro and Cato both dismiss Britain as backwater and barbaric, though it was probably what the Romans believe at the time, but that doesn’t work to endear the characters to me.

The plot itself was interesting, though there was this one point where Cato and Macro make an obviously wrong decision that I wanted to smack them both, because it cost an innocent man his life.

Currently I do not own any of the other books in the series so I can’t continue on with them. It may be a good idea to take a break from them, because given what happens historically to Carataus I’m not sure I can read it happen from the point of view from characters who aren’t sympathetic with him.

Grade: C (I don’t know what to rate this really, because it wasn’t a bad book, I just don’t like any of the main characters)