Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: Prof.Witchheimer on 28 March 2012, 11:56:08 AM
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I'm reading "Under the eagle" of Simon Scarrow, the first book of the series (10 books more) and I'm quite enjoying it. Unfortunately I don't think I will have time to read the entire series though, but definitely would love to get one or two books more. Any suggestions what books in the series are the absolute must-read ones? Is "The Gladiator" any good?
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Unfortunately Prof they are all top rate stories. The development of the two main characters is excellent an they all keep you hooked, desperate to reach the end. I will however say that Gladiator is very good.
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I thought they were pretty bad. Read the first two and then gave up (I kept reading as long as I did because at the time I was really, really into all things Roman). I felt the dialogue in particular was hopeless, really awful writing.
I'm curious as to whether Scarrow tries to contrive a way to send the Centurion and Optio off on a secret mission on their own in every single book the way he does in the first two. That could get pretty silly after a while. Roman "Chosen Men" with a hint of the SAS.
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I think they are pretty good.
Light hearted heroic piffle.
I dont take it too seriously and just sit back and enjoy the story.
Kind of Pulp-meets-Rome.
I have read them all except for the last, and will be borrowing that one shortly.
I think that you really need to read them in order, Prof.
The story will flow better that way, and makes more sense.
They can be read as stand alone books, but the character interaction would make more sense in the correct order.
They are easy reading and it wont matter too much if there are long periods between books.
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I enjoyed them :)
I like the simpler novels as I don't have too much time for reading at the moment (loo, bath etc).
But yes, read them in order.
cheers
James
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Being “really really into all things Roman” and being not too good in English, I have to admit a simple Roman novel is just what I need :) At first I was going to get a German translation of “Under the eagle” but unfortunately the earlier Scarrow’s books are out-of-print in Germany and therefore they are quite expensive in the antique shops(20-30 EUR). So I’ve decided to try it with the original (paid about 3 euro incl.postage).
Well, I was afraid that I will be told to read them all :) Okay, I will try to get The Eagle's Conquest and after reading it we will see.
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Not very helpful here, I'm afraid, but if you want to start a series that is equally enjoyable in both English and German translation, try the SPQR novels by John Maddox Roberts. They are pretty decent for historical novels - and you don't have to read the series through to its (presumed) ending - it declines in quality from the ninth or so book onwards.
Otherwise, I've given Harry Sidebottom a second chance recently. He's a scholar and he can't cover it with writing novels, so the explanations are a bit tedious at times. However, it is to my knowledge the only series which deals with the 3rd century AD. Since this period is my true love in Roman history, I eventually took the plunge. Straightforward stories, spiced with period flavour, easy to read.
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If we're recommending stuff now then this is one I enjoyed, a one-off rather than part of a series...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/eagle.jpg)
A Roman general called Maximus (with a sidekick called Quintus) defends Rome from those beastly Germans on the Rhine Frontier. Now I don't know why, but I get the feeling that Ridley Scott may have read this book. I don't recall if anyone says "Unleash Hell!" at any point, though. ;)
Late Roman setting though, rather than what wargamers like to call "EIR."
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The Conn Iggulden Caesar Books are rather good if you fancy a bit of Sharpesque light reading
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Not very helpful here, I'm afraid, but if you want to start a series that is equally enjoyable in both English and German translation, try the SPQR novels by John Maddox Roberts. They are pretty decent for historical novels - and you don't have to read the series through to its (presumed) ending - it declines in quality from the ninth or so book onwards.
“Nobody loves a centurion”? What a cool title, I have to read that one day :)
(http://media.buch.de/img-adb/04272062-00-00/spqr_vi_nobody_loves_a_centurion.jpg)
If we're recommending stuff now then this is one I enjoyed, a one-off rather than part of a series...
Can’t see the pic, Dylan, probably the firewall again. Will check it later.
The Conn Iggulden Caesar Books are rather good if you fancy a bit of Sharpesque light reading
There is seems to be a lot of Roman reading out there :)
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Hmm. It's on Photobucket. Can everyone else see it?
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Hmm. It's on Photobucket. Can everyone else see it?
Yep even through my work pc
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being not too good in English,
Tha's not what I see, Alex.
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Tha's not what I see, Alex.
Thank you, but I really have a lot of gaps there and reading English books I regularly need a dictionary (love the dictionary app on my phone!).
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“Nobody loves a centurion”? What a cool title, I have to read that one day :)
Actually, I started with this piece (in German it got the less catchy title of "Death of a Centurion"). And it's probably Robert's best one. Nothing was lost on reading the series in chronological order afterwards.
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I've read a couple of the Scarrow books and enjoyed them. Found some the the dialogue a little to modern. Another series I would highly recommend is Harry Sidebottoms series with Ballista. Very readable and hard to put down.
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I have read the first 4 books in german....
In my opinion a very good series.
For german readers I could also recommend the following series:
Jörg Kastner -----5 Books (Battle of varus and campaigns of Germanicus from a germanic view)
Iris Kammerer ----- 3 Books of the germanicus campaigns from a roman view
Manda Scott ----- Boudica series
William V. crockett---- Series about the britain north frontier, time of emperor Antoninus Pius.
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I've read all the Scarrows and the first five are the best.
If you like a bit of a whodunnit I can recommend Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_Sub_Rosa
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The Conn Iggulden Caesar Books are rather good if you fancy a bit of Sharpesque light reading
I am reading these at the moment, the emperor series, and can recommend them. Loads of interesting details that have a ring of truth about them.
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To be honest, no matter how 'low brow' and lacking in 100% historical fact some of these books are, they are all good for scenarios and inspiration :)
cheers
James
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To be honest, no matter how 'low brow' and lacking in 100% historical fact some of these books are, they are all good for scenarios and inspiration
Agreed 100%. Unless you only play equal points games on open tables, they're great sources of inspiration for everything from tiny skirmishes up to proper battles. And a lot of the ideas will easily translate into other eras too, or other armies in the ancient era.
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I've read them all and I like them. It's definitely better to read them in order because the main characters are often manipulated (coerced) by the more powerful to take on specific objectives and it just makes more sense to see things unfold slowly; more so in the latter books where characters from earlier book reappear. The history isn’t a problem for me, in my mind the balance between history and telling a story is right. They ARE action novels though, akin to watching a good ‘ol Arnie film, it won’t win an Oscar but a lot of people will say cool things and then kick ass!