If you are
interested in the Roman era and enjoy reading historical fiction based around
this time, then you may have stumbled upon The Sunday Times bestselling author,
Ben Kane. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of Kane’s latest book, Hunting the Eagles.
Hunting the Eagles is the stunning sequel to Eagles at War.
Hunting the Eagles is the stunning sequel to Eagles at War.
What's the story?
AD 14
It is a
terrible thing to lose one Eagle, let alone three. And to see 15,000 loyal
soldiers of Rome butchered before your eyes is not something you are ever going
to forgive or forget.
Five years
have past since the massacre in the wilds of Germania. Those who survived the
carnage, now have to live with what they had witnessed, as well as the shame of
losing their precious Eagles.
Centurion
Tullas is one such survivor. His only consolation is that he saved as many
lives as he could. But, instead of praise for his selfless courage, he finds
himself demoted. There are two things he wants now…revenge on Chieftain Arminius
– whose army slaughtered the three legions - and his old regiments Eagle.
Rome has had
enough time to lick her wounds, she wants her Eagles back. It is time for
revenge. It is time for war. The orders are clear, kill everyone and recover
the Eagles. No mercy. But Arminius is not the type of man who will sit back and
let such atrocities occur in his own kingdom. He slayed them once, can he do so
again?
What did I think of the story?
It is
difficult to write this level of fiction without it sounding like a history
lesson, or without losing your reader to facts, figures and descriptions that
they cannot hope to understand unless they have a degree in the subject. Ben
Kane immerses you in the Ancient World, he doesn’t describe it – he does
something extraordinary – he brings it back to life. He draws his readers into
the thick of the action. Kane doesn’t let you get lost in the history, or leave
you floundering around like a fish out of water. It is like having your own
personal tour guide to the past. With Kane, I knew I was in safe hands.
Strangely, I
did not feel that there was any one antagonist in this story – I was moved by
the plight of Centurion Tullus and his legionaries, as well as his enemy,
Chieftain Arminius. I cannot think of many books where my loyalty has been so
split. Both characters had flesh on them; both had their own reasons to hate
the other. The portrayal of these characters was sublime. Totally believable.
The battle
scenes were vivid and were very real in the telling. It was like being there,
without the threat of being brutally maimed or killed, of course!
Hunting the
Eagles is part of a series, but not once did I feel that I had missed out on
anything by not reading the prequel. Although, saying that, Eagles at War is
now definitely on my ‘to be read’ list.
About the Author.
Kenya born, Irish by blood and UK resident, Ben
Kane’s passion for history has taken him to more than 60 countries, and
all 7 continents. During his travels and subsequent research, including walking
hundreds of miles in complete Roman military gear, he has learned much about
the Romans and the way they lived. Seven of his nine novels have been Sunday
Times top ten bestsellers, and his books are published in twelve languages. He lives in Somerset with his wife and children, where he writes full time.Ben Kane was born in Kenya and raised there and in Ireland. He studied veterinary medicine at University College Dublin, but after that he travelled the world extensively, indulging his passion for ancient history. Having visited more than 60 countries and all 7 continents, he now lives in North Somerset with his wife and family.
He has been a full time writer since late 2008, and has loved almost every moment of that time. Apart from all things Roman, Ben loves military history of any type. Basically, if a book features men with guns and/or swords, he’ll read it. Other interests include rugby, walking, and beer. If an afternoon can include all three, it’s bound to be perfect.
Ben is also lucky enough to be
the Treasurer of the newly founded Historical Writers’ Association.
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