Simon Scarrow – “The Eagle in the Sand”

 

Trouble is brewing in Judaea, on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. With the troops in a deplorable state, centurions Macro and Cato are despatched to restore the competence of the cohort. But another challenge faces them as, Bannus, a local tribesman and disciple of refently deceased Jehoshua (aka Jesus), is brewing up trouble and preaching violent opposition to Rome. As the local revolt grows in scale, Macro and Cato must stamp out corruption in the cohort and restore it to fighting fitness to quash Bannus -- before the eastern provinces are lost to the Empire forever! A fun, rip-roaring yarn.

Simon Scarrow concentrates on two things – the rip-roaring yarn and the background area. About life and culture of the times there is little depth but that doesn’t matter the setting is all in this story and Scarrow was invited to the area by the King of Jordan who had admired his previous stories. He has made the most of his visit!

I have read a couple of the earlier ones in thios series but which ones I cannot now recall.
Cato and Macro
1. Under the Eagle (2000)
2. The Eagle's Conquest (2001)
3. When the Eagle Hunts (2002)
4. The Eagle and the Wolves (2003)
5. The Eagle's Prey (2004)
6. The Eagle's Prophecy (2005)
7. The Eagle in the Sand (2006)
8. Centurion (2007)


SIMON SCARROW, (b. UK 1962) teaches at a leading Sixth Form College. He has run a Roman History programme taking parties of students to a number of ruins and museums across Britain.