Review – Simon SCARROW – “Fire and Sword”

Publ: 2009
Pensby Library
ISBN: 978 0 7553 2437 8
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 520p
Found by serendipity
Rating: ***** ***


What led you to pick up this book?
I like Simon Scarrow’s works and I also like the Napoleonic wars era. This combined both.

Describe the plot without giving anything away.
This is the third part of a quartet of novels about Napoleon and Wellington – preceded by Young Bloods and The Generals. This covers the period 1804 to 1809; moving back and forth between the activities of Napoleon and Arthur Wellesley as the latter helps to convince the British government to land troops in the Peninsula to attack Napoleon on the continent.

What did you think of the characters?
Well delineated and credible. In their own way both are made out as heroes, despite the overwhelming ambitions of Napoleon one sympathises with him every time he is let down by others. Wellington, meanwhile is not perfect and his ambition is no less great than that of his enemy.

What did you think about the style?
Easy to read with plenty of natural dialogue. I do enjoy a book that manages to go from narration to dialogue and back without causing a break in one’s thought pattern.

What did you like most about the book?
The way in which these two great men of history are made credible and human.

Was there anything you didn't like about the book?
No.

Thoughts on the book jacket / cover.
Smart. A smart and attractive design by Tim Byrne.

Would I recommend it?
Yes.

SIMON SCARROW (b. UK 1962) was for many years a lecturer 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. He lives in Norfolk.

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.