The Silver Eagle [Hardcover]

After reading and immensely enjoying his first book "The Forgotten Legion", and first installment in this series, I quickly purchased the Silver Eagle. I was not disappointed. Ben Kane has quickly established himself as a master of suspense and I found it hard to put the book down. I feel he is especially skilled at narrating the battle scenes but can also fill in the stuff in between. I do have issues with the graphic and horrific treatment of Fabiola at one point in the book which I will not go into but suffice it to say it is hard to read and not for the faint of heart. Ben Kane does an admirable job of following and weaving in the tail end of Ceasar's campaign in Gaul and his defeat of the Republican forces. Unfortunately, Ceasar is not portrayed very well(but it is a relatively small part of the book). I like Ceasar. I know he is a lovable murderer of innocent Gaulic tribes and he is a genocidal over achiever, but rapist? I think not. Why defame the great general. It's just not supported by the historical record. I know this is fiction but Kane makes it come alive for you. I do hope the third installment will quickly be on the horizon for purchase. I would definitely give this book a thumbs up and highly recommend it. You do not have to read (but it is also a great book) the first book, "The Forgotten Legion", in order to understand and keep up with the "The Silver Eagle", but I would recommend that book also. The 'Eagle' would make a great movie.

The Silver Eagle continues the interwoven stories of Ben Kane's debut novel, The Forgotten Legion. The series is set in the Roman Empire and its outskirts during the time of Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus, and Brutus. These historical figures play critical roles in Ben Kane's plots, but the lead protagonists are far from the seat of power. The heroes are largely taken from the conquered peoples and slaves of the Roman Empire.

We encounter the three close friends and legionaries of The Forgotten Legion again. The story continues after Crassus's failed invasion of Partha and these legionaries have been incorporated into the Parthan army. Tarquinius, the Etrucscan haruspex, is under increasing pressure by the Parthian commander Pacorus to read the future and help Parthia smash all opposition. As the Parthian troops face attacks from Scythians, Tarquinius's position becomes increasingly tenuous. Brennus, the famous gladiator and former slave from Gaul, struggles to keep up his spirit but antagonism from the Parthian troops and fellow legionaries constantly weigh him down. Brennus relies upon his friendship with Tarquinius and Romulus to keep him focused and motivated. Romulus, a former slave who proved himself to be a born warrior, dreams of returning to Rome and uniting his family. Romulus, Brennus, and Tarquinius are isolated and in danger - with no one to trust but each other, they must make the journey of thousands of miles.

Meanwhile, Fabiola, Romulus's beautiful twin sister, is established in Brutus's household. She's adapting to her life on her country estate when sudden violence erupts. Fabiola suddenly faces a struggle for her life and must rely on her wits, her beauty and the loyalty of those around her as she prepares to travel to Gaul to find Brutus and safety. I enjoy stories with where determined young people somehow brave all types of treachery and insurmountable odds and still somehow maintain a sense of honor. The key heroes in Ben Kane's The Silver Eagle and The Forgotten Legion have that quality and I find myself constantly rooting for Brennus, Tarquinius, Romulus, and Fabiola. Even Fabiola's Brutus is painted as an engaging and honorable man. The relationship between Fabiola and Brutus is much deeper in The Silver Eagle, which adds another interesting element to the novel.

Like The Forgotten Legion, The Silver Eagle is an engrossing story of loyalty, friendship, betrayal and love during historic and tumultuous times. Ben Kane anchors the story in much historic detail which gives The Silver Eagle an added layer of depth and complexity. I stayed up much of the night reading The Silver Eagle and highly recommend it! The third in the series, The Road to Rome, comes out in August!

ISBN-10: 0312536720 Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 16, 2010), 480 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

If your thing is all about getting a look at history from an entertainment value perspective, then this is time well spent reading. Historical fiction has been my favorite genre for a long time now and can never really get enough learning about Ancient Rome. Stories dealing with conflict and perseverance. I am halfway through this book, which is the second of a thus far trilogy (don't know, but hoping a future fourth installment?). Already purchased the next book and enjoy the split action running between Romulus and Fabiola - very romantic figures that should hopefully reunite.

Seemingly like a portal into the main character's intimate thoughts, worries, tragedies and hopefully triumphs (at page 220 right now). The writing is intelligent!

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