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Empire #6
The Eagle's Vengeance
The Tungrian auxiliary cohorts return to Hadrian's Wall after their successful Dacian campaign, only to find Britannia in chaos. The legions are overstretched, struggling to man the forts of the northern frontier in the face of increasing barbarian resistance.
The Tungrians are the only soldiers who can be sent into the northern wastes, far beyond the long abandoned wall built by Antoninus, where a lost symbol of imperial power of the Sixth Victorious Legion is reputed to await them. Protected by an impassable swamp and hidden in a fortress atop a high mountain, the eagle of the Sixth legion must be recovered if the legion is to survive.
Marcus and his men must penetrate the heart of the enemy's strength, ghosting through a deadly wilderness patrolled by vicious huntresses before breaching the walls of the Fang, an all-but-impregnable fort, if they are to rescue the legion's venerated standard. If successful their escape will be twice as perilous, with the might of a barbarian tribe at their heels.
The Tungrians are the only soldiers who can be sent into the northern wastes, far beyond the long abandoned wall built by Antoninus, where a lost symbol of imperial power of the Sixth Victorious Legion is reputed to await them. Protected by an impassable swamp and hidden in a fortress atop a high mountain, the eagle of the Sixth legion must be recovered if the legion is to survive.
Marcus and his men must penetrate the heart of the enemy's strength, ghosting through a deadly wilderness patrolled by vicious huntresses before breaching the walls of the Fang, an all-but-impregnable fort, if they are to rescue the legion's venerated standard. If successful their escape will be twice as perilous, with the might of a barbarian tribe at their heels.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2014
108 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Riches
51 books359 followersAnthony Riches began his lifelong interest in war and soldiers when he first heard his father's stories about World War II. This led to a degree in Military Studies at Manchester University. He began writing the story that would become Wounds of Honour after a visit to Housesteads in 1996. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 25, 2021
Read this book in 2014, and its the 6th volume of the amazing "Empire" series.
After their exploits in Dacia, Marcus and his Tungrian Auxiliary cohorts are finding themselves once again at Hadrian's Wall.
Their perspective this time is the retrieval of the lost Eagle of the Sixth legion, a tour de force that will bring hardship and ferocious battles.
Far into the North, even beyond the long abandoned Wall of Antoninus, Marcus and his men must travel to get this lost symbol of imperial power.
When Marcus and his men reach the walls of the Feng, they need to be at their sharpest to retrieve that Eagle, and when they do so they will be hunted down by the might barbarian tribe.
What is to follow is a spectacular Roman enterprise in the high Northern wastes in a bid to retrieve a lost Eagle, and that action will bring a lot of cunning thinking and determined fighting from the Tungrians before they are able to bring that lost Eagle home, and all this is told by the author in a most gripping and fabulous fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is another superb addition to this amazing series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Awesome Eagle's Vengeance"!
After their exploits in Dacia, Marcus and his Tungrian Auxiliary cohorts are finding themselves once again at Hadrian's Wall.
Their perspective this time is the retrieval of the lost Eagle of the Sixth legion, a tour de force that will bring hardship and ferocious battles.
Far into the North, even beyond the long abandoned Wall of Antoninus, Marcus and his men must travel to get this lost symbol of imperial power.
When Marcus and his men reach the walls of the Feng, they need to be at their sharpest to retrieve that Eagle, and when they do so they will be hunted down by the might barbarian tribe.
What is to follow is a spectacular Roman enterprise in the high Northern wastes in a bid to retrieve a lost Eagle, and that action will bring a lot of cunning thinking and determined fighting from the Tungrians before they are able to bring that lost Eagle home, and all this is told by the author in a most gripping and fabulous fashion.
Highly recommended, for this is another superb addition to this amazing series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Awesome Eagle's Vengeance"!
October 7, 2013
I am sure that this book will receive somewhat mixed reviews (although people who do not like Riches' writing style probably wouldn't make it through the whole series). As in the earlier books, readers should not expect any deep feelings and character descriptions. This book is about a relationship of fighting men, and it is to be expected that (the same way as it is in boy-play groups) their friendship is not based on what they say to each other (mostly crude/humorous comments) or feelings they share, but rather by what they do together. And this is what Riches is good in – he can damn well describe how people act under different circumstances and can adjust the pace of the story. No reflection is needed. It is almost irrelevant. These books are about actions. The reader should just sit and enjoy the ride. To achieve this effect, Riches sometimes uses anachronistic words etc. I know that many readers are annoyed by it. But I think that in Empire series this is not a result of sloppy writing but rather a tool the author uses to communicate the experience. Sometimes too much historical accuracy on the wrong places of the story can disturb reader's immersion. Riches just makes sure that this does not happen.
January 10, 2024
‘And keep us safe, Lord Mithras, from whatever might step into our path.’
Riches brings his Roman superhero back to Brittanica to complete the business with the Sixth Legion’s lost eagle. (Not to be confused with Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff)
“I learned a bitter lesson, never to attack the Romans when they have time to prepare their defences.”
Even grittier, bloodier, and viler than previous installments. No excuse beyond possible commercial considerations.
‘He was a Christian, it seems. I wonder if Prefect Castus had any idea he had taken a religious maniac into his familia.’ ‘Christian or not, he saved your life with nothing more than his teeth. If that’s Christianity we’ll have to be careful of them if they ever get an army.’
Easter egg: Lucius Artorius Castus. Castus was a historic person who apparently served in Britannia at this time. He also has a mythology connection to which Riches makes no reference.
‘A man who has chosen to live by stealing the work of others, judged to be the lowest form of life in a civilised society. Except, my friends, we do not live in a civilised society, no matter what we tell ourselves about the nobility of the empire.’
Series overview: Hardcore historical fiction told with modern English military idioms and profanity. Second-century Roman empire provides rich background of war, intrigue, and unrest to propel too-good-to-be-true protagonist to adventure. Roman grunts spoke Latin, but not that learned in school. (The whole series loses one star for profanity and violence. You’ve been warned.) Compare to Ellis Peters’ Chronicles of Cadfael or Bernard Cornwell (Author)’s Sharpe's Tiger series. Though episodic, best read in order.
Riches brings his Roman superhero back to Brittanica to complete the business with the Sixth Legion’s lost eagle. (Not to be confused with Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff)
“I learned a bitter lesson, never to attack the Romans when they have time to prepare their defences.”
Even grittier, bloodier, and viler than previous installments. No excuse beyond possible commercial considerations.
‘He was a Christian, it seems. I wonder if Prefect Castus had any idea he had taken a religious maniac into his familia.’ ‘Christian or not, he saved your life with nothing more than his teeth. If that’s Christianity we’ll have to be careful of them if they ever get an army.’
Easter egg: Lucius Artorius Castus. Castus was a historic person who apparently served in Britannia at this time. He also has a mythology connection to which Riches makes no reference.
‘A man who has chosen to live by stealing the work of others, judged to be the lowest form of life in a civilised society. Except, my friends, we do not live in a civilised society, no matter what we tell ourselves about the nobility of the empire.’
Series overview: Hardcore historical fiction told with modern English military idioms and profanity. Second-century Roman empire provides rich background of war, intrigue, and unrest to propel too-good-to-be-true protagonist to adventure. Roman grunts spoke Latin, but not that learned in school. (The whole series loses one star for profanity and violence. You’ve been warned.) Compare to Ellis Peters’ Chronicles of Cadfael or Bernard Cornwell (Author)’s Sharpe's Tiger series. Though episodic, best read in order.
September 5, 2013
Eagles Vengeance Review
Our heroically dangerous Tungrians are back in Britain. Returning from their exploits in Dacia, triumphant, but with the knowledge of loss. (Tony does love to bump off a character or two).
Eagles vengeance is no different, In this latest book, Book six in the Empire series, Tony Riches send the reader on a thrill ride of dangerous exploits, daring action, Violent barbarian encounters and political manoeuvring, that will see the deaths of so many men and women we meet for the first time and some we have known for a while.
Tony's writing is for me subtly different from many others in the genre. Take for example Douglas Jackson (insert review) who writes with such passion and detail, while retaining a narrow cast. Tony Riches gives us the broad canvas of the Tungrian Cohorts, delving into the lives of so many of his men, and exploring who the Centurions and Chosen men of this group are. He brings the camaraderie of the squaddie to life in the ancient world. Many authors bring life to their characters, but miss this feeling of the group, the passion of the legion or men. Tony always hits this square on, and it's not just his unique colourful turn of phrase, it's something of the man himself, someone who comes alive in a group, a man built to entertain and be larger than life. That's the passion he brings to people like Marcus and Dubnus and the men of the Tungrian Cohorts.
I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I can say too much about it not without giving away what happens to whom and why and where, and those are spoilers I would not want. I can say that while it's not my favourite book in the series, (that's still reserved for Wounds of Honour), it's an excellent read that can stand alone and provide hours of entertainment. But my personal advice would be go buy all the books if you have never read the series, follow the life and exploits, the ups and downs of the hardest b@stards in the Roman Legion,.
Highly recommended
(Parm)
Our heroically dangerous Tungrians are back in Britain. Returning from their exploits in Dacia, triumphant, but with the knowledge of loss. (Tony does love to bump off a character or two).
Eagles vengeance is no different, In this latest book, Book six in the Empire series, Tony Riches send the reader on a thrill ride of dangerous exploits, daring action, Violent barbarian encounters and political manoeuvring, that will see the deaths of so many men and women we meet for the first time and some we have known for a while.
Tony's writing is for me subtly different from many others in the genre. Take for example Douglas Jackson (insert review) who writes with such passion and detail, while retaining a narrow cast. Tony Riches gives us the broad canvas of the Tungrian Cohorts, delving into the lives of so many of his men, and exploring who the Centurions and Chosen men of this group are. He brings the camaraderie of the squaddie to life in the ancient world. Many authors bring life to their characters, but miss this feeling of the group, the passion of the legion or men. Tony always hits this square on, and it's not just his unique colourful turn of phrase, it's something of the man himself, someone who comes alive in a group, a man built to entertain and be larger than life. That's the passion he brings to people like Marcus and Dubnus and the men of the Tungrian Cohorts.
I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I can say too much about it not without giving away what happens to whom and why and where, and those are spoilers I would not want. I can say that while it's not my favourite book in the series, (that's still reserved for Wounds of Honour), it's an excellent read that can stand alone and provide hours of entertainment. But my personal advice would be go buy all the books if you have never read the series, follow the life and exploits, the ups and downs of the hardest b@stards in the Roman Legion,.
Highly recommended
(Parm)
August 17, 2014
What we essentially have here is a post-dated sequel to the story arc from the first three books in Anthony Riches' Empire series, that sees the main characters of the Tungrian auxiliaries back in the home territory of Britannia.
If you haven't read the first three books in the series - Wounds Of Honour, Arrows Of Fury and Fortress Of Spears - then stop reading this review now and go read those books or this book will be wasted on you.
Far from feeling like a run-of-the-mill token sequel used to churn another book out of the series, this is more of final chapter, or epilogue, in that particular story arc.
From a fairly slow, brooding and ominous beginning the book steps up a gear as the Tungrians head north from their base at Hadrians Wall to the more barren, rundown barrier of the Antonine Wall right on the toes of the deadly Venicone tribes lands.
At times there is a slightly disconcerting feeling of recycled plot elements from earlier books - attempted rape of Felicia by a nasty Tribune, the ambushes and skirmishes in the forest - but fortunately they fit well enough into the storyline to seem more like echoes than hollow rehashes of previous elements. Also some of the main protaganists from earlier books - Calgus and Perennis Sr to name two - meet decidedly dull ends in comparison to the meaty deaths I'd imagined.
But those minor gripes are countered by a truly exhilarating peril when the small raiding party sent north of the Antonine Wall to recover the Sixth Legion's stolen eagle are trying to escape from a warband of heavily tattooed primal nearly feral huntresses, leading to some of the best passages in the book.
Also the element of 'betrayal' and 'traitors' is either a supreme bit of double bluff or is just something that was meant to be more ingenious but got forgot about and went in as is. By that I mean that, and I'm not ruining any of the plot here by saying this as it'll be plainly obvious when you read it, that the characters you suspect of being the traitors from the start are so blatantly the traitors that you tell yourself that 'No, that's a red herring. Too obvious' and you convince yourself that the traitor must be someone else, only for it to disappointingly have turned out to be them all along and there was seemingly no duplicity at all.
This element of things not being as they appear was done so much better in book four, The Leopard Sword, than this inconsequential addition to the story that adds nothing but a short, meaningless brawl that's over relatively quickly and doesn't impact the plot whatsoever.
One final thing to note is that once the Eagle has been recovered and the cohort has escaped the Venicones, the plot seems to taper off a little into conveniently setting up the premise for the next book, set in Rome itself. You obviously can't argue with the author setting the reader up for the next instalment in the series, it just feels like the book is going out with more of angry passing glare than a fist in the face, if you appreciate the metaphor.
Overall though this is a very solid, high standard piece of Roman fiction notably superior to most other Roman period hist-fic, it's more of a mixed bag than the previous books. At times I absolutely loved it and was almost superglued to the pages, at other times I was a little underwhelmed by the relatively sedate unremarkable stretches dotted through the book and the reused plot elements from earlier books leaving it feel like this could easily have been a 5* book, it just didn't push itself that last little bit.
In summary, it's a bit of a paradox for a fanboy like me. It's arguably the best Roman fiction you'll read this year, it's solid and addictive in places, it just doesn't quite galvanise my brain or tingle my synapses in the way the other books did.
Trust me, Anthony Riches is without doubt the best Roman fiction writer there is but I'm not all too sure how much I like this book. There weren't any bad, boring or at all poorly written parts and it still had a profound effect on me in certain places, it just doesn't feel as memorable or remarkable as the previous books, more like a strong, sturdy bridge to sort out the unfinished business in Britannia and take the reader over to the other bank, to sort out the unfinished business in Rome.
A slightly more meandering attempt at a review than normal for me here but hopefully this makes sense. I've given it a 4 out of 5 for the fact that even with my gripes it is still a very good book and one you will definitely get enjoyment out of.
If you've read any of the previous 5 books, this is a worthwhile edition to the canon though only really essential as a bridging book to set up book 7.
If you haven't read the first three books in the series - Wounds Of Honour, Arrows Of Fury and Fortress Of Spears - then stop reading this review now and go read those books or this book will be wasted on you.
Far from feeling like a run-of-the-mill token sequel used to churn another book out of the series, this is more of final chapter, or epilogue, in that particular story arc.
From a fairly slow, brooding and ominous beginning the book steps up a gear as the Tungrians head north from their base at Hadrians Wall to the more barren, rundown barrier of the Antonine Wall right on the toes of the deadly Venicone tribes lands.
At times there is a slightly disconcerting feeling of recycled plot elements from earlier books - attempted rape of Felicia by a nasty Tribune, the ambushes and skirmishes in the forest - but fortunately they fit well enough into the storyline to seem more like echoes than hollow rehashes of previous elements. Also some of the main protaganists from earlier books - Calgus and Perennis Sr to name two - meet decidedly dull ends in comparison to the meaty deaths I'd imagined.
But those minor gripes are countered by a truly exhilarating peril when the small raiding party sent north of the Antonine Wall to recover the Sixth Legion's stolen eagle are trying to escape from a warband of heavily tattooed primal nearly feral huntresses, leading to some of the best passages in the book.
Also the element of 'betrayal' and 'traitors' is either a supreme bit of double bluff or is just something that was meant to be more ingenious but got forgot about and went in as is. By that I mean that, and I'm not ruining any of the plot here by saying this as it'll be plainly obvious when you read it, that the characters you suspect of being the traitors from the start are so blatantly the traitors that you tell yourself that 'No, that's a red herring. Too obvious' and you convince yourself that the traitor must be someone else, only for it to disappointingly have turned out to be them all along and there was seemingly no duplicity at all.
This element of things not being as they appear was done so much better in book four, The Leopard Sword, than this inconsequential addition to the story that adds nothing but a short, meaningless brawl that's over relatively quickly and doesn't impact the plot whatsoever.
One final thing to note is that once the Eagle has been recovered and the cohort has escaped the Venicones, the plot seems to taper off a little into conveniently setting up the premise for the next book, set in Rome itself. You obviously can't argue with the author setting the reader up for the next instalment in the series, it just feels like the book is going out with more of angry passing glare than a fist in the face, if you appreciate the metaphor.
Overall though this is a very solid, high standard piece of Roman fiction notably superior to most other Roman period hist-fic, it's more of a mixed bag than the previous books. At times I absolutely loved it and was almost superglued to the pages, at other times I was a little underwhelmed by the relatively sedate unremarkable stretches dotted through the book and the reused plot elements from earlier books leaving it feel like this could easily have been a 5* book, it just didn't push itself that last little bit.
In summary, it's a bit of a paradox for a fanboy like me. It's arguably the best Roman fiction you'll read this year, it's solid and addictive in places, it just doesn't quite galvanise my brain or tingle my synapses in the way the other books did.
Trust me, Anthony Riches is without doubt the best Roman fiction writer there is but I'm not all too sure how much I like this book. There weren't any bad, boring or at all poorly written parts and it still had a profound effect on me in certain places, it just doesn't feel as memorable or remarkable as the previous books, more like a strong, sturdy bridge to sort out the unfinished business in Britannia and take the reader over to the other bank, to sort out the unfinished business in Rome.
A slightly more meandering attempt at a review than normal for me here but hopefully this makes sense. I've given it a 4 out of 5 for the fact that even with my gripes it is still a very good book and one you will definitely get enjoyment out of.
If you've read any of the previous 5 books, this is a worthwhile edition to the canon though only really essential as a bridging book to set up book 7.
October 20, 2014
It is said the eyes are the windows to your soul. Anthony Riches seems to take that (a little too much) to heart in his ‘Empire' series. Any emotion can be expressed from surprise to anger and all points in between, by a narrowing of the eyes and/or a raising of the eyebrows. So, what does that make the brows then? The venetian blinds to the soul? It’s worth musing on, because, that’s what you do here. The story tries to pop up now and then, but stands no chance against the absolute blizzard of eyebrows shooting hither and yon, from every character in every situation. Mid-pitch battle, in blood-thirsty, backs against the wall, life or death situations, are my favourites. “Just a moment, seven foot tall screaming barbarian, I need to look at my comrade and raise an inquisitorial eyebrow. All done. Now, where were we…?” But, not so fast there - a new way of expressing ALL emotions is introduced in ‘Vengeance.’ The raising of BOTH eyebrows! “Oh my good god! He’s raising BOTH eyebrows at me - the absolute fiend!” And, it’s not just confined to the Legions in ‘Eagle,’ there has also been a rather virulent outbreak amongst the barbarians as well. Nothing can stand in the way of the POWER OF THE EYEBROW!
Yeah, yeah, anyway, what’s it about, apart from rampant brow-raising?
It’s the sixth in the Empire series and if you’ve read the others, you’ll know exactly where you are with this one. The good news is, that we’re back in Britannia, back up on Hadrian’s Wall. I felt that the previous one (‘Wolf’s Gold’) wasn’t as good for the shift in locale away from Britannia. All those bloody foreign barbarians raising their eyebrows - how dare they! Our favourite enemy, Calgus, is back, despite being mostly a cripple since his run-in with our hero, Marcus Aquila (though, shhh…he’s ‘Corvus’, to you) and (at least one of) his two swords in a previous book. This time, Calgus is attempting to control the barbarian forces from the shadows behind the throne, as I suppose it could be described. Then, there is more than a little chaos in the Roman forces, on both sides of the Wall and our Tungrian (not ‘Hungarian,’ as my spell-check tries to put) cohort is sent to clean up - as only they can. In fact, they’re sent into the wastes (if you were a Roman, ’Home’ if you were a photo-Scot), beyond Hadrian’s Wall. They journey even beyond the Antonine wall, on an impossible mission to rescue the Sixth Legion’s Eagle - an important symbol of power for both the Legions and the barbarians. All good so far. But the name of the (until Marcus and pals get there, obviously) impregnable barbarian fortress where the Eagle is being held and worshipped? ’The Fang.’ Oh dear. There, right there, MY eyes become the windows to MY soul - and they’re laughing.
The first Empire book was good. No doubt about that. It was a blast of new, fresh interest in a scene I thought needed it. But as the series has gone on, I realise - that that was it. He shot his bolt early and the rest have been - so far - on reflection, a disappointment, an unfulfilled promise. Here, there’s some good stuff about a Roman soldier having been captured and tortured by the barbarians, but then having escaped and survived in hostile territory, hunted day and night by warriors who turn out to be women. He goes to the edge of madness, but is the only one who can get them to the entrance of the fortress, so has to be trusted. That and the passages following the Romans coming back from the fortress (I’m not giving anything away! You KNOW he’s gonna get out with the Eagle, the trick is still making it put you on the edge of your seat), is good. Good enough to make up for the bad? They eyebrows? Not quite.
And don’t get me started on the repeating of words, from one sentence to another. Where another (see what I did there?) word could and should have been suggested by an editor who is clearly BLIND (and even that is to take the responsibility off Anthony Riches, who shouldn’t have written it in the first place). For goodness’ sake, I’ve seen TWEETS where an author has apologised for repeating a word - and that’s inside 140 characters!
My star count has been reflecting my (waning) enthusiasm for the Empire series and going down as the ‘sequence’ has progressed. I’m afraid that this one struggles to make it the two, but I’ll be generous - for the marshes sections (and despite the eyebrow raising there in) and I’ll give it three.
Criticise my grammar and writing all you like, but I clean toilets in a hospital. Writing or editing isn’t MY ONLY JOB!
Yeah, yeah, anyway, what’s it about, apart from rampant brow-raising?
It’s the sixth in the Empire series and if you’ve read the others, you’ll know exactly where you are with this one. The good news is, that we’re back in Britannia, back up on Hadrian’s Wall. I felt that the previous one (‘Wolf’s Gold’) wasn’t as good for the shift in locale away from Britannia. All those bloody foreign barbarians raising their eyebrows - how dare they! Our favourite enemy, Calgus, is back, despite being mostly a cripple since his run-in with our hero, Marcus Aquila (though, shhh…he’s ‘Corvus’, to you) and (at least one of) his two swords in a previous book. This time, Calgus is attempting to control the barbarian forces from the shadows behind the throne, as I suppose it could be described. Then, there is more than a little chaos in the Roman forces, on both sides of the Wall and our Tungrian (not ‘Hungarian,’ as my spell-check tries to put) cohort is sent to clean up - as only they can. In fact, they’re sent into the wastes (if you were a Roman, ’Home’ if you were a photo-Scot), beyond Hadrian’s Wall. They journey even beyond the Antonine wall, on an impossible mission to rescue the Sixth Legion’s Eagle - an important symbol of power for both the Legions and the barbarians. All good so far. But the name of the (until Marcus and pals get there, obviously) impregnable barbarian fortress where the Eagle is being held and worshipped? ’The Fang.’ Oh dear. There, right there, MY eyes become the windows to MY soul - and they’re laughing.
The first Empire book was good. No doubt about that. It was a blast of new, fresh interest in a scene I thought needed it. But as the series has gone on, I realise - that that was it. He shot his bolt early and the rest have been - so far - on reflection, a disappointment, an unfulfilled promise. Here, there’s some good stuff about a Roman soldier having been captured and tortured by the barbarians, but then having escaped and survived in hostile territory, hunted day and night by warriors who turn out to be women. He goes to the edge of madness, but is the only one who can get them to the entrance of the fortress, so has to be trusted. That and the passages following the Romans coming back from the fortress (I’m not giving anything away! You KNOW he’s gonna get out with the Eagle, the trick is still making it put you on the edge of your seat), is good. Good enough to make up for the bad? They eyebrows? Not quite.
And don’t get me started on the repeating of words, from one sentence to another. Where another (see what I did there?) word could and should have been suggested by an editor who is clearly BLIND (and even that is to take the responsibility off Anthony Riches, who shouldn’t have written it in the first place). For goodness’ sake, I’ve seen TWEETS where an author has apologised for repeating a word - and that’s inside 140 characters!
My star count has been reflecting my (waning) enthusiasm for the Empire series and going down as the ‘sequence’ has progressed. I’m afraid that this one struggles to make it the two, but I’ll be generous - for the marshes sections (and despite the eyebrow raising there in) and I’ll give it three.
Criticise my grammar and writing all you like, but I clean toilets in a hospital. Writing or editing isn’t MY ONLY JOB!
August 5, 2016
Anyone who’s kept up with my reviews over the past few years will already know how much I enjoy Anthony Riches’ books. He is among the leaders in the field of Historical Fiction in my humble opinion, and never ceases to thrill and entertain me with his work. And when the next in the Empire series appears in Coming soon lists, my reading pile gets reordered appropriately.
The Eagle’s Vengeance has some tough acts to follow. I would say that the first three of the series were very much on a par with one another, and told a story in a 3 book arc (albeit a sub-story of the main story arc). They were excellent books and I highly rated them. However, books 4 and 5 took us off in new and fascinating directions, diverging from the extant tale and into wonderful unexpected worlds. They were also each a significant step up, in my view, on their predecessors. So Book 6 had a lot to live up to.
I was a little surprised to find that after two tales that took the characters across the Empire towards the east, this book began with them returning to Britannia, where it had all begun and where the first three books had been set. On some level, that made me expect the story to drop straight back into the arc of the first three books and I wondered whether it might falter for me.
It didn’t.
In fact, while returning to old ground, Riches has kept the feel fresh and new, tying up a number of ends that have been flapping loose for 3 books now while taking us forward into the greater arc of the series by leaps and bounds.
For those of you who’ve not read the previous books, beware a few spoilers here and skip this paragraph. You have been warned. Remember those loose ends? They are, now we go back to them, far more significant than I remembered. A legionary eagle lost by the 6th to the northern tribes? Corvus’ true identity known to too many people for comfort? An unavenged senior officer? Look to Riches to deal with them at last.
So what is the Eagle’s Vengeance? Well it does what it says on the tin. The tale revolves around – at a basic level – the hunt for a legion’s eagle now in the hands of barbarians. For good reasons, only one unit in the whole of Britannia is suitable to send after it, and within that unit, only a small party of men stand a chance. And so is born a huge plan for distractions with military campaigns in order to allow a group of righteous thieves the opportunity to retrieve the lost item.
But as has become the norm in a Riches book, it is never that simple. Be sure that if the plot looks straightforward, that is because you are only seeing part of the big scheme. Be assured that there is more to the Eagle’s Vengeance… MUCH more. For those of you like me who have been itching to see an advance into the deeper plot involving the protagonist’s past, this is the book. It sort of marks a turning point in the grand plot, I think.
As usual, we see the departure of at least one old friend, but equally, we are introduced to a few new exciting characters. It wouldn’t be Riches any other way. And for those of you who don’t know his work, I will issue my usual warnings: Riches’ military stories have the in-your-face feel that I have encountered in the real military. The violence is brutal, as is much of the humour, and the sexual content is above Carry On level. But that should in no way put you off. They are simply excellent.
The Eagle’s Vengeance has some tough acts to follow. I would say that the first three of the series were very much on a par with one another, and told a story in a 3 book arc (albeit a sub-story of the main story arc). They were excellent books and I highly rated them. However, books 4 and 5 took us off in new and fascinating directions, diverging from the extant tale and into wonderful unexpected worlds. They were also each a significant step up, in my view, on their predecessors. So Book 6 had a lot to live up to.
I was a little surprised to find that after two tales that took the characters across the Empire towards the east, this book began with them returning to Britannia, where it had all begun and where the first three books had been set. On some level, that made me expect the story to drop straight back into the arc of the first three books and I wondered whether it might falter for me.
It didn’t.
In fact, while returning to old ground, Riches has kept the feel fresh and new, tying up a number of ends that have been flapping loose for 3 books now while taking us forward into the greater arc of the series by leaps and bounds.
For those of you who’ve not read the previous books, beware a few spoilers here and skip this paragraph. You have been warned. Remember those loose ends? They are, now we go back to them, far more significant than I remembered. A legionary eagle lost by the 6th to the northern tribes? Corvus’ true identity known to too many people for comfort? An unavenged senior officer? Look to Riches to deal with them at last.
So what is the Eagle’s Vengeance? Well it does what it says on the tin. The tale revolves around – at a basic level – the hunt for a legion’s eagle now in the hands of barbarians. For good reasons, only one unit in the whole of Britannia is suitable to send after it, and within that unit, only a small party of men stand a chance. And so is born a huge plan for distractions with military campaigns in order to allow a group of righteous thieves the opportunity to retrieve the lost item.
But as has become the norm in a Riches book, it is never that simple. Be sure that if the plot looks straightforward, that is because you are only seeing part of the big scheme. Be assured that there is more to the Eagle’s Vengeance… MUCH more. For those of you like me who have been itching to see an advance into the deeper plot involving the protagonist’s past, this is the book. It sort of marks a turning point in the grand plot, I think.
As usual, we see the departure of at least one old friend, but equally, we are introduced to a few new exciting characters. It wouldn’t be Riches any other way. And for those of you who don’t know his work, I will issue my usual warnings: Riches’ military stories have the in-your-face feel that I have encountered in the real military. The violence is brutal, as is much of the humour, and the sexual content is above Carry On level. But that should in no way put you off. They are simply excellent.
Read
January 16, 2022The Eagle's Vengeance is the sixth book in the “Empire” series and, in my opinion, one of the best yet.
I first discovered Mr Riches when I was off work ill a few years ago and spent much of the week in bed reading his début, Wounds of Honour. That was a fairly straight-forward boys'-own adventure and The Eagle's Vengeance continues in the same vein.
There's lots and lots of violence and earthy language and it reads brilliantly. The characters are familiar, having been developed throughout the series, and they're all different enough from each other that it's quite easy to keep track of who's who.
My personal favourite is young centurion Marcus who fights with a sword in each hand and is basically a Roman superhero type, so I was glad to see he plays a big part in this book, being tasked with heading into Scotland to retrieve the legion's eagle from the painted maniacs that inhabit the north. It's all fast-paced, fighting, being hunted, betrayal, revenge etc etc and it's written in such a fine style that you want to keep reading.
The one problem I have with this book, and the others in the series, is the dialogue, which at times doesn't come across as very realistic. The centurions and other officers you might expect to speak in flowery, somewhat melodramatic language, but the lowest-ranking legionary talks in the same manner and it breaks the immersion when you're sitting thinking, “A regular foot soldier wouldn't be delivering an eloquent, long-winded monologue like a senator.” I'm not suggesting regular soldiers are all idiots, but those legionaries wouldn't have had much education and their talent for oration seems out of place.
Still, it's a minor quibble and is more than outweighed by the gripping story, frantic set-pieces and always interesting characters.
I loved Anthony's first few books, but I didn't particularly enjoy the last two in the series so I'm really pleased to have liked The Eagle's Vengeance as much as I have. Thoroughly looking forward to the next one now!
I first discovered Mr Riches when I was off work ill a few years ago and spent much of the week in bed reading his début, Wounds of Honour. That was a fairly straight-forward boys'-own adventure and The Eagle's Vengeance continues in the same vein.
There's lots and lots of violence and earthy language and it reads brilliantly. The characters are familiar, having been developed throughout the series, and they're all different enough from each other that it's quite easy to keep track of who's who.
My personal favourite is young centurion Marcus who fights with a sword in each hand and is basically a Roman superhero type, so I was glad to see he plays a big part in this book, being tasked with heading into Scotland to retrieve the legion's eagle from the painted maniacs that inhabit the north. It's all fast-paced, fighting, being hunted, betrayal, revenge etc etc and it's written in such a fine style that you want to keep reading.
The one problem I have with this book, and the others in the series, is the dialogue, which at times doesn't come across as very realistic. The centurions and other officers you might expect to speak in flowery, somewhat melodramatic language, but the lowest-ranking legionary talks in the same manner and it breaks the immersion when you're sitting thinking, “A regular foot soldier wouldn't be delivering an eloquent, long-winded monologue like a senator.” I'm not suggesting regular soldiers are all idiots, but those legionaries wouldn't have had much education and their talent for oration seems out of place.
Still, it's a minor quibble and is more than outweighed by the gripping story, frantic set-pieces and always interesting characters.
I loved Anthony's first few books, but I didn't particularly enjoy the last two in the series so I'm really pleased to have liked The Eagle's Vengeance as much as I have. Thoroughly looking forward to the next one now!
June 8, 2019
BLURB
The Tungrian auxiliary cohorts return to Hadrian's Wall after their successful Dacian campaign, only to find Britannia in chaos. The legions are overstretched, struggling to man the forts of the northern frontier in the face of increasing barbarian resistance.
The Tungrians are the only soldiers who can be sent into the northern wastes, far beyond the long abandoned wall built by Antoninus, where a lost symbol of imperial power of the Sixth Victorious Legion is reputed to await them. Protected by an impassable swamp and hidden in a fortress atop a high mountain, the eagle of the Sixth legion must be recovered if the legion is to survive.
Marcus and his men must penetrate the heart of the enemy's strength, ghosting through a deadly wilderness patrolled by vicious huntresses before breaching the walls of the Fang, an all-but-impregnable fort, if they are to rescue the legion's venerated standard. If successful their escape will be twice as perilous, with the might of a barbarian tribe at their heels.
REVIEW
One of the drawbacks to my humble skills as a book review scribe, and the numerous requests I receive to apply those humble skills, is that there is often a long gap in my reading of some of my favorite long running series'. Such is the case with Anthony Riches Empire series. It had been a couple years since I had read book 5, The Wolf's Gold, and it dawned on me rather quickly while reading The Eagle's Vengeance that waiting so long was a mistake. A pulsating adventure pitting Corvus and his Tungrian mates against remorseless foes, not only the painted warriors of northern Britannia, but also the plotting Praetorian Prefect. It's an understatement to say that the action is exciting, or that the plot with its twists and turns keeps the reader turning the pages. The climatic ending, without any spoilers, is a bit frightening in its outcome, but it also sets up nicely the next volume in the series, The Emperor's Knives, which by the way I will not wait a couple years to read. 😎 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Tungrian auxiliary cohorts return to Hadrian's Wall after their successful Dacian campaign, only to find Britannia in chaos. The legions are overstretched, struggling to man the forts of the northern frontier in the face of increasing barbarian resistance.
The Tungrians are the only soldiers who can be sent into the northern wastes, far beyond the long abandoned wall built by Antoninus, where a lost symbol of imperial power of the Sixth Victorious Legion is reputed to await them. Protected by an impassable swamp and hidden in a fortress atop a high mountain, the eagle of the Sixth legion must be recovered if the legion is to survive.
Marcus and his men must penetrate the heart of the enemy's strength, ghosting through a deadly wilderness patrolled by vicious huntresses before breaching the walls of the Fang, an all-but-impregnable fort, if they are to rescue the legion's venerated standard. If successful their escape will be twice as perilous, with the might of a barbarian tribe at their heels.
REVIEW
One of the drawbacks to my humble skills as a book review scribe, and the numerous requests I receive to apply those humble skills, is that there is often a long gap in my reading of some of my favorite long running series'. Such is the case with Anthony Riches Empire series. It had been a couple years since I had read book 5, The Wolf's Gold, and it dawned on me rather quickly while reading The Eagle's Vengeance that waiting so long was a mistake. A pulsating adventure pitting Corvus and his Tungrian mates against remorseless foes, not only the painted warriors of northern Britannia, but also the plotting Praetorian Prefect. It's an understatement to say that the action is exciting, or that the plot with its twists and turns keeps the reader turning the pages. The climatic ending, without any spoilers, is a bit frightening in its outcome, but it also sets up nicely the next volume in the series, The Emperor's Knives, which by the way I will not wait a couple years to read. 😎 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 5, 2018
Marcus Aquila and the Tungrian cohorts head back to the Wall and it's not long at all before they end up in a spot of bother among the swamps, mountains and forests of this remote part of the empire. The novel barely draws breath as the action never lets up. Violent and coarse in places (actually, lots of places), it's not for the feint of heart... Fun and exhilarating, its second half is a tour de force.
July 21, 2017
In the sixth installment of Anthony Riches' Empire Series, we find the protagonist, Centurion Marcus Tribulus Corvus (in reality Marcus Valerius Aquila), along with the first and second Tungrian cohorts back in Britannia once more. They are quickly relieved of three chests of Dacian gold they escorted to the island by a rather sinister officer of the imperial treasury and learn that they are being sent north above the abandoned Antonine Wall to recapture the eagle of the Sixth Legion lost in a battle with revolting tribesmen back in Book 1. The eagle has been reported in the possession of the fierce Venicone tribe and locked in their seemingly impenetrable fortress known as "The Fang."
From all appearances, the Tungrians' orders outline a suicide mission. Tribune Scaurus is to lure the main body of Venicone warriors away from the fortress then a stealthy raiding party is to find a way into the compound at night, guided by a mentally fragile legionary who has recently escaped from "The Fang" after weeks of torture. Of course, Marcus and his friends Dubnes and Arminius are selected for the raiding party along with a scout Marcus befriended back in Germania. A mysterious officer with a cadre of nefarious "specialists" that includes a thief and two Sarmatae warriors also offers the services of his group. Having recently fought the Sarmatae in Dacia, Marcus feels uneasy about the two warriors who seem to eye him like malevolent predators. But he reluctantly accepts them.
Marcus also learns from the recently captured legionary that the fortress is not only protected by a nearly impenetrable swamp but a band of cunning huntresses with their vicious, man-eating hounds as well.
The Celts used such animals against the Greeks as far back as 279 BCE when the Tectosages and Tolistobogii Celts sacked Delphi. Survivors left accounts of the fierce Celts and the huge dogs who fought at their side. Julius Caesar recorded observing animals like these in his "Commentarii De Bello Gallico," too.
Beginning with the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the Romans themselves began training large Molossian dogs for combat, coating them in protective spiked metal collars and mail armor. These armored canines then fought in formations with the legions.
But the size and ferocity of the hounds from Scotland were particularly legendary. In 391 CE, the Roman consul Quintus Aurelius Symmachus received seven such hounds that he called "canes Scotici" as a gift to be used for fighting lions and bears. He claimed, "all Rome viewed (them) with wonder."
Obviously, Marcus and his fellow Tungrians would need every ounce of their skill, strength, and courage to avoid particularly gruesome deaths.
Once again, Riches' fast-paced narrative and taut action sequences totally immerse the reader in the brutal world of late 2nd century Roman Britain.
From all appearances, the Tungrians' orders outline a suicide mission. Tribune Scaurus is to lure the main body of Venicone warriors away from the fortress then a stealthy raiding party is to find a way into the compound at night, guided by a mentally fragile legionary who has recently escaped from "The Fang" after weeks of torture. Of course, Marcus and his friends Dubnes and Arminius are selected for the raiding party along with a scout Marcus befriended back in Germania. A mysterious officer with a cadre of nefarious "specialists" that includes a thief and two Sarmatae warriors also offers the services of his group. Having recently fought the Sarmatae in Dacia, Marcus feels uneasy about the two warriors who seem to eye him like malevolent predators. But he reluctantly accepts them.
Marcus also learns from the recently captured legionary that the fortress is not only protected by a nearly impenetrable swamp but a band of cunning huntresses with their vicious, man-eating hounds as well.
The Celts used such animals against the Greeks as far back as 279 BCE when the Tectosages and Tolistobogii Celts sacked Delphi. Survivors left accounts of the fierce Celts and the huge dogs who fought at their side. Julius Caesar recorded observing animals like these in his "Commentarii De Bello Gallico," too.
Beginning with the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the Romans themselves began training large Molossian dogs for combat, coating them in protective spiked metal collars and mail armor. These armored canines then fought in formations with the legions.
But the size and ferocity of the hounds from Scotland were particularly legendary. In 391 CE, the Roman consul Quintus Aurelius Symmachus received seven such hounds that he called "canes Scotici" as a gift to be used for fighting lions and bears. He claimed, "all Rome viewed (them) with wonder."
Obviously, Marcus and his fellow Tungrians would need every ounce of their skill, strength, and courage to avoid particularly gruesome deaths.
Once again, Riches' fast-paced narrative and taut action sequences totally immerse the reader in the brutal world of late 2nd century Roman Britain.
May 30, 2024
I just found this series and I was very fascinated by it. As a long time fans of Roman history (before it was split), I found this series to have a compelling story with so much details.
One thing that I am not a fan of is.. the characters in this book are talking too damn much. Even in the places that require silences and bushes whispers, doing stealthy mission, how come someone talking that so long in hushed whispers? I'm sorry that sometimes I've rolled my hypothetical eyes when I read this part.
One thing that I am not a fan of is.. the characters in this book are talking too damn much. Even in the places that require silences and bushes whispers, doing stealthy mission, how come someone talking that so long in hushed whispers? I'm sorry that sometimes I've rolled my hypothetical eyes when I read this part.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2017
Well written, a few ideas/plot devices seem to be taken from the earlier books, recycled and presented as new.
September 14, 2017
great to see Marcus return to Rome and reap a bit of vengeance.
November 15, 2019
Good read. I'm thoroughly enjoying the Empire series.
October 17, 2020
Tak Marcus na konci knihy konečně zpátky v Římě. I Commodus se dostavil! Co bude dál? Zůstane ve věčném městě?
April 25, 2025
An enjoyable book to read continuing Centurion Marcus Aquila' s search for revenge but not a patch on the first three stories in the series.
March 24, 2017
Still a series that will never bore you.
May 12, 2014
After reading and really enjoying the previous book in the Empire series, I was glad to be able to dive in to the sixth book, The Eagle's Vengeance immediately. Fresh of their victorious campaign in Dacia, the Tungrian cohorts return to Britannia only to find themselves sent out on a new mission upon arrival. The events in The Eagle's Vengeance are directly tied to those from the first three books, in which Calgus – the cohorts' main adversary in this book – plays an important part. Despite this strong link the story is quite self-contained; you haven't had to read the previous books to understand this one. This seems to be a pattern with Riches' books, which seem to be episodic in nature while all part of the same larger narrative arc.
The Eagle's Vengeance opens with prologue set north of the Antonine Wall and shows us how Calgus manages to scheme his way back into a position of power within the Britannic tribes. It was a powerful sequence and illustrated that there aren't just power-grabbing, ambitious men in the Roman ranks, but that the Britons have their fair share of them too. From here we move to the First Tungrian cohort, which has just landed back on the shores of Britannia. From there Riches launches us into the action quite quickly, when Scaurus and his men are given a mission to retrieve the Sixth Victorious Legion's lost Eagle from the impenetrable fortress where it is kept. The Eagle is the embodiment of the Legion's honour and without it the legion will be disbanded and its leaders will be discharged in disgrace. The Tungrians are under a lot of pressure to complete their mission impossible successfully.
The above forms the set up for what is basically a heist novel. While the main force of the cohort provides a distraction, Marcus and a selected group of soldiers go into Venicones territory covertly to infiltrate the Fang and get the Eagle back. On the surface this seems pretty straight-forward, however Riches manages to layer several story arcs on top of each other, making the mission far less A-to-Z than it looks. While I enjoyed Marcus and company's covert storyline, I found the main cohort's arc more compelling, especially once they rejoin forces with Marcus and have to escape a Venicone ambush and do so in what can only be called an epic move. The battle Riches describes is awe-inspiring and had me holding my breath at points. And like in The Wolf's Gold, Riches shows us the harsh reality of Roman warfare and reminds us that it was a lethal career choice for many, if not most legionnaires—not all of the Tungrians will make it out alive.
Back below the Wall, we're also given a storyline from the point of view of Marcus' wife, Felicia. I loved her viewpoint and I was really pleased to read more about her, after seeing her at a bit of a remove in The Wolf's Gold. Her arc is was very cool and I lost her fearlessness and her interactions with her assistant Annia. I was rather disappointed that we only got so little pages from her point of view. It served the story and showing us more from her perspective would probably have led to unnecessary padding of the narrative, but I still would have loved to have seen more of her.
The Eagle's Vengeance is a fabulous story, with amazing battle descriptions and quite emotionally touching scenes, both tender and heart-breaking. With this second book I've read by Anthony Riches, I've certainly become a convert to his writing and I was glad I once again got to move on in the story immediately by picking up The Emperor's Knives. As The Wolf's Gold, The Eagle's Vengeance can be read as a standalone novel, but if you're anything like me, you'll only want more of Marcus, the Tungrians, and Anthony Riches' writing.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
The Eagle's Vengeance opens with prologue set north of the Antonine Wall and shows us how Calgus manages to scheme his way back into a position of power within the Britannic tribes. It was a powerful sequence and illustrated that there aren't just power-grabbing, ambitious men in the Roman ranks, but that the Britons have their fair share of them too. From here we move to the First Tungrian cohort, which has just landed back on the shores of Britannia. From there Riches launches us into the action quite quickly, when Scaurus and his men are given a mission to retrieve the Sixth Victorious Legion's lost Eagle from the impenetrable fortress where it is kept. The Eagle is the embodiment of the Legion's honour and without it the legion will be disbanded and its leaders will be discharged in disgrace. The Tungrians are under a lot of pressure to complete their mission impossible successfully.
The above forms the set up for what is basically a heist novel. While the main force of the cohort provides a distraction, Marcus and a selected group of soldiers go into Venicones territory covertly to infiltrate the Fang and get the Eagle back. On the surface this seems pretty straight-forward, however Riches manages to layer several story arcs on top of each other, making the mission far less A-to-Z than it looks. While I enjoyed Marcus and company's covert storyline, I found the main cohort's arc more compelling, especially once they rejoin forces with Marcus and have to escape a Venicone ambush and do so in what can only be called an epic move. The battle Riches describes is awe-inspiring and had me holding my breath at points. And like in The Wolf's Gold, Riches shows us the harsh reality of Roman warfare and reminds us that it was a lethal career choice for many, if not most legionnaires—not all of the Tungrians will make it out alive.
Back below the Wall, we're also given a storyline from the point of view of Marcus' wife, Felicia. I loved her viewpoint and I was really pleased to read more about her, after seeing her at a bit of a remove in The Wolf's Gold. Her arc is was very cool and I lost her fearlessness and her interactions with her assistant Annia. I was rather disappointed that we only got so little pages from her point of view. It served the story and showing us more from her perspective would probably have led to unnecessary padding of the narrative, but I still would have loved to have seen more of her.
The Eagle's Vengeance is a fabulous story, with amazing battle descriptions and quite emotionally touching scenes, both tender and heart-breaking. With this second book I've read by Anthony Riches, I've certainly become a convert to his writing and I was glad I once again got to move on in the story immediately by picking up The Emperor's Knives. As The Wolf's Gold, The Eagle's Vengeance can be read as a standalone novel, but if you're anything like me, you'll only want more of Marcus, the Tungrians, and Anthony Riches' writing.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
April 7, 2021
Much as I enjoyed the Tungrian auxiliary cohorts change of scenery in Germania and Dacia in the previous two books, this return to Britannia re-encountering enemies thought vanquished was an excellent read and hugely enjoyable, setting up book 7 perfectly. If you like Scarrow, you'll like the Empire series.
September 13, 2013
The sixth book in the excellent "Empire" series and author Anthony Riches packs a lot into this one.
The Tungrian cohorts have made it back to Britain and Hadrian's Wall and things are not in good shape. Politics and plots have rooted the existing troops in place and the Tungrians are used on a near suicide mission to go north to beyond the Antoninus Wall to recover a lost legion eagle from the tribes who still bear a grudge from a previous engagement. So we are able to enjoy a strong mix of battle and cunning as the cohorts enter the barbarian's land and face everything from hoards of barbarians to giant dogs and murdering female warriors.
This would be enough but we then get some real big picture Roman politics and bad guys and some resolution to themes that have been running through the books.
It's a big and powerful novel with much to enjoy. A needed shunt on of the story but not losing the many things that make these stories so enjoyable, good historical knowledge (yep, I had never heard of Antoninus's wall), well drawn characters and tightly written plots. It is all good stuff and delivered with style and confidence by the author and ends up being one of the strongest entries in an already very strong and satisfying series.
There is a lot of good stuff dealing with this era and Anthony Riches is up there with the best of the authors doing this kind of thing.
The Tungrian cohorts have made it back to Britain and Hadrian's Wall and things are not in good shape. Politics and plots have rooted the existing troops in place and the Tungrians are used on a near suicide mission to go north to beyond the Antoninus Wall to recover a lost legion eagle from the tribes who still bear a grudge from a previous engagement. So we are able to enjoy a strong mix of battle and cunning as the cohorts enter the barbarian's land and face everything from hoards of barbarians to giant dogs and murdering female warriors.
This would be enough but we then get some real big picture Roman politics and bad guys and some resolution to themes that have been running through the books.
It's a big and powerful novel with much to enjoy. A needed shunt on of the story but not losing the many things that make these stories so enjoyable, good historical knowledge (yep, I had never heard of Antoninus's wall), well drawn characters and tightly written plots. It is all good stuff and delivered with style and confidence by the author and ends up being one of the strongest entries in an already very strong and satisfying series.
There is a lot of good stuff dealing with this era and Anthony Riches is up there with the best of the authors doing this kind of thing.
June 26, 2015
Though we seem to be in a rut for basic plot, there is an enemy who we will fight, here we see it twist and turn in the 6th outing to be a little different. Perhaps a too at device is used to give enough evidence (though without confessions signed and witnessed much seems supposition) to put an end to the plotter who targeted our hero from the first book. We do see that the usual subplot that the villain always has a man or team hunting our hero, or someone who can see through Marcus' attempt at disguise is not fully present. Though once again the villain at hand seems to know too much.
If Riches could tighten up that subplot and eradicate it, which slicing off the head might do, then this book can rise. The fight scenes are excellent. The tactical combat wonderful, and some of the dialogue makes you chortle outloud.
Yet the suspension of disbelief on whether our hero Marcus is known to live by the Preatorian Prefect, and is known to live by so many tasked with finding him that he as a declared traitor remains alive, always detracts. Conflict makes for good storytelling but this was too abused in prior books and still in this, causing a full 20% of the book to be the resolution, a disjunct part of the main story, but part of the 6 book sequence that should have had its own novel to finalize in Rome.
If Riches could tighten up that subplot and eradicate it, which slicing off the head might do, then this book can rise. The fight scenes are excellent. The tactical combat wonderful, and some of the dialogue makes you chortle outloud.
Yet the suspension of disbelief on whether our hero Marcus is known to live by the Preatorian Prefect, and is known to live by so many tasked with finding him that he as a declared traitor remains alive, always detracts. Conflict makes for good storytelling but this was too abused in prior books and still in this, causing a full 20% of the book to be the resolution, a disjunct part of the main story, but part of the 6 book sequence that should have had its own novel to finalize in Rome.
March 8, 2015
After a year away, Marcus Corvus and his cohort of Tungrians have returned to Hadrian’s Wall. This time their mission is to rescue the eagle lost by the sixth legion in the first book of the series.
Anthony Riches is a master at describing complex battle scenes with large numbers. He goes back and forth between the big picture battle to focusing on the individual struggles of the main characters. This is done with complete ease and an excellent flow, allowing the reader to fully appreciate the strength of the Roman forces ability to work as a team, while keeping the reader connected to Marcus and his supporting cast.
This is book six in the Empire Series, and I can honestly say that I haven’t read a dud yet. By the time I usually get this far into a series, there has usually been at least one book that felt rushed. This is not the case for the Empire Series. Each one has kept Marcus’ story moving forward, while constantly maintaining the same level of excitement and interest.
With The Eagle’s Vengeance, Riches has brought us back to where the whole story started, Roman Britain, and he is sending us towards Marcus’ end goal – revenge. I am looking forward to book seven, where Marcus will face The Emperor’s Knives.
5 Stars
Anthony Riches is a master at describing complex battle scenes with large numbers. He goes back and forth between the big picture battle to focusing on the individual struggles of the main characters. This is done with complete ease and an excellent flow, allowing the reader to fully appreciate the strength of the Roman forces ability to work as a team, while keeping the reader connected to Marcus and his supporting cast.
This is book six in the Empire Series, and I can honestly say that I haven’t read a dud yet. By the time I usually get this far into a series, there has usually been at least one book that felt rushed. This is not the case for the Empire Series. Each one has kept Marcus’ story moving forward, while constantly maintaining the same level of excitement and interest.
With The Eagle’s Vengeance, Riches has brought us back to where the whole story started, Roman Britain, and he is sending us towards Marcus’ end goal – revenge. I am looking forward to book seven, where Marcus will face The Emperor’s Knives.
5 Stars
January 31, 2014
This is another thrilling instalment in the Empire series and one you should read, especially if you are interested in Roman Britain (Britannia, Albion). Tony Riches always manages to combine a gripping and realistic story with humorous touches that will have you laughing out loud. The relationships between the characters and the way they are written, are very reminiscent of my days in the forces, blunt, funny and a reflection of how it is today, and more than likely, how it's always been to be in a military unit.
I know that a very small minority find the latter debatable, and it puts them off reading this kind of novel, but they are the ones that are missing out. Ancient graffiti and historical texts and even artefacts, demonstrate that Mr Riches version of the ancient world, especially when it comes to the Roman Military, is far closer to fact than their perception. That aside however, The Eagle's Vengeance is an exciting tale and one that I would highly recommend.
If you haven't read his novels before, I would suggest trying the first in the series, Wounds of Honour and if that's to your taste, and I'm sure it will be, try the rest, you'll be in for a treat. An easy 5 stars.
I know that a very small minority find the latter debatable, and it puts them off reading this kind of novel, but they are the ones that are missing out. Ancient graffiti and historical texts and even artefacts, demonstrate that Mr Riches version of the ancient world, especially when it comes to the Roman Military, is far closer to fact than their perception. That aside however, The Eagle's Vengeance is an exciting tale and one that I would highly recommend.
If you haven't read his novels before, I would suggest trying the first in the series, Wounds of Honour and if that's to your taste, and I'm sure it will be, try the rest, you'll be in for a treat. An easy 5 stars.
June 7, 2015
I really believe that your enjoyment of a book depends on the overall mood you're in - and that you should choose your book accordingly. So this was something light, escapist in a series I've enjoyed, when I knew I was going to be distracted by the real world. So that may be a big part of why I'm on a relative downer on this one. But that said, it felt quite formulaic - a capture the flag book that felt quite by the numbers for the main mission, with the reappearance of the major bad-guy-you-thought-was-dead-but-was-miraculously-not... (not a spoiler, it's on the back of the book). That's always very weak and lowers my view (especially as this series had made efforts to be set in a slightly more 'real' world).
Anyway, it's generally fine, but apart from the final return to Rome (the first time the main character has been in the books) it's completely forgettable. The final scenes in Rome were good though. Still, a bit disappointing, but no doubt I'll read the next one.
Anyway, it's generally fine, but apart from the final return to Rome (the first time the main character has been in the books) it's completely forgettable. The final scenes in Rome were good though. Still, a bit disappointing, but no doubt I'll read the next one.
August 6, 2016
c2013: FWFTB: Tungrian, Antonine Wall, Fang, standard, swamp. So, our young hero has made it back to the shores of Blighty but yet more complicated plans are in place to haul him back to Rome for justice. I didn't see the plot twist coming at all. Loved the book and highly recommend it to the normal crew. "That's not going to hold all of us, not with a Briton the size of a year-old bull aboard."
July 27, 2016
Anther fine installment in the Empire series. Centurion Corvus and the rest of the Tungrians return to Britain only to find themselves sent on an impossible quest on the wrong side of the Antonine Wall. The usual clever strategy, gutsy moves and luck unfold, leading to a successful mission (which was not what was hoped for by the powers that be. Darn, but that Corvus is difficult to kill.)
And then there's a twist at the end, leading to new and interesting developments...
And then there's a twist at the end, leading to new and interesting developments...
May 16, 2023
Con questo sesto episodio si concludono le vicende di Marco Valerio Aquila (o Marco Tribulo Corvo) nella bella terra di Britannia, tutta buia, aspra e piena di nemici.
Ho apprezzato di questo capitolo l'evoluzione dei personaggi e i collegamenti mantenuti con i primi tre libri, un pò di meno il finale (un pò troppo affrettato); per il resto un ottimo romanzo: Anthony Riches ci sa davvero fare!
Ho apprezzato di questo capitolo l'evoluzione dei personaggi e i collegamenti mantenuti con i primi tre libri, un pò di meno il finale (un pò troppo affrettato); per il resto un ottimo romanzo: Anthony Riches ci sa davvero fare!
September 21, 2013
Well Mr riches another excellent read, all you need from a book, humour,action etc etc.I enjoyed this book so much it took me no time at all to finish it,(unfortunately) not being able to put it down. The next in the series is all ready in my to read list, can't wait for the next in the series (wishing my life away)
November 23, 2013
l can only say this about anthony riches is books are amazing and how you please a lot of fans with the fact you have a job so do not write full time but more soul in your books than some,loved it as ever roll on the next book bliss
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