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Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer #4
The Tiger's Time
The fourth installment of the award-winning Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer series is here!
A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, and born fighter, Ben Stiger is trapped in the past and cut off from everything he has known. The World Gate is sealed behind him and Delvaris the man he traveled through time to save, is dead. With this great man’s death, the future has been altered by the evil god Castor.
Stiger has lost his purpose. For the first time in a great long while, no one needs saving and no one needs killing. Stiger is a man out of his time and worse a prisoner of the dwarves.
Cast adrift in a time not his own, Stiger believes his time as a leader of men is at an end. But the gods are not done with him yet. A terrible evil looms over the Vrell Valley like a grim shadow. Castor’s dark servants are hard at work. Despite being a man out of his time, Stiger is viewed as a threat to be eliminated, for a dread destiny has been stamped onto his line from the time of Karus.
The Horde is on the march, and the Thirteenth Legion is in Vrell without a legate. There is only one man who can lead the Lost--Stiger. This is the Tiger’s Time! The question is… can the damage done by Castor’s servants be repaired and will it be enough to change his destiny?
A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, and born fighter, Ben Stiger is trapped in the past and cut off from everything he has known. The World Gate is sealed behind him and Delvaris the man he traveled through time to save, is dead. With this great man’s death, the future has been altered by the evil god Castor.
Stiger has lost his purpose. For the first time in a great long while, no one needs saving and no one needs killing. Stiger is a man out of his time and worse a prisoner of the dwarves.
Cast adrift in a time not his own, Stiger believes his time as a leader of men is at an end. But the gods are not done with him yet. A terrible evil looms over the Vrell Valley like a grim shadow. Castor’s dark servants are hard at work. Despite being a man out of his time, Stiger is viewed as a threat to be eliminated, for a dread destiny has been stamped onto his line from the time of Karus.
The Horde is on the march, and the Thirteenth Legion is in Vrell without a legate. There is only one man who can lead the Lost--Stiger. This is the Tiger’s Time! The question is… can the damage done by Castor’s servants be repaired and will it be enough to change his destiny?
522 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2018
896 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Marc Alan Edelheit
46 books859 followersBestselling author Marc Edelheit has traveled the world, from Asia to Europe, at one point crossing the border at Check Point Charlie in Berlin toward the end of the Cold War.
Marc is the ultimate history fan and incorporates much of that passion into his work to bring greater realism to his fans. He is also an avid reader, devouring several books per week, ranging from history to science fiction and fantasy.
Marc is the ultimate history fan and incorporates much of that passion into his work to bring greater realism to his fans. He is also an avid reader, devouring several books per week, ranging from history to science fiction and fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
July 18, 2022
The fate of the world hangs in the balance.
The usual adventure and military fiction are, in this volume of the stories of Stiger, melded into a sword and sorcery story which features time travel. Stiger aka the Tiger, finds himself entangled in a confusing, almost circular effort to restore the damage to the time line inflicted by a minion of the dark god Castor. Castor doesn't want much - just to submerge the entire world in evil. There are dragons, wyrms, orcs, goblins, trolls, gnomes, dwarves, humans, gods both good and evil, and I may have left someone out.
The time travel element of the story does not hamper Mr. Edelheit's scenes of desperate combat against incredible odds nor his introduction of new, sympathetic characters. This can be read as a standalone novel but it is easier to follow if read in order.
The usual adventure and military fiction are, in this volume of the stories of Stiger, melded into a sword and sorcery story which features time travel. Stiger aka the Tiger, finds himself entangled in a confusing, almost circular effort to restore the damage to the time line inflicted by a minion of the dark god Castor. Castor doesn't want much - just to submerge the entire world in evil. There are dragons, wyrms, orcs, goblins, trolls, gnomes, dwarves, humans, gods both good and evil, and I may have left someone out.
The time travel element of the story does not hamper Mr. Edelheit's scenes of desperate combat against incredible odds nor his introduction of new, sympathetic characters. This can be read as a standalone novel but it is easier to follow if read in order.
June 11, 2025
This series is so mediocre I can’t take it anymore
April 26, 2024
Number four in the series. It's another re-read. I'd rate it around 3 1\2 stars, rounded down.
In the last book, Stiger and the Paladin had just gone through the World Gate, (a time portal), and arrived three hundred years in the past. Unfortunately, the evil Minion had also gone through the portal just before them and immediately began to wreak havoc. Stiger is believed to be Legate Delvaris, his ancestor.
While in the time period, he allies with the Dwarves against the hordes of orcs. The gnomes make their, (explosive!) appearance, too. His sentient sword is getting stronger, and he is experiencing significant difficulty in resisting its...pushiness. That word will do in a pinch.
This is a large book. My Kindle has it clocking in at almost 800 pages. Had this been edited I think the story could have been satisfactorily told in half of that. There is a LOT of unnecessary detail and a fair amount of repetition. The author does tend to lean that way in his writing. He uses twenty words to say something that could have been said in three.
There were some cringeworthy tropes, too. The ubiquitous "let the breath out he hadn't realized he was holding" made its unwelcome appearance. The love interest smelled like roses. He took his shirt off because it was hot so of course the widow sees and becomes very amorous. You know. Those types of tropes.
On the other hand, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. The battle in the tunnels was very well done. Stiger's mysterious dog was heavily involved in the plot. (I really like that dog!) The orc Therik became a great addition to the cast. The burial scene was really, really heart breaking. And Cragg, my favorite gnome, was on hand to blow up some things :)
In the last book, Stiger and the Paladin had just gone through the World Gate, (a time portal), and arrived three hundred years in the past. Unfortunately, the evil Minion had also gone through the portal just before them and immediately began to wreak havoc. Stiger is believed to be Legate Delvaris, his ancestor.
While in the time period, he allies with the Dwarves against the hordes of orcs. The gnomes make their, (explosive!) appearance, too. His sentient sword is getting stronger, and he is experiencing significant difficulty in resisting its...pushiness. That word will do in a pinch.
This is a large book. My Kindle has it clocking in at almost 800 pages. Had this been edited I think the story could have been satisfactorily told in half of that. There is a LOT of unnecessary detail and a fair amount of repetition. The author does tend to lean that way in his writing. He uses twenty words to say something that could have been said in three.
There were some cringeworthy tropes, too. The ubiquitous "let the breath out he hadn't realized he was holding" made its unwelcome appearance. The love interest smelled like roses. He took his shirt off because it was hot so of course the widow sees and becomes very amorous. You know. Those types of tropes.
On the other hand, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. The battle in the tunnels was very well done. Stiger's mysterious dog was heavily involved in the plot. (I really like that dog!) The orc Therik became a great addition to the cast. The burial scene was really, really heart breaking. And Cragg, my favorite gnome, was on hand to blow up some things :)
August 26, 2021
Fourth in a row for me binging on Ben Stiger and Steven Brand's narration (he's just the perfect narrator for these sword and sorcery stories).
As I just said swords and sorcery, with dwarves, dragons, orcs, evil minions, gnomes, but mainly a very interesting commander trying to save the future.
Except for a small sidetrack, Stiger is doing what he does best; strategic planning, and battles.
Even Stiger doesn't always get everything right, which only adds to the appeal of the character.
Great series for military fantasy fans.
As I just said swords and sorcery, with dwarves, dragons, orcs, evil minions, gnomes, but mainly a very interesting commander trying to save the future.
Except for a small sidetrack, Stiger is doing what he does best; strategic planning, and battles.
Even Stiger doesn't always get everything right, which only adds to the appeal of the character.
Great series for military fantasy fans.
July 26, 2018
Well worth the wait
A tightly woven continuation of the Stiger Saga and a story Stiger fans will enjoy. And I appreciate not having to try and follow numerous characters, multiple threads and different POVs. Tigers Wrath can’t come soon enough, the wait will be a killer.
A tightly woven continuation of the Stiger Saga and a story Stiger fans will enjoy. And I appreciate not having to try and follow numerous characters, multiple threads and different POVs. Tigers Wrath can’t come soon enough, the wait will be a killer.
April 16, 2019
Truly, an epic conclusion of an explosive, action driven series. Well written, strongly paced, creative imaginative world building, workable magic systems, all the characteristics of an enjoyable series! Well done, Marc Alan Edelheit, well done! I look forward to revisiting this series in the future...well, as soon as possible. I liked the characters, the pacing of the story, the battle scenes, were well timed and intense, the historical references, strategically timed, placed and logical. An enjoyable series of books, Thanks!
July 23, 2020
So this one was my favorite so far in the serious, yet I put off trying it because it was also the longest. But this was never slow, pulled you thru the story with no POV changes. Besides a small prologue and epilogue, this is Stiger all the way thru. And it's amazing.
Oh, and guys, there's a dog. That's all I'm saying. <3
Oh, and guys, there's a dog. That's all I'm saying. <3
July 12, 2021
I didn’t enjoy this one like I have the previous books ONLY because there was no Eli and since he’s my favorite, I just wasn’t having any of that and I didn’t like the romance/love between Stiger and Sarai. I preferred Stiger the way he was before when a woman wasn’t in his every thought. Other than those two things, the story was amazing and a new character, Theo was introduced. I really liked him a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2018
Great read. Hard at times but worth it.
I really enjoyed the book. Had to wait for its release and at times it was hard to put down. Also there were times when it was hard to read and I didn’t want to pick it up. That’s the only reason I didn’t give five stars. Was one of the reasons it took me so long to finish. The other books I finish within a day or two. This one took me a few tries personally. I think some scenes were irritating, probably because I was missing Eli or annoyed not knowing what’s going on in the future. Overall another great read.
I really enjoyed the book. Had to wait for its release and at times it was hard to put down. Also there were times when it was hard to read and I didn’t want to pick it up. That’s the only reason I didn’t give five stars. Was one of the reasons it took me so long to finish. The other books I finish within a day or two. This one took me a few tries personally. I think some scenes were irritating, probably because I was missing Eli or annoyed not knowing what’s going on in the future. Overall another great read.
July 27, 2018
Where I go, death follows. I bring death
Tiger's Time is the long awaited fourth book to the CILO series. While I guess you can read this without reading the others, I really wouldn't recommend it. If lost on where to start look at the author website, he has it broken down really well for new readers.
The ending to the third book left us with a HUGE cliffhanger. I will admit to spending a couple hours contemplating how Marc was going to be able to pull off the story over the last 2 years. It was fun coming up with multiple scenarios and would help pass the time I spent in traffic.
Stiger and Father Thomas have both crossed the World Gate and traveled back in time chasing down Caster's minion. Arriving to late, they find Delvaris slaughtered, leaving the minion to wreck havoc in the past and possibly changing the future. Fresh from a crushing defeat, he's now stranded in the past and is essentially a prisoner, separated from other people because of his knowledge of future events. Events that might change with the minion running around.
Resigned he will no longer return to his life, he starts to settle into his new one. While fishing with his new guards and Dog the party is attacked by a squad of orc. Upon returning home he is requested/ordered to lead a company from the 13th Legion to a peace talks with the orc king Therik. What can go wrong?
Tiger's Time is filled with easter eggs for all 3 ongoing series. It makes the reading experience addictive looking for foreshadowing. It's heavy on Karus eggs for those waiting for the next book! There also references to Tales of the Seventh.
If you're like me, you love action. There is a ton without it being overwhelming. There was quite a few moments where I wasn't sure if they were going to make it without horrible casualties. I mean, it wouldn't be unheard of for that to happen.
Marc is truly a highly skilled writer. I have read through his novels more times than I can count. I'm so excited about his MANY upcoming projects!
Oh, one last thing. On the author's website, he's starting to post the release of Eli chapters. If it's anything like the last Tales of the Seventh novel it's going to be great!
Tiger's Time is the long awaited fourth book to the CILO series. While I guess you can read this without reading the others, I really wouldn't recommend it. If lost on where to start look at the author website, he has it broken down really well for new readers.
The ending to the third book left us with a HUGE cliffhanger. I will admit to spending a couple hours contemplating how Marc was going to be able to pull off the story over the last 2 years. It was fun coming up with multiple scenarios and would help pass the time I spent in traffic.
Stiger and Father Thomas have both crossed the World Gate and traveled back in time chasing down Caster's minion. Arriving to late, they find Delvaris slaughtered, leaving the minion to wreck havoc in the past and possibly changing the future. Fresh from a crushing defeat, he's now stranded in the past and is essentially a prisoner, separated from other people because of his knowledge of future events. Events that might change with the minion running around.
Resigned he will no longer return to his life, he starts to settle into his new one. While fishing with his new guards and Dog the party is attacked by a squad of orc. Upon returning home he is requested/ordered to lead a company from the 13th Legion to a peace talks with the orc king Therik. What can go wrong?
Tiger's Time is filled with easter eggs for all 3 ongoing series. It makes the reading experience addictive looking for foreshadowing. It's heavy on Karus eggs for those waiting for the next book! There also references to Tales of the Seventh.
If you're like me, you love action. There is a ton without it being overwhelming. There was quite a few moments where I wasn't sure if they were going to make it without horrible casualties. I mean, it wouldn't be unheard of for that to happen.
Marc is truly a highly skilled writer. I have read through his novels more times than I can count. I'm so excited about his MANY upcoming projects!
Oh, one last thing. On the author's website, he's starting to post the release of Eli chapters. If it's anything like the last Tales of the Seventh novel it's going to be great!
February 23, 2023
What a book! Stiger is trapped 300 years before his time and the future as he knows it depends on him. Fighting against the Orcs and his sentient sword he has a huge battle in front of him. Lots of action, some more interesting characters, and generally more information about everything. This book has it all
September 2, 2018
Wonderful as always
I can’t say enough about this book. The Tiger’s travels and interactions with all those he meets is fantastic. I urge everyone to read the Tiger series. You will not be able to put the books down!
I can’t say enough about this book. The Tiger’s travels and interactions with all those he meets is fantastic. I urge everyone to read the Tiger series. You will not be able to put the books down!
August 17, 2018
Not my favorite book in the series.
Let me start this by saying that this book ends strong and, once you get past the first half, there is a lot to like here. When it comes to epic fantasy battles, this series is one of the best at it and that continues to be true. Where it ran into trouble for me was in all the other stuff.
Much like the last book in the series, this one crawls out of the gate. Spending a larger portion than you would think in attempt introduce romance as a new motivation for Stiger. To replace the motivator of "honor & duty" with "love". In theory, I like this idea but in execution it landed with an absolute thud, at least for me. The real problem with it was that the romance needed to drive the whole thing was shallow to the extreme. Character-wise she's just a boring extra, pretty much. Stiger's connection to her is never really sold to the reader either. It just happens and, because of that, never resonated with me. I did not care about her at all and, even more damning, I found it hard to believe that Stiger cared as much as he was supposed to. As that becomes the driving force for him in much of the book it becomes a situation where something that was intended to add emotional depth ultimately undercuts much of the book.
To it's credit though it handles the time travel aspect much better than I expected and as the book progresses it finds it's footing and gradually moves to something more satisfying. It takes a while, but eventually it does get to where it needs to go and develops some fun new characters along the way. I just wish the love interest could have been one of them.
Let me start this by saying that this book ends strong and, once you get past the first half, there is a lot to like here. When it comes to epic fantasy battles, this series is one of the best at it and that continues to be true. Where it ran into trouble for me was in all the other stuff.
Much like the last book in the series, this one crawls out of the gate. Spending a larger portion than you would think in attempt introduce romance as a new motivation for Stiger. To replace the motivator of "honor & duty" with "love". In theory, I like this idea but in execution it landed with an absolute thud, at least for me. The real problem with it was that the romance needed to drive the whole thing was shallow to the extreme. Character-wise she's just a boring extra, pretty much. Stiger's connection to her is never really sold to the reader either. It just happens and, because of that, never resonated with me. I did not care about her at all and, even more damning, I found it hard to believe that Stiger cared as much as he was supposed to. As that becomes the driving force for him in much of the book it becomes a situation where something that was intended to add emotional depth ultimately undercuts much of the book.
To it's credit though it handles the time travel aspect much better than I expected and as the book progresses it finds it's footing and gradually moves to something more satisfying. It takes a while, but eventually it does get to where it needs to go and develops some fun new characters along the way. I just wish the love interest could have been one of them.
August 27, 2019
Rather pointless book in my opinion. Having Stiger go back in past just to get him back in the present by the end of the book. In this book we have a love story that should have been a new motivation for Stiger, but it is soo badly written. First of all it developed waaay to quickly and it is not believable. Then we have Sarai that in my opinion is really bland character and underdeveloped. I don't know why he did this because in 2 and mostly 3 book we had nice subtle hints what may come in the future when it comes love for Stiger. I hope he continues to develop this relationship in the future, but slowly and organically and not have characters proclaim undying love after 100 pages and couple of interactions. Don't get me wrong, I love good romance in fantasy. But if you are gonna do it and make it a central motivation for MC, that you have to take you time developing it. But many authors especially in fantasy just throw it in there with not much regard. Then instead of making the book better it undermines it.
In the end I can't but feel that this book is really unnecessary, and should not have been written. It just broke the story line and didn't bring too much to the general storyline or Stiger as a character.
In the end I can't but feel that this book is really unnecessary, and should not have been written. It just broke the story line and didn't bring too much to the general storyline or Stiger as a character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2018
First, let me say that I have read all of the author’s books; some, more than once. I am sorry to say that this one does not measure up. Another reviewer suggests that it seems as though the author loses his train of thought. I agree.
The other books give space and plot to other characters. In this book, other characters seem two-dimensional spear carriers. Lots of dialogue consists of officers saying “it shall be done”. And, minion-schminion. OK, we get it —he’s the bad guy! We did not need to be told this on every other page. I would urge the author to slow down, get more folks to read draft chapters; and ask “ was this absorbing and were the characters interesting in personality and action.”
Marc should go back to the first book in the series and recapture what made it really good.
The other books give space and plot to other characters. In this book, other characters seem two-dimensional spear carriers. Lots of dialogue consists of officers saying “it shall be done”. And, minion-schminion. OK, we get it —he’s the bad guy! We did not need to be told this on every other page. I would urge the author to slow down, get more folks to read draft chapters; and ask “ was this absorbing and were the characters interesting in personality and action.”
Marc should go back to the first book in the series and recapture what made it really good.
October 8, 2019
I was very frustrated at the end of The Tiger's Fate, for I well knew that cliffhanger ending would lead to a long dry spell before I'd find out what happened at the other end of the World Gate. The waiting was worth it all.
Stiger has to prove himself all over again, to himself, the dwarves, and the 13th.
I enjoy falling into a good story, and this series is extremely good. After a few pages I'm not reading anymore, I'm listening to the dialogue. I'm sitting around the campfire with other legionnaires, forming up in lines awaiting my turn at the front when the whistle sounds, cleaning my kit while getting advice from the senior centurion.
While there wasn't (thankfully) a cliffhanger ending this time, there is certainly a lot more story to be told.
Stiger has to prove himself all over again, to himself, the dwarves, and the 13th.
I enjoy falling into a good story, and this series is extremely good. After a few pages I'm not reading anymore, I'm listening to the dialogue. I'm sitting around the campfire with other legionnaires, forming up in lines awaiting my turn at the front when the whistle sounds, cleaning my kit while getting advice from the senior centurion.
While there wasn't (thankfully) a cliffhanger ending this time, there is certainly a lot more story to be told.
August 13, 2020
So I read all 5 books in the "Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer" series at once which means:
1. Read the "Tales of the Seventh" and possibly "The Karus Saga" first. "Tales of the Seventh" I would say absolutely read first because those are prequels involving the same MC, Ben Stiger, and almost certainly worth the read. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to get interested in "Tales of the Seventh" since I already knew where the story was going. "The Karus Saga" is a prequel that takes place many centuries earlier and tells the tale of the missing Roman legion that was transported between worlds and created the second "Roman Empire" which Ben Stiger eventually serves.
2. I may misremember details and I won't be going back to check as my reading list is too long. In particular, I don't believe any of the books did something ridiculous like ending in the middle of a battle or not. I would definitely give such poor authorship a low rating but here the entire series was enjoyable so I am just advising readers to plan on reading all 5 books one after another.
3. Although the information I found was spotty, there are apparently 2 more books in this series on the way with the next book due out in October, 2020. Book 5, however, ended on such a high note that I was initially given the impression the series ended there. (I "asked" the author about this on Goodreads.com but I'm not holding this review for the answer.)
4. Books 1-5 are all getting the same review.
Ben Stiger, a low ranking officer in the Roman legions on another world, is sent north, with his elf lieutenant. Unfortunately the legions Stiger joins is rife with the politics of the Empire and, as a result, have fallen into terrible disorder and disgrace. Stiger, however, is immediately given a mission to scout in force to an outpost that has been cut off from the main camp of the legions. Seeing the opportunity in the mission Stiger immediately removes his own troops from the festering encampment and sets about returning them to proper legionary order before marching. Fortunately for Stiger his march is joined by the one cavalry unit that has stayed out of camp politics as much as possible. Unfortunately for Stiger, his march is joined by a paladin, since all know paladins only go where the gods send them and the gods only send them to trouble.
Stiger's initial march leads him into discovering a magical sword and the tale of the 13th, a legion missing for 300 years and commanded by Stiger's ancestor. Confrontations with deamons and the rediscovery of lost tribes of dwarves and elves follow. To top it all off Stiger even has to deal with the invasion of the Roman Empire by a neighboring empire, the champions of opposing gods and the occasional dragon.
Bottom line: Definitely worth the read.
1. Read the "Tales of the Seventh" and possibly "The Karus Saga" first. "Tales of the Seventh" I would say absolutely read first because those are prequels involving the same MC, Ben Stiger, and almost certainly worth the read. Unfortunately for me, I was unable to get interested in "Tales of the Seventh" since I already knew where the story was going. "The Karus Saga" is a prequel that takes place many centuries earlier and tells the tale of the missing Roman legion that was transported between worlds and created the second "Roman Empire" which Ben Stiger eventually serves.
2. I may misremember details and I won't be going back to check as my reading list is too long. In particular, I don't believe any of the books did something ridiculous like ending in the middle of a battle or not. I would definitely give such poor authorship a low rating but here the entire series was enjoyable so I am just advising readers to plan on reading all 5 books one after another.
3. Although the information I found was spotty, there are apparently 2 more books in this series on the way with the next book due out in October, 2020. Book 5, however, ended on such a high note that I was initially given the impression the series ended there. (I "asked" the author about this on Goodreads.com but I'm not holding this review for the answer.)
4. Books 1-5 are all getting the same review.
Ben Stiger, a low ranking officer in the Roman legions on another world, is sent north, with his elf lieutenant. Unfortunately the legions Stiger joins is rife with the politics of the Empire and, as a result, have fallen into terrible disorder and disgrace. Stiger, however, is immediately given a mission to scout in force to an outpost that has been cut off from the main camp of the legions. Seeing the opportunity in the mission Stiger immediately removes his own troops from the festering encampment and sets about returning them to proper legionary order before marching. Fortunately for Stiger his march is joined by the one cavalry unit that has stayed out of camp politics as much as possible. Unfortunately for Stiger, his march is joined by a paladin, since all know paladins only go where the gods send them and the gods only send them to trouble.
Stiger's initial march leads him into discovering a magical sword and the tale of the 13th, a legion missing for 300 years and commanded by Stiger's ancestor. Confrontations with deamons and the rediscovery of lost tribes of dwarves and elves follow. To top it all off Stiger even has to deal with the invasion of the Roman Empire by a neighboring empire, the champions of opposing gods and the occasional dragon.
Bottom line: Definitely worth the read.
July 27, 2020
This is a near-perfect blend between Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Roman Legions. While I did get some Eragon and World of Warcraft vibes, and two situations/names seemed like an exact copy, this series is unique enough on its own.
I've read seven books by Marc Alan Edelheit so far, and I've given all of them five stars. This is the first book that I've given four stars to.
In the beginning, there was a lot of action. Marc's writing style is very vivid, and he writes fight scenes very well. He has a good grasp of history and tactics, and each book he writes is more amazing than the last.
After that, there were some slower scenes, which showed us Stiger living an idyllic life. It was a nice change of pace from the fast-paced action I was used to, to the normal life that Stiger gets to live. It's very interesting to read because we know as a soldier, that kind of lifestyle will not last. Not to worry though, because his peaceful life does not last long, and we get back into the action.
I like how in each book, Stiger grows and learns to be a better leader, and has to overcome his family legacy to prove he is better than his past.
I had to remove one star because the middle of the book took me a long time to read. 10-20% of the middle of the book was boring. It's after the fight scenes that come after the idyllic part I mentioned above. The boring scenes included a lot of descriptions of mundane activities, of sewers, of dwarven buildings, etc. A lot of that could have been cut out, and that was why it took me 14 months to finish this book. If the boring middle part wasn't in there, I could have finished this book in a few weeks at the most.
As I was reading the middle of the book, I wanted to give this book five stars. I considered quitting this series.
But as I got past the boring descriptions and the action started, I was amazed. The fight scenes that followed, and the unique way Marc Alan Edelheit writes about the gods, magic, and creatures in his universe, is really amazing.
I wanted to give this book five stars. I only went with four stars because of the boring middle part.
Read this series if you're bored of fantasy being humans versus humans, and want to read about large monsters, beasts, otherwordly creatures, and so on.
I've read seven books by Marc Alan Edelheit so far, and I've given all of them five stars. This is the first book that I've given four stars to.
In the beginning, there was a lot of action. Marc's writing style is very vivid, and he writes fight scenes very well. He has a good grasp of history and tactics, and each book he writes is more amazing than the last.
After that, there were some slower scenes, which showed us Stiger living an idyllic life. It was a nice change of pace from the fast-paced action I was used to, to the normal life that Stiger gets to live. It's very interesting to read because we know as a soldier, that kind of lifestyle will not last. Not to worry though, because his peaceful life does not last long, and we get back into the action.
I like how in each book, Stiger grows and learns to be a better leader, and has to overcome his family legacy to prove he is better than his past.
I had to remove one star because the middle of the book took me a long time to read. 10-20% of the middle of the book was boring. It's after the fight scenes that come after the idyllic part I mentioned above. The boring scenes included a lot of descriptions of mundane activities, of sewers, of dwarven buildings, etc. A lot of that could have been cut out, and that was why it took me 14 months to finish this book. If the boring middle part wasn't in there, I could have finished this book in a few weeks at the most.
As I was reading the middle of the book, I wanted to give this book five stars. I considered quitting this series.
But as I got past the boring descriptions and the action started, I was amazed. The fight scenes that followed, and the unique way Marc Alan Edelheit writes about the gods, magic, and creatures in his universe, is really amazing.
I wanted to give this book five stars. I only went with four stars because of the boring middle part.
Read this series if you're bored of fantasy being humans versus humans, and want to read about large monsters, beasts, otherwordly creatures, and so on.
December 22, 2021
This fourth book in the series is over twice as long as its predecessors, and whereas those were quick, lighter, action-oriented reads, this one is a slog for the first half of the book, and I’d say is only partially salvaged by the latter half, most of which is a continuous battle scene that felt burdensome in its getting from A to B.
To its credit the book does handle time travel well, which is a hard thing to do for many series. We also finally learn that there has, indeed, been some minor evolution in technology over the hundreds of years now covered…in military weaponry, at least. Unfortunately, transplanting the main character and one side-piece means having to basically scrap all the character development for all but a couple of characters we’ve established over previous entries, and start from scratch. That’s what takes up the majority of the first half of the book, and while it’s necessary I also don’t think it was done in a very artful manner. Stiger’s love interest is forced and rushed, making for empathetic reaction but very little believability or actual sympathy at her death. Other newcomers feel similarly 2-dimensional, and what should have been a complex battle of wills between Stiger and his weapon ends up being neatly resolved and done with at the halfway point following the predictable collapse of Stiger’s willpower. That, frankly, could have made up an entire book and been far more interesting and believable for it. Instead, I feel like we’ve got two books here mashed together, while also trying to re-establish multiple books’ worth of character building.
Overall it’s fine, just not great, or even solidly good as a whole. I think it changes the tone of the series, and I think the writing and plot concepts were better served in the briefer entries of prior volumes.
To its credit the book does handle time travel well, which is a hard thing to do for many series. We also finally learn that there has, indeed, been some minor evolution in technology over the hundreds of years now covered…in military weaponry, at least. Unfortunately, transplanting the main character and one side-piece means having to basically scrap all the character development for all but a couple of characters we’ve established over previous entries, and start from scratch. That’s what takes up the majority of the first half of the book, and while it’s necessary I also don’t think it was done in a very artful manner. Stiger’s love interest is forced and rushed, making for empathetic reaction but very little believability or actual sympathy at her death. Other newcomers feel similarly 2-dimensional, and what should have been a complex battle of wills between Stiger and his weapon ends up being neatly resolved and done with at the halfway point following the predictable collapse of Stiger’s willpower. That, frankly, could have made up an entire book and been far more interesting and believable for it. Instead, I feel like we’ve got two books here mashed together, while also trying to re-establish multiple books’ worth of character building.
Overall it’s fine, just not great, or even solidly good as a whole. I think it changes the tone of the series, and I think the writing and plot concepts were better served in the briefer entries of prior volumes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2019
The finale of Ben Stiger, a Roman military officer, comes to a bloody, action packed end. If you haven't read the prior books and just came to the last to read reviews, here's what you can expect: Roman legions are placed in a fantasy world set with elves, orcs, gnomes, magic, wizards, and good and evil gods. The story and plot are fantastic, although there aren't a lot of surprises or twists, sub-plots, or scheming back stabbers that add to the "what the heck!" reactions in some other fantasy stories. It's all pretty straight-forward, but that isn't a bad thing in this case.
For someone to thoroughly enjoy this series, however, you have to have some interest in Roman military life, military equipment, and military tactics. I'd say at least a fourth of these books focus on the daily and hourly life of Roman soldiers and officers. Couple this with great attention to detail about their surroundings, equipment, tools, how they interact with the environment and each other, it can become VERY tedious. Another great portion of these books (easily upwards of half of this book) contains scenes of talk between the characters and planning for upcoming battles. There are LONG discussions about tactics, maneuvers, and all the possible contingency planning for each upcoming contact with enemy forces. Once we get to the battles, with all the planning talk and descriptions we were given earlier, it makes it very easy to see and feel what it must have been like to be on the line as a Roman soldier. So, if you can get by the talk and descriptions, the series really does deliver a powerful punch. Ben Stiger is in my top 10 for greatest fantasy fiction main characters!
For someone to thoroughly enjoy this series, however, you have to have some interest in Roman military life, military equipment, and military tactics. I'd say at least a fourth of these books focus on the daily and hourly life of Roman soldiers and officers. Couple this with great attention to detail about their surroundings, equipment, tools, how they interact with the environment and each other, it can become VERY tedious. Another great portion of these books (easily upwards of half of this book) contains scenes of talk between the characters and planning for upcoming battles. There are LONG discussions about tactics, maneuvers, and all the possible contingency planning for each upcoming contact with enemy forces. Once we get to the battles, with all the planning talk and descriptions we were given earlier, it makes it very easy to see and feel what it must have been like to be on the line as a Roman soldier. So, if you can get by the talk and descriptions, the series really does deliver a powerful punch. Ben Stiger is in my top 10 for greatest fantasy fiction main characters!
March 6, 2021
I completed twelve available books authored by Mac Alan Edelheit on March 6, 2021 in less than a month. They are Chronicles of a Legionary Officer (5 books), Tales of the Seventh (3 books), The Karus Saga (3 books), and Way of the Legend (1 book). To paraphrase Bill and Ted’s Adventures it has been a “most excellent” reading experience.
I don’t recall what prompted me to first read Edelheit’s Tales of the Seventh: Stiger. It turned out to be a great place to start. In the books that followed, Stiger’s universe expanded introducing many mythical creatures and gods and followers at odds with each other. The books broke the bounds of time and worlds as prophecies began to unfold. Other protagonists for good and evil were introduced and were led and driven by their respective gods toward specific ends leading to wars and skirmishes and unlikely compacts.
I am giving each work a five-star rating. Much like the Star Wars Saga, it is essentially one story involving different players, time periods, and multiple worlds.
Each book left me thirsting for more. Each book unexpectedly left me feeling upbeat and hopeful and refreshed . It also left me rather fatigued as the clock often passed midnight before I could no longer continue reading. Errands were left undone or put off. I simply could not put the books down.
I don’t recall what prompted me to first read Edelheit’s Tales of the Seventh: Stiger. It turned out to be a great place to start. In the books that followed, Stiger’s universe expanded introducing many mythical creatures and gods and followers at odds with each other. The books broke the bounds of time and worlds as prophecies began to unfold. Other protagonists for good and evil were introduced and were led and driven by their respective gods toward specific ends leading to wars and skirmishes and unlikely compacts.
I am giving each work a five-star rating. Much like the Star Wars Saga, it is essentially one story involving different players, time periods, and multiple worlds.
Each book left me thirsting for more. Each book unexpectedly left me feeling upbeat and hopeful and refreshed . It also left me rather fatigued as the clock often passed midnight before I could no longer continue reading. Errands were left undone or put off. I simply could not put the books down.
August 4, 2018
Exceptional
Stiger’s Time continues an exceptional series. The author depicts the life on an infantrymen and general superbly. Stiger faces the unknown with duty and honor while leading by example through courage and physical prowess. The battle scenes remain on par with the best of Robert Jordon. The author describes battle scenes similar to the Battle of Gettysburg with all the personalities, unknowns and thirsts for victory. Both at the tactical and strategic levels, Stiger has the instincts of Rommel and strategic brilliance of the Duke of Wellington. Stiger sets the standard for leadership and an interesting character. I found Stiger’s quest for peace and passion for duty refreshing and fascinating. Stiger is not the typical Caeser but strides for duty and welfare of his men. The author accurately depicts life in the infantry throughout time and the demands on infantry leaders. This band of brothers provides a superior and entertaining book that can’t be put down. The author is one of the best in the business. Can’t wait for the next book.
Stiger’s Time continues an exceptional series. The author depicts the life on an infantrymen and general superbly. Stiger faces the unknown with duty and honor while leading by example through courage and physical prowess. The battle scenes remain on par with the best of Robert Jordon. The author describes battle scenes similar to the Battle of Gettysburg with all the personalities, unknowns and thirsts for victory. Both at the tactical and strategic levels, Stiger has the instincts of Rommel and strategic brilliance of the Duke of Wellington. Stiger sets the standard for leadership and an interesting character. I found Stiger’s quest for peace and passion for duty refreshing and fascinating. Stiger is not the typical Caeser but strides for duty and welfare of his men. The author accurately depicts life in the infantry throughout time and the demands on infantry leaders. This band of brothers provides a superior and entertaining book that can’t be put down. The author is one of the best in the business. Can’t wait for the next book.
September 27, 2024
In book 4 of The Stiger Chronicles, we go back in time with Stiger, where he is stranded and faces brutal battles and hardships, but also finds love, friendship and learns the Dwarven language.
I really liked seeing Stiger out of his element in the first part of the book. He falls in love with Sarai and helps her on her farm while waiting for thane Brogan to release him. He's not really a prisoner, but it's not allowed to leave the farm until the Dwarves decide to meet with the Orcs to maintain the peace.
The way his and Sarai's love story was described was great and felt very real. I also loved him meeting Dog and befriending him.
It's not all flowers and rainbows though. There's well written battles, lots of blood and death and Stiger finding out more about Rarokan.
Father Thomas, as always kind and helpful, is with Stiger and helps him on his way.
Twists and turns, as expected, can be found here as well.
And I have to admit that the burial scene had me in tears and screaming for revenge.
Another great installment in this series ⚔️
I really liked seeing Stiger out of his element in the first part of the book. He falls in love with Sarai and helps her on her farm while waiting for thane Brogan to release him. He's not really a prisoner, but it's not allowed to leave the farm until the Dwarves decide to meet with the Orcs to maintain the peace.
The way his and Sarai's love story was described was great and felt very real. I also loved him meeting Dog and befriending him.
It's not all flowers and rainbows though. There's well written battles, lots of blood and death and Stiger finding out more about Rarokan.
Father Thomas, as always kind and helpful, is with Stiger and helps him on his way.
Twists and turns, as expected, can be found here as well.
And I have to admit that the burial scene had me in tears and screaming for revenge.
Another great installment in this series ⚔️
April 4, 2025
One can always hope
So, the story..... Overall the idea of the story, as it moves on, it is written a bit too wordy and detailed. It hurts the writing when the author has troubles expressing his thoughts, his story idea. For instance, most battles are slow moving and often reader feels frustrated because the description is drawn out. I end up skipping and that this happens at important times in the story hurts the value of the story as a whole. Maybe better editing? It's really a shame because I love reading historical information on the life of Roman Legions. I can read that Marc has devoted much time researching. This could be a top rated series if only more time had been devoted to editing through the entire series.
I was debating whether for stars was too many. However, in spite of the writing style I keep reading, and don't really want to discourage any reader. Use your own judgment as to whether you want to devote your time to this series.
So, the story..... Overall the idea of the story, as it moves on, it is written a bit too wordy and detailed. It hurts the writing when the author has troubles expressing his thoughts, his story idea. For instance, most battles are slow moving and often reader feels frustrated because the description is drawn out. I end up skipping and that this happens at important times in the story hurts the value of the story as a whole. Maybe better editing? It's really a shame because I love reading historical information on the life of Roman Legions. I can read that Marc has devoted much time researching. This could be a top rated series if only more time had been devoted to editing through the entire series.
I was debating whether for stars was too many. However, in spite of the writing style I keep reading, and don't really want to discourage any reader. Use your own judgment as to whether you want to devote your time to this series.
March 13, 2022
Engaging story but could use some editing
I very much enjoyed reading a fantasy involving Roman legionaries, time travel and multiple worlds. The story is a page turner.
The writing needs a more effective editor. There are quite a few places where the author repeats himself or unnecessarily states the obvious. For example, I like it that Stiger is conscientious about appreciating the value of people under him. But the author expresses this too many times. Another example: If a character receives a message that he is told is private and then puts it away, the read does not need to be told that the character will read it later when he is alone. These are just a sample of what the writer does with some regularity.
That said, I found the characters to be very interesting and the setting unique. It was hard to put the book down because the story was so engaging.
I very much enjoyed reading a fantasy involving Roman legionaries, time travel and multiple worlds. The story is a page turner.
The writing needs a more effective editor. There are quite a few places where the author repeats himself or unnecessarily states the obvious. For example, I like it that Stiger is conscientious about appreciating the value of people under him. But the author expresses this too many times. Another example: If a character receives a message that he is told is private and then puts it away, the read does not need to be told that the character will read it later when he is alone. These are just a sample of what the writer does with some regularity.
That said, I found the characters to be very interesting and the setting unique. It was hard to put the book down because the story was so engaging.
July 16, 2019
I really struggled to finish this one. Time travel just give me a friggin' headache. But by the end, I was pleasantly surprised which is why I upgraded to 3 stars.
Moving forward, I hope the author gets some better editing assistance. This book struggled in ways the others did not. I kept editing as I read and when that happens, I know things look bleak.
On the audible side of things: I also hope you get a better narrator. Steven Brand is horrid as a narrator. He came across as bored and lacking any imagination in his character voices. They all sounded the same, for the most part. I daresay I will continue with the series if he is the best that can be done.
Moving forward, I hope the author gets some better editing assistance. This book struggled in ways the others did not. I kept editing as I read and when that happens, I know things look bleak.
On the audible side of things: I also hope you get a better narrator. Steven Brand is horrid as a narrator. He came across as bored and lacking any imagination in his character voices. They all sounded the same, for the most part. I daresay I will continue with the series if he is the best that can be done.
April 30, 2020
I really like this series, currently reading the 5th book.
BUUUUUT I have to say there are some things which start to bore or annoy me a little.
Some descriptions get very repetitive, especially in some battle scenes. I don't know how often I've read the line, that someone 'stood to attention' or how awesome and disciplined the legion marches, shits and camps.^^
Also, there some relationships between Stiger and other characters which seem to be artificially forced to give the reader the impression that Stiger has a close or intimate relationship to those characters.
I caught myself skipping pages when it was obvious (to me at least) that there is no storystelling with substance, just time-(page-)stretching descriptions which I've read a few times too often on a similar subject in the book(s).
So, I will finish the series to see how everything works out, but not as enthusiastically as in the beginning.
I really like military fantasy, but some parts of the books seem to be created with less heart and afford than other parts -which is nothing uncommon- but the difference between those parts of the book is too large imho.
BUUUUUT I have to say there are some things which start to bore or annoy me a little.
Some descriptions get very repetitive, especially in some battle scenes. I don't know how often I've read the line, that someone 'stood to attention' or how awesome and disciplined the legion marches, shits and camps.^^
Also, there some relationships between Stiger and other characters which seem to be artificially forced to give the reader the impression that Stiger has a close or intimate relationship to those characters.
I caught myself skipping pages when it was obvious (to me at least) that there is no storystelling with substance, just time-(page-)stretching descriptions which I've read a few times too often on a similar subject in the book(s).
So, I will finish the series to see how everything works out, but not as enthusiastically as in the beginning.
I really like military fantasy, but some parts of the books seem to be created with less heart and afford than other parts -which is nothing uncommon- but the difference between those parts of the book is too large imho.
July 27, 2018
Not disappointed
There is absolutely nothing to quibble about...This book, this series and this author are far and away the best in the genre. If you are interested in tales of the Roman legion, specifically tales of misplaced legions (in the vein of Turtledove) you must start and read through this series. MAE does not cheat his readers. There is no fluff here, just a well thought and well written tale that gets better each volume. "Danger Will Robinson" if you are ready for an experience; take a week from work and wife and read/re-read from the beginning.
There is absolutely nothing to quibble about...This book, this series and this author are far and away the best in the genre. If you are interested in tales of the Roman legion, specifically tales of misplaced legions (in the vein of Turtledove) you must start and read through this series. MAE does not cheat his readers. There is no fluff here, just a well thought and well written tale that gets better each volume. "Danger Will Robinson" if you are ready for an experience; take a week from work and wife and read/re-read from the beginning.
August 21, 2018
Time travel done well...
A very good read-if a little on the large side-with a flowing plot and proper pacing, the only criticism I have is for the romance which could have literally been cut from the book without consequence. Though the thought put into this book's plot leads me to believe that it may be important in future novels, I would suggest this book to anyone who is enjoys Fantasy or SciFi as it has; dragons, dwarves, orks, time travel, and even hazards describing the multiverse.
Heck read the entire series just for Roman legion tactics done well.
A very good read-if a little on the large side-with a flowing plot and proper pacing, the only criticism I have is for the romance which could have literally been cut from the book without consequence. Though the thought put into this book's plot leads me to believe that it may be important in future novels, I would suggest this book to anyone who is enjoys Fantasy or SciFi as it has; dragons, dwarves, orks, time travel, and even hazards describing the multiverse.
Heck read the entire series just for Roman legion tactics done well.
February 8, 2019
Great Series
This series, Tales of The Seventh and The Karus series are all exceptional. I don't know what I expected when I began but I will tell you it was very good. The characters are rich, full of life and have very much depth to them. The friendships that are forged, the camaraderie that is seen and the love that is shown is without a doubt one of the most powerful aspects of the series. You will love the characters from the beginning and come to expect more as the series progresses. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
This series, Tales of The Seventh and The Karus series are all exceptional. I don't know what I expected when I began but I will tell you it was very good. The characters are rich, full of life and have very much depth to them. The friendships that are forged, the camaraderie that is seen and the love that is shown is without a doubt one of the most powerful aspects of the series. You will love the characters from the beginning and come to expect more as the series progresses. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
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