The Eagle's Prey

Centurions Cato and Macro are part of the Third Cohort, which has been tasked with blocking one of the fords, which lies between Caratacus and General Plautius.  The Roman army intends to end the rebellion for once and all.  En route to the Ford, the cohort comes across a fort, which has been decimated by a British force.  Maximus, the cohort leader, vows vengeance and leaves Macro to hold the ford while he and the rest of the cohort give chase.

Unfortunately for Macro, Caratacus and his army show up at the ford before Maximus and the rest of the cohort.  Will his simple defensive system in the river be enough to hold back the massive army?  Despite arriving late, the remainder of the cohort is unable to stop the massive British army.  Vespasian is naturally enraged.  Who will suffer the consequences?

General Plautius decides to hold an inquiry into how his plan failed.   Each of the centurions of the Third Cohort will be questioned.  Will each slough the blame off on another?  Will Macro be blamed because he was the first centurion to fight Caratacus?   In order to save his own skin, what will Plautius do?  He orders a decimation of the Third Cohort.  Cato is chosen as one to be decimated.

Macro and Cato's optio, Figulus, set a plan in motion to free Cato and the others, but where will they go?  Cato and the men escape to a nearby marsh that also conceals Caratacus.  This gives Vespasian an opportunity to save further decimation of his legion.  He sends Maximus' cohort off to take control of the area the escapees have gone to.  It isn't long before Maximus' brutality towards the native population shows.

Now, both Cato and Macro find themselves in a pretty mess.  Is it possible for each of them to extract themselves, and save the situation or are they doomed?

Author Simon Scarrow has once again written an exciting historical novel.  The complexities of life for the Roman army and the battle scenes are well described.  Well worth the read.