Another year, and Germanicus leads the Romans across the Rhine again.

I must admit the military action did all blur together even as I was reading it. Still it was a fitting ending with some sad parts and some glad parts, and I shed a tear or two in both.

Throughout the series, I did appreciate the nods towards PTSD and the raw physicality of the soldiers and the action quite apart from the mayhem ( )

Conclusion to Mr. Kane's Eagles trilogy; it left me with a warm feeling that all turned out well, except the death of one soldier I became attached to. Most consisted of brutal fighting between Romans and Germans deep into Germania and Tullus' ongoing search for the 18th's eagle; I'm always amazed how these authors always come up with something original for stock situations! And it sounds like Arminius' glory days are behind him and his now-overweening hubris do him in. The last sentence gives that impression.... ( )

Six years after the disastrous expedition that led to the Roman defeat in the Teutoberg forest and two eagles are still missing. Despite recovery of one eagle the year before Centurion Tullus still grieves that the eagle of the Eighteenth legion has not been found. After his defeat Arminius is trying to rally the German chieftains in an attempt to drive the occupying Romans away but his alliance is fragile. Both sides know that the forthcoming battle will be decisive.

Having read both of the previous novels in this trilogy I knew what to expect, a superior 'sword and sandals' epic, well-researched and written with verve - this book does not disappoint. Kane manages to bring a real sense of time and place to his tales, Tullus is an engaging character and the day-to-day life of a Roman soldier is portrayed with conviction. Although less is known about the life of the German tribes, again this is imagined well. I particularly like the sense of humour that ripples through the Roman ranks, it fits in well. The battle scenes are depicted in visceral detail but the book is not a series of set pieces, unlike many in the genre, there is a real narrative here as well. ( )

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this final book in Ben Kane’s Eagles trilogy, which completes a story that I’ve followed avidly in Eagles at War and Hunting the Eagles. The series follows the military and psychological aftermath of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, when three Roman legions under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus were wiped out by a German tribal army under the aegis of the chieftain Arminius, a former Roman ally. In the first book we watched the tragedy unfold; in the second, set some years later, we saw the young general Germanicus stiffening the Romans’ resolve as Arminius tried to knit the tribes together into a viable force. Now, in 15-16 AD, the moment has come for battle to be joined again, and this time there can be only one victor...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/03/04/eagles-in-the-storm-ben-kane/ ( )