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momstrong's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Great easy read, lots of laughs and moments that you're on the edge of your seat.
wolfsbane26's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Adam Hunter is a sixteen year old boy who lives a boring life, always getting into trouble to make his life more exciting. That is until he gets news that his older brother, Matt, is missing. Turns out Matt was living a double life. Adam thought his brother worked a boring desk job. That was far from the truth. He actually was a relic hunter working for a British Museum. Adam may be the only one who can find his brother through encrypted clues left behind in Matt’s journal he kept.
Matt was looking for the lost Eagle of the ninth legion. Something that was thought of as just a myth. Adam leaves behind everything he knows and makes his way to Rome to try to find the Eagle and his brother. He isn’t the only one on the hunt for the Eagle though and the people also relic hunting are very dangerous. With the help from Matt’s team at the museum, Adam realizes he must not fail. Lives are at stake.
The author wrote this book in two different timelines, the present and back sometime around 70 AD. I personally am not a huge fan of roman history but I liked how the author wrote from the perspective of someone from that time, plus the present day was full of mystery and action that kept me engaged.
I also enjoyed Adam’s character growth. He lived in the shadow of his older brother and felt unworthy but since Matt’s saving was up to Adam, he had time to live up to his potential and grow up in a way. I am excited to see what the Hunter brothers are up to next.
shannlynn's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
What an incredible start to a series! I liked the cover of this book, and once I read the summary, I knew I had to dive in. The characters are well-developed, and I felt invested in them immediately. I found myself using every excuse to get away from the real world and pick this book back up. If you find yourself interested in myths, legends, and treasure hunters, this book is one you will not want to pass up. Adam and his buddies are all in high school, but he comes home one day and finds that his older brother is missing. The world that he enters is one he never thought could be real. The author did a phenomenal job creating a story with history and fantasy which is a feat in itself. I highly recommend picking this up even if it doesn’t seem like your cup of tea because I bet you’ll still be completely captivated before you know it!
shellyk51's review
adventurous
medium-paced
What a fun adventure series. This is a team of young people that are tasked with saving historical pieces. They have adventures that one can only imagine and go through some danger and mystery. This was a story that I couldn’t put down. I found my self fascinated right from the start. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.
stephlovesbooks's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
piperkitty's review
4.0
This book had me hooked from the start. Matt and Adam have a way of communicating with each other. I enjoy how each of these characters have a deidcted chapter explaining their own journey. Adam has discover those myths and stories he learnt as a child have more of a meaning than he thought Matt is Adam brother and is missing but why.
eantoinette285's review
4.0
Recently, a nice and awesome author, Martin Ferguson reached out to me and inquired if I would like to read the first book in his Relic Hunters series. After I read a synopsis of what I would encounter, I was sold. If you guys read or follow this blog, you know I enjoy an adventure and jumping right into history, so of course I dove right into Eagle of the Empire.
First, I met Matt. He worked on the DL for The British Museum and was on a search and rescue mission of sorts for a very important relic for his team. When things go wrong and Matt goes missing, word gets back home to his family. The news hits his younger brother, Adam, hard, and he’s determined to come to the rescue and bring his brother home.
As Adam journeys from London, up into Scotland, and beyond, not only did I get a sense of longing for lands I’ve been to and loved myself, but also a feeling of the lords of the land jumping off the pages. When the story contrasts with the origin of the Eagle relic in ancient Rome, my world expanded even more.
Several of the chapters took me back in time with Marcus Aurelius and the days of grueling war and gladiators. While that time period isn’t as familiar to me (or I didn’t pay as much attention to that part of my history classes), I was still fascinated to learn about the early days of mankind and their need to conquer and dominate their territories. This story gave me more insight into those days and the roll that the Eagle played in it.
Adam is nothing if not determined to find his brother, and the item his brother was after, and it made for quite a fast-paced and educational tale.
I didn’t make it to book two yet, but before I had even finished the first book, I was heading over to Amazon to purchase the second for my Kindle. I really enjoyed my time with Adam, the relic hunters, and the history that helped to lay the foundation for modern-day society. I was pleasantly surprised and completely immersed in this story and, needless to say, I can’t wait to see what adventures the hunters have ahead for me!
First, I met Matt. He worked on the DL for The British Museum and was on a search and rescue mission of sorts for a very important relic for his team. When things go wrong and Matt goes missing, word gets back home to his family. The news hits his younger brother, Adam, hard, and he’s determined to come to the rescue and bring his brother home.
As Adam journeys from London, up into Scotland, and beyond, not only did I get a sense of longing for lands I’ve been to and loved myself, but also a feeling of the lords of the land jumping off the pages. When the story contrasts with the origin of the Eagle relic in ancient Rome, my world expanded even more.
Several of the chapters took me back in time with Marcus Aurelius and the days of grueling war and gladiators. While that time period isn’t as familiar to me (or I didn’t pay as much attention to that part of my history classes), I was still fascinated to learn about the early days of mankind and their need to conquer and dominate their territories. This story gave me more insight into those days and the roll that the Eagle played in it.
Adam is nothing if not determined to find his brother, and the item his brother was after, and it made for quite a fast-paced and educational tale.
I didn’t make it to book two yet, but before I had even finished the first book, I was heading over to Amazon to purchase the second for my Kindle. I really enjoyed my time with Adam, the relic hunters, and the history that helped to lay the foundation for modern-day society. I was pleasantly surprised and completely immersed in this story and, needless to say, I can’t wait to see what adventures the hunters have ahead for me!
dimples87's review
5.0
In this action-packed book, young Adam Hunter must find his missing brother and discover there’s more to the universe than he originally thought. Adam must uncover the Roman Ninth Legion and the Eagle Standard, an artifact of mysterious mythical power. With the help of his friends at the British Museum, the Relic Hunters who help protect and recover the relics but they soon find out there are others after it as well. An eternal dictator seeks to destroy the world with the relic.
This book is filled with taking drastic measures to accomplish the best! The characters are brave, honorable and amazing. This was an easy read, great world building, and entertaining.
This book is filled with taking drastic measures to accomplish the best! The characters are brave, honorable and amazing. This was an easy read, great world building, and entertaining.
honestmamreader's review
4.0
I'd like to thank Martin Ferguson for inviting me to read and review Relic Hunters: Eagle Of The Empire. This is the first book in the Relic Hunters series. It follows Adam Hunter, who is a sixteen year old boy and he's thrown into a world where the myths and legends in stories come to life.
Now I've got to be honest here and say that when I first saw the cover, I automatically thought that this book was not my cup of tea. But, after reading the synopsis something grabbed me and made me want to read the book. I'm so glad that I followed my gut to go ahead and read it.
What I enjoyed about Eagle Of The Empire was the intertwining of historical references and real life myths into the story. I was straight onto Google to check out the story behind the Roman Ninth Legion. Yes, Ferguson has used his artistic license to fabricate a few things but what we get is a fantastic story of adventure and thrills.
I really liked the characters involved in this story. Firstly, Adam's enthusiasm to discover and to solve the mysteries brings passion into the tale. Then the team in the British Museum all have their own expertise to bring to the table, and this gives the reader a better understanding and knowledge of the history.
Eagle of The Empire is a fantasy adventure series, where you will get a thrill seeking ride and learn a few bits along the way.
Now I've got to be honest here and say that when I first saw the cover, I automatically thought that this book was not my cup of tea. But, after reading the synopsis something grabbed me and made me want to read the book. I'm so glad that I followed my gut to go ahead and read it.
What I enjoyed about Eagle Of The Empire was the intertwining of historical references and real life myths into the story. I was straight onto Google to check out the story behind the Roman Ninth Legion. Yes, Ferguson has used his artistic license to fabricate a few things but what we get is a fantastic story of adventure and thrills.
I really liked the characters involved in this story. Firstly, Adam's enthusiasm to discover and to solve the mysteries brings passion into the tale. Then the team in the British Museum all have their own expertise to bring to the table, and this gives the reader a better understanding and knowledge of the history.
Eagle of The Empire is a fantasy adventure series, where you will get a thrill seeking ride and learn a few bits along the way.
ericarobyn's review
5.0
Eagle of The Empire by Martin Ferguson was such a fun read! I was totally captivated the entire time I was reading and I really struggled to put it down. This is one of those books that made me sad toward the end simply because I didn't want it to end!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts:
I loved everything about this book and seriously cannot recommend it highly enough! To prevent spoilers, I will keep this brief.
I thought that the writing was so wonderful. It was easy to read and everything flowed very well! There were a handful of chapters that were from another characters perspective, which I'm usually not a big fan of. However, in this case, I loved it! Each chapter from other perspectives than the main character really helped add to the overall story and plot!
I really enjoyed all of the characters. All of their dialogue was so realistic. Many characters were well developed, while some stayed a bit mysterious... in a great way, of course! I can't wait to see who comes back in book two!
I also really enjoyed the historical fiction elements. This is another area that is iffy for me, as I find a lot of historical fiction to be very dry. In this case, it was added to the main story in such a way that kept it super interesting and dramatic! I really enjoyed it!
The pacing was just perfect. The book started with a bang, then slowed just a bit in order to set us up for the rest of the story. Like I said above, I couldn't put this book down!
My favorite passages:
I sigh with relief when I hear the sniffing of an animal, but then I’m gripped by new fear, remembering Gillian’s warning of the monster of the loch. A story that sounds childish in the cold light of day, but not now, not in the dark where you’re all alone.
Above me, bats hang from the ceiling. Some are flying across the cave, swooping down before rising and returning to their perches.
The hidden cave, the bats, I can’t help myself.
‘I. Am. Batman.’ I say loudly in a deep, menacing voice that echoes throughout the cavern. My dramatics disturb a few more of the bats.
My final thoughts:
I loved every second of this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on book two! I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially readers that are fans of Indiana Jones!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts:
I loved everything about this book and seriously cannot recommend it highly enough! To prevent spoilers, I will keep this brief.
I thought that the writing was so wonderful. It was easy to read and everything flowed very well! There were a handful of chapters that were from another characters perspective, which I'm usually not a big fan of. However, in this case, I loved it! Each chapter from other perspectives than the main character really helped add to the overall story and plot!
I really enjoyed all of the characters. All of their dialogue was so realistic. Many characters were well developed, while some stayed a bit mysterious... in a great way, of course! I can't wait to see who comes back in book two!
I also really enjoyed the historical fiction elements. This is another area that is iffy for me, as I find a lot of historical fiction to be very dry. In this case, it was added to the main story in such a way that kept it super interesting and dramatic! I really enjoyed it!
The pacing was just perfect. The book started with a bang, then slowed just a bit in order to set us up for the rest of the story. Like I said above, I couldn't put this book down!
My favorite passages:
I sigh with relief when I hear the sniffing of an animal, but then I’m gripped by new fear, remembering Gillian’s warning of the monster of the loch. A story that sounds childish in the cold light of day, but not now, not in the dark where you’re all alone.
Above me, bats hang from the ceiling. Some are flying across the cave, swooping down before rising and returning to their perches.
The hidden cave, the bats, I can’t help myself.
‘I. Am. Batman.’ I say loudly in a deep, menacing voice that echoes throughout the cavern. My dramatics disturb a few more of the bats.
My final thoughts:
I loved every second of this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on book two! I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially readers that are fans of Indiana Jones!
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