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A review by archergal
Eagle in Exile by Alan Smale
3.0
What if the Roman Empire never fell, but continued to conquer throughout the world? This story about Rome invading Nova Hesperia (North America, mostly what's currently the United States) continues to be interesting. Gaius Marcellinus, the Roman praetor who failed to conquer the Cahokia (the mound building empire near modern St. Louis, MO), has to deal with conflicting loyalties when Roman legions come back to Nova Hesperia with conquering on their minds. And they may end up with a battle on two fronts.
Gaius Marcellinus is a good, sympathetic character. He was the only one of his Legion left after they were soundly defeated by the Cahokian peoples in the first book. In this book, he's trying to get his adopted people ready for the new invasion by Rome that he knows is coming. Gaius is trying to make a new home for himself, with a new family. It's not always a smooth process.
There's a long section in the middle where the Cahokians meet the Blackfoot people on the Plains and join in a big buffalo hunt. I thought that went on a bit long and slowed the plot. But it is important for later plot developments. It's just a little long.
I'm still worried about the ending of this series. The Old World diseases that killed so many of the New World peoples aren't talked about here. Rome's overwhelming might is... overwhelming. This second book ended a little better than I feared it would, though. So maybe there's hope. I may have to take another little break because there's enough horrible things going on in the World Outside right now. I can't take reading about horrible things happening to characters I like too. :(
Gaius Marcellinus is a good, sympathetic character. He was the only one of his Legion left after they were soundly defeated by the Cahokian peoples in the first book. In this book, he's trying to get his adopted people ready for the new invasion by Rome that he knows is coming. Gaius is trying to make a new home for himself, with a new family. It's not always a smooth process.
There's a long section in the middle where the Cahokians meet the Blackfoot people on the Plains and join in a big buffalo hunt. I thought that went on a bit long and slowed the plot. But it is important for later plot developments. It's just a little long.
I'm still worried about the ending of this series. The Old World diseases that killed so many of the New World peoples aren't talked about here. Rome's overwhelming might is... overwhelming. This second book ended a little better than I feared it would, though. So maybe there's hope. I may have to take another little break because there's enough horrible things going on in the World Outside right now. I can't take reading about horrible things happening to characters I like too. :(