Apparently, this is the 11th book in the Eagles
of the Empire series following the adventures of Roman soldiers Cato and Marco.
It is an easy read the rolls along at a comfortable pace without offering too
many challenges to the reader.
‘The city of Rome in
AD 50 is a dangerous place. Treachery lurks on every corner, and a shadowy
Republican movement, ‘the Liberators’, has spread its tentacles wide. It is
feared that the heart of the latest plot lies in the ranks of the Praetorian
Guard. Uncertain of whom he can trust, the Imperial Secretary Narcissus summons
to Rome two courageous men guaranteed to be loyal to the grave: army veterans
Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro.
Tasked with
infiltrating the Guard, Cato and Macro face a daunting test to win the trust of
their fellow soldiers. No sooner have they begun to unearth the details of the
Liberators’ devious plan than disaster strikes: an old enemy who could identify
them, with deadly consequences, makes an unexpected appearance. Now they face a
race against time to save their own lives before they can unmask the mastermind
behind the Liberators…’
a Booker Prize award winning novel that has a unique style
to it, presented as quotes as if it was an interview of the characters within
the story or references as part of research. It results in a strange, otherworldly
and oddly engaging narrative.
‘The American Civil
War rages while President Lincoln's beloved eleven-year-old son lies gravely
ill. In a matter of days, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown
cemetery. Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns to the crypt
several times alone to hold his boy's body.
From
this seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of
familial love and loss that breaks free of realism, entering a thrilling,
supernatural domain both hilarious and terrifying. Willie Lincoln finds himself
trapped in a transitional realm - called, in Tibetan tradition, the bardo - and
as ghosts mingle, squabble, gripe and commiserate, and stony tendrils creep
towards the boy, a monumental struggle erupts over young Willie's soul.’
