Praetorian: Eagles of Dacia

This is the third and best instalment so far following Rufinus through Dacia, this is a fantastic adventure that literally leaves you not wanting to place the book down in case you miss anything, there is no let up in the action with an increasing sense of tension and excitement with every page turn, the supporting cast of bad guys are excellent and totally hateful and plentiful and well written and so believable it's got me wanting to find myself a Sarmation hunting for for protection, this work is so well researched you could almost be in the valleys and mountain passes and forts and villages, with plenty of action so well described you feel like your watching from the side lines, Mr Turney is an excellent prolific author who's creative well is deep varied and full, combined with a being a totally dedicated family man amazes me how he can produce one book let alone have many on the go and many more in production and never let the quality drop, roll on book 4

Simon Turney is one of my 'go to' authors for great stories set in the ancient world. His characters tend to be nuanced, generally neither wholly black or white, and as he sets out to write series, he gives himself plenty of time to draw us in, and get to know them.His Praetorian series, of which this is the third book, has been a bit of a struggle for me. The first book was very readable, but the second simply stretched my credibility too far. The main character, Rufinus, is a praetorian who finds himself unwillingly involved in various plots and schemes. He is a likeable character, but at times felt like a bit of a cipher, and at others, too much the superhero.This third volume has him sent to Dacia by Cleander, the Imperial Chamberlain, to investigate allegations against the resident commanders. His mission has several layers, which I won't detail, but there are several people in Rome who, for different reasons, will be more than happy if he fails, and simply disappears.The story is more involving than the last volume. Set in an area not normally chosen as a setting for Roman fiction, and with an intriguing - and quite complex - plot, events unfold thick and fast. He is accompanied on the mission by Senova, and his faithful hound, Acheron.But here lies the one big problem with the book for me. The character of Senova; she is very one-dimensional. The relationship between her and Rufinus is difficult to understand. They seem to put up with one another; no more. There is no real feeling between them. Although she proves useful to his quest, she remains - for me, at least - largely a blank page. I hope her personality, and their relationship, will become more rounded as the series progresses.With that one criticism, I did find the whole thing more believable than the story in the second book, and consequently, a much more enjoyable read. By the end, the path onward is more clearly visible, and I'm looking forward to the next volume.*You can read all my reviews on my blog. The address is on my profile page.*

What can I say, a great story but I have to repeat Ruf's thoughts, for a man who has experienced so much how can he be so stupid ? On a few occasions, I did find myself cringing about what I knew was coming, although I was expecting and hoping the scouts to come back into the story but I was wrong, a spin off book perhaps (hint hint). I hope the next one is coming soon, Rufinus is becoming a favoured character and I would like to see where it goes, I am left wondering about the fleeting mention of Tullus. There were a few spelling mistakes in this one though, only 4 or 5 but I have not seen any before in this authors books which was a bit odd.

Always enjoy Rustius Rufinus’ travels. This one is a fast paced novel of a journey through foreign lands, subterfuge and lots and lots of fights. It is different from the previous novels but is a welcome addition that moves the story and characters onwards. It is one of those books that I love and then hate it when I finish it... when is the next one? The novel is once again well researched and you can easily become lost in the narrative. Top marks again and I am eagerly awaiting the next one.

This is the third volume of the Praetorian Series, with most of the action taking place in the harsh border province of Dacia and its precious goldmines, and the hero Rufinus send by the Imperial Chamberlain Cleander – the power behind the throne of Commodus – to investigate two legionary commanders and governors (Clodius and Pescinius Niger) for signs of treason.Apart from the plot, which, although not entirely surprising, is quite exciting, there were two features of this book which I found of particular interest.One was the author’s take on the three future contenders for the Empire – the two mentioned above and Septimius Severus who appears right at the end of this book and is the only one to offer to help Rufinus and extract him from the rather precarious position he is in. I rather appreciated the characterisation of all three, especially the rather ruthless Clodius and Severus and all of which are playing for the highest stakes – their own (physical) survival.The second was the atmosphere created throughout the book as the generals and main contenders for the Empire gear up and prepare for Commodus’ succession, in one way or another. Whether historical or just the author’s take on the second half of the 180s, you get the clear impression that Emperor Commodus’ days are somewhat numbered and that it is just a question of time before one (or several) of the generals rebel and attempt to overthrow him.As you will see for yourself when reading the book, there is something to find deep in Dacia. Cleander, for all his paranoia and suspicions, turns out to have good reason to send him on his dangerous mission, and Rufinus will find it, putting himself at extreme risk in the process. Four stars.

Eagles in Dacia is a "Road Story" where our little group of Rufinus, his lady ex-slave Sernova, her slave boy, Luca and the dog from hell, Acheron are on a journey into Dacia, modern Romania.As they travel, they get into a lot of trouble and meet both good and bad people. The villains are especially nasty in this volume. All the minor characters are fully drawn. You can feel the care that he puts onto people. I am formally asking that Narcissus and his band return somehow. As the journey continues, our party get into more and more trouble. There comes a point where you ask, OK Simon how are you going to get them out of THIS?He does and in a very satisfying way - no spoilers here.What shines through is the relationship between Sernova and Rufinus. I have to suspect that this this somewhat reflects the author's own life:) Below the snide remarks and the difficulties is a deep love and a growing mutual respect. Their interaction is both funny and very touching. There are a series of running jokes between them that get funnier as the book unfolds.As a dog lover, I also love Acheron who is on the one hand a gentle giant but for whom the command "Kill" is obeyed with enthusiasm. The author has a habit of killing off good characters. So far he has resisted killing off Acheron. So I am warning you S.....Dacia or Romania is another character in this book. The author made a visit there before he wrote the book and his experience there shines through - I travelled a lot there back in the 1990's and also love the place. It is a bit like how Switzerland might have been in 1930. Rufinus is a bit of a weed about the local food. Romania is the centre of all things offal that I like but it is hard for the western visitor as it was for Rufinus then. Every part of the animal is eaten!How better to spend a winter evening or a trip than with Rufinus

Look, this is the third book in this series and if you enjoyed the predecessors you will most likely have fun reading this.It still offers a great mixture of intrigue in Roman times with fascinating and/or slimy characters. Rufinus still has to endude more than is fun to read, but again, if you managed this in the previous books, you will endure it here.I thought about giving 5 stars, but to be honest, I prayed that one character would die after 3/4 of the books. And not one of the enemies you are supposed to despise. I really, really dislike Senova, her entire character, every action. I wish she wouldn't have been part of the story at all.

Much of this book is a journey full of many dangers. S.J.A. Turney's descriptions and knowledge of history are impressive. It is obvious that he has travelled the route himself. With a great plot and his usual excellent writing style, this is a book not to be missed.

An excellent read, makes you fell part of the action as well as everyday Roman word life. Enjoyed the book.

Even more so than in most of his books, Turney's proofreaders commit grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, spelling and omission errors with astonishing frequency. All his books are plagued with such errors, and yet he stupefyingly continues to thank his proofers in his forewords. The errors are so rampant that they stultify a good read and are an absolute insult to the reader. Wr rarely find these egregious errors in other Kindle books. Fire Jenny!