Under the Eagle (Eagles of the Empire 1) cover art

Under the Eagle (Eagles of the Empire 1)

Cato & Macro: Book 1

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Under the Eagle (Eagles of the Empire 1)

By: Simon Scarrow
Narrated by: David Thorpe
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £15.79

Buy Now for £15.79

About this listen

 UNDER THE EAGLE is the gripping first novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling EAGLES OF THE EMPIRE series. A must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell.

It is AD 42, and Quintus Licinius Cato has just arrived in Germany as a new recruit to the Second Legion, the toughest in the Roman army. If adjusting to the rigours of military life isn't difficult enough for the bookish young man, he also has to contend with the disgust of his colleagues when, because of his imperial connections, he is appointed a rank above them. As second-in-command to Macro, the fearless, battle-scarred centurion who leads them, Cato has more to prove than most in the adventures that lie ahead.

Then the men discover that the army's next campaign will take them to a land of unparalleled barbarity - Britain. After the long march west, Cato and Macro undertake a special mission that will thrust them headlong into a conspiracy that threatens to topple the Emperor himself...©2000 Simon Scarrow Ancient Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Military Thriller & Suspense War & Military Scary

Critic reviews

Praise for Simon Scarrow: 'I really don't need this kind of competition... It's a great read' (Bernard Cornwell)
A satisfyingly bloodthirsty, bawdy romp...perfect for Bernard Cornwell addicts who will relish its historical detail and fast-paced action. Storming stuff
Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best
Gripping... ferocious and compelling, it is a story of blood, romance and sacrifice
Rollicking good fun
[Simon Scarrow] blends together historical facts and characters to create a book that simply cannot be put down... Highly recommended
All stars
Most relevant

Where does Under the Eagle rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've listened to a lot of audiobooks set in the Roman era including Lindsey Davies (Marcus Dideus Falco) and the SPQR series. If you enjoyed those, you'll probably like these. The author does a good job of inserting his characters and their story into known historical settings.

What did you like best about this story?

The main characters are likeable and I quickly became interested in their situation. The 'banter' between the soldiers is amusing, particularly Macro and his bad language. The drill sergeant character Bestio is funny as well.

What does David Thorpe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

David Thorpe is a good narrator. He has a range of accents to bring the characters to life, and on the whole he does this very well - often with comic effect. His narration doesn't irritate or intrude, he is easy to listen to.

Any additional comments?

This was a very good audiobook if you enjoy the Roman setting and don't mind the odd expletive. The story was well paced and the characters were likeable. I enjoyed it so much, I ordered the next two in the series and immediately listened to them.

Roman squaddies on tour.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This was a very good story narrated well. Scarrow developed strong characters and I am looking forward to listening to the next installment. Real praise should also be given to David Thorpe whose voices made the story more memorable.

A great blend of fact and fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is entertaining and fast moving, full intrigue and action with a flavor of the Roman Empire to add a distinctive flavour. The characters are well drawn and the plot is also well developed if a bit formulaic.

If you are looking for some fun reading with plenty of action this is a good place to start, the period adds complications to what is a grunts indoctrination into the ways of war and the politics of the period feel closer to the battlefield than today's distant manipulations.

The reading is good but the screaming is not and there is a lot of screaming orders and commanding and that sounds a bit hysterical at times also the english accents to denote class and rank are for me out of place, on the other hand you can recognize the characters and the pace helps the story to move well.

The business of killing and dying for Empire

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Enjoyed this but there were a few turn of events too many to be credible. Still enjoyable. Worth a read.

Good but not credible in parts

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Where does Under the Eagle rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The book tells of the adventures of freed slave Cato. Just freed from slavery he has arrived in Germany as a new recruit to the Second Legion, in the Roman army. With a letter of commendation from the Emperor who recommends he is made a centurion. This does not happen but, he is appointed a rank above more experienced soldiers. As second-in-command to Macro, an centurion who leads them, Cato will have more to prove than most in the adventures that lie ahead. After fighting the Hun . There is a little romance and some political intrigue.Cato and Macro undertake a special mission that will thrust them headlong into a conspiracy and fights with the ancient britons.

What other book might you compare Under the Eagle to, and why?

Any adventure story

What three words best describe David Thorpe’s voice?

patronising, british, southern

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No

Roman, Ripping Yarn

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews