FAR superior to the author's Empire series which I gave up after two books!!

Very enthralling novel of the Batavian Revolt, the first volume of a trilogy. There are several subplots: Civilis [tribal name: Civilaz] and the Batavians, a Germanic tribe who come from what we would call the Netherlands. Others involve the different Roman legions stationed in Germania and the Year of the Four Emperors. The Batavian Guard of the emperor is unceremoniously dismissed after Nero's successor takes over and sent to Germania as an auxiliary unit to fight with the legions of Germania Inferior. The novel follows their fortune. In the course of the novel Civilaz is pardoned from treason twice; he and the Batavians save the day at the Battle of Cremona for the Vitellian forces and finally begin a revolt, for revenge and to maintain their independence. Deciding to support Vespasian's bid for the throne, Civilaz declares in this stirring closing: "Vespasianus wanted a revolt? I'll give him what he asked for. And more. And much much more."

Sentence structure is convoluted. The author could have broken up most of the compound or complex sentences into simple sentences. Sometimes a sentence was so long, I had to reread several times and parse before I got the sense. Sometimes I've even DIAGRAMMED sentences for subject and verb buried under much verbiage!

I made a chart for names/rank/legion [both regular Roman army legions and Batavians] and how each man fit into the story. I like the format: the novel's divided into what I'd call scenes [like in a play]. This makes it much easier to visualize and follow action. The book has well-marked stopping places. I personally couldn't read all in one chunk. Each of two scenes where centurions [one in V Legion, one in Batavi] harangue the recruits is so much better than an equivalent scene in Book I of the author's other series. Neither is what I'd call coarse or vulgar--the failing of the other earlier one. Any battle or skirmish scenes were well described. I am very glad the author didn't slip in any love interest; that would have been totally out of place here.

I don't like the author's using English terms such as "chosen man" for optio, "leading man" for decanus and "tent party" for contubernium. I also don't like his using English terms for the forts in Germania. I had to discover the proper Latin names for myself. The author must have his reasons, but any rationale escapes me. I liked best the put-upon Centurion Marius of the V and Egilhard, the Batavian recruit.

If someone is reading Roman military fiction for the first time, I would recommend reading some background first. Highly recommended. I hope to read the whole trilogy. I downgraded the book somewhat from what I would have rated it because of such complicated and annoying sentence structure and word order. ( )