I decided to read this because we had this project at work where we were supposed to read books we usually wouldn't and, since I am more than a little interested in Ancient Rome, it felt like a nice fit.

This book was pretty much exactly what I expected with lots of mundane descriptions of everyday army life, peppered with battles and intrigues. It might not be brilliant but I liked it. There was an almost annoying level of detail when it came to armies, formations etc., but I can't deny that it added to the authenticity. The problem was that the characters and plot was less developed as a result, and very little took me by surprise. It was incredibly easy to figure out who the spy was and some of the characters were very difficult to get a grip on.

Still, I found myself engaged enough to finish it, which has to count for something. If I choose to continue this series (which I doubt) it would be for the two main characters, Macro and Cato. I quite liked them and they made it worthwhile in the end.