Blood Crows by Simon Scarrow

Blood Crows by Simon Scarrow This latest outing for Macro and Cato sees our two heroes return to Britannia. Hoping for honest soldiering, away from the skullduggery and politics or Rome, the veteran soldiers are sent to a unit in the territory of the Silures in Wales, where Caratacus still holds out against the invading Roman army. Here they face enemies from without and within, as Cato has to wrest command from the twisted Quertus while facing down Caratacus’ army. Fans of Scarrow will love this latest outing, but the subject matter is grim, and the tone feels darker than previous books. The historical note makes interesting comparisons between Claudius’ invasion of Britain and his rapid declaration of victory, and the Bush-Blair invasion of Iraq and the rather premature “mission accomplished” announcement. Although reaching a satisfying conclusion, the book feels like the first part of a series, with at least a sequel being necessary to tie up the loose ends. For us Scarrow fans, I’m sure it will be worth the wait.