Shadow of the Eagle

The Borderlands 1

By: Damion Hunter

Narrated by: Andrew Kingston

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

"A brilliantly realised world of Imperial ambition and native resistance" - Simon Scarrow.

"Wonderful, distinct characters" - Conn Iggulden.

Will Britain take him in... or mark him as its enemy?

Faustus Valerianus is the son of a Roman father and a British mother, a captive sold among the spoils after Claudius’ invasion.

When both parents die within a month of each other, he sells the family farm and enlists, joining legendary general Agricola’s campaign to conquer the entirety of the British Isles.

But Faustus will have to contend with more than ferocious British warriors and whip-cracking elements. For the bonds of blood can weigh heavy on one’s soul. The call of his mother’s true people. His father’s restless shadow. Faustus must carry them with him...

A deeply moving, gripping, and epic historical drama, perfect for fans of Ben Kane, Alex Gough, and Andrew Frediani.

Amanda Cockrell, writing as Damion Hunter, is the author of seven previous Roman novels: the four-volume series The Centurions. She grew up in Ojai, California, and developed a fascination with the Romans when a college friend gave her Rosemary Sutcliff’s books to read.

©2023 SAGA Egmont (P)2023 SAGA Egmont

Critic reviews

A haunting, historical epic.
-- Gordon Doherty, author of Sons of Rome

I only need one word to describe this stunning novel: masterful.
-- Anthony Riches, Sunday Times bestselling author of Wounds of Honour

Fascinating!

Love the sense that this was thought out and researched thoroughly, and how easy it was to imagine.

Roman parts OK. to much time on Brits

The time spent with the main character is great. However, to much time is spent with the British heads men. The summaries of what the Britains think about the Romans or what the brits are doing are fine. to much time is spent with unlikable Britain characters.

I only cared about the main character and what he was doing. It was hard to listen to the unnecessary characters and their story line. I feel that it even took away from the main plot, by telling us what the enemy was thinking every other chapter.

I understand that the main character needed a love interest but I think that to much time was spent on her as a character as well. she could of just explained about her past and talking to seals after she met the main character.

tithe part where one of the characters kills herself because she is a lesbian added nothing at all to the story and felt like it was added just to wast time but so little time was spent on that story line that I don't understand why it was added at all.

My main takeaway is that the main characters story is enjoyable but the other characters from the Britain side are unneeded and I just wanted to skip those chapters. I hope that the author focuses more time on him and the Romans in later books. if she wants to write about Britains and brit characters that's fine but do that in its own book please. I bought this book because of the main character's story line not who he is fighting.