Legionary: Viper of the North

Legionary, Book 2

By: Gordon Doherty

Narrated by: Adrian Hobart

Deep winter, AD 376: Emperor Valens has withdrawn the field armies from Moesia and Thracia to fight in the Persian War. The impoverished limitanei legions left behind to defend the banks of the River Danubius are now all that stand between the war-hungry Goths and heart of the Eastern Roman Empire.

For Numerius Vitellius Pavo and the men of the XI Claudia, the brief from Emperor Valens is simple: to avoid war with the Goths at all costs. But in the frozen lands north of the Danubius a dark legend, thought long dead, has risen again. The name is on the lips of every warrior in Gutthiuda: the one who will unite the tribes, the one whose armies will march upon the empire...The Viper!

©2012 Gordon Doherty (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd

Cool stuff

Not bad , I lose track of the characters but not bad. Will get the other books

Great Characters plus Action, Reaction and Gore

At this point, I’ve listened to 4 or Doherty’s novels from 2 series. In each case, they follow the same model- our hero civilization is consistently out thought and out maneuvered in battle after battle by the bad guys. Then at the very last second, some form of cavalry comes over the hill to save the very few of our brave warrior heroes left alive. Sometimes even that cavalry gets “Slaughtered” and has to be saved by the next wave of cavalry…. Rewind-repeat 3-4 times per book, until the final Earth shattering climactic battle.

I can’t believe I continue to buy these predictable audio books. But, I do because of the quality and character development of the half dozen or so key warriors. I like them. They are usually the smartest ones in the tent, but are countermanded by blithering political idiots who are in charge. These legends in their own minds get our heroes into all kinds of unsurvivable blunders. I also want to see how our good guys manage to time and again get away after the rank and file get “Butchered” by the bad guys.

Plus, each book is a history lesson. Maps and background materials are available on the author’s website. THAT is a model I wish more historical fiction writers should follow !

Start the Bronze or Legionary lead books. You may be surprised. Cheer for the good guys.

Psychotherapy in the Roman Army

I love Roman military fiction, give me a bone-crushing battle and I am happy. However, I returned this book because so many of the conversations between characters sounded like new-age therapy sessions. I just couldn't buy into Roman Legionaries talking about their feelings.

Disappointing

Some of Doherty’s writing is so bad it drags all the rest down. This one is dry, repetitive and soulless. After 5 chapters I can’t imagine where it goes from here and I really don’t care.