The Forgotten Legion: (The Forgotten Legion Chronicles No. 1)

I had been looking for a good book to read for quite some time. The last historical fiction book I read almost made me wish I was illiterate it was so poorly written (Give Me Back My Legions by Turtledove). The premise of "The Fogotten Legion" sounded interesting to me and Ben Kane truly delivers on his first attempt. You are swept into the book quickly. There is plenty of action and suspense. Well written dialogue in between and the characters are well developed and keep you interested. More importantly, they make you care about what is happening to them. I enjoyed this book immensely and wished it was a thousand pages not just five hundred. If you enjoyed any of Simom Scarrow's or Conn Iggulden's books on Roman historical fiction, then stop reading this and buy the book now. And be careful not to cut yourself on any errant jabs of the gladius while reading. Bravo Ben Kane. Bravo.

I bought this book when it first came out and it's sequels but for one reason or another, didn't get round to reading it (them) until now. Being an avid fan of Simon Scarrow, Douglas Jackson, Conn Iggulden and more recently Anthony Riches (and others) I was keen to find another author of equal story telling skill that mixed historical fact with fiction.Knowing it to be a tall order, I always have reservations as to whether someone can live upto their extremely high standards and I'm pleased to say that Ben Kane does that superbly in this book with intriguing characters and a storyline that keeps you turning the pages. Some say the market in this genre is flooded etc etc but you can never have too much of a good thing.The Forgotten Legion has four principle characters; Romulus and Fabiola, who are twins sold into slavery after their mother is raped by a nobleman, Brennus a Gaulish warrior and Tarquinius an Etruscan Soothsayer and warrior. Tarquinius has 'seen' that their destinies will bring them together through the brutality that is ancient Rome.Caught training with sword by his owner Gemmulus, Romulus is sold to a Gladiator school where he meets Brennus who was captured in Gaul and eventually made to become a Gladiator. Fabiola is sold into prostitution to an upper class house in Rome, the playground for noblemen. Events see Brennus and Romulus coming together as friends against common enemies that develop at the Gladiator school.Ben Kane produces a story that isn't just engrossing, it also enables the reader to easily indentify with the characters and to 'see, smell' what life was like in Rome for those sold into slavery, how little their lives were worth and the vile stench of the back streets where murderers, robbers and rapists prey on the weak. The action comes thick and fast as does the danger to the main characters in a flowing storyline.Events unfold as Brennus and Romulus are forced to join the army where they meet Tarqinius, in the legions of Crassus who is about to embark on the invasion of Parthia. What follows is how the campaign progresses under the arrogant Crassus and his desire for power and riches irrespective of the cost, believing his legions are unstoppable against an enemy he doesn't know.Large scale descriptive battles follow in the deserts of Parthia where Ben Kane manages to give the reader vivid pictures of the heat, horror and hatred that develop when isloated Roman legions come up against a well armed and rapid moving enemy that is determined to stop them in their tracks. The Forgotten Legion is an excellent book and I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel.I can easily understand why this book and the sequels to it were/are so popular both in the UK and USA. Like the authors mentioned above, Ben Kane has produced a story that manages to bring history alive, albeit with some poetic license in places which is understandable. The Forgotten Legion is a great addition to my collection and now sits side by side with Mr Scarrows, Riches etc etc!If you like historical novels that blend fact with a good storyline, interesting characters that are compelling and a book that you just don't want to put down, then the Forgotten Legion is for you. Highly, highly recommended!

Another great read from Ben Kane. A story that is both interesting and compelling. Highly recommended.

After a slow start the book turns into a thrilling read! Part 1 of 3. If you are in for a 1800 historical action spectacle (all 3 books), thats your book. Only downside of storyline was that the sorcerers kind of overdo it a little.

1er épisode d'une trilogie s'étalant sur 25 ans, the Forgotten Legion nous plonge dans le dernier siècle troublé de la République romaine (1er siècle av JC).4 personnages, 2 esclaves jumeaux: Fabiola et Romulus, un devin étrusque: Tarquinius et un guerrier Allobroge: Brennus, vont voir leurs destins s'entre choquer au milieu des luttes sans merci opposant les premiers triumvirs pour le pouvoir suprême.Des collines de Rome aux déserts brûlants de la Mésopotamie, de l'atmosphère feutrée des bordels de luxe au sable sanglant de l'arène, les héros de la légion oubliée vont entreprendre une quête à la fois identitaire et spirituelle des plus périlleuses.Ce roman historique, le premier de Ben Kane, est à mon sens un très bon divertissement. Si les personnages principaux restent plutôt stéréotypés, ils n'en sont pas moins attachants et leurs aventures constituent un bon moyen de se plonger dans l'ambiance de la République romaine finissante. Les amateurs de batailles épiques (mais aussi d'histoire militaire antique) devraient trouver leur compte avec la description de la campagne de Crassus contre les Parthes, qui constitue le coeur de l'ouvrage. Si le réalisme est la plupart du temps au rendez vous, l'auteur fait d'importantes concessions au genre épique, les héros y sont plus grands, plus forts que nature et le surnaturel joue un rôle significatif dans l'intrigue.Au final 500 et quelques pages d'évasion pure et sauvage qui vous donneront certainement envie de vous plonger dans les deux tome suivants.