Will I love Eagles at War?

So closely does he follow what is known about the battle and its aftermath that Ben Kane’s trilogy about the Battle of Teutoburg Forest – Eagles of War, Hunting the Eagles, and Eagles in the Storm – blurs the line between fiction and historical fact and makes the reader feel that they are there.

He has a sympathetic hero in the centurion Lucius Tullus and he brings many of the historical characters to life. Aside from the vivid writing, what particularly stands out are the nods towards the archaeology of the battle and Roman Germany. 

This takes us into the Teutoberg Forest ambush, where three legions were massacred by a German prince called Arminius. Hero Lucius Tullus tries to prevent the tragedy—and then tries to drag his men out of the mire. It’s tough, gritty, and you will feel as exhausted as Tullus when he finally makes it out. It’s so realistic you can smell the mud and blood.