Book Review #1:Legion

"In the black, a man screamed"

Are you a big fan of blood, gore and funny comradery? Well then good reader, this is the book for you! Part of the Historical Fiction genre: Legion published by Welsh author and ex Army Veteran , Geraint Jones. It is the third book in the series and is the best one yet. Even though it is the third book in the series it is actually the prequal to books 1 and 2 (Blood forest/Ambush and Siege).

If you have read the first two books then surely you would have a lot of questions that you require the answers to, and even if you haven't, then don't worry, you can still read this book and still fully enjoy it, as it prepares you for books 1 and 2. The story is enticing and gripping, each page is dripping with intriguing characters and beautifully described environments.

"Had I known what was to become of my life, I would have laid down and stayed with the dead"

Synopsis

The story follows a young and naïve soldier called Corvus, him and his legion are stranded in the province of Pannonia where the terrain is just as lethal as their foe. As he watches his best friend march off to war, he yearns to be in battle by his side, while wishing his days away he is unaware that half of the Roman legion have revolted against the Roman Empire and its up to Corvus and his comrades to put a stop to the rebellion

Corvus is a Standard-Barer which is a huge honour to have upon one self, but loosing his friends, family and seeing how savage war can be, he finds himself questioning his morals and allegiance to the Roman Eagle. As he journeys through the mountains, Corvus finds himself delving into his memories and re-living his hellish past all the while trying to secure a hopeful future. But all is not lost, feeling alone he is kept company by his witty comrades and their sportsmanship.

In dark times can Corvus find the light?

"I awoke in a field of bones"

The book contains a wide variety of characters with different personalities, you can find yourself laughing, crying and getting angry. Each character has their own unique traits which I found to be very enjoyable as no two characters are the same. The story is very gripping and the author tells it well with a steady character development, well described environments and great use of terminology.

Being a big fan of historical fiction and history itself, I think its very important that the period the book is set in is described accurately as possible, as it shows that the author has put in a lot of effort and research to provide us with the best experience and that is exactly what Geraint Jones has done for us. The use of locations, army ranks and description of the armour and other objects used is exactly what you would find in Roman times.

Being an ex Army Veteran, the author is able to provide us with the perfect story and describe the physical, mental and emotional strain a soldier goes through. By doing this we are able to connect and sympathise with the character and be their with them as if we were in the story itself creating a sense of virtual reality.

"I stood back and watched my brother walk away towards his soldiers"

Recommendation : 4.5/5

I think its important to read this book with an open mind. Unlike the other two books that were published by Penguin, this book is self-published, therefore there are a few pages that lack editing which can disrupt the flow of the reader. But if you can overlook the few spelling and Grammar mistakes then you will enjoy this book and the experience it has to offer.

If you are interested in buying this book then you can find it here:

See you all again for the next review!