The sixth installment (following 2005's The Eagle's Prey
) of Scarrow's popular Roman Empire series is a combustible concoction of intrigue, treachery and violence. Having returned to Rome from Britain to await an investigation into their involvement in the death of an officer, centurions Macro and Cato, Scarrow's recurring heroes, are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves: they must recover the Delphic scrolls—reputed to foretell Rome's future—from the pirates who stole them. Macro and Cato are assigned to the Roman fleet under the command of a former nemesis, the venal Vitellius, who secretly covets the scrolls for himself. Vitellius's plan to destroy the pirate fleet and seize the scrolls, however, runs aground when the pirates, aided by a Roman traitor and Vitellius's ineptness in battle, inflict severe losses on the Roman fleet. When Vitellius is replaced, Macro and Cato get another chance to salvage their careers (and lives). Series fans will welcome Scarrow's depiction of the overlooked venue of the Roman navy, and though the plotting is formulaic, the intense action, beguiling characters and authentic detail more than compensate for it. (Dec.)
