The Last Legion: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Before the time of Arthur, there was Excalibur!

A fun read

An interesting take on a familiar tale.

Brilliant and Captivating

a fine historical romp

The Last Legion: A Novel
Valerio Massimo Manfredi
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 074349198X

Book Description

The Roman world is in the throes of death, but a new myth, destined to span the centuries, is waiting to be born.

The camp was quiet. Mist shrouded the plains and the Nova Invicta Legion, the legendary warriors charged with protecting the last emperor of Rome, settled in for another cold and bitter night. Then, through the fog, the barbarians appeared. In a space of a few hours, all was lost -- the Roman Empire lay in ruins. But not all the Romans are dead. From the dust of the battlefield, a band of seemingly immortal legionaries rise up. They are the Last Legion. Risking their lives, they attempt an audacious mission to free the young emperor and his enigmatic tutor from the hands of their captors.

The Last Legion is a bewitching novel of bravery, love, myth, and magic. Valerio Massimo Manfredi has written an epic that will hold you spellbound until the very last page.

Customer Reviews:

Before the time of Arthur, there was Excalibur!.......2007-10-04

I was searching through Amazon for some fun books to read, and I came across The Last Legion. I was instantly excited about a book that takes place during the last days of the Roman Empire, plus the intertwined story of the Aruthorian and Excalibur legends. I was in the airport the other week, and bought it, and finished it.

The Last Legion, as I mentioned above, is an epic historical novel, that takes place at the last days, literally, of the Roman Empire around 46X AD. The story revolves around a band of men, a woman, and a crazy old man, who will do anything to ensure the survival of a young boy, Romulus Agustus Caesar, the last emperor.

From the slaughter of Romulus's family in Ravenna, the then Capital of the western roman empire, this band must fight, outwit, run, and what ever else was necessary to try to escape the Barbarians, who want nothing more than Romulus's head on a spear. Running from Italy, we read as our band, lead by Aurlieus, who Arthur fans might correlate with Lancelot, the old 'magician' as many will see as Merlin, try to make their way to Britain, to have the profesy come true. Finding the legendary sword, the sword that was forged from the steel from space, the sword that none other Julius Caesar used to shape Europe.

This book is rich with an epic tale, woven in very neatly the feeling and facts of the time, and is very deep with the character development. Velerio Massimo Manfredi wasted no time doing his research on time period, as I felt I was transported back to the last days, where people lived in fear by the ever changing currents.

This book is very easy to read, and flows like a movie. I highly recommend this historical novel to anyone interested in a good read. You won't be disappointed!

A fun read.......2007-09-01

A nice mix of history and fiction. The book moves at a nice pace and was a great vacation read.

An interesting take on a familiar tale........2007-06-11

The Last Legion offers a look at the twilight of Empire; as our heroes journey across a landscape being overrun by barbarians and fracturing into petty kingdoms while the Western Roman Empire breaks down.

Though the novel serves as an origin story of King Arthur, this last aspect felt tacked on as an afterthought as the author seemed to enjoy exploring the decaying world of the continental empire more than dealing with the matter of England. In reading it, it should be seen as the last hurrah of a dying civilization that would ultimately provide a respite to a distant province in sore need of assistance.

The narrative (as translated) is very workmanlike with quickly sketched in characters; but the author captured the atmosphere and the mind-set of the times so the reader is truly transported to another time and place where miracles can occur and magic is possible.

My biggest complaint is that the climax came across as astonishingly anti-climactic ... sort of setting the Seven Samurai in Galloway, Britain; with the battle largely occurring off-stage. And then while the tale wraps up all the character threads, the novel does leave one with an impression of, is this all there is?

All in all, it is a fast read, it is an enjoyable read; not quite as satisfying as I would hope, but I've no regrets in picking this book up.

Brilliant and Captivating.......2006-07-31

Few authors can be better equipped to write about the subject of Rome and its Legions than Manfredi. Professor of archaeology at the the university of Milan, he has carried out many excavations and expeditions in the Mediterranean region. He has produced many factual books on historical matters, mainly military and has still found the time to write several novels and this is one of the best of them.

The story begins the day that the Roman Empire collapses and the eternal city itself is being over-run. In the weeks before the final collapse some British Romano soldiers have reached the city with the express task of rescuing the young son of the last Emperor Romulus Augustus, these are the men of The last Legion . . .

They are there to protect and guide the last emperor on a journey that takes them across Europe to the shores of Britain and into legend.

I found the book exciting and exhilarating. It was another one I did not want to end.

a fine historical romp.......2006-02-18

Manfredi is one of the finest historical fiction writers around. He has all the right credentials; as Professor Of Archaeology at Milan University you can be sure of the accuracy of the detail found in his books. He also has a wonderfully imaginative approach to his plots: take a 'known' fact in history and try to create a fictional story around the unknown parts. In doing so he has frequently brought to life the wonders of ancient history for many readers.

The Last Legion is great fun, but it is probably the least believable of Manfredi's novels. The Alexander trilogy has its roots firmly in historical fact, Manfredi just added the colour. This novel is largely colour, but enjoyable for it.

The clue as to why this has less true historical context is given in the dedication of the book which lets us know that the story of The Last Legion was always intended to be turned into a film. That film is due for release this year and will hopefully be as much fun as the book.

However, it is this filmic element to the story which is its big weakness. It effectively moves from set piece to set piece and can read more like a movie treatment than a novel at times. This is not to suggest that it isn't worth reading, it most certainly is as that cinematic style makes for a cracking plot. What it causes problems with is the dialogue and motivation of certain characters which are sometimes cliched and stilted.

All that being said, the real strong point of this book is the clever way that Manfredi has linked Roman history and mythology with one of the greatest British legends of old. A neat idea that he executes well.

If you have never read Manfredi's work then I would strongly suggest you try The Alexander Trilogy or perhaps The Talisman Of Troy before attempting this lighter work.

Last Gunfighter: Devil's Legion (Last Gunfighter)

Average customer rating:

Great Read
Last Gunfigher:Devil's Legion
Gunfighter
Action packed
He does it again

Last Gunfighter: Devil's Legion (Last Gunfighter)
William W. Johnstone
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786016329

Customer Reviews:

Great Read.......2007-05-13

Takes you back to times I wish I'd live. Also great action hero's, I love books that can let me forget about the real world we live in, it's fun!!!!

Last Gunfigher:Devil's Legion.......2007-02-07

I enjoyed the book very much. I find William Johnstone is one of the best writers there is. He alway get my attention from the first page to the last.

Gunfighter.......2007-01-12

great book-I have most of them. Only improvement that I would like is for the books be numbered in order that they are written so you know what the next book is.. Capt Keith

Action packed.......2002-05-26

In a story line that grabs your attention and holds it is a hero that exemplifies the tough and proud western man. Action and drama packed with more gun play than seems possible and a touch of humor that makes for an interesting read. A true western.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

He does it again.......2000-08-16

Once again Mr Johnstone has given us a true american hero. A no holds barred man who knows what is right and goes about making things right. Not a dainty fellow Frank Morgan (the hero)is a real person with real problems. His life has been turned upside down and now he has to deal with the consequences of a long lost son and a former wife who is killed as the reconciliation was just begining. His son doesn't respect him but, his fatherly love makes Frank stick with the boy. Wrap this story in action and historical tidbits and you have a fine story to enjoy over and over again. Johnstone's thoughts society and the lack of responsibility for one's actions comes through. An excellent edition to any Western Library...Any library for that matter. Get it today.

Average customer rating:

Good thing they're not in Falkenberg's Legion
Eerie Similarities
Interesting plot
Bit of a let down
Bunch's solo military SF debut

The Last Legion
Chris Bunch
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451456866

Customer Reviews:

Good thing they're not in Falkenberg's Legion.......2007-01-01

Mr. Bunch's book, The Last Legion, deals with a human space empire has reached a decedent stage, and like the Roman Empire has begun to fragment at the seams. As always, the lonely outposts far from the empire's capital are left to stand on their own or evolve to something new. In this case, Mr. Bunch takes us to a lonely stretch of space where some new recruits are being brought into the military, interestingly enough, into a legion. I say this because in reading this book I couldn't help but compare it to Jerry Pournelle's books dealing with Falkenberg's Legion (several of Mr. Pournelle's books deal with a similar situation). The similarities are there: young recruits that perform well, a world going thru an uprising from a suppressed population, and an empire crumbling from within. In this case though, Mr. Bunch focuses on the rebellion being a mixture of Vietnam and Iraq. Instead of the crisp professionals that Pournelle's Line Marines were, Mr. Bunch's Legionaries come across as a good old boy's club. Mr. Bunch's Legionaries (the line troops, not his force recon guys) stumble into ambushes and fall for whatever the insurgents want them to fall for. Once the Legionaries do achieve the big win (mainly due to their Force Recon), the fight turns to intercity terrorism that smacks of what you can read about happening in Baghdad. In a very predictable way, Mr. Bunch's main hero's lead the way in crushing the insurgent forces.

The bottom line on this book is that while entertaining, it was far from compelled to continue reading. The combat sequences were ok, Mr. Bunch had a major focus on sex, something that made the book seem more like something for the teen market rather than focusing on the political or military situation as Mr. Pournelle did. The story telling was mixed because there were to many points of view that weren't coherent, unlike Ms. Cherryh's novels where things are brought together from multiple viewpoints. Given this, The Last Legion is a three star book.

Eerie Similarities.......2004-07-18

This is not the sort of book I would normally choose. I'm a bit of an anomally as I am a mature woman who always has loved sci/fi. But my favorite sci/fi authors didn't have new books out so I thought I'd branch out.I'm glad I did.This book is action packed the heroes are both truly heroic yet human.The descriptions of querilla style warfare ring true.Usually I skip battle scenes but his were absorbing. At one point I had to flip back to check the copyright date.He seems to have foreseen the type of terrorist and terrorist acts we are up against now.I don't want to give away any plot lines but the last part of the book is truly eerie. Oh, and the sex is fun.

Interesting plot.......2003-02-19

This book was ok. I liked the premise and the plot. But the characters were a little thin. I never really found much to identify with any of them. Also, the slang and culture in the book seemed to made up and forced. Because of this, it was hard to read at some points. I'll probably read the next one in the series, but if there isn't much improvement, I might stop there.

Bit of a let down.......2002-09-09

I loved the Sten series and I found the premise of this one interesting. But.....

Sadly it seemed to lack everything that made the Sten series so good, perhaps the influence of Chris Cole was missed too much.

Boring characters, confusing and dull adversaries and, in my case, a bored reader.

I wont be bothering with the rest of the series....

Bunch's solo military SF debut.......2002-07-18

I've been a massive fan of Chris Bunch (and his co-conspirator Allan Cole) since I got ahold of their fantastic 'Nam war tome, A Reckoning For Kings, back in 1988. I was surprised one year later to stumble across the now-famous Sten saga in 1989, and avidly read the entire Sten series as a result.

The first thing I will say right off the bat is that Bunch w/o Cole is not as good as Bunch with Cole. The same can be said for Cole w/o Bunch, as I have read both authors' solo works. The collaborating minds of Bunch and Cole are capable of putting together some of the finest true-grit war stories I have ever read. By themselves, neither author has been able to capture me in quite the same fashion as when I first read the Sten books or A Reckoning For Kings.

Having said this, Bunch's The Last Legion is a competent piece of military SF and a great start for what is obviously going to be an arced series. The arc itself has its highs and lows, but the first book is quite good in my opinion. Like other reviewers it was impossible for me to not be reminded of the Sten novels, but I think this is just Bunch's general style carrying over, not a knock on the plot, and I would recommend this book to any reader fond of military SF--regardless of whether they have read any Sten or not.

Hard SF readers are sure to be distracted by some of the scientific faux pas that crop up in the book. Bunch seems to confuse solar systems with galaxies when discussing the scope of the Legion's parent government, the Confederation, while at the same time he employs a very generic Hyperspace drive that is never fully explained nor expounded upon. Both no-nos in the land of Hard SF nitpickers.

But The Last Legion is a great entry-level SF book just the same. One that I would put in the Christmas stocking of any teenager or college student, especially if he or she was already hooked on a television or film SF franchise like Star Wars, Baylon 5, or Star Trek. Young SF readers are not born in a vacuum after all, and The Last Legion and its other companion books in the series would be an engaging break-out read for someone ready to graduate beyond media SF. Lord knows the Sten series was a huge break-out read for me, in the days when my entire SF diet was composed almost exclusively of Star Trek. Thanks to the Sten series I started reading other and different SF besides Star Trek, and pretty soon my tastes advanced and I was reading Card, Niven, Bear, Asimov, and other greats.

Book Description

The Last Knight of Flanders is the story of the Flemish volunteers of Germany's famed Waffen-SS, told by those who were there. The book centers around Remy Schrijnen, the only Flemish volunteer to win the heralded bravery award, the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross. The book presents the varying viewpoints of the war as told through the eyes of Schrijnen and those who surrounded him. From enlisted men to officers Ð those who were there tell it like it was. Since 1830, Belgium has been a country consisting primarily of two peoples: the French-speaking Walloons and the Dutch-speaking Flemings. Despite the fact that they are the minority in regards to total population, the Walloons have dominated and ruled the Belgian government since the very beginning, which has prevented prosperity for the Flemings. The Flemish volunteers sided with the Germans in World War II in hopes that the blessings of the victor would gain them independence within their native country. The Flemish youth rallied behind the calls of their mothers and fathers Ð many of whom had fought against the Germans in the First World war for a free Flanders. The church called on these young men to put an end to the possibility of a "Red" invasion of Europe. They were heroes in the eyes of many. Under the leadership of the Germans, the Flemings got to know the harsh and brutal realities of combat on the Eastern Front. It was there that many young men perished. The war went on for three long years. After the war, they were vanquished and returned home to their native Flanders as criminals. Some were executed, most were sent to prison. This is their story., over 110 b/w photographs, line illustrations, maps, 6" x 9"

Customer Reviews:

For Flanders!.......2007-07-01

I would have liked to give this book 5 stars because many of the accounts written in it are priceless but I felt at times confused because the book is written in letters in a lot of parts and its easy to get lost in them, there were also many errors in the text that some how slipped through. Having said that the book was a true eye opener with many first hand accounts. Remy Schrijnen is a true hero but dont be fooled the book is just has much about his unit has it is about him and is written about him not a first person from him so dont expect a Forgotten Solder out of this one. Remy and his fellow Flemings were honorable men caught up in a bloody struggle for life and death and continued to fight on until two days after the war was over protecting civilians from the Russian hordes driving west only stopping when their ammo was finally finished. This book will shock many people with the accounts from the men serving has POW's and will anger you to their harsh treatment, these men were not Concentration camp workers but because of their SS brand they were treated like such. A Fair read to anyone interested in Hitler's Foreign volunteers.

Bit of a disappointment.......2007-02-06

I was disappointed with this book; it started out as a good read but then bogged down. The author tends to be repetitive, going over and over about how great a soldier Remy Schrijnen was without really saying much about what was going on or what he did. I finally got tired of it and started skimming through sections, then just put the book down. While I was disappointed overall, there are some sections and pictures of interest that may prove useful to dedicated students of lesser known German (SS) units and combat on the Eastern Front. At some point, I will probably pick it up again, gloss over certain sections and finish the book, but for now it will gather dust on the shelf.

The Last Knight of Flanders: Remy Schrijnen and His Ss-Legio.......2004-02-07

Excellent book, highly advisable for all those interested ones in knowing more envelope the European volunteers that combatted against the Bolshevism in the Oriental Front. To know what it motivated them that they waited and why they made it.

Comprehensive study.......2003-04-24

This book is a comprehensive study of the Flemish volunteers in the German army. Most parts are very readable , but the personal reflections on the battle at Narva become a bit repetitive. Improvements would have been the use of maps. The action accounts are somewhat brief and lacking in detail (as often is the case with such war memoirs). But a good read.

Comprehensive study.......2003-04-24

Average customer rating:

Book 1
I don't play the game but I found my first Warhammer 40K novel to be a blast!.
Dude, where's my arm?
Ready to read the best book in 40k?
If only there was a sequal...

13th Legion (Last Chancers)
Gavin Thorpe
Manufacturer: Black Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Across a hundred blasted war-zones, upon a dozen bloody worlds, the convict soldiers of the Thirteenth Legion fight a desperate battle for redemption in the eyes of the immortal Emperor. In this endless war against savage orks, merciless eldar and the insidious threat of Chaos, Kage and the Last Chancers penal battalion must fight not only to win but to survive!

Customer Reviews:

Book 1.......2006-05-30

This title is actually the first book in "The Last Chancers" trilogy. This novel was released in January 2001. The Thirteenth Legion is made up by convict soldiers. They are led and controlled by Colonel Schaeffer. There are times I believed the colonel went out of his way to make the men despise him; especially Lieutenant Kage. In this episode, the men must battle a merciless eldar, orks, and other Chaos minions. If they lose, they die. If they win, they go on to the next suicide mission. The men in the legion are all traitors. This is their last chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of the Emperor. They seldom work together as a real team though. Each man looks out only for himself. And if they ever got the chance, they would kill Colonel Schaeffer in an instant.

***** Author Gav Thorpe did an excellent job in making believable characters, even if they are more than just a bit on the darker side. Each of these titles are good reads; however, if you want all three titles of the trilogy, as well as two short stories that help tie them together, consider purchasing ISBN: 1844163008. If you want to keep it all separate, then purchasing the stand alone novels is the way to go. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I don't play the game but I found my first Warhammer 40K novel to be a blast!........2006-02-14

The hook for Warhammer 40,000, "In the grim darkness of the far-future there is only war" says it all. It's the 41st millennia and mankind is besieged on its many galactic fronts by different alien enemies, demons from the nether-region-like Warp, and threatened from within by civil war. As harsh as the Imperiam is, it's the last hope for the survival of the human race.

Thorpe takes the "Dirty Dozen" plot and pumps it chuck-full of super steroids and drops it in this WH40K universe, to create the penal legion, lovingly nick-named the Last Chancers. Lt. Kage and his fellow convicted criminals may have been better-off to serve out their life sentences in various prisons then to have been given a chance for redemption by the heartless Colonel Schaeffer. The pardons they've been promised for their military-service is always one more unknown and miserable battle-field away. Will they all only achieve absolution for their sins post-humanously or are any of them hard enough to survive to the Colonel's ultimate plan?

Dude, where's my arm?.......2003-12-16

Bloody carnage? Hopeless battles against impossible odds? Violent psychopaths let loose on the battlefield? Yes, this book has all these things, and manages to weave it all into a pretty fun plot with interesting characters! Our protagonist is Kage, the psychopathic member of the 13th penal legion, a unit led by the mysterious Colonol on an endless succession of suicide missions. Quite the departure from Dan Abnett's more conventional infantry stories, this book is all about the anti-hero.

Ready to read the best book in 40k?.......2002-06-28

At first it was hard to understand mainly because its from a Imperial Guard Penial Leigon. But i then found my self hooked into the book. Battles and Life and Death situations kept me reading and reading. Looking forward to reading Kill Team. This book is a must especailly because of Lorii!! Once you begin reading 'bout her you will never stop reading!

If only there was a sequal..........2002-06-16

I really wish there was a sequal to this...

Anyway, this is a great book about a Penal Legion called the Last Chancers. While reading this book I was thinking about giving it 4 stars since the battles didn't seem to have a purpose, but at the end it all comes together and makes sense. It is nice reading a book that doesn't have a good law-abiding hero for the main character, and this guy knocks out people's teeth, isn't afraid of killing people, and as I said, is in a Penal Legion.

Customer Reviews:

Homefall a trip not to remember.......2002-12-12

I really liked the series of the last legion but I have to agree with my peers. This book wasnt the best of the series. If you think to much about the story or the plot you wont be happy with the book. The ending is terrible...It was like Chris had to hurry up and end the book because his dead line was up or something. Read it lightly...but you should read it just so you have idea what happened to the Confederation (if you havent figured it out anyhow) and why none of the ships returned that set off for the Cumbre system.

Lets get a little realism in here shall we?.......2002-05-23

Having bought and read all four of the Lost Legion books, I think I'd like to apply for a refund. These books, especially this last one, are simply a warmed over mishmash of plots and escapades stolen right out of Cole's and Bunch's Sten books. In fact, once or twice, I almost expected to see Sten and whats-his-face and the rest of the Mantis crunchies pop up to topple a government or three, blow up a battleship or six and outsmart every government official and hostile intelligence officer in the galaxy WITHOUT working up a sweat! I especially like the way our two heroes manage to talk their hardbitten, tough as nails, regular officer commanding general in to authorizing this ridiculous "circus" recce mission in about half an hour. The middle of this book is the toppling govts, etc, as they try to find out what happened to the Confederation and the conclusion is a ridicuolous all-out firefight as the Circus (elephants, tigers, horses, midgets, clowns and all) fights its way through a huge bloodthirsty mob--killing about 5,000 people while taking about 10 casualties of their own--to their spaceship and takes off for home and safety. Oh yes, on their way, they blow up another gigantic battleship and a few patrol-craft and blow away a few hundred (thousand?) more morons blocking their path.

This book is the weakest of a weak series by the author. I suggest you save your money. If you want to, pick it up (cheap)at a used book store as its not the worst thing out there. The first two books aren't too bad though if you can find them used. Pick them up for a lazy day at the beach.

I would suggest sticking to the first three or four of the Sten books if you want to read about govts overthrown, battleships blown up, and all sorts of other nasty special ops stuff that is somewhat more plausibly done than this book.

Another enjoyable book in the series.......2001-09-08

A very good read, nothing very deep or thought provoking, but a very enjoyable book. Fans of The Honor series by David Weber or the Starfist series by David Sherman should enjoy. Again, not a deep book, but very enjoyable and quite funny at times (but only when it is intentional)

Instead of Golden Fleece; slimy sack of sheep shearings.......2001-08-29

The quest for the Confederation begins. The vehicle is a recon done by circus. What could be more unthreatening than a circus? Like any quest tale, our heroes encounter travails and setbacks. A breakaway segment that purports to be the Confederation, a system where they are ignoring the fact that the Confederation has fallen, a government that has spawned an ultimate machine politics, and on and on. Each stop is more bewildering than the last. This is Bunch's best book so far. The Sten books were good, but this is the best of his series and his work so far. Bunch still needs to work on the depth of his characters. I mean, too many of his characters are very thin and their motivation is not really explained. You want a good read that makes the time fly, this is IT. Homefall delivers the action without insulting your intelligence. The ending is believable, though not welcome. Watch this series. Cumbre is looks to be a Byzantine Empire in the making. After the fall of Rome, civilization in Europe shifted to Constantinople. So it seems with this series.

Homefall by Chris Bunch.......2001-08-28

If you liked the first three books in this series you will like this one.Moves along at a good pace,continues to develop the main characters,and adds just enough new characters to keep everything interesting.Well worth the money!

Firemask: Book Two of the Last Legion (The Last Legion, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Sequel
Better than the first
Bunch solo military SF saga continues
typical Bunch
A fitting second book in this series.

Firemask: Book Two of the Last Legion (The Last Legion, Book 2)
Chris Bunch
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451456874

Book Description

Short on supplies and support, the Cumbre system is left vulnerable to an alien race bent on universal domination. Only the never-say-die members of The Legion stand in their way--armed with pride and fighting for glory...

"Chris Bunch delivers complex plots, intrigue, and great descriptive narratives of battle and combat."-- SF Site

"Bunch knows how to mold heroes, how to keep the pace fast, and how to create exciting scenes of battlefield mayhem and convincing webs of political intrigue."-- Publishers Weekly

"Bunch's battle sequences are second to none."-- Oregonian

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Sequel.......2007-08-04

Chris can write a good "male" romance with just enough romance to string the action together. A fun read, and fairly fast, but engaging.

Better than the first.......2003-02-19

I liked this book better than the first in the series, which I thought was a little too underdeveloped. The characters in this one were developed a little better, and I thought the interaction with the Musth made for a more exciting story than did the conflict with the Raum. But the book still had problems with the culture and slang that seemed made up and forced, but maybe that is just a personal preference. This one at least made me want to read the next book.

Bunch solo military SF saga continues.......2002-07-18

Before reading this novel I would highly recommend reading the first book, The Last Legion. Bunch does an adequate job of filling in some blanks for a brand new reader, but to truly grasp the background and implications of the Musth/Cumbrian war it helps to have read The Last Legion beforehand.

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit, finding it solidly written in Bunch's trademark style. Njangu and Garvin, the series' primary characters, are cement-booted cynics forever thumbing their noses at authority while finding purpose and even a little idealism amidst the chaos of war. The Musth aliens are interesting and explored fairly well, with Alikhan the rebel Musth proving to be the most compelling of all. Fans of the Sten series will find Firemask--and the entire Last Legion series--familiar, yet different just the same.

As with The Last Legion, Firemask resolves itself only after pointing the reader in the inevitable direction of the next book. Where the Cumbrian civil war of the first book set the stage for the Musth invasion, so does the Musth invasion set the stage for a showdown with Redruth's combined Larix/Kura armies, which occurs in the third novel, titled Stormforce.

As with my review of The Last Legion, while Firemask is hardly a masterpiece, I think it's a great starter book (starter series?) for teenaged and college aged readers who are ready to break out of reading purely media-related SF like Star Wars or Star Trek. Advanced and/or Hard SF readers may not flip for this novel, but it's a nice entry-level read for someone looking to expand their SF reading horizons.

Besides, Bunch still writes some the most harry-knuckled military SF in the business. Top grit.

typical Bunch.......2000-04-23

It is enjoyable easy reading. I wish that the author would go into greater detail when discribing future war machines. The main characters are likeable, the plot plausible, and if you like his previous books-read this one.

A fitting second book in this series........2000-03-29

The two con men from the first book are back in the second, and are now in charge. The book continues where the first left off. If you are a fan of the "Sten" series, then this series, at least from the military standpoint continues in that direction. I would have given the book a five rating, but it skips around some, leaving you wanting to skip around to find out what happens. A good read, however.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as the last book in the series
Bunch is Best
Reminds me of STEN.

Storm Force (The Last Legion, Book 3)
Chris Bunch
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451456882
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Book Description

The Last Legion sends one of their top intelligence officers behind enemy lines to infiltrate the upper echelon of a ruthless dictator and stop him from spreading his rule across the galaxy....

"Bunch knows how to keep the pace fast, and how to create exciting battlefield mayhem."-Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Last Legion:

"Fans of Bunch's previous books will not be disappointed."-SF Site Featured Review

"A powerful piece of military science fiction...starkly real. Bunch's military tone and sense of atmosphere will delight fans of military SF."-Affair de Coeur

And the novels of Chris Bunch:

"Glorious swashbuckling...Absolutely riveting."-Locus

"Well-written books with complex plots, intrigue, and great descriptive narratives of battle and conflict."-SF Site Featured Review

"Thoughtful and well-crafted." -Publishers Weekly

"Excellent fantasy adventure."-Science Fiction Chronicle

• 3rd novel in The Last Legion

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as the last book in the series.......2003-02-19

This was ok. I was hoping with the second book that this series was heating up a little bit. But I think this one slowed down a little bit and was not as exciting as the last. There was still plenty going on, and I did like the book, but I was really hoping for more. I'll probably keep reading this series, but I hope the next book improves on this one.

Bunch is Best.......2001-05-18

I loved the Sten books written with Alan Cole and I love this series as well. This third book is the best of the three. It made me long for the next book in the series. Chris if you ever read these - write more stories in this series!!!

Reminds me of STEN........2000-10-27

The first two books in this series were quasi-military books, while not real indepth, were pretty good. This one goes into the spy game, and reminds me of the middle Sten books. Not quite as fragmented as the second book of this series, and a good read. I enjoyed it.

Captains of the Host and Christ's Last Legion (1 and 2)

Average customer rating:

Captains of the Host and Christ's Last Legion (1 and 2)
A.W. Spalding
Manufacturer: Review and Herald
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NRRWTW

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Christ's Last Legion
Arthur W. Spalding
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1417987006

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