The Gladiator cover art

The Gladiator

Eagles of the Empire, Book 9

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The Gladiator

By: Simon Scarrow
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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About this listen

The Gladiator is the compelling ninth novel in Simon Scarrow's best-selling Eagles of the Empire series. A must read for fans of Bernard Cornwell.

While centurions Macro and Cato are returning to Rome from a harrowing campaign against the Parthians, their transport ship is almost capsized by a tidal wave. They barely make it to the port of Matala in Crete where they are stunned to find a devastated town. An earthquake has struck the island, destroying its cities and killing thousands. In the chaotic aftermath, large bands of the island's slaves begin to revolt and local bandits, taking advantage of the slave rebellion, urge the Cretans to overthrow the Roman administration. With many of the island's troops either killed or wounded during the earthquake, the governor of the province calls on Macro and Cato for help. Can they move swiftly enough to counter the rebellion before it sweeps the Romans from the island?

©2009 Simon Scarrow (P)2012 Headline Digital Fiction Historical Fiction Natural Disaster Scary

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Critic reviews

"I don't need this kind of compeition." (Bernard Cornwall)
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The story was the best in the series so far. It's been good all the way. I have a profound hatred for Ajax now. So on to the next book!

Best book in the series so far.

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An exciting romp through Roman Crete in the aftermath of a leveling earthquake. Slightly predictable however those parts are quite enjoyable. The narrative from the villain (the gladiator) is a bit incoherent; does he want freedom or vengeance? also hated the way the narrator pronounced the gladiator's name...Good listen though, would recommend.

Macro and Cato back on form!

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For me I find the romantic storyline irritating and stretching the imagination to believe that a Senator would consent to his daughter’s relationship with a soldier.

I thought the narration not up to the usual standard and found it difficult to differentiate between the main characters and his impression of Julia awful.

But for all that, this is another excellent book in this series and I am looking forward to the next one.

Excellent Plot, but Too Much Romance!

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Couldn't put it down, built to a fantastic finale. Where's the next book! I'm going to be very sad when I eventually get to the end of this series.

Another fantastic book with Macro & Cato

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For the same reason that pop groups keep popular by making similar sounding music that theircfans are familiar with so Simon Scarrows weaves new adaptations of familiarcthemes around two familiar and much loved heros. Sameish ? yes disappointed ? no, and on to the next adventure

A truely excellent series of novls. Simon Scarrow

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loved it will carry on reading and listening as long as Simon keeps writing excellent

excellent

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I started listening to this series of audio books a few weeks ago, thinking that I may enjoy a little escapism for a change – a break from the endless management books I seemed to have been listening to.
The discovery of the Eagles of the Empire series has been a blessing – and a curse!
I have been transported to an age where I can almost hear the screams of battle, the clash of steel and the crumble of battlements. But this book, and the series, is so much more. Carrow draws you into a mixture of heroism, political intrigue and conquest. His characters are richly portrayed; fallible, likeable heroes and desperate, often psychotic villains – all set against a backdrop woven so skilfully, it feels like the narrative is an account rather than a tale.

Keeble draws all of this together in his narration extremely successfully. His pace and timbre change to suit the mood of the moment and his vocalisation of the characters is absolutely perfect. Macro, a rough, grizzled veteran Centurion whose often crass exterior belies a deeper thinker with sensitivities he buries deep inside. Cato, an often unlikely hero who is a strategist, a General in the making and a future ‘big hitter’ on the political scene (who knows what the other books will bring??!!).

The curse – it is costing me a fortune in both time and money!! I cannot stop listening to them. My family have taken a poor second place. I barely remember a car journey. I sit isolated in my own lounge as my wife watches endless drivel on the TV and has now annexed the Tivo box and I sit, headphones glued to my head. I take my phone in the shower, in the kitchen, the bedroom! Damn you Carrow!

I cannot commend this series of audiobooks highly enough and I am terrified that they will run out before too long! Carpe Diem – give it a download.

Fantastic Books

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This was a great listen - the story really let's Cato show his maturity and Macro show his experience which would win the day. Ajax was also a great character to throw into the mix for personal a vendetta

loved it

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Read these many years ago and now re visiting them via audible
Love Keeble please keep him for the rest of the series he compliments the book and brings a new life and different aspect via the narration

On to next one

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it sucks you into a world of combat, politics and friendship. Refusing to let you go until you know the fate of each character. It let's you like every character and begrudgingly you respect the bad guys.
I will be revisiting this author again.

great story that sucks you into another world

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