Foreign Legions

Earth Legions #2

by David Drake, David Weber, Mark L. Van Name

A collection of novellas by some of today's most acclaimed science fiction writers--including David Drake, David Weber, Eric Flint, S. M. Stirling, and Mark L. Van Name--chronicles the exploits and adventures of guilds of star-traveling merchants and their not-so-obedient human slaves and mercenaries.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Military Science Fiction, Ebooks, Military Fiction, Short Stories, War

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the major authors of the military science fiction genre.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of five stories set in the same universe as David Drake's novel Ranks of Bronze, as well as the original short story from which that novel grew. The cover proclaims "Featuring a short novel by David Weber!" which struck me as a little odd since it's a Drake book, but what the hey. I didn't particularly care for the Weber story, which was later expanded to novel length, though I found his toying with Asimov's Laws amusing. There are stories by S.M. Stirling and Eric Flint that fit with the setting and concept of the original novel quite well but didn't strike me as being as well written. There's also a story by Drake himself that's very good, with the same setting but with different characters. I thought the best story in the book was by Mark L. Van Name, though it doesn't seem to fit in with the premise much at all.

[Dixie Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of short stories in the universe started by Ranks of Bronze. The first story is the short story that eventually became that book. The short story is much better than the book. While it also lacks a lot of explanation, because of its very status as a short story, it can get away with that. The second story in this book is an abbreviated version of The Excalibur Alternative, which is the third book in the series. (Confused yet?) The other stories are original material, although sticking to the main theme of an alien trading guild that's imported primitive humans to wage its wars for it.

I particularly liked Eric Flint's contribution to the book, which is the last story, 'Carthago delenda est', which is the tale of another slave race to the trading guilds that decides to throw its lot in with the Romans in its own way and the results thereof. I particularly liked the image of contemporary naval vessels having been refitted for space and serving as Earth's spacefleet. And, in one case, a restored Roman vessel, of which is said, “They could at least stop rowing the damned oars!” Very amusing.

A good set of stories, all well-told. Much better than I was expecting after the disappointing start of the series in Ranks of Bronze.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthology: Romans in space

This is a collection of short stories based on the Ranks of Bronze universe created by David Drake. It seems the Baen Authors all got together and added to the opus. Especially David Weber who contributed a prototype for his later book the Excalibur Alternative, and Eric Flint gives very satisfying conclusion for the Romans who were left dangling at the end of the Ranks of Bronze original book. S.M. Sterling and Mark van Name also contributed. Some got into the gestault better than others but all added to the saga.

I read Weber's book first and didn't realize that the concept had come originally from David Drake, in other words the Romans were first. Great idea and Jim Baen was right to push for a continuance. Nice anthology.

[Prospectavebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

I loved "Ranks of Bronze" and wondered why no sequel ever appeared. Surprisingly an email to David Drake elicited a response and pointed out this book. Mr. Drake had never intended a sequel but the publisher tricked him into cooperating with this book. Joy! A worthy conclusion to the saga!

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first book of the Trilogy. Good stories with only one being to "modern." The stories are engaging and fun to read. Characterization is fine. By following the advise of a reviewer for the first book I read this trilogy in order of 3-1-2. I agree that is the best order to read these books>

[Lirio Dendron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow reading! The first two stories of this bundle are short forms of the first and the last books of the trilogy, so nothing new or special. The next are nice, but nothing more. Only the last story really interested me and moved me to read on.

[Aaron Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the final short story in this collection. I only read this sequel because I was left wondering after the end of book 1. As far as I could tell nothing until the final story was about the period after book 1.

[Larry Renger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gets better and better

I loved the first book and this short story collection widens the scope and cast of characters.

More it broadens the range of eras for stories.

I will dive into the next volume with glee.

[David Haddon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and quick anthology. Interesting seeing how different SF authors weave stories into the common universe. And fun to compare writing styles.

I should have re-read Ranks of Bronze first to do a character refresh, but that is on me. I remembered enough.

[Megan]

DNS 5/8/23 no longer interested

[Guillaume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Les deux premières nouvelles ne sont pas très bonnes, mais les suivante remontent le niveau

[John Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthology

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories to expand on the first book of the series - Ranks of Bronze. The stories are full of action and will hold your interest. A great book!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Publishers Weekly

In his introduction to this solid shared-world anthology, laid in the universe of his novel Ranks of Bronze (in turn developed from a short story reprinted here as the first item), military SF author Drake explains the book's venerable premise: human soldiers (in this case, Romans from the lost legions of Crassus) have been enslaved by star-traveling aliens who need low-tech mercenaries. Of the stories, David Weber's "Sir George and the Dragon," Drake's "Lambs to the Slaughter" and S.M. Stirling's "The Three Walls 32nd Campaign" are all conventional if substantially above-average military SF. (It's hard to resist a centurion nicknamed Raninunculus, i.e., "Froggy.") Mark L. Van Name's "A Clear Signal" distinguishes itself by its focus on the ethical issues created for humans by access to the aliens' high technology and for aliens by access to a supply of desperate human beings. Finally, Eric Flint's "Carthago Delenda Est" combines passion and zaniness in about equal measure, a mixture that has worked for its author in novel length and now seems to prosper in his shorter pieces. Neither the basic proposition nor most of the development in individual stories will win high marks for originality, but military-historical scholarship and narrative techniques are another matter, as one might expect from the roster of authors. In addition, one learns a good deal about the background of the Roman guilds and federation and how a "benign" federation might look from the point of view of its illegal immigrants doing its dirty work.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Drake's previously published story of an interstellar interpretation of a portion of Roman history ("Ranks of Bronze") becomes the touchstone for this collection, which focuses on the starfaring descendants of displaced Roman legions. From David Weber's revision of the legend of St. George ("Sir George and the Dragon") to Eric Flint's tale of a far future Roman empire ("Carthago Delenda Est"), the six stories create a satisfying fusion of ancient history and far future military sf suitable for most libraries' sf collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good collection of shorter works in Drake's universe about a Roman legion forced to work as mercenaries in space. The stories use the same basis as many of the tales in John Campbell's reign as an editor for Astounding and Analog...that mankind is fairly unique in terms of both innovation and military skill. That isn't new, but these stories blend that concept with an Andre Norton idea of limited, stylized warfare, producing an excellent result.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story collection rather than a single novel.

I skipped the first two completely: the first is the original short version of what was expanded in Ranks of Bronze, and the second was expanded into The Excalibur Alternative.

The middle short stories are mediocre.

The last, which serves as a direct sequel to Ranks of Bronze, is...silly, but fun. It's paced very fast and loose. There's no sense of danger, it's just "have fun watching the humans beat stuff up".

[Steven Vaughan-Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romans in space! What's not to like? This is a set of short stories and novels set in a David Drake universe with the concept that aliens once picked up the remains of a Roman legion for use as mercenaries. None of the other pieces in this collection quite matches the story that started it all, but they're all enjoyable. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes military SF with a big dash of Roman history for good measure.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the stories in this book =
Take a basic premise created by David Drake: massive galactic trading companies - the guilds - kidnap soldiers to fight their battles.
Now have some of the top science fiction writers put their spin on this.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of tales set in the same universe as David Drake's Ranks of Bronze book.

[Lynn Calvin]

baen ebook

[Joshy]

bit weird reading the short story version of the excalibur alternative

[Rick Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

short stories. Wasn't expecting that but still pretty good.