What do you think?
Rate this book
Quintus Roman Thrillers #1
Legionary
Death by your comrades’ hands…
17 BC
Julius Quintus Quirinius, like many citizens in the years after Rome’s civil wars, must volunteer with the Roman army or be sold into slavery.
Keen to prove his worth, he becomes a member of the IXth Legion, but after only six months his cohort suffer a brutal defeat, the result of stupidity and cowardice.
Cowardice in a legionary carries a heavy punishment: the sentence of decimation - to live or die at the whim of the gods with the unlucky ones clubbed to death by their fellow soldiers.
Ursus, the man killed in Quintus’ group, lays a heavy charge on the youth, asking him to look after the remaining men and to take care of his family back in Rome.
Keen to fulfil Ursus’ last wishes, Quintus helps lead his cohort south to defeat the tribesmen skulking in the mountains in the hope that the IXth legion’s reputation will be restored.
But if they win the fight, their reward may not be the prize they had hoped for… And it soon seems as if returning to Rome is further out of reach than ever…
17 BC
Julius Quintus Quirinius, like many citizens in the years after Rome’s civil wars, must volunteer with the Roman army or be sold into slavery.
Keen to prove his worth, he becomes a member of the IXth Legion, but after only six months his cohort suffer a brutal defeat, the result of stupidity and cowardice.
Cowardice in a legionary carries a heavy punishment: the sentence of decimation - to live or die at the whim of the gods with the unlucky ones clubbed to death by their fellow soldiers.
Ursus, the man killed in Quintus’ group, lays a heavy charge on the youth, asking him to look after the remaining men and to take care of his family back in Rome.
Keen to fulfil Ursus’ last wishes, Quintus helps lead his cohort south to defeat the tribesmen skulking in the mountains in the hope that the IXth legion’s reputation will be restored.
But if they win the fight, their reward may not be the prize they had hoped for… And it soon seems as if returning to Rome is further out of reach than ever…
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2023
570 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 25, 2023
This is a story of some friends in the legions of Rome fighting the Spanish under Caesar Agustus. The book starts with a decimation (troops killing 1 out of 10 of their own century drawn at random) for running in the face of the enemy without orders to withdraw.
There is a lot of good in this; most of the details are well researched and detailed, the soldiers are all properly superstitious and god-bothered, and the tactics are well stated. The tendency of building an entire camp including a ditch, roads, and a palisade after each march was also shown. The troops have reasonable interactions and ranks, proper equipment, etc.
At the same time some of the terminology is inaccurate (no Roman soldier thought of demons or the spirits of the dead as "djinn", for example) and the tone is unrelentingly miserable, bleak, and awful. Friends are turned against each other for the slightest thing. People are filled with mean spirited grudges and sulking fits over minor incidents. The one light hearted, happy go lucky guy halfway through the book turns into a grim, angry prophet muttering about curses and omens, and stays that way for the rest of the book even when proved wrong.
Overall its not a very pleasant read as a result, missing most of the camaraderie of military life and the way young men even in bad circumstances are generally fun and filled with rough humor.
There is a lot of good in this; most of the details are well researched and detailed, the soldiers are all properly superstitious and god-bothered, and the tactics are well stated. The tendency of building an entire camp including a ditch, roads, and a palisade after each march was also shown. The troops have reasonable interactions and ranks, proper equipment, etc.
At the same time some of the terminology is inaccurate (no Roman soldier thought of demons or the spirits of the dead as "djinn", for example) and the tone is unrelentingly miserable, bleak, and awful. Friends are turned against each other for the slightest thing. People are filled with mean spirited grudges and sulking fits over minor incidents. The one light hearted, happy go lucky guy halfway through the book turns into a grim, angry prophet muttering about curses and omens, and stays that way for the rest of the book even when proved wrong.
Overall its not a very pleasant read as a result, missing most of the camaraderie of military life and the way young men even in bad circumstances are generally fun and filled with rough humor.
May 23, 2024
An enjoyable read with engaging characters. 4⭐️
January 29, 2024
Didn't like this book at all.
March 17, 2023
When we meet Quintus it is his first time at a cowards ceremony and he watches Augustus one of his mentors and a good man pick the white stone but because most respect him his death will be quick and painless. As for those who pick the white stone that were also the cause of needing the ceremony their debts will not come so swiftly. Quintas is new to the Roman military and although he carries his self with dignity and integrity there’s still things he’ll have to learn but he keeps good company and is respected and look at like a leader by most. Every soldier dreams at home and although they are not at war they still have battles to fight and journeys that will take him far from home. He is still young and he will be tested physically mentally and spiritually. There was so much I wanted to say about this book and things that happen in the book but I didn’t want to give anything away but what I will say is there has to be a second book… Right? There’s no way there’s not going to be another this book was so good and the way it ended leaves room for the next book that is the one I am definitely waiting on. I have never read a book by Neil Digby before but trust me when I say I am definitely reading the next one. I love Quintas it cannot wait to see where he goes and what happens to him and Britannia it’s a zip we’re getting to see a hero in the making a warrior taking baby steps and I am down for it. I love this book and highly recommend it I received it from NetGalley into The publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
March 4, 2025
Good start to Roman Historical Series
Thoroughly enjoyed Book 1 of the Quintus series. The use of apostrophe rather than quotation marks to set off dualogue was jarring at first, and the firmer English teacher in me almost gave up in chapter one. I pushed thru and eventually accepted the author's non-standard punctuation because the story was so compelling.
Neil Denby takes us to Rome in the opening days of its Empire. We become legionaires--marching, fighting, following foolish leaders into battle. LEGIONARY is rich with sensory and visual details of daily life in a Roman legion.
Well written and engaging, this book was both exciting and informative, a hard combination to achieve.
Highly recommend.
Thoroughly enjoyed Book 1 of the Quintus series. The use of apostrophe rather than quotation marks to set off dualogue was jarring at first, and the firmer English teacher in me almost gave up in chapter one. I pushed thru and eventually accepted the author's non-standard punctuation because the story was so compelling.
Neil Denby takes us to Rome in the opening days of its Empire. We become legionaires--marching, fighting, following foolish leaders into battle. LEGIONARY is rich with sensory and visual details of daily life in a Roman legion.
Well written and engaging, this book was both exciting and informative, a hard combination to achieve.
Highly recommend.
July 31, 2023
geographically challenging
In the final scenes (spoiler alert) they sail from Brigantia (Corruna) eastwards along the coast of Spain. Then after one night they get caught in a storm for a few hours and then find themselves on the coast of Britain.
They must have been doing about 80 knots!
Otherwise the story line was a bit repetitive - and indeed the number of times they all got wet through I’m surprised they did not all get pneumonia.
And once again this is only the first part of a story - so many loose ends. The idea today is to write a novel and then split it into two halves and sell it as two books - a bit of a con.
In the final scenes (spoiler alert) they sail from Brigantia (Corruna) eastwards along the coast of Spain. Then after one night they get caught in a storm for a few hours and then find themselves on the coast of Britain.
They must have been doing about 80 knots!
Otherwise the story line was a bit repetitive - and indeed the number of times they all got wet through I’m surprised they did not all get pneumonia.
And once again this is only the first part of a story - so many loose ends. The idea today is to write a novel and then split it into two halves and sell it as two books - a bit of a con.
January 29, 2025
The book has a great plot which I enjoyed, but all the time I was nagged by a doubt this could not have been real. Macro and Cato can go galloping around the Empire, but a small unit like the one in this book?
I also had some trouble keeping up with all the characters in the contubernium. There was a a lot going on and the relationships between the characters became quite hard to follow. There seemed to be no single hero to become emotionally attached to, though I suspect it was meant to be Quintus. Some of the 'promotions' did not ring true either.
Will I buy the next one? I'd have to think about that.
I also had some trouble keeping up with all the characters in the contubernium. There was a a lot going on and the relationships between the characters became quite hard to follow. There seemed to be no single hero to become emotionally attached to, though I suspect it was meant to be Quintus. Some of the 'promotions' did not ring true either.
Will I buy the next one? I'd have to think about that.
July 24, 2025
( Format : Audiobook )
"Stand and wait; javelin prepare!"
Superb. A real feeling of being there, close and intimate in the close but brutal day by day life of he Roman soldier at war: the anger, brutality, fear and determination, comeradery, trust, but also isolation. The determination to survive and the sometime unfairness of every day life. So immersive and with an excellent performance by narrator, Matthew Lloyd Davirs.
Highly recommended to those readers, who like me, enjoy delving into the ancient Roman times: Time now to return to Britannia and the small group of colleagues just arriving on her shores.
"Stand and wait; javelin prepare!"
Superb. A real feeling of being there, close and intimate in the close but brutal day by day life of he Roman soldier at war: the anger, brutality, fear and determination, comeradery, trust, but also isolation. The determination to survive and the sometime unfairness of every day life. So immersive and with an excellent performance by narrator, Matthew Lloyd Davirs.
Highly recommended to those readers, who like me, enjoy delving into the ancient Roman times: Time now to return to Britannia and the small group of colleagues just arriving on her shores.
August 11, 2023
How can I tell you about liking this book? Well, I ordered the next edition, which is due for a release in the near future - and I NEVER order books in advance.
A nicely balanced look at the structure and working of the Roman army, and the characters who make up the ranks. It incorporates moments in history - sort of - but the structure and mechanics of life in that structure is well-detailed and moves nicely along with the external plot.
Great story - and I look forward to the next edition.
A nicely balanced look at the structure and working of the Roman army, and the characters who make up the ranks. It incorporates moments in history - sort of - but the structure and mechanics of life in that structure is well-detailed and moves nicely along with the external plot.
Great story - and I look forward to the next edition.
October 11, 2025
A fantastic read for anyone interested in ancient Rome. Wonderful, relatable characters tell the story of an interesting group of brothers-in-arms as they try to live up to the ideals of the Roman army in the early days of the Roman Empire. I listened to this book. My favorite narrator, Matthew Lloyd Davies, brings the characters to life. For a first novel, it is remarkably polished and engaging. The author, Neil Denby, seems very knowledgeable about the Roman army and the life of a legionary. I look forward to listening to the other books in this series.
March 11, 2024
Ok but not great.
A decent story told at a pace to excite, with both action and information to hold my attention.
However the number of characters, their positions and interactions became a little confusing and made it hard work to follow at times.
It was enjoyable enough for me to follow on now that the troop has landed in Britannia but it is probably the lure of my home nation location that attracts most.
A decent story told at a pace to excite, with both action and information to hold my attention.
However the number of characters, their positions and interactions became a little confusing and made it hard work to follow at times.
It was enjoyable enough for me to follow on now that the troop has landed in Britannia but it is probably the lure of my home nation location that attracts most.
June 30, 2023
2.5 * Un enchainement de déplacements et de combats par la 9e légion romaine vus à travers un groupe de légionnaires Beaucoup de descriptions (armements, camps etc) que je crois bien documentées Cependant je ne me suis attaché à aucun des protagonistes malgré la dureté de leurs vies Pas certain donc d'avoir envie de lire les suites ...
December 4, 2023
well paced,
The grisly punishments written in a matter of fact way, talk of the Gods, luck and misfortune presented in a matter of fact way gives a good view of the Romans. I love the fact that factions and in-fighting among the men are so believable.
Kim looking forward to the second book.
The grisly punishments written in a matter of fact way, talk of the Gods, luck and misfortune presented in a matter of fact way gives a good view of the Romans. I love the fact that factions and in-fighting among the men are so believable.
Kim looking forward to the second book.
October 23, 2024
Twas interesting to read a book focused on the smallest cell of the Roman army - a group of 10 who lived, worked and fought together. So there is a lot of stuff about the various ranks, how they were organised, dressed fed, military discipline and interacted. But the story itself is so dry.
June 13, 2023
Very solid
Squad based military goodness set in the early days of the Roman Empire. High drama meets danger and intruige. Well done!
Squad based military goodness set in the early days of the Roman Empire. High drama meets danger and intruige. Well done!
December 26, 2023
average read
I found it hard reading too many different names for the characters. Made it hard to follow for a relaxed read.
I found it hard reading too many different names for the characters. Made it hard to follow for a relaxed read.
January 23, 2024
Legionary
It took me a short while to respond positively to this book, I found placing the characters difficult at first. However the novel warned up and I quite enjoyed reading it.
It took me a short while to respond positively to this book, I found placing the characters difficult at first. However the novel warned up and I quite enjoyed reading it.
April 2, 2024
Not great
Huge fan of historical fiction but felt this didn't quite hit the mark. Repetitive, slow paced and brushed over key detail which would have enhanced the storyline.
Huge fan of historical fiction but felt this didn't quite hit the mark. Repetitive, slow paced and brushed over key detail which would have enhanced the storyline.
August 15, 2024
Took some getting into, but I'm now enjoying their adventures and looking forward to Book 2
November 18, 2024
Not bad for his first book, I agree with some of the comments that it was repeatable at times
July 17, 2024
Great idea let down by poor characterisation. In the any too many partially developed characters that it was difficult to care about any of them.
September 4, 2024
Exciting. IX legion Hispania in that country during reign of Augustus, story of one contubernium through their joys and sorrows. Finally, after battling tribesmen, they are given a secret mission, unlike what they have been told previously. I hope to read more of Quintus and his comrades. I liked the bond forged among these men.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews