When Senator Aulus Aemilius Galba is tapped to lead the first Roman mission to China, he anticipates an easy path to fame and fortune. Gaius Lucullus sees a bright military future, but his reluctant centurion Antonius Aristides would rather be somewhere else. Translators Marcia Lucia and her brother Marcus were taken from their village in China to serve the Han court, abused and despised, hiding a horrible secret. A notorious Arab pirate, with a Roman price on his head and crucifixion in his future, shadows the entourage, seeking the wealthy prize of their treasure-laden ships. But Fate has other plans for these unlikely companions, sending them together on a journey that will take them thousands of miles by sea and land across the tapestry of the mysterious worlds at the close of the first century. From the storm-tossed Indian Ocean to the opulent Hanaean court, from the wild grassy steppes north of China to the forbidding peaks of the Pamir Mountains of Bactria, they fight for their lives, hoping to find the road that will lead them back to Rome.
The Eagle and the Dragon, a Novel of Rome and China is one of the most detailed, captivating and extraordinary pieces of literature I have read in a long time. The Eagle and the Dragon is a novel that instantly charmed me from the description alone; when I read the description and noticed that themes of Rome and China, combined with politics and a voyage I knew that I had to read the book and share it with you lovely readers. The story that unfolds throughout the book is full of intelligence and entertaining literature that will have readers turning the pages with haste thanks to how compelling the story is and how fantastic the literature, courtesy of Lewis F. McIntyre is. If you are a reader who is looking to get lost in a historical journey that will introduce you to a century unlike our own and bewitching beauty and fascinating landscapes then The Eagle and the Dragon is for you, so do not miss out!
The Eagle and the Dragon is a book that is over five hundred pages long with a thick, multi-layered story and although the book is bulky and may scare some of you readers away, please do not let it because the long read is worth it! The story may be extensive but throughout it, the reader will be enticed with glorious descriptions and enigmatic and even lovable characters that will keep you reading until the very end. The scale of the plot is sweeping but I will try my best to simplify it for you in a few sentences!
The Eagle and the Dragon follows many characters throughout the journey and these characters all have an individual story which is intriguing. The premise of the book, however, revolves around Senator Aulus Aemilius Galba who has been tasked to put together and partake on a voyage to the Hanae kingdom to have an audience with the Emperor. Many on his voyage will accompany senator Aulus and two, of these people, are Marcus and Marcia, a brother and sister who work as translators on the journey who have also been tasked with informing the others on Hanae customs. However, Marcus and Marcia are hiding a secret and Marcia, despite being a delegate’s concubine, falls in love with somebody and of course, this causes problems.
The voyage the characters go on is a tumultuous one, full of twists and turns galore so if you are a reader who loves to be seized by an unpredictable journey that is enticing as well as electrifying at the same time then The Eagle and the Dragon is for you! The story that unfolds throughout the book is an incredibly absorbing one because it has all the right components of an accomplished story. The book has unique characters who will provoke thoughts in readers, for example, some readers will hate a particular full-length and love another, and that is the beauty of the characterization courtesy of McIntyre. The book also has a rich amount of history laced throughout the book that will satisfy and delight those who love history or are intrigued by history and lastly, the novel has breathtaking literature which is well thought out, well written and brilliantly executed so overall The Eagle and the Dragon full-length is a magnificent story!
Lewis F. McIntyre is the author of The Eagle and the Dragon, and his author bio states that this novel is his first full length book and wow, what an accomplishment! Most authors for a first time full-length novel would choose an easy topic to write about and do it in around three hundred pages but not McIntyre, oh no, he has decided to challenge himself and write an incredibly in-depth, knowledgeable book full of history and length and it has certainly paid off! I can honestly write that despite the book being extensive, I was entertained from the start to the very end. McIntyre has a way with words, and he manages to quickly draw his readers in and keep them hooked with his superb plot devices (such as twists and turns) and sparkling descriptions that will have the reader imagining themselves in the book, on the ship, and on the voyage.
Overall The Eagle and the Dragon is a dramatic piece of historical fiction that has the ability to allure readers with a wealth of historical content, memorable characters who are all well developed and flawlessly created and superb literature that will have readers reading with amazement. The Eagle and the Dragon of course gets five stars from me!
Thank you so much for reading book lovers! I appreciate it so much and love discussing wonderful books with all of you so please, comment below and let me know your thoughts on The Eagle and the Dragon; do you see yourself reading this book? Let me know all of those brilliant thoughts of yours below! Thank you so much again for reading!
Goodbye, for now, book lovers,
P.S. Here is a preview of the book for all of you lovely readers to enjoy! Please have a read of the preview and if you find that you have loved what you have read then all you need to do is click the Buy on Amazon button and it will take you straight to the book on Amazon U.S.! If you are in the U.K. then below I have attached a link to the book for the Amazon U.K. I have also attached some links about the author and this wonderful book! Thank you so much again for reading book lovers, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this book.
Amazon U.S. – Amazon U.K. – Goodreads
Lewis F. McIntyre: Website –Facebook Page for The Eagle and the Dragon – Facebook Page for Come Follow Me For Pilate And Jesus – Facebook
I truly appreciate Aimee Ann’s exhaustive review of this book, my first review of my first full-length book. This book was inspired twenty years ago, when I read in “The Ancient Mariners” by Lionel Cassin, of an actual Roman mission to China in 166AD. This could not have been the first such mission, as the two emperors knew each other by name. But accounts of the first mission came up blank. I was inspired to recreate that first mission with as much historical accuracy as I could, and all of the tension of a first mission which will never go… Read more »