*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

 

Stephen Anderson is an insurance investigator for Worthor Corporation and he’s very good at his job, saving his company millions of dollars in claims as he solves cases involving missing items. He’s just retrieved the stolen mask of King Tut (earning a cool 5 million) and he doesn’t know it yet, but it has brought him to the attention of some dangerous characters from his past. His real past, not Stephen Anderson’s past. The life he’s built for himself starts to crumble and he needs to call on friends both past and present to save the woman who has jumpstarted his heart. It’s a dog eat dog world and Stephen has no intention of wearing Milkbone underwear.

 

Picking up where Mask of the Pharaoh ends, this story is action-packed from beginning to end. I had to take off one bite for believability (some of it was just way too much ~ no I’m not saying what as that would be a potential spoiler) and that ending (not so much a cliffhanger as an obvious lead into the next book), but for the most part I enjoyed the crap out of this one. After reading two books in this series I don’t know why I’m so surprised at the intelligence and ingenuity of Anderson. He was wasted in his position in the French Foreign Legion. I’m glad his life took a vastly different turn. And if you don’t understand what I’m talking about then you seriously need to go back and read books 1 & 2 in the series. I love that favorite characters return, too.

 

There are several threads in this story that seemingly don’t make sense, but in the end they do. All things are connected. Like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Want a thriller that gives you an exhilarating ride from beginning to end? Then this is the one for you.

*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

 

Sergent Étienne Martin is a Non-Commissioned Officer in the French Foreign Legion stationed at a remote Algerian base. He’s an excellent soldier while on duty and a mean drunk when he’s off. Luckily he has a friend who keeps him out of trouble because the commanders at this base are unforgiving. All Martin wants to do is make it through the last three years of his service. After that, who knows? But he never gets a chance to figure it all out. It’s brought to his attention that millions of Legionnaire Euros are being used to feather someone’s nest. Bringing it to Colonel Rochon should have solved the problem, but Martin is so very wrong. Stay and die or run and be a deserter? Death isn’t acceptable, so run it is. If he survives the desert without dying or getting caught he’ll need to plan what to do next. And for once, fortune favors the bold.

 

For those of us who read The Legionnaire: Mask of the Pharaoh this is an excellent look into Stephen Anderson’s past and I, for one, enjoyed every minute of it. For those who have yet to read the book mentioned above, I suggest you read this one first for a more linear timeline.

 

Unlike Mask, this isn’t a mystery so much as a thriller. I know the 4 W’s and the H, what I don’t know is how Martin is going to deal with this knowledge. As he escapes across the desert the tension is nerve-racking. The villains, Rochon and Rodin, are truly hate worthy, a perfect foil for the hero Martin, his friend Paul and the investigator assigned the case, Lieutenant-Colonel Vigneron. There are several threads that come together as the plot progresses. Martin runs across an incredible amount of good luck for someone who hasn’t been particularly lucky in life to date, so I did have a tiny bit of trouble suspending my disbelief. However, for the most part this is one thrilling ride!

Legionnaire is written by James Gawley and is the first part of the Exiles of Arcadia novella series. In the same manner as Brian McClellan (The Powder Mage) and Django Wexler (The Shadow Campaigns), Mr. Gawley has taken a known historical period (Late Roman Republic in this case), changed details to make it more “fantastical” and added a few storylines to increase the drama but kept the setting as a whole very similar to the real life historical time frame. In fact, Arcadia so closely resembles the Roman Republic that history buffs will immediately recognize some of this novella’s overarching plots from real history. However, this is exactly Mr. Gawley’s aim, for as he himself has stated Legionnaire is an "authentic Roman military adventure (albeit in a fantasy setting)." And anyone who enjoys tales about Rome or fantasy-history hybrids will, without a doubt, enjoy this novella.

The story itself is set about a decade following the rise of Arcadia’s dictator, Tiberius; a man who overthrew the senate, liquidated his enemies’ lives and their riches to pay his supporters, and now governs Arcadia with an iron fist. Unfortunately, Primus Seneca’s father was on the wrong side in the Arcadia civil war, and faced with death or worse, the elder Seneca chose to follow his patron into exile in the wilds of the frontier, where even Tiberius’ wrath could not reach. Naturally, “Little Seneca” was taken with his father.

In the unexplored forests of the north, the rebels have carved out a wild but stable bastion of Arcadian might in the lands of the savage Woade. These clans of giants are fearful of no man; their magic haunted forests are places of dread for even the most steadfast legionnaire; and their desire to kill their hated neighbors second only to their desire for plunder from them. But the Arcadian rebels make due, erecting their outposts, mining resources, and building their armies – ever building their military might. For General Seneca and his patron do not intend to live in this snow-covered wasteland of exile forever. No, they are plotting, planning their return to Arcadia when they will smash Tiberius’ legions and put an end to his despicable dictatorship once and for all.

Primus Seneca, however, is not a party to all the political machinations. No, he is a young man and a proud member of the Dead Men infantry of the legions, and while he craves his father’s attention, he gets none of it. Indeed, Primus’ family is more truthfully his fellow soldiers than his aloof sire. But through hard work and determination, Little Seneca (as some of his fellow soldiers name him) has carved himself a new life with these tough-as-nails veterans of the civil wars. Something which he believed would prove his worth to his father. Yet still he is ignored, and still he forges ahead, hoping to make the best of his lot in life.

However, life is not always good for Primus in the legions. There are ever a few people looking to make the life of the General’s son a little harder. Most of these troublemakers hate Primus for the simple reason of whom his estranged father is. Perhaps his family and theirs were once enemies before the wars, and these men still remember the past wrongs against committed them by Primus’ family, and they harbor dreams of revenge – even if it is only against him. But whatever the cause, it is only through the help of a few grizzled veterans that Primus survives. These older soldiers take him under their wing, protect him, train him, and attempt to enlighten him on why his father never visits him. In this way, Little Seneca slowly learns of his unfortunate birth and the mixed feelings that it has created in both his parents. While there is no doubt that he is loved, there are so many old wounds surrounding his birth and his mother’s decision to remain in Arcadia that most believe that General Seneca would rather ignore Primus than face them. But such news merely makes Primus try harder to prove his worth, and soon, he is given a mission that even his father will not be able to ignore!

Obviously, this setup sounds very much like a ho-hum reconciliation between a father and son, and it is to a certain point, but Mr. Gawley livens it up by creative twists and turns in the otherwise straightforward narrative. Soon, the deep history of this fantasy Roman, its constant political machinations, and frenetic combat immerse one in a world that has both a familiar and exotic flavor. Questions pop up that beg to be answered. Who are the Woade really? Is there more to Seneca’s plight than he knows – or is being told? What is the General’s plan to return to Arcadia? Who built the strange ruins that litter the magic shrouded forests? Why are even the natives so terrified of these ancient places? Are the Arcadian gods even real? And through it all, these mysteries drive this story forward, turning it into so much more than it originally appeared.

If there is anything to complain about with this novella, it is that it left many plots dangling. In fact, the ending is no ending at all, but merely sets up another chapter in the ongoing tale. I understand that many novella series are designed this way, but I personally would have preferred a bit more closure to Primus’ tale than what Mr. Gawley gave me. However, this issue could be chalked up as just my own personal preference.

Legionnaire wasn't what I was expecting. In fact, it was so much more than I ever envisioned it could be. The fantasy-historical hybrid of the Roman Republic just worked for me. Sure, there were little problems like repetitive narrative, a plot hole, or a few minor errors, but overall, none of these things detracted from my enjoyment of the tale of Primus Seneca, and I fully intend to follow the Exiles of Arcadia series to what I know will be a stunning conclusion.

I first became aware of Simon Murray when I watched on TV one night a special program about the French Foreign Legion in which he acted as the narrator. I was rather impressed with him, so when I came across this book (after having read the Douglas Porch history of the Legion in the early 1990s), I was eager to read it.

From the moment Murray enlists in February 1960, he is put through the rigors of training, which at times was quasi-sadistic, for the NCOs exercised considerable control over their charges (delighting in giving them grief for the slightest infractions), both in France and in Algeria. Murray saw a fair amount of combat in the Algerian War, mainly in the mountains. He writes honestly of his experiences, sparing no punches, as the following will attest:

From diary entry of 17 December 1960:

"DeGaulle has been in Algeria recently and he has been broadcasting speeches which many here regard as treasonous as he outlines his reasons why the Muslims of Algeria should be given the opportunity of deciding their own future. He is desperately seeking a solution to this war, not for the sake of peace itself but because this endless fight is draining French coffers and, unless the outflow is stemmed, France will soon become an economic wreck. In 1958 when he returned to power in France, deGaulle's words to the French colonials in Algeria were 'Je vous ai compris - Algerie francaise'. It now seems as though he his changing his tune and is looking for a different solution which will give the country independence and yet keep it tied to France.

"But the Arabs are set on total independence, and the French colons are equally determined to retain all that they have here. The colons are extremists in every sense of the word; they do not understand compromise and they will go to extremes to keep what they believe to be theirs by birthright.

"There have been riots during the last few days which have resulted in some two hundred people being killed. Because of this, we are not en alerte. At the beginning of January there is to be a referendum which will be held in France as well as Algeria. The referendum is understood to be deGaulle asking for a free hand to negotiate with the F.L.N. for the establishment of the Algeria of tomorrow, which will be the first real step to independence, but perhaps on his own terms."


Two years later, Algeria wins its independence. As part of the agreement with France, the French are allowed a limited tenure in some areas of the country (inclusive of the former naval base at Mers-el-Kebir) and oil rights in the Sahara for 5 years. The Legion has to abandon its traditional headquarters at Sidi-bel-Abbes and relocate much of its staff, equipment, and assets to the South of France. But Murray's unit and a few other units of the Legion are allowed to remain in Algeria on a temporary basis. France was then in flux, having barely survived an attempted coup d'etat. Consequently, given that the Legion no longer had any wars to fight on behalf of la patrie, there was some uncertainty as to whether it would be allowed to remain in existence. (Some Legion officers had sided with the coup leaders who came out of the French Army.) But thankfully the Legion had some farsighted officers in its ranks who helped to secure for it a new raison d'etre and favor with Paris through developing a variety of special skills and roles for itself.

Murray writes well and what struck me the most in reading this book was how a group of men from across the globe (who tended to stick together during basic training in rigid cliques defined by their respective nationalities) were able to be moulded into a cohesive whole, acquiring fluency in French and becoming wholly absorbed in the ethos and spirit of the Legion. Indeed, I would liken the French Foreign Legion of that time to the Jesuit Order as it was when Ignatius Loyola led it.

This is an incredibly intense and enthralling story that anyone with a thirst for adventure will love.

A 5 year, 4 Star diary of a young Englishman who joins the French Foreign Legion in 1960 when he is turned down by the British Army and is stuck in an iron foundry job. He spends his tour in Algeria, the first two years during the Algerian War for independence. Plenty of patrolling the desert and occasional fighting. The second part of his tour of duty is spent in an FFL moving to a peacetime role. Overall, an interesting picture of the famed fighting organization. Cruel training, lots of wild, alcohol-fueled celebrations and unique characters. Timeless picture of a foot soldier and a great peek into the FFL. Recommended.