If you read enough history sooner or later someone asks you: “What would happen if a Roman army were to go up against [insert anachronistic warrior culture here]?” I’ve gotten Romans vs Vikings, Romans vs Samurais, and Romans vs Incas. I always hate these because it’s always comparing apples and oranges, but that is exactly the idea that Smale plays with in his book Clash of Eagles.
Clash of Eagles is one part alternate historical fiction and one part historical fantasy. In Smale’s world the Roman Empire never fell. It survived and grew to encompass Europe and Central Asia by the middle of the 13th century. They also discover the new world and in classic Roman style try to conqueror it. This is where our hero, Praetor Gaius Marcellinus, commander of the 33rd Legion, which is assigned the task, comes in. Marcellinus has spend his whole life in the legion, rising from the ranks to become a general. He is hard-bitten but down-to-earth. His specific task is to find the city of Cahokia and take its gold. Cahokia, a real place, is outside of present day Saint Louis. After landing in the Chesapeake, Marcellinus has to march his army across a large portion of an unknown contentment his steps dogged by not-so-happy Native Americans. But that’s not the worst of it: Once his army reaches Cahokia they are promptly thrashed by the Cahokians (this isn’t a spoiler it’s on the bookjacket). Marcellinus is captured and gradually over time comes to admire and respect his captors. Him dealing with the culture shock and the complicated relationship he develops between Rome and Cahokia is a major part of this story.
This book gets full points for clever concept. For me at least that concept was enough to keep me buried in the book. Smale does an excellent job of interweaving the past alternate history of Rome with the main plot of the story. There is never too much or too little given out. He also seamlessly incorporates the fantasy is away that left me thinking “huh that would totally have worked.” Readers of Harry Turtledove will find quite a bit to like in this book and I’d even recommend it to readers of Roman historical fiction. Oh and if you like Clash of Eagles its part of a trilogy and the second book, Eagle in Exile, just came out.
