Iris Kammerer

The exciting and plausible conclusion to the "Cinna Trilogy". We follow Praefect Cinna as he leads the Second Asturian Turma as part of Governor/Commander-in-Chief Germanicus' army revenging themselves on Arminius and followers. Also, Germanicus wants to find the bodies and have funeral rites for the Roman dead from the Varus Disaster and to recover the three Eagles, stolen by Arminius and his army. Germanicus does give the dead fitting ceremonies and two Eagles are recovered. Obsessed with continuing to campaign against Arminius, Germanicus isn't completely happy with the results so far; he wants to finish the war definitively and to capture and/or kill Arminius, although Emperor Tiberius may have other thoughts. Cinna is faced with the biggest temptation of his life; Germanicus has dangled a military promotion and restoration of his senatorial rank with his inheritance in front of him, but there's a catch. Will Cinna succumb? A parallel plot follows Cinna and his family, including his Germanic in-laws and sister Lucilla and her husband, V Legion Centurion Gnaeus Firmus. A visit of the nuclear family to Germanicus' villa in Lugdunum [today's Lyon, France] is a "nightmare" for Sunya. Lucius, the older son's playing with Germanicus' son Gaius [Caligula] gives us a taste of what the spoiled brat will be like as emperor. The family even considers him a monster. Can the scholarly Saldir find her niche? Recognizing her gifts, Cinna wants more for her than just being married off.

I cared about both Roman and Germanic characters and in the course of the trilogy they in a sense became my friends. I liked the way the author began and closed the trilogy with Valens, the inept recruit, later scribe. I didn't like how the author just omitted any mention of Sunya's neighbor, Vitalina, in Book 3; but Titus Pontius, the neighbor's husband, was a centurion in Germanicus' army. Ms. Kammerer didn't give any inkling of the marriage of Lucilla, Cinna's sister unless I missed something. Perhaps it occurred between Books 2 and 3? Lucilla and Firmus had both been widowed, finding mutual attraction in Book Two. At one point in this novel, Germanicus calls himself the Adler [Eagle] who will pursue Arminius, the Wolf, and Cinna the Eagle's Talons. This is another of the books that I will enjoy speculating on the further life [post novels] of the main characters.

Highly recommended.… (meer)

Continuation of the "Cinna" trilogy. Cinna and his wife Sunja have moved back to Mogontiacum, where as Praefect he now leads a unit of Ubian auxiliaries, mixed cavalry and infantry. He is chosen as envoy to various tribes uncommitted to Arminius, to convince them to join with Romans in revenge; because of his imprisonment by a tribe in Book One, he knows the tribal language and customs. He also must prove himself as commander and warrior. Cinna and Sunja live off-base, and the novel details family life: Cinna's sister Lucilla living with them, the growing up of Sunja's sister--the bluestocking Saldir--, and the birth of a son. Cinna is considered disobedient to orders: e.g., coming to the rescue of Sunja's home village when attacked by Arminius' forces. There is attempted attack on and attempted rape of Sunja by one of Cinna's centurions, Marcus Eggius. Cinna had been warned against the dangers of this man by another centurion, Firmus, but hadn't paid attention. He is jealous of Cinna's friendship with Flavus, Arminius' brother and I thought him prejudiced against Cinna for having a native wife and against all Germans, especially because of his brother dying at Teutoberg, and for Cinna's letting Eggius' own men be killed in battle. He does get his well-deserved come-uppance. Flavus and Cinna muse on what fate might have in store for both them and Arminius in the future.

I couldn't put this one down. I liked the mixture of military action and home life. There were a few loose ends where a conversation or an incident took place but not resolved. This was a bit annoying. I was sympathetic to all of the main characters--except the villain--and Lucilla for about half of the book. The author was sympathetic to both Germans and Romans. The story was written in a simple manner and seemed plausible. The author also wrote helpful supplementary material.

Highly recommended.… (meer)

9 AD. Senatorial tribune Gaius Cinna is sent from his military camp at Mogontiacum on a secret mission to warn Segestes of a possible attack on Varus' three legions. Right now, there are only rumors. On the way, Cinna and his escort are ambushed; his men all killed and he, badly wounded, is taken to the home of a Cheruskian chieftain and his family. That family, except the oldest son, Liuba, is anti-Arminius. When Cinna regains consciousness, the Teutoberg Battle has been fought. Cinna is nursed back to health. Liuba tries several times to take Cinna back to Arminius for possible torture and any intelligence he can offer. Cinna at first is treated well; the family consider him a hostage. He tutors the girls in reading Latin and math. Why do Hraban, the middle son, and Sunja, the oldest daughter, already know how to speak Latin? Hints are given all through but the two don't want to tell him yet. He and Hraban, become friends; in fact, Hraban and the youngest daughter, Saldir, both wish he was their brother and a romance begins between Cinna and Sunja. Whenever Liuba is home he treats Cinna as a slave with any dirty, demeaning task he can think of. He wants to break his spirit. Once he cruelly flogs Cinna, saying something like:"well, that's what you Romans do to find out information." Under the whip, Cinna quotes what he remembers of his Homer, so as not to give anything away. The family rush to stop Liuba. At a spring gathering of tribes all around, Hraban fights an ordeal by combat on his behalf--Cinna has been giving him fighting lessons--against the son of one of Arminius' [sometimes called herein Erenamers] retainers. To escape a hated marriage, Sunja flees with Cinna. They finally meet up with Hraban and Saldir and after Cinna's final confrontation with Liuba, the four decide to travel to Mogontiacum and let Fate take its course.

In the Prologue I really thought Cinna a jerk: arrogant and snobbish, with no thoughts for others. But during his eight months of living with the Germanic family, his personality changed. He accepted the family and its customs for what they were; he got a taste of how he had treated others before going on his mission. He walked in another's shoes, so to speak. I liked so much how he changed and how the Germans for the most part, were treated sympathetically. We were given a window into what their life might have been. Liuba and Arminius, the "baddies", were two-dimensional. The two duels were both exciting. The German was easy to read and flowed. This is the first volume of a trilogy and I'm interested in reading the other two.

Highly recommended. This novel was even better upon rereading.… (meer)