Ranks of Bronze is a military science fiction story with much emphasis on the “military” aspect. It features soldiers from ancient Rome who have been recruited by an odd commander to fight various odd enemies, which they’re transported to via odd methods while enjoying odd forms of recuperation and entertainment between battles. The characters don’t really understand what’s going on, but it’s easy enough for the reader to extrapolate given the knowledge that this is a science fiction book.

The story started out very sloooow for me. We enter the story at the beginning of long battle scene, featuring characters that didn’t seem very interesting to me, and without anything else besides the battle to really draw me into the story. Things became a little more interesting as the story progressed, but it definitely wasn’t a page-turner for me. I struggled through the first half and considered giving up a few times, but I did become quite a bit more engaged in the second half.

I’ve enjoyed military science fiction before, including the Belisarius series which was set in a similar time period and was co-written by the author of this book. I loved that series, actually, even though it was arguably heavier on the military aspect than this book was. I think the difference was that the Belisarius series had characters who I found more likable, plus a lot more humor. The military portions of the Belisarius series focused on more interesting strategies and had great interaction between the characters. The characters in this book were ok, but I never got that attached.

We’re given a more-or-less complete story, but the way things were left at the end seemed to set up a far more interesting story that tempted me to continue on with the series. However, I wasn’t sure I really wanted to read more books written in the same style as this one. In trying to make up my mind, I read the synopses for the other two books in the series and it doesn’t seem like they continue the story in the way I expected. That helped me make up my mind to stop with this book, although I was leaning toward that decision anyway. ( )

Good concept, interesting characters, OK ending - but it doesn't thrill me. This is a reread - I've read it several times before, and I just read Foreign Legions, an anthology in this universe - but a little too grim for me, and a little too...not exactly repetitive, there's new events in each campaign, but...something. Also, there's a story somewhere about the Romans coming back to Earth - I thought that would be in here, but it's not, it's somewhere else apparently. The concept, of aliens taking humans to be mercenaries or conscript soldiers, is interesting - there's a lot of ways it could have gone. But - I mostly don't _like_ the Romans; even the tribune, the one with the most developed character, is often opaque in his motivations and actions. Sometimes opaque to himself, for that matter. I'll keep it, I'll probably reread it - the concept is worth that - but not a favorite. By the way - the cover is really truly dumb (mine is the orange one with the soldier in "armor" with a space helmet (visor on a Roman helm) and a spaceship behind him). That armor is so totally useless it's quite funny. Vast expanses of shoulder and underarm wide open to a cut or stab...it's pretty Halloween armor, nothing like the (many, many times described in the story) armor the Romans actually fight in. ( )

After being defeated by the Parthians in battle, a Roman legion is sold to an alien Merchant Guild (!) which intends to use them in wars of conquest against worlds with a similar level of technology (!!!). The use of the same level of technology being a rule imposed by some kind of intergalactic federation on the guilds which is a nonsensical but useful plot conceit. A goofy but nonetheless entertaining read. ( )

In the year 53 BC, Crassus, the richest man in Rome, led an army to a humiliating defeat by the Parthian Empire at Carrhae. The poet Horace mentions, in the novel's Prologue, captive Roman soldiers marrying barbarian women and growing old fighting for their new masters.

That bit from Horace's _Odes_ neatly sums up this story except, rather than growing old with the Parthians, the Romans become the military assets of an alien trading guild who uses them to fight the low tech wars somehow required by their political system. The Romans prove quite adept at their new duties. In between campaigns, they whore with aliens surgically altered to mostly resemble human women, watch and participate in strange combat simulations with alien beasts, and try not to think too hard about how they and their comrades are repaired after nearly every injury.

There's plenty to like in this novel: the development of tribune Gaius Vibulenas from a callow youth to a true leader of men; Drake's nitty gritty consideration of all the physical aspects - balance, footing, strength, stamina, sight - of battle; the understated relationship Vibulenas has with alien "woman" Quartilla; the very believable spark that finally triggers revolt and characteristic Roman terror.

The only disappointment I had with the novel was its sometimes confusing descriptions of battle and Roman military organization - even though I know something of the Roman army of the period. ( )

Roman legionaries sold into servitude after a defeat find themselves fighting against very strange foes for nonhuman commanders.

Worth reading once. ( )