Today is release day for Legionary: The Emperor’s Shield, Book 9 in the Legionary by the awesome Gordon Doherty.

I’m very lucky to have received an ARC to allow me to help celebrate the release but rest assured my bank balance was still hit today with a charge… too right I had the book pre-ordered!!

The release of this instalment is even more important to me than you can imagine. After losing my dad last year I jumped at the chance to donate to charity and have my dads name added to the book, immortalised forever.

Here’s the blurb

Easier to split the sky, than part a soldier from his blade.

386 AD. The Eastern Roman Empire faces a trident of threats. The Gothic truce grows unstable. The standoff with Persia escalates. And the ambitions of the usurper on the Western throne grow dangerously unchecked.

Pavo, a broken veteran of the legions, cares for none of these things. His life is one of pastoral seclusion on his Thracian farm. A life of love, of peace. His wife and young son are his world. Still, every so often, things seen and done in his old life haunt him, like a cold and unwelcome breeze. But that is all they are, echoes of the past…

…until the past rises, like a shade, to rip his world and the Roman Empire apart.

Review

Oh Pavo, it feels like an eternity since we’ve seen you. After Pavo’s last adventure I had worried it was the last we would see of him.. that last battle left him with some serious wounds that mean he’s fought his last… or maybe not?

The Empire is on the brink of war again… the Goths have amassed and the Emperor want’s Pavo’s help.. he was instrumental in the last war with the Goths so hiss knowledge is invaluable.

The issue is he’s a shell of the man he was, weak and unable to help out on his farm for more than an hour or two..

But there’s one man who can help him, Frugilo! This is the first time we’ve met the man but instantly you are alert.. this man holds his cards tight to his chest but he knows what he’s doing and he’s a shining star of this instalment. He manages to give back to Pavo a little of what he thought lost… when you learn the truth about the man.. it’s an battle to control your emotions.

This was probably the most interesting part detail wise for me, Frugilo teaching Pavo to be the man he was again. I really enjoyed the use of a porpax shield to enable Pavo to fight once again for the Empire.. for his family!

Pavo races to the Emperors side and soon notices things aren’t right..there’s a dark force out there.. who wants only to see war… but why?

The issue with the Goths isnt the only trouble..a usurper wishes to see chaos so he may rule the Empire himself.

In these uncertain times the Emperor enlists Pavo to join his small band of elite protectors, he is to be a shield!

I’m never one for spoilers but things move quickly, there’s deception, tension and you really don’t know what will happen next. I’d say the last 30% of the book I demolished in the early hours while the family were fast asleep.. it’s not often I can really say that a book made it impossible for me to put down but The Emperor’s Shield did just that.

It was great to see Pavo back, and it was even sweeter when his old comrades show up including Sura..I love their relationship.. Sura still needs his old friend one last time as he tries to settle into the role previously held by Pavo’s.. big shoes to fill! Pavo need’s these men too.. needs to remember who he was.. what he is still capable of.

The twists in this book really make it special.. I thought I had things worked out.. but no…and it was really lovely to be reminded of those we’ve lost along the way, each have left their mark on Pavo.

A resounding 5 star without a shadow of a doubt.. we may only be in February but I can confidently say I’ve found my book of 2023!

What Doherty managed to do is keep the series fresh and give depth, more life to the characters.. he’s really found the balance between detail and plot to make the book come alive.

I hate to say it.. but I don’t think you’ll find any better storyteller out there! If you disagree, then unfortunately I’m sorry to say you are wrong! Ha

Final thought… this isnt the end.. there’s more to come..I don’t know when or what will happen but I’ll be there ready to immerse myself in Pavo’s next tale..his last journey? Time will tell. Regardless.. Pavo will live with me forever!

My thanks go to the author for allowing me the pleasure of an advance copy of the book.. I’m a lucky boy I know!

Grab a copy today.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!