It is the Spring of AD43 and a huge fleet carrying over 40,000 Roman soldiers crosses the wild northern sea to seize the mysterious isle of Britannia, for the glory of Rome and their emperor, Claudius. Along with the other warriors who come ashore, Marcus Sulpicius Vepitta and his comrades in the XIIII Gemina Legion soon find themselves pitched headlong into a sequence of murderous battles, fighting to conquer a land that has for so long lain beyond the grasp of one of the greatest empires the world has ever known. Yet, even before the great invasion armada had left the shores of Gaul, Claudius’ army had already been shaken to its core by the threat of mass mutiny and Vepitta had unwittingly become embroiled in the affairs of others, as a long simmering quest for retribution is finally begun. Amidst the unrelenting savagery of total war, Vepitta comes to find his loyalty and honour tested as never before. And, as the beleaguered Britons begin to crumble before the relentless Roman war machine, he soon learns that he has been sucked deep into the schemes of a young Roman noble woman, who yearns for justice - at any cost. Readers should note that this book uses many of the same characters and is set to the same historical backdrop as John Waite’s first book – Legionary, a Call to Arms. First published in 2005, Waite decided to re-write and re-title ‘Legionary’ in 2015 and release a second edition in Kindle and revised paperback format in 2016.

As the Autumn of 43 AD approaches, Claudius’s victorious invasion army begins the unstoppable process of transforming Britannia into the newest province of the mighty Roman Empire. But, with the brutal opening battles now behind him, Vepitta again becomes embroiled in the vengeful schemes involving not only Ademetus, the Prefect of Legion XIIII Gemina, but also the implacable young noblewoman, Julia. At the heart of this simmering hate and bitterness is his friend, Batiatus - absent since the eve of Camulodunum’s fall. As the deadly games begin once more, Vepitta tastes pride, joy and grief in almost equal measure. But, with an endgame fast approaching, he needs to ensure that everyone, not least Legate Sabinus, knows the real Prefect Ademetus. Will Vepitta’s acquisition of some new and unlikely allies ensure that Ademetus is exposed? Before Autumn ends, all will become clear.