The Emperor’s Men
by Dirk van den Boom
Author's Description:
“Shortly before the First World War, the German light cruiser Saarbrücken leaves the port of Wilhelmshaven to make its last big journey before being decommissioned. But near Portugal the old ship encounters a mysterious phenomenon, and the crew unexpectedly finds itself in the Mediterranean, 1500 years in the past, at a historical moment: It’s the year 378, the beginning of the end of the Western Roman Empire, the start of Völkerwanderung…the crew of the Saarbrücken decides that to survive they must make friends of the Romans. They had been the Kaiser’s men in the 20th century, and now, in the past, another emperor might need their services…”
My Review - Rating - 7/10
I enjoyed this book series, but it’s nowhere near the best I’ve read. If you’re looking for an alternate history/world-building series, go take a look at the “Destiny’s Crucible” series, which has a similar premise - a modern-day chemist taken to a world with 1700s level technology. I would highly recommend that book right now, but if you’ve already read it, then this is another solid choice in the genre. The author is well researched on the period and uses the events of the time to add to the plot and conflicts of the book, such as succession issues after the death of Emperor Valens, and the battle of Adrianople. The book is well written, has an interesting plot, and has engaging characters. My only issue with this book is that it sometimes spends too much time on small, insignificant events that don’t add much to the story - it’s not that they add nothing to the story, it’s just that there is far too much detail that slows the story down. Overall, it’s a good book that doesn’t have too many mistakes but also doesn’t do anything to make itself exceptional. If you liked “Destiny’s Crucible” then you’ll enjoy this book, but I doubt it’s anyone's favorite.
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