Simon Scarrow

{{short description|British fiction writer}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{BLP primary sources|date=December 2009}} {{Infobox writer  | image = Scarrow buena2.jpg | imagesize = 150px | name = Simon Scarrow | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|10|3|df=y}} | birth_place = near Lagos, Nigeria | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Novelist | genre = Historical fiction | movement = | notableworks = ''Eagles of the Empire'' series, ''Revolution'' series | influences = | influenced = | spouse = Louise Richmond | partner = | children = 2 sons and one step-son | relatives = Alex Scarrow | website = {{URL|https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/}} }}

'''Simon Scarrow''' (born 3 October 1962) is a British writer. Scarrow completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uea.ac.uk/creativewriting/alumni/s-u|title=Alumni S - U|publisher=Uea.ac.uk|access-date=6 October 2014|archive-date=5 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305034912/http://www.uea.ac.uk/creativewriting/alumni/s-u|url-status=dead}}</ref> after working at the Inland Revenue, and then went into teaching as a lecturer, firstly at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, then at City College Norwich.

He is best known for his ''Eagles of the Empire'' series of Roman military fiction set in the territories of the Roman Empire, covering the second invasion of Britain and the subsequent prolonged campaign undertaken by the rump of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. {{As of|2025}}, there are 23 books in the series; the latest, ''Tyrant of Rome'', was published in 2025.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Untitled-Eagles-Empire-Simon-Scarrow/dp/147228724X |title=Revenge of Rome (Eagles of the Empire 23) |date=22 February 2025 |website=Headline Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-4722-8717-5 |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref>

He has written another series, ''Revolution'', focussing on Wellington and Napoleon, the first title of which, ''Young Bloods'', was published in 2006. The second volume, ''The Generals'', was published on 31 May 2007 and the third volume, ''Fire and Sword'', in January 2009. The fourth and final novel of the series was published in June 2010 and is called ''The Fields of Death''. He began publishing a new series in 2011, entitled ''Gladiator''.

In 2021, Scarrow authored an audiovisual walking tour for the Roman Colosseum entitled ''Blood and Sand'' on the BARD''EUM'' mobile app.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Simon Scarrow |url=https://www.bardeum.com/simon-scarrow |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=BARDEUM |language=en}}</ref>

==Books==

Asked by the ''Edinburgh Book Review'' about the inspiration behind his interest in the Roman era, Scarrow said, "Firstly, great Latin teachers – Gordon Rodway and then Reg Nash, who inspired a love of the language and more enduringly a fascination with Roman history and culture. Secondly, when I was growing up in the seventies swords and sandals epics seemed to be on the TV regularly. Not to mention the brilliant ''I, Claudius''".<ref name="Edinburgh Book Review 26 March 2015">{{cite news |author= Wander |title= Interview with Simon Scarrow |url= http://www.edinburghbookreview.co.uk/news/interview-with-simon-scarrow |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150502102434/http://www.edinburghbookreview.co.uk/news/interview-with-simon-scarrow |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2 May 2015 | date= 26 March 2015|work= Edinburgh Book Review |location= Edinburgh| access-date=28 June 2016 }}</ref>

Scarrow cites the inspiration for his 'earthy' characters as being from his time in the Officer Training Corps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scarrow.co.uk/page15.html|title=The Gladiator|publisher=Scarrow.co.uk|access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref>

===''Eagles of the Empire'' series=== The ''Eagles of the Empire'' series centres upon two main protagonists, Quintus Licinius Cato and Lucius Cornelius Macro, who are both Roman soldiers. Macro, a veteran with nearly 15 years' service (at the start of the first novel) in the Roman Army, has recently been appointed to the Centurionate. Cato is in his teens, grew up in the Imperial Palace as a slave, and at the start of the series joins the Eagles as Macro's Optio. The first book starts in 42 AD. The books cover the experiences of the two soldiers, initially as experienced centurion and new optio, in battles in Germania and the invasion of Britain by Claudius as part of the Legio II Augusta. The 6th book, ''The Eagle's Prophecy'', has them serving as part of the Imperial Navy east of Italy. The 7th and 8th put them in Rome's eastern provinces as agents of the Emperor's secretary Tiberius Claudius Narcissus. The 9th sees them shipwrecked on the island of Crete, fighting against a full-scale uprising. The 11th is set in Rome with the leads hoping to save the emperor from the shady Liberators. ''The Blood Crows'' is set once again in Britannia. The two protagonists are faced with defeating tribal rebels.

The two characters Cato and Macro were also used in one book of the ''TimeRiders'' series: ''Gates of Rome''. They served as supporting characters when the three protagonists travel back to ancient Rome. Scarrow allowed his brother Alex to make use of the characters in his novel.

In 2007 the publisher announced the intention to cease using the word "Eagle" in the title of books in this series, starting with ''Centurion''. The change was apparently because the publisher wanted to attract more new readers to the series.

#''Under the Eagle'' (2000) #''The Eagle's Conquest'' (2001) #''When the Eagle Hunts'' (2002) #''The Eagle and the Wolves'' (2003) #''The Eagle's Prey'' (2004) #''The Eagle's Prophecy'' (2005) #''The Eagle in the Sand'' (2006) #''Centurion'' (2007) #''The Gladiator'' (2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scarrow.co.uk/page12.html|title=List of Simon's Books|publisher=Scarrow.co.uk|access-date=1 May 2009}}</ref> #''The Legion'' (2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scarrow.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~3088~whichpage~2.asp|title=10th book forum page|publisher=Scarrowe.forumco.com|access-date=6 October 2014}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> #*''Blood Debt'' (2009, short story) #''Praetorian'' (2011) #''The Blood Crows'' (2013)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series">{{cite web|url=https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/landing-page/simon-scarrow/simon-scarrow-books/simon-scarrow-eagles-of-the-empire/|title=Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series|publisher=Scarrow.co.uk|access-date=7 May 2015|archive-date=8 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208154058/https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/landing-page/simon-scarrow/simon-scarrow-books/simon-scarrow-eagles-of-the-empire/|url-status=dead}}</ref> #''Brothers in Blood'' (2014)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''Britannia'' (2015)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''Invictus'' (2016)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''Day of the Caesars'' (2017)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''The Blood of Rome'' (2018)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''Traitors of Rome'' (2019)<ref name="Scarrow Home Page - Eagle Series"/> #''The Emperor's Exile'' (2020) #''The Honour of Rome'' (2021) #''Death to the Emperor'' (2022) #''Rebellion'' (2023) #''Revenge of Rome'' (2024) #''Tyrant of Rome'' (2025)

===''Revolution'' series=== ''The Revolution Quartet'' centres upon the lives of Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington. The first book in the quartet starts in 1769, and follows the two young men through their youth and on to their military careers.

#''Young Bloods'' (2006) #''The Generals'' (2007) #''Fire and Sword'' (2009) #''The Fields of Death'' (2010)

===''Gladiator'' series=== The ''Gladiator'' series is aimed at the young adult audience, unlike his ''Eagle'' series.

# ''Gladiator: Fight for Freedom'' (2011) # ''Gladiator: Street Fighter'' (2012) # ''Gladiator: Son of Spartacus'' (2013) # ''Gladiator: Vengeance'' (2014)

===''Roman Arena'' series (with T. J. Andrews)=== :Also acts as something of a prequel to the ''Eagle series'' as it features an earlier appearance of both characters Macro and Narcissus. #''Arena'' (2013) ## ''Barbarian'' (2012) ## ''Challenger'' (2012) ## ''First Sword'' (2013) ## ''Revenge'' (2013) ## ''Champion'' (2013) :::n.b. these novellas were available as e-books prior to publication of the full title.

===''Invader'' series (with T. J. Andrews)=== #''Invader'' (2016) ##''Death Beach'' (2014) ##''Blood Enemy'' (2014) ##''Dark Blade'' (2014) ##''Imperial Agent'' (2015) ##''Sacrifice'' (2015) :::n.b. these novellas were available as e-books prior to publication of the full title.

===''Pirata'' series (with T. J. Andrews)=== #''Pirata'' (2019) ##''The Black Flag'' (2019) ##''The Gates of Stone'' (2019) ##''Hunters of the Sea'' (2019) ##''Sea of Blood'' (2019) ##''The Pirate Chief'' (2019) :::n.b. these novellas were available as e-books prior to publication of the full title.

===''Roman Caratacus'' series (with T. J. Andrews)=== #''Warrior'' (2022) ##''The King in Rome'' (2022) ##''The Druids' Lair'' (2022) ##''Brothers of the Sword'' (2023) ##''The War Prince'' (2023) ##''Lord of War'' (2023) :::n.b. these novellas were available as e-books prior to publication of the full title.

===''Inspector Horst Schenke'' novels=== Mystery thrillers set in Berlin, Nazi Germany and focusing on Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke. * ''Blackout'' (2022) -- Berlin, December 1939 * ''Dead of Night'' (2023) -- Berlin, January 1940 * ''A Death in Berlin'' (2025) -- Berlin, May 1940

=== Stand-alone novels=== The following are books which are either stand-alone novels or have yet to be confirmed as parts of a series.

* ''The Sword and the Scimitar'' (2012) -- covers the Great Siege of Malta * ''Hearts of Stone'' (2015) -- covers WWII period Greek island of Lefkas * ''Playing With Death'' with Lee Francis (2018) -- Crime story

==Writer in Residence== In November 2006, Scarrow was accepted to fill the post of Writer in Residence at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, a position he said he was "honoured to accept".<ref name=ScarrowLangtonNews> {{cite web |url = http://www.thelangton.org.uk/langtonnews/issues/December%202006.pdf |title = The Langton News (December 2006) Page 18, Paragraph 1, Line 11 |publisher = Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/5q74FUC7t?url=http://www.thelangton.org.uk/langtonnews/issues/December%202006.pdf |archive-date = 30 May 2010}}</ref>

==Personal life== Scarrow lives in Norfolk with his wife, Louise, and their dog. He gives talks on history and writing at festivals. His leisure interests include skiing and scuba diving.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.authortrek.com/alex_scarrow_interview.html |title=Alex Scarrow Interview |publisher=authortrek.com |access-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110133404/http://www.authortrek.com/alex_scarrow_interview.html |archive-date=10 November 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website }} (Scarrow brothers Alex and Simon) * [http://www.facebook.com/officialsimonscarrow Simon Scarrow at Facebook] * {{LCAuth|no2001083678|Simon Scarrow|9|ue}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scarrow, Simon}} Category:1962 births Category:English historical novelists Category:Writers of historical mysteries Category:Writers of historical fiction set in antiquity Category:Alumni of the University of East Anglia Category:People educated at Kent College Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people)