This is not a very good book. There are many historical and technical inaccuracies contained therein. And, of course, there is that pro-early Christian bias which pervades many works, both books and movies, of this type. I suppose the author had to have some sort of conflict going between his characters to maintain interest, and while the avarice of moneylenders in Rome, Seneca in particular, were very instrumental in causing the rebellion, the characters of very stereotyped, ie the Roman Procurator being a viscious Master Race type thug; Suetonius Paulinus the stern disciplinarian; Nero wickedly dissolute; the virtuous Christian Briton girl; the morally upright christian Roman Tribune (our Hero)etc. In short, I would only recomend this book to fans of the implausible historic romance genre, or the epic Christians vs lions and Romans movies of the early '60s, such as "The Robe", "Quo Vadis", and "The Robe's" delightful sequel, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" ("Demetrius, why are you wearing the uniform of our Enemies?") In short, approach this book with caution.

Imperial Legions is a fascinating read for those interested in historical novels, especially those dealing with the 1st Century (A.D.) world of the Roman Empire, Celtic Culture and the expansion of the early Christian Church into the British Isles. Dr. Seddon has exhaustively researched the details of his novel and has integrated them with a cast of characters -- some historical, some legendary and others purely a product of his vivid imagination -- producing an exciting storyline that holds the reader's interest throughout. I found the listing of characters at the beginning of the book helpful in quickly referencing them as they were introduced in the story. The glossary and notes at the end of the book were also of interest, allowing for a detailed understanding of the material presented without interfering with the story as it unfolded. I liked the book for its depiction of two cultures in conflict--Roman and Celtic -- and how the Christian faith of primary characters in both cultures presented challenges that required hard decisions regarding their own cultural norms (especially in the area of the Celtic and Roman pagan religions), versus their faith in a new religion in its infancy, which provided a common ground transcending their individual cultures. I also appreciated the fact that the book presents the military aspects of the life of the Roman Legions in Britain at the time in unfliching detail, not only the battle activities of the various forces involved, which are as exciting as any war novel, but also the more mundane preparations of supply, training and manuever which make for success on the battlefield for any military campaign ancient or modern. Imperial Legions brings to life an era almost lost in the mists of two millenia of past history. It is a great story with all the elements of romance, action and historical detail necessary for a most enjoyable reading experience.

Seddon has some good ideas, but he can't write his way out of a paper bag. The characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting; the New Age bad guy was laughably stupid. I enjoyed this book's novel premise and how Seddon tried to focus on religion in the future (which, in SF, is usually not a hot topic.) You can see how Seddon is extrapolating anti-Christian trends in today's society to his future world, which is very interesting and makes it more plausible.

Seddon should have sub-contracted his ideas to an author who could really make an interesting story out of them.

As someone from a New Age background, I found it refreshing to see accurate potrayal of a New Age character in Christian literature. But the main bad guy was the only character who was well developed, and I think the story could have used better character development throughout.

I loved the plot line, however. I found it interesting to read about Christians on Mars. I also found the decay of Christianity leading to the New Age-style global religion hauntingly realistic. That and the fast pace of the novel helped keep me interested despite the two dimensional main characters.

Excellent plot if you like science fiction. Excellent portrayal of Christians under persecution.

A couple of criticisms though: The beginning is unnecessarily confusing when introducing characters - he gives the identity of the character after the description. A couple of unnecessarily strong scenes make it unsuitable for children.