Rating: 
Summary: Good romp.
Review: A fun ride, this book. It's especially fun to see the parallels to modern day weaponry, such as Belisarius' first glimpse of my true love: battleships. This isn't the type of book that will win a literary prize, but it's the type of book that's just plain *fun*.
Rating:
Summary: Mixture of war, strategy and philosophy
Review: A very different series from most sci-fi books. I enjoy the blend of early Christian factions and the different Indian sub-continent views of religion as a background to the conflict between Aide and Link.Very different from the books written just by Drake and if you're looking for Hammer's Slammers type action you will be disappointed. But someone looking for a mixture of that type on the edge strategy coupled with deeper meanings it is a fun read, since in the end only the soul matters.
Rating:
Summary: Variations on a theme, an excellent alt-history.
Review: Belisarius is one of histories great might have beens. The last Procouncil of Rome, a military leader of great genius, as an old man he lead an untrained army to destroy an invasion of barbarians. He almost united the Roman Empire, almost. What if.... David Drake wrote that he presented S. M. Stirling with an essay on the life of Belisarius, the series "The General" resulted. If Mr. Drake did the same with Mr. Flint, than this series would be the variation on that theme. Happily, Mr. Flint proves to be an an excellent writer, not the same writter as M. Stirling, but his own. Stirling's strength is his physical presents. You can see his story. Mr Flint's strength is his feel, you can feel his story. The one great weakness is that while Theodora, and, to a lesser degree, Antonia, have personalities with strengths and weaknesses, the other characters, including Belisarious, are one dimentional, few doubts, no fears, to perfect. The story itself is! a rousing yarn, filled with action, a touch of philosophy, and an emerging conflict between the idea of "the All" versus "The One", the individual of society. I look foward with anticipation for the next installment.
Rating: 
Summary: Drake is writing the same story over and over again
Review: David Drake has mined the Belisarius story more than once under other names. Now he uses Belisarius by name in an alternative history novel. I was entralled by how various technologies are entertwined in a story about philosophy and war and what is "right". You are never in doubt about who will win, it is just a question of how hard the victory will be fought. This is the first time I have ever seen someone show an example of the difference between fighting a war from a strategic view as opposed to a tactical view. The book is flawed only in the lack of character development. You see what the characters DO, but why they think what they are doing is correct is not examined.
Rating:
Summary: Rewriting History in the Indian Subcontinent
Review: David Drake has mined the Belisarius story more than once under other names. Now he uses Belisarius by name in an alternative history novel. I was entralled by how various technologies are entertwined in a story about philosophy and war and what is "right". You are never in doubt about who will win, it is just a question of how hard the victory will be fought. This is the first time I have ever seen someone show an example of the difference between fighting a war from a strategic view as opposed to a tactical view. The book is flawed only in the lack of character development. You see what the characters DO, but why they think what they are doing is correct is not examined.
Rating: 
Summary: The second of, hopefully, a great series!
Review: David Drake has, in essence, recreated his "The General" series in the 6th century Roman Empire (Eastern) using some well known historical figures. His use of these names in the context of the story line is very compelling and inspries a very beliveable "air" to the story-line. The use of the jewel as a guide and mentor to Belisarius through his struggles and plots is a weakness to the story, as it is all to familiar to David Drake fans. I must apploigise to Eric Flint, as I have referred to only David Drake as the author when, in fact, Mr. Flint has brought much to this story as well. A "feel" for the time period that is essencial for the story to move as fluidly as it does between the main players and sub-plots. Overall, the series is entertaining and absorbing and moves well. Each book has left me waiting for the next .
Rating:
Summary: Drake and Flint a Winning Combination
Review: Drake once again establishes himself as a consumate story teller; and, along with Flint begin to rival Harry Turtledove in the this new alternate history epic set in Byzantine Rome.I have tried in vain to identify which writer is actively telling the story outside of the battle scenes (Drake of course must take precedence for these)and would truly like a chapter by chapter lexicon of the each writer's contributuion. This book is well crafted in all respects and imminently entertaining; lets have the next novel in the series as soon as possible.
Rating: 
Summary: This new series should be avoided by Drake fans.
Review: Drake's second visit to the Belisarius model falls very far short of his first, The General series. I am an avid fan of all Drake's work and in particular have read and re-read The General so many times that the covers of my copies are worn away. This new series is a pallid imitation at best. The principal characters are worshiped from afar rather than made real by the author. The "sweat and dirt" reality of battle scenes from other Drake books is completely absent. We readers need to be careful that Drake does not become the Stephen King of military sci-fi: he publishes his grocery list and we rush to buy it! In short. there's too much scholasticism and not enough reality in this series. I forced myself to read the first two volumes twice just to be sure: Don't waste your time on this series. Hopefully Drake's next effort will return to the level of his previous works.
Rating:
Summary: The saga continues...
Review: For those of you who have not read AN OBLIQUE APPROACH, I suggest you do so before reading this book. It may not be strictly necessary, but it will make the series more enjoyable for you. For followers of the series, this is a strong follow-up to the first book. Depending more on individual action than intricate battle-plans, it makes a refreshing change of pace that is still absorbing. In this second installment of the Belisarius series, Our Hero has rescued the Empress Shakuntala and finally meets his ultimate enemy face-to-face. Link, the supercomputer from the future, lives in the body of one of the Malwa royalty. Unable to hide his true intentions from the mind-reading machine, Belisarius is forced to flee India. His African, Roman, and Indian friends split up to help confuse pursuit, and much of the book is taken up with their various escapades. On the home front, Antonina and Theodora are dealing with treachery and treason as Malwa and Romans ally to overthrow the Emperor. Antonina has not been a sluggard while her husband was away; she is the leader of the newly formed cohort of grenadiers. Rioting in the streets, attempted assassinations, and the best efforts of the Malwa empire are no match for Belisarius and his wife, but tragedy does strike the Emperor Justinian in the end.
Rating:
Summary: The saga continues...
Review: For those of you who have not read AN OBLIQUE APPROACH, I suggest you do so before reading this book. It may not be strictly necessary, but it will make the series more enjoyable for you. For followers of the series, this is a strong follow-up to the first book. Depending more on individual action than intricate battle-plans, it makes a refreshing change of pace that is still absorbing. In this second installment of the Belisarius series, Our Hero has rescued the Empress Shakuntala and finally meets his ultimate enemy face-to-face. Link, the supercomputer from the future, lives in the body of one of the Malwa royalty. Unable to hide his true intentions from the mind-reading machine, Belisarius is forced to flee India. His African, Roman, and Indian friends split up to help confuse pursuit, and much of the book is taken up with their various escapades. On the home front, Antonina and Theodora are dealing with treachery and treason as Malwa and Romans ally to overthrow the Emperor. Antonina has not been a sluggard while her husband was away; she is the leader of the newly formed cohort of grenadiers. Rioting in the streets, attempted assassinations, and the best efforts of the Malwa empire are no match for Belisarius and his wife, but tragedy does strike the Emperor Justinian in the end.
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