I must confess to a guilty secret - I'm addicted to historical fiction, especially sword and sandals stuff. Anything with ancient warriors beating several kinds of crap out of each other with swords and shields then it's probably on my reading list, the more bloody and brutal the better...Fortunately the Easter Bunny, noticing an ever increasing waistline, decided that one chocolate egg was enough this year and threw in a copy of Harry Sidebottom's Warrior of Rome: Fire in the East to sweeten the deal. It is the story of Marcus Clodius Ballista, a Roman citizen of barbarian origins tasked with defending the city of Arete against the Sassanid Empire in 255AD.
Now I haven't much of a clue about Roman history during this period (neither do academics apparently) but the book is a great read with naval action against pirates, intrigue, politics and a great big siege as the Sassanid's attempt to take Arete. Good stuff, can't wait for book two King of Kings.
Sounds good - I quite like the genre too. Check out "Ship of Rome" by John Stack, released early this year. Its chock full of 1st Punic War naval action!
ReplyDeleteThanks - treated myself! :-)
ReplyDeleteDont think you'll be dissappointed, I cant wait for the second book to be released.
ReplyDeleteHave a go at the Simon Scarrow books, they quite good. It tracks the adventures of a Centurion and his Optio during the invasion of Britannia. I recommend them.
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