The colourful cover situates us in the heart of the Roman Empire and includes some impressive tags.
The prologue throws us straight into the action of a manhunt and Chapter 1 carries on from that. This puzzled me as prologues tend to be from a different perspective or time. I eventually realised this is a standalone historical fiction novel in a series by Harry Sidebottom, number 7 in the Warrior of Rome saga so I imagine the prologue orients continuing readers.
I had never heard of Ballista and the Emperor Gallienus in the third century of the Christian era so this is a rare treat. I expect I'll succumb to temptation and buy all six of the preceding books. Beware, fellow readers, it's a honey-trap!
The prologue throws us straight into the action of a manhunt and Chapter 1 carries on from that. This puzzled me as prologues tend to be from a different perspective or time. I eventually realised this is a standalone historical fiction novel in a series by Harry Sidebottom, number 7 in the Warrior of Rome saga so I imagine the prologue orients continuing readers.
I had never heard of Ballista and the Emperor Gallienus in the third century of the Christian era so this is a rare treat. I expect I'll succumb to temptation and buy all six of the preceding books. Beware, fellow readers, it's a honey-trap!