Action packed adventure from the outset until the end!

In Ballista the hero of this book you have an action hardened hero who plays by the rules of the tribe that raised him but also follows his own moral compass. Prime amongst the latter is the protection of his wife and children followed by loyalty to the men that serve him and his family, and then loyalty to the Emperor. However when he discovers a plot to kill the Emperor it becomes clear that this knowledge alone threatens his family even if he were to be successful in discovering who the conspirators are and succeeds in saving the Emperor. This is what sets him off on a one man mission across Rome and through the lines of not only the City Watch who have been ordered to arrest him but also the massed ranks of the conspirators.
This is not however your run of the mill adventure as the story is given depth by the historically accurate setting of Rome and also the depiction of the various strata of Roman society. This both adds colour and also rounds out the story in that the chase is given added poignancy by Ballista trying to get through the streets of Rome undetected even though his very stature makes this difficult as do his Northern blue eyes and fair complexion. I found the historical facts as interesting as the rest of the story.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to kick back and enjoy the escapism brought by a well thought out adventure story.