"Roma," New Saylor Novel

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

As for Scott's "Boudica" series, I must hang my head in shame and admit that history from the point of view of the "barbarians" holds no charm for me.

 

I think you and I will get on, Metro99! I have read the Scott series and couldn't wait to get to the parts that deal with her half-brother who goes off to join the auxiliary cavalry. Hehe - and in the final novel - the history is well-known, so there's no spoiiler alert here - the final battle had me shouting for joy 'The Romans are winning! The Romans are winning!'

 

And I'm English... I should be ashamed of myself - but I'm not!

 

 

 

Haha Augusta you're not on your own there

 

The half brother Ban/Valerius I think?? Quickly became my favorite character too and there was no point cheering the Britons on anyway because like you say we all know the outcome anyway! Still an entertaining book though.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

Also..... How could I forget!

"The Eagle In The Snow" by Wallace Breem, It's the best book that I've read on Roman fiction and it's also the book I stole my name from

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eagle-Snow-Wallace...1319&sr=8-1

 

Gaius,

 

I know I'll hate myself within five minutes after posting this question but: does the novel have a happy ending? I ask because part of the subtitle is "...Rome's Last Stand." There are only about a dozen things in life that depress me and the fall of the Western Roman Empire is one of them.

 

It's set in the final stages of the Empire so I guess you could say that it's heading towards a pretty miserable time but the book is mainly about the General and his personal battle to uphold everything he believes in at whatever the cost and not so much about the fall of the Empire as such.

 

Maybe not a happy ending as in Maximus defeats the barbarians and they all run off with their tales between their legs because we know that never happened but in my opinion a good ending non the less....... better still read it and find out for yourself I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

I'm not familiar with Valerio Massimo Manfredi. Does he write collections or stand-alone novels?

 

The majority of his novels are all Greco/Roman based

 

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/valeri...ssimo-manfredi/

[Metro99]

As for Scott's "Boudica" series, I must hang my head in shame and admit that history from the point of view of the "barbarians" holds no charm for me.

 

I think you and I will get on, Metro99! I have read the Scott series and couldn't wait to get to the parts that deal with her half-brother who goes off to join the auxiliary cavalry. Hehe - and in the final novel - the history is well-known, so there's no spoiiler alert here - the final battle had me shouting for joy 'The Romans are winning! The Romans are winning!'

 

And I'm English... I should be ashamed of myself - but I'm not!

 

You are well met, Augusta.

 

Oh dear, a Brit siding with the "Occupiers" against the heroic Boudica! At least I can console myself with my Italian heritage (however diluted after three generations of life in the American Republic). Strange is the attraction that some feel for Rome. Perhaps it's a case of acute Romitis.

 

I recall through the vague mists of early childhood my parents dragging me to see "Ben Hur" in 1960. I'm sure that Billy Wilder expected his audiences to root for Judah Ben-Hur, but honestly I wanted Messala to win that chariot race in the worst way! I was wretched when Stephen Boyd got his comeuppance. Who can deny that Boyd looked magnificent in his tribune's uniform? The red plumage on his crested helmet, the molded breastplate, and of course the red cloak. And don't even get me started on the toga!