Seamless continuation from volume 1. There were several main adventures; but this book gave us some character development of Ballista--his struggling to be accepted; his sometimes insecurity; his decency and integrity==his stating and actions showing he is "living by a code", something Calgacus has taught him since boyhood. Of course, his military ability goes without saying. Sometimes his opinion is ignored by the emperor and council.

He is first given the mission of fighting Sassanids at Circesium. After a difficult journey to reach there, he is upstaged by an arrogant, know-it-all, highly insubordinate aristocratic officer. The officer is thought to be the hero of the day, although the man only snatched a partial victory. Next, a stint as deputy to governor of Ephesus and persecution of "atheistic" Christians ends in failure, as he feels he cannot persecute them as viciously and completely as others want him to. He is demoted but assigned to an expedition to defeat the Great King at Emesa. That battle goes badly and I got the impression they really weren't wanted. He and the field army accompanying him escape the city by night but are betrayed. A shattering climax ensues.

I thought this a good exposition of more aspects of his character. Someone is really out to kill him, as there are several assassination attempts--instigated by the same person? He is hated by several people. I thought it strange how several individuals in the first section just disappeared without a trace. Will they resurface later on? There is some unfinished business there. The novel ended in a cliffhanger, but I want to follow Ballista and company in further episodes.

Highly recommended. ( )

This book certainly looks like a bridge book and thus suffers from lack of theme and direction. It is just going through the motions to tell inconsequential material that could be glossed over in two chapters instead of an entire book. It deals with our Hero, Ballista and the last 4 years of the reign of Valerian. When Valerian, according to this material, was betrayed to the Persians. Our hero the one voice against the traitors that was not listened to.

Our hero, Ballista sitting along the sidelines being given small missions that barely had a battle to show his skill as the Warrior of Rome. And so it is a place holder and as we saw i the first book where all the good feeling that had finally paid off being smashed by Sidebottom, we see that Sidebottom is more concerned with trying to teach us this history lesson where everything that happened to his hero is important, when in fact it has little to do with the telling of a good story.

So again Sidebottom disappoint, though there is hope. We know that even as Ballista is truly doomed here at the end of book 2, Sidebottom has more books for Ballista so the hero must rise again... Perhaps we will finally see if this hero can actually emerge heroically. ( )

Number two in the trilogy (?) and a really enjoyable read. Sorry to have finished it, looking forward to ordering the third any time i have a birthday soon.
He certainly knows his Roman-period onions, does Harry. He's clearly done the research that will add to the enjoyment for the reader, without getting bogged down in detail and description.
It's a good story - there's more trouble in the east - well written and you don't need to have read the first to jump in here.
So, if you've got a few days to drift off away to Rome in, you can certainly do worse than have a go at his one. ( )

Started off really well. I then found it very pedestrian. I had no feel of ancient Rome as I read. I gave up on page 227, life is too short. I was very disappointed as I realy like books about Romans. I would not recommend this. Happy to be contradicted and I may try to finish it one day. ( )