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Warrior of Rome The Amber Road 9780718155957 Books

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Warrior of Rome The Amber Road 9780718155957 Books

There are many fine historical fiction writers out there – for me that means writers who are able to bring creativity and depth within the dimensions of high authenticity to deliver to the reader the experience of the past and a greater understanding than he might have by simply reading history alone. If you had given Dr Sidebottom’s plots to the majority of these writers, you would receive in return books with a lot of detail about ancient warfare, ships, fortifications, and some daily life for texture. What you receive instead from the Warrior of Rome series is plenty of all that plus art criticism, linguistic and literary culture, religion, philosophy, politics, and a feel for the life experiences of everyone from slaves to emperors – not just in the Greco-Roman world, but also Persia, Germania, the Steppe lands, and more. As I've said before, I have learned more from the Warrior of Rome series than I have from a number of my university classes.

When I read Fire in the East, I was impressed with Dr Sidebottom’s ability to apply not just simple research but a lifetime of scholarly pursuit into a book that is still an action story of hard-drinking, whoring, fighting men (from the UK no less). But when I went on to read the next two (which only became better and more refined) I began to realize that the author is in fact taking us on a true tour of the Roman world. Places we had only heard of (and many that we perhaps had not) sprang to life in marble and stone, mud brick and waddle.

As the series went on, our tour expanded beyond the frontiers (not just the Hadrian’s Wall of so many other books but deep into lands that even today are remote and mysterious) and to literally bring us into uncharted territory. Perhaps unfortunately, the previous two volumes (The Caspian Gates and especially Wolves of the North) took on a gray tone, where along with the heroes of Ballista’s familia the reader himself began to feel as if he were on a long exile. But now, in The Amber Road, Ballista is going home to Germania and we are returned to lands that we are perhaps more familiar with – the world of proto-Vikings and the like. The book starts with a broader view of events than the last few, and though we travel many leagues, the feeling of the book is more open and less oppressive than our recent travels. From a carnal perspective the book will thoroughly entertain, especially as the last third of it is chock full of battles, duels, hall burnings, intrigues, revelations, and did I mention battles. The ending of the book is intentionally disappointing in regards to a certain subplot, but gives us a refreshingly different twist.

A few reviews I read mentioned that they felt like this was the end of the series; but I do not see how that would be possible. The book does a good job of tying up its own issues, but there is much in the series that is anything but resolved.

These books have been taking us on a long tour of the Third Century World, but it is only now that I read The Amber Road that I see that Dr Sidebottom actually may have something even more ambitious in mind. Early in the book, Ballista realizes that the events of Fire in the East are a full ten years before. This new volume is set in the early 260s, and the whole series has been set in a period known today as the Crisis of the Third Century (roughly 235-284), a period of tremendous upheaval and civil war in which some 20 usurpers (including the historical Ballista) rose and fell. The period changed Rome forever and not only sowed the seeds of the fall of the western empire but also the seeds of medieval Europe. By beginning his series in the 250s and continuing as he has, Dr Sidebottom may in fact be giving us a master class of the Crisis of the Third Century itself, in a way that few others could. Should Ballista survive, the series may end with the ascension of Diocletian (who may have made a cameo in this volume, by the way) and the return of stability. It is an exciting prospect, and I for one am ready to join Ballista, Maximus, and the others for the next leg of the journey.
- David Gray Rodgers, author of The Songs of Slaves


Tags : Warrior of Rome: The Amber Road on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>[MP3-CD audiobook format in Vinyl case. *NOTE: The MP3-CD format requires a compatible audio CD player.]</b> [Read by Stefan Rudnicki]<BR><BR> In the sixth novel in Harry Sidebottom's bestselling 'Warrior of Rome' historical fiction series,Warrior of Rome: The Amber Road,Penguin Books,0718155955

Warrior of Rome The Amber Road 9780718155957 Books Reviews

Great story telling if you are a more into historical details and blood & guts..... cannot put down the series ever since I started off with the first one, "Fire in the East". There are many authors who write historical fictions, and there are many good historic fictions out there; some of them are quite good, but I have never read a series with consistency given to the historic details from the armor of a common soldier,or an attire of a court official, to the very last detail of a skirmish or battle; or details of a city or town or the political climate, and the characters playing part in them from the great emperors to the lowly stable hand, who plays a part in the story; in the late roman empire era. Hope to read more books from Dr. Harry Sidebottom, the Best Historic fiction writer IMHO. I cannot wait for the next one in the series or a brand new series set in another period of the antiquity.

10/22/2013; Read it again for the 2nd time, and I cannot wait for the next book in the Warrior of Rome series. Absolutely visceral and well detailed to the last arrow fired or the last blow of a sword. And no character is way too irrelevant, to be described in detail. When I read the book again I felt as I was in the story and watching the characters go through their motions. I cannot stress enough, how much I am yearning for the next book in the series....
Harry Sidebottom is at par with Bernard Cornwell. This is a well written and well researched novel. It holds the reader's attention in a compelling manner. Easy to read action novel. A must for all miniature wargamers especially Ancients aficionados. Of general interest to all historians and antiquarians.
Aside from great action, this series well documents the political rivalries that occurred in the 260s, when men aspiring to be emperors rose and fell in quick succession. Also, Ballista, barbarian turned Roman, is an interesting and realistic character. I look forward to the next installment.
Interesting well written story. Can follow main plot well and the main characters are people you will mostly like. However, there are a lot of Germanic or Celtic tribal names that can be hard to follow. Also in the book, the main chararter become too much of a "superman" at times-- can not lose a fight or be out matched. Still I recommend
I have read all six books in the Sidebottom series on the life and times of Ballista, a German barbarian who joins the Roman army and is very successful, rising the the highest ranks during the era of the "Barracks Emperors," a time of deep crisis for the Empire. There is ample action, good development of characters, detailed and historically accurate (so far as I can tell) in description of events and times in this tumultuous period. Sidebottom cannot turn these out fast enough for me.
Another story of the constant struggle and harsh lives that those who lived in the 3rd century AD had. The fact that Ballista's struggles involved many smaller battles not just large well known historical battles adds to the authenticity and makes you realise that the times were savage and peace was a fleeting thing. The credability is enhanced when you read the bio of the author and the research that he has done in developing this series. I thank him for giving us the benefit of all his years of work in this area and bringing to life the times which our ancestors came through. The more I read of historical fiction the more I realise that nothing has really changed over the centuries - greed, corruption, power and the use of religion whatever type to manipulate people for human evil acts.
There are many fine historical fiction writers out there – for me that means writers who are able to bring creativity and depth within the dimensions of high authenticity to deliver to the reader the experience of the past and a greater understanding than he might have by simply reading history alone. If you had given Dr Sidebottom’s plots to the majority of these writers, you would receive in return books with a lot of detail about ancient warfare, ships, fortifications, and some daily life for texture. What you receive instead from the Warrior of Rome series is plenty of all that plus art criticism, linguistic and literary culture, religion, philosophy, politics, and a feel for the life experiences of everyone from slaves to emperors – not just in the Greco-Roman world, but also Persia, Germania, the Steppe lands, and more. As I've said before, I have learned more from the Warrior of Rome series than I have from a number of my university classes.

When I read Fire in the East, I was impressed with Dr Sidebottom’s ability to apply not just simple research but a lifetime of scholarly pursuit into a book that is still an action story of hard-drinking, whoring, fighting men (from the UK no less). But when I went on to read the next two (which only became better and more refined) I began to realize that the author is in fact taking us on a true tour of the Roman world. Places we had only heard of (and many that we perhaps had not) sprang to life in marble and stone, mud brick and waddle.

As the series went on, our tour expanded beyond the frontiers (not just the Hadrian’s Wall of so many other books but deep into lands that even today are remote and mysterious) and to literally bring us into uncharted territory. Perhaps unfortunately, the previous two volumes (The Caspian Gates and especially Wolves of the North) took on a gray tone, where along with the heroes of Ballista’s familia the reader himself began to feel as if he were on a long exile. But now, in The Amber Road, Ballista is going home to Germania and we are returned to lands that we are perhaps more familiar with – the world of proto-Vikings and the like. The book starts with a broader view of events than the last few, and though we travel many leagues, the feeling of the book is more open and less oppressive than our recent travels. From a carnal perspective the book will thoroughly entertain, especially as the last third of it is chock full of battles, duels, hall burnings, intrigues, revelations, and did I mention battles. The ending of the book is intentionally disappointing in regards to a certain subplot, but gives us a refreshingly different twist.

A few reviews I read mentioned that they felt like this was the end of the series; but I do not see how that would be possible. The book does a good job of tying up its own issues, but there is much in the series that is anything but resolved.

These books have been taking us on a long tour of the Third Century World, but it is only now that I read The Amber Road that I see that Dr Sidebottom actually may have something even more ambitious in mind. Early in the book, Ballista realizes that the events of Fire in the East are a full ten years before. This new volume is set in the early 260s, and the whole series has been set in a period known today as the Crisis of the Third Century (roughly 235-284), a period of tremendous upheaval and civil war in which some 20 usurpers (including the historical Ballista) rose and fell. The period changed Rome forever and not only sowed the seeds of the fall of the western empire but also the seeds of medieval Europe. By beginning his series in the 250s and continuing as he has, Dr Sidebottom may in fact be giving us a master class of the Crisis of the Third Century itself, in a way that few others could. Should Ballista survive, the series may end with the ascension of Diocletian (who may have made a cameo in this volume, by the way) and the return of stability. It is an exciting prospect, and I for one am ready to join Ballista, Maximus, and the others for the next leg of the journey.
- David Gray Rodgers, author of The Songs of Slaves