THE CASPIAN GATES

This time around it is AD262 and the Imperium is in disorder after the battle for the throne. But this is not all.  Ephesus is lying in ruins as a result of the mighty earthquake that has taken place and the inhabitants live in fear as mob mentality is now ruling the city.

Meanwhile the barbaric Goth tribe are heading towards Ephesus on their way to pillage and plunder the metropolis. There is only one person who knows how to defeat them and that person is Ballista a Warrior of Rome. With the Goth’s well-known appetite for cruelty and obliterationsoon Ballista finds himself locked in a battle not only with a deadly enemy that has sworn to kill him but also destroy Imperium.

The Caspian Gates is the fourth book in the warrior of Rome series and will no doubt be enjoyed by those that enjoy historical crime fiction set in Rome. It is undoubtedly a page-turner and it is a novel that is very heavy on the blood and gore that forms part and parcel of what is taking place.  

Although it is clear that this is a well-written and well-researched story, it could have done with a lightness of touch in some places.  Furthermore there was too much Latin in the novel which meant that one kept on getting taken out of the story as one flipped back to read the glossary. Disconcerting and rather irritating. Despite these small niggles, The Caspian Gates is well worth reading if you love epic roman battles with memorable characters.