Exciting, heart-stopping action-adventure! A young legionary saves the life of a prefect of the Praetorians and as a reward, is made a Praetorian himself. He is tasked to infiltrate the court surrounding Emperor Commodus's sister Lucilla now living at the exotic and expansive villa of Emperor Hadrian, to go undercover as a mercenary, to infiltrate and to discover a plot to assassinate Commodus. His first attempt ends in failure but he is sent back to finish his assignment and to warn the emperor in time. I was breathless at the last few chapters where he overhears the plot [and what he does to eavesdrop] and at what follows. The torture scene was gruesome enough I had to pause then resume later, although the book as a whole was a page-turner. In my opinion, Rutilius is superior to the author's previous Roman military hero, the too-perfect [and silly] Fronto. Rutilius is more human; he can be a klutz [which serves him well in one attack] and when faced with the choice of killing his nemesis, the bully Scopius, cannot do so, as well as killing a roommate at the villa. I am eager to read more Rutilius. ( )