This is a historical novel written in the 1930s by a Scottish author, real name James Leslie Mitchell, about the famous slave rebellion against Roman rule in Italy in the late 70s BC. As a marxist, the author was concerned to present Spartacus's rebellion from the inside, and minimise his descriptions of the more familiar Roman scenes and imagery, or presenting the outlook from the point of view of Crassus and other leading Roman figures; this therefore reads differently from almost any other novel set in ancient Rome. This style befits the dramatic, tragic and elemental events the author is describing, though it can also make the narrative read rather narrowly and matter-of-factly (as per the introduction: "By deliberately depriving the reader of extensive areas of alternative information – Roman strategy, psychological insight into character, flashback or forward – Mitchell keeps the reader on edge for the information of the moment, which is all the reader possesses."). This is often rather a claustrophobic and relatively unstirring read, despite the episodes of great drama, tension and horror. Despite these factors, it's a 4/5 for the quality of the author's writing and the strength of his passion for justice. ( )