This is one of the best Roman historical fiction novels I've ever read--even after repeated rereadings! It takes place when the Western Roman Empire is on the wane.

Sergius Paullus, the protagonist, is atypical. Born in Hispania, after a serious altercation with his father he is thrown out. He lives for a time in Rome and works for an uncle there, then is commissioned in the army as a tribune. Posted to Gaul, finally to far-off Britannia, he fights exterior battles with the enemy in both countries and interior ones, wrestling with his demons. He himself narrates and we follow his life's path.

Sergius is a serious person, an introvert, a scholar, and a decent, good-hearted person. Sometimes, for his age, he is somewhat naïve. He also is often 'at the wrong place at the wrong time'. We see his besetting faults: he is quick to anger and is impetuous and impatient. After he has acted impulsively, he doesn't realize there are consequences to his actions. More than once, some unthinking action on his part leads his fate suddenly into a completely new direction. I thought he was a well fleshed-out character and fully human. He has become a favorite fictional personality. On the whole, the other characters were also well-rounded. The novel was extremely well-written. Its strong point was the character development of Sergius, although battle scenes and other action were clearly described.

This novel deserves to be better known. I hope my words will spark other readers' curiosity about this novel. I recommend it most highly for lovers of serious Roman historical fiction set in the latter days of the Empire. I wish the novel would be reissued in paperback [possibly with more up-to-date cover] and would be published on eReader. ( )

Excellent historical novel, if all such were as good we would be in heaven, the author knows his period & people as well as Patrick o'Brian knows his. Probably aimed at young adults, but this old adult has re-read this book several times. Roberts writes excellent historical-based fantasy, this one has barely any fantastic elements, and is hardly known, which is a big pity. Roberts was an engineer, and shows his interest in Roman waterworks and the war machines in the anonymous book "On War" (he invents a plasusible author). The battle scenes are fantastic too. ( )

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