Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Terrific Read, 15 May 2007
Michael Curtis Ford has worked variously as a labourer, a ski patrolman, a musician, a consultant, a banker, a Latin teacher, and a translator. He holds degrees in Economics and Linguistics and lives in Oregon with his wife and their three children He has written a number of novels and numerous articles on ancient military themes.
The year is 476 ad and the Roman Empire is clinging to its last vestiges of power. The Empire is riddled with corruption and is reeling from centuries of barbarian aggression. Now it faces a challenge greater than any it has had to face in its long and dramatic history.
This is a powerful novel encompassing the things that combined to bring a one great Empire to its knees. It is a powerful insight into Roman warfare in all its raw glory, so much so that the reader feels he is on the battlefield as catapult bolts fly overhead, the screams of the wounded and dying and the smell of battle. A mixture of blood, sweat, fear and voided body fluids as the sons of Attila wage battle with the last of the Roman Emperor's.
The author is a master at depicting battle scenes from early history and this book is no different. It encapsulates how an ancient battle, was fought to the bitter end, hand to hand combat, looking into the eyes of the man opposing you. Using weapons that usually maimed rather than killed your opponent cleanly. Savage and brutal, but somehow exhilarating and exciting.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping and brilliantly written, 24 May 2008
For me Michael Curtis Ford stands head and shoulders with the rest, such as Bernard Cornwell, Conn Igguldenn and William Napier.
His ability to encapsulate the reader with intricate detail, character creation and development along with concise pace and fluidity is second to none, and he makes the subject matter all the more interesting by doing so.
This novel is set just after the death of Attila the Hun, the scourge of the Roman Empire, and reflects the 'zietgeist' of the times, with the border armies of Rome and those within its gates on the brink of continuous rebellion (especially after the death of Aetius, but that's another matter) and tells a legendary tale of the conflict between two men, Odaocer and Orestes, and the political and personal manouvering of both throughout their military careers, as well as underpinning the issues of the time, weaving several narratives on several scales - both large and personal to the characters.
Although a little too much centred on hero vs villian genre, Michael Curtis Ford doesn't fail to both educate and entertain, with precise fact combined well with a fair amount of artistic licence (due to the lack of a substantial amount of historical documentation).
The only criticism I have is the battle scenes could be a little clearer and easy to follow, as I sometimes became confused as to what was really going on. Having said that Curtis Ford doesn't focus too heavily on combat and violence, for the sake of it, but uses a good mixture of story telling in the third person, and for me captures the essence of a Rome gone awry.
A definite must read!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb story of the final fall of Rome , 29 Mar 2009
.. told through the eyes of two German/Roman soldiers , Orestes and Odoacer. The novel starts with the death of Attila the Hun and as act of treachery that allows Orestes to fund his rise within the Western Roman Empire (by the time the novel takes place the empire has split into two and Britain had been left to its own fate)
Odoacer meanwhile finds his remaining relatives , only for them to be destroyed by the Romans and Orestes.
The back drop to the whole story is the demise of the Western Roman empire as it is subject to a series of assaults from Northern Europe. What is very clear is that successive waves of invaders were absorbed into the empire and became its defenders.(and really quite passionate about Rome) The action of the battles is very well done, especially the assault on Rome. In comparison to Scarrow who concentrates on the 'blood and guts' action this steps back a bit to give you more of the historical context and what was going on around the main characters at the time.
There is also a sense of loss in that the end of the empire was the start of the Dark Ages for Europe and even the hero Odoacer meets his end fighting yet another invasion (ironically sparked by the Eastern empire..)
The broad historical sweep is matched by two very good main characters and the action fair rips along
Well recommended I'd say
Curious a footnote to say that the retelling of the parable of the servants given money has a neat twist as well
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