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Hannibal: Enemy of Rome
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"An epic tale, triumphantly told."
--Giles Kristian, author of the Raven series
--Giles Kristian, author of the Raven series
Book Description
The first in a brilliant new series set during the Second Punic War, from the bestselling author of THE FORGOTTEN LEGION Chronicles
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
When the Romans kicked Carthage in the teeth by stealing Sicily off them in the First Punic War, it was only a matter of time before the Carthaginians struck back with a vengeance. That vengeance took the formidable shape of General Hannibal Barca, a bunch of elephants and a mass of infantry and cavalry gathered from across the Carthaginian Mediterranean empire.
The story of Hannibal is legendary but there is much, much more to Ben Kane's novel than a retelling of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. In fact, I'd argue that the book's title is misleading. Hannibal is present, as charismatic as one would wish, but, for much of the novel, he is an embodiment of hope or evil. He is the force that drives the Mediterranean to war. The focus instead is on the men who flock to Hannibal - whether to fight and die for him or to destroy him and his army.
We follow Hanno, a young Carthaginian nobleman, and his friend Suni who play truant one fateful day, stealing themselves away to fish but instead find themselves adrift at sea until captured by pirates and sold as slaves in Capua. Suni is sold to be a gladiator but Hanno is bought by the young Roman equestrian Quintus, a youth whose bravery is matched by that of his spirited sister Aurelia. After Hanno saves Quintus and Aurelia, it's only a matter of time before the two young men become friends despite the great difference between them. Their fathers oppose one another on the battlefield and the goal of both boys is to reach their fathers and join them in the fight.
Hannibal takes us from North Africa to Spain, Italy and Gaul. The horrendous hardships that Hannibal's men face as they cross the Alps - from the elements, the mountains themselves and from the tribes that control them - are described in compelling detail. The miracle is that any man or beast survived at all. While virtue is found on both sides and neither side is the favourite, there is brutality here, as life becomes something precious and at risk. Ben Kane doesn't shy away from presenting the outrages of both sides just as he doesn't make any character faultless. Quintus and Hanno are both very likeable but through the course of the pages we see them become the tools of war. Hanno's brothers Bostar and Sapho, deeply competitive and flawed, demonstrate even further what happens when war and vengeance becomes the reason for being. The fathers of Quintus and Hanno have both learned lessons that their sons have yet to recognise.
Quintus' sister Aurelia is a particularly attractive creation here. Contracted to marriage with a wealthy man fighting alongside her father she longs to hunt, fight and ride with her male relatives but, thanks to the potentially very dangerous situation at home that Quintus and her father have left her and her mother to face, she shows that the women left behind could be equally brave and resolute.
The action sequences in Hannibal are thrilling and exciting but they don't dominate. Rich characterisation and involving relationships ensure that you will finish Hannibal quickly, wanting to learn the fate of the people who fill its pages. Fortunately, I'm glad to hear that this is the first in a new series and there is much more to come.
The story of Hannibal is legendary but there is much, much more to Ben Kane's novel than a retelling of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. In fact, I'd argue that the book's title is misleading. Hannibal is present, as charismatic as one would wish, but, for much of the novel, he is an embodiment of hope or evil. He is the force that drives the Mediterranean to war. The focus instead is on the men who flock to Hannibal - whether to fight and die for him or to destroy him and his army.
We follow Hanno, a young Carthaginian nobleman, and his friend Suni who play truant one fateful day, stealing themselves away to fish but instead find themselves adrift at sea until captured by pirates and sold as slaves in Capua. Suni is sold to be a gladiator but Hanno is bought by the young Roman equestrian Quintus, a youth whose bravery is matched by that of his spirited sister Aurelia. After Hanno saves Quintus and Aurelia, it's only a matter of time before the two young men become friends despite the great difference between them. Their fathers oppose one another on the battlefield and the goal of both boys is to reach their fathers and join them in the fight.
Hannibal takes us from North Africa to Spain, Italy and Gaul. The horrendous hardships that Hannibal's men face as they cross the Alps - from the elements, the mountains themselves and from the tribes that control them - are described in compelling detail. The miracle is that any man or beast survived at all. While virtue is found on both sides and neither side is the favourite, there is brutality here, as life becomes something precious and at risk. Ben Kane doesn't shy away from presenting the outrages of both sides just as he doesn't make any character faultless. Quintus and Hanno are both very likeable but through the course of the pages we see them become the tools of war. Hanno's brothers Bostar and Sapho, deeply competitive and flawed, demonstrate even further what happens when war and vengeance becomes the reason for being. The fathers of Quintus and Hanno have both learned lessons that their sons have yet to recognise.
Quintus' sister Aurelia is a particularly attractive creation here. Contracted to marriage with a wealthy man fighting alongside her father she longs to hunt, fight and ride with her male relatives but, thanks to the potentially very dangerous situation at home that Quintus and her father have left her and her mother to face, she shows that the women left behind could be equally brave and resolute.
The action sequences in Hannibal are thrilling and exciting but they don't dominate. Rich characterisation and involving relationships ensure that you will finish Hannibal quickly, wanting to learn the fate of the people who fill its pages. Fortunately, I'm glad to hear that this is the first in a new series and there is much more to come.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Wow, where do I begin with this one! This is an example of some of the very best of historical fiction on offer at the moment and a testament to an author who is consistently producing inspirational reads. If you loved Ben Kane's earlier series, then you will need to get a copy of this, his latest book as soon as you can. It's one of those books that will have you reading late into the night and almost missing your bus stop! It's that good.
Rome is at war with Carthage and as may be expected, this is a story told from both sides of the equation with Quintus and Aurelia largely representing Rome and Bostar, Sapho and Hanno largely representing Carthage. There are numerous other sub-characters including other family members and the infamous Hannibal, but these are the main protagonists around whom the story is mainly centred. Quintus and Aurelia who are brother and sister represent an aspiring equestrian Roman family and Bostar, Sapho and Hanno are brothers from a noble Carthaginian family. The story is located around the Mediterranean, across Gaul and into Italy itself.
This book is so good and its interweaving themes of slavery, injustice, aspiration, love, oaths, brutality, enmity and anguish certainly draws the reader straight in from the first page. As always, Kane's descriptive ability is superb, I truly felt like I was trailing Hanno and Sunni through the streets of Carthage in the first chapter. I could have been stood within the Carthaginian column as it wound its way through the treacherous Alps or sat within the Curia when the Senate met to question its returning Consul in an electrifying political setpiece. The enmity between Bostar and Sapho was brilliantly captured and certainly created a firm foundation on which to base the next book. I for one can't wait to see what will happen to the squabbling pair.
Everything about this book is excellent: the characterisation, the description, the battle scenes, the level of research, the prose, the suspense, the relationships... I could go on! When I read the initial chapter at the end of the last book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the first of the Carthaginian series. Now I am in the same position as I desperately await the second instalment. It can't come soon enough for me!
Whether you are new to Ben Kane or a seasoned fan, this book is recommended to all lovers of those sorts of books that truly transport you back in time. Fans of all things Roman or students of the Carthaginian Wars should likewise obtain a copy and delve into a world of bitter rivalries. I'm certain that you won't be disappointed with the first instalment to what appears to be an epic new series.
Recommended wholeheartedly.
Rome is at war with Carthage and as may be expected, this is a story told from both sides of the equation with Quintus and Aurelia largely representing Rome and Bostar, Sapho and Hanno largely representing Carthage. There are numerous other sub-characters including other family members and the infamous Hannibal, but these are the main protagonists around whom the story is mainly centred. Quintus and Aurelia who are brother and sister represent an aspiring equestrian Roman family and Bostar, Sapho and Hanno are brothers from a noble Carthaginian family. The story is located around the Mediterranean, across Gaul and into Italy itself.
This book is so good and its interweaving themes of slavery, injustice, aspiration, love, oaths, brutality, enmity and anguish certainly draws the reader straight in from the first page. As always, Kane's descriptive ability is superb, I truly felt like I was trailing Hanno and Sunni through the streets of Carthage in the first chapter. I could have been stood within the Carthaginian column as it wound its way through the treacherous Alps or sat within the Curia when the Senate met to question its returning Consul in an electrifying political setpiece. The enmity between Bostar and Sapho was brilliantly captured and certainly created a firm foundation on which to base the next book. I for one can't wait to see what will happen to the squabbling pair.
Everything about this book is excellent: the characterisation, the description, the battle scenes, the level of research, the prose, the suspense, the relationships... I could go on! When I read the initial chapter at the end of the last book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the first of the Carthaginian series. Now I am in the same position as I desperately await the second instalment. It can't come soon enough for me!
Whether you are new to Ben Kane or a seasoned fan, this book is recommended to all lovers of those sorts of books that truly transport you back in time. Fans of all things Roman or students of the Carthaginian Wars should likewise obtain a copy and delve into a world of bitter rivalries. I'm certain that you won't be disappointed with the first instalment to what appears to be an epic new series.
Recommended wholeheartedly.
23 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'll admit, I've always had a thing for Hannibal Barca. He'd be one of my ultimate dinner party guests. For me he's right up there with Alexander, Caesar, and Napoleon, and I imagine he must have had charisma coming off him in waves. So when I found out that Kane was 'doing' Hannibal, I got very excited because I knew he'd do a great job. What I wasn't prepared for, however, was the wonderful human touch with which the author drew me in; the difficult weave of family relationships, the power of friendship in the face of adversity. This tale of humanity and the human condition set against the backdrop of an epic clash of empires is what made this novel a joy to read.
If you want a story that lives and breathes, characters that you genuinely care about, and action that leaves you breathless, Ben Kane is your man. With the instinct and skill of Hannibal himself, the author draws you in and lets loose! Echoes of the great Homeric poems summon the ancient world to glorious, blazing life. You feel the ground tremble beneath the phalanxes, hear the battle cries of the legions, smell the carnage of war. You sense the sweeping tides of history that changed the world. It's clear that Kane has a passion for his subject; a passion that sweeps the reader along like a spearman hemmed in the throng, towards whatever fate the gods have decreed. I found myself cheering - a good omen if there ever was! An epic tale, triumphantly told.
If you want a story that lives and breathes, characters that you genuinely care about, and action that leaves you breathless, Ben Kane is your man. With the instinct and skill of Hannibal himself, the author draws you in and lets loose! Echoes of the great Homeric poems summon the ancient world to glorious, blazing life. You feel the ground tremble beneath the phalanxes, hear the battle cries of the legions, smell the carnage of war. You sense the sweeping tides of history that changed the world. It's clear that Kane has a passion for his subject; a passion that sweeps the reader along like a spearman hemmed in the throng, towards whatever fate the gods have decreed. I found myself cheering - a good omen if there ever was! An epic tale, triumphantly told.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Absorbing
I very much enjoyed reading this book. I had wanted to read a book on this subject, and it has fired my interest in Carthaginian history and even the foundations of Rome... Read more
Published 22 days ago by PeterTattersall
Hannibal;Enemy of Rome
I was recommended this book by a friend and it has been an excellent read. So much so that I have ordered a further 3 novels by Ben Kane on the back of my enjoy enjoyment of this... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Rob
Another Great Ben Kane Book.
This is yet another great book from Ben Kane, as a fan of his other Rome books I had high hopes for this and it didn't disappoint. Read more
Published 1 month ago by bookmeup
Hannibal enemy of Rome
The book is very informative the story flows well and keeps you gripped ,you will be Hard pushed to put down . Looking forward to next part.
Published 1 month ago by mikecan
Hannibal: Enemy of Rome
This is the first of Ben Kane's novels I have read. In a market inundated with stories set against sweeping historical backdrops, it seemed like something I might enjoy. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Steve D
A Good Read
I enjoyed this escapist novel, I wonder about the truth in it, but it is faction after all. It is a great holiday read, probably for men mainly.
Published 1 month ago by Dr. John Lalor
Hannibal, but as flawed
To be totally accurate I bought the hardback, if intending to reread it is probably the wiser choice for this is a thick volume. Read more
Published 2 months ago by John Fareham
ben kane is getting better and better.
This book is good and whets your appetite for the next in the series. It for me is going to be a better series than the etruscan series and the writing is a little more polished in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by dazler
An interesting subject told in an unfortunately bland manner
It's an interesting if slightly incredulous concept for a story. A roman equestrian befriends an enslaved Carthaginian before they find themselves on opposite sides of the second... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Reiver
Nice to see the other side
I found this novel interesting because it shows the "other side" to the usual Roman perspective. Most things I have read are biased against the Carthaginians. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Ashton
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