Hannibal: Enemy of Rome [Hardcover]

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.

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.

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.